Miami Herald

After three years, Billboard’s Latin Music Week is coming back to Miami

- BY SARAH MORENO smoreno@elnuevoher­ald.com Sarah Moreno: 305-376-2217, @SarahMoren­oENH

After two years in Las Vegas and a virtual gathering due to the pandemic in 2020, Billboard’s Latin Music Week returns to Miami to bring together artists and industry insiders.

This year’s theme is “The Beat of Latin Music” and the event will take place Sept. 20-25 at the Faena Forum in Miami Beach. On the itinerary are parties, conference­s, showcases and concerts, which will be even more appreciate­d a year after COVID-19 shut down inperson events. that thrive on audiences.

“It’s great to have the excitement of the artists live, after a year of much Zoom, at an inperson event in Miami,” Leila Cobo, Billboard’s vice president of Latin music, told el Nuevo Herald, promising a list of “great names” that she cannot reveal yet because the lineup is still in developmen­t.

“Miami is our capital of Latin music,” said Cobo, noting that during the pandemic, many producers, executives and artists moved to the city, which has strengthen­ed the presence of the

music industry in Miami, a city that has always been a mecca for record labels, location for videos and musical production­s, and now is also the headquarte­rs of Spotify, which has offices in Wynwood.

Colombian production company La Industria Inc, responsibl­e for the success of the careers of artists such as Nicky Jam, Manuel Turizo and Chocquibto­wn, is one of the Latin American companies that have establishe­d offices in Miami.

Cobo pointed out the panel of women in music, which this time will highlight young artists such as Nikki Cole and

Nathy Peluso, as one of the favorite events of Billboard’s Latin Music Week.

She also promised a live production session with Puerto Rican artist Lunay and special focus on young Regional Mexican music artists, who are incorporat­ing rap and trap into the traditiona­l sounds and instrument­s of the genre.

Billboard’s Latin Music Week is important to South Florida because it generates revenue from hotel occupancy and the intense activity it brings to the service industry, which includes everything from luxury transporta­tion to stylists and

technical staff who make the production of the shows possible. It comes at a key moment for South Florida, still affected by the loss of internatio­nal tourism due to the pandemic.

Cobo pointed out that it is difficult to quantify everything that goes into an event of this magnitude behind the scenes, which undoubtedl­y occupies many people in Miami.

“There is going to be live music all week; it’s a massive celebratio­n of Latin music,” she concluded.

 ?? FRANK MICELOTTA/BILLBOARD/PICTUREGRO­UP Frank Micelotta/Billboard/Picturegro­up ?? The scene at the 2019 Billboard Latin Music Week in Las Vegas.
FRANK MICELOTTA/BILLBOARD/PICTUREGRO­UP Frank Micelotta/Billboard/Picturegro­up The scene at the 2019 Billboard Latin Music Week in Las Vegas.
 ??  ?? Cobo
Cobo

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