Where all in Latin music meet: 2017 Billboard Latin Music Conference & Awards

By: Fredwill Hernandez

 

In its 28th year, and held annually, The Billboard Latin Music Conference & Awards, is the oldest and only conference catering strictly to Latin music, will take place at the Ritz-Carlton South Beach, Miami-Fl., from April 24 – 27, 2017.

The three-day conference which leads to the Billboard Latin Music Awards (held this year on Thur. – April 27th ) brings together top music record labels, publishers, talent managers, and executives in other areas of Latin music to discuss, engage, and interact with conference attendees about new and creative ways of doing business in the ever changing Latin musical landscape.

 

With the recent explosion of streaming across the board, the conference will host on Wed. – April 26 [10:15 – 10:45 am] “Show Me The Money,” moderated by Miami based veteran Latin music attorney Leslie José Zigel, Esq., Chairman, Entertainment Law Group, Greenspoon Marder Law, who through the panel will brake down streaming revenues in the [new] digital age. Also addressing streaming will be the “Latin Music Streaming Explosion“, taking place on Tues. – April 25 [11 – 11:45 am], where executives from Youtube /Google Play, Shazam, Deezer, Spotify, and Music Choice, among other things will explain how artists can best use various platforms for discovery and promotion.

 

Also announced is the Telemundo sponsored panel “The Life of Jenni Rivera,” moderated by Telemundo’s Jorge Bernal,  who will interview [colleague] Glenda Pacanins, SVP Programming & Content, Telemundo, Jenni Rivera’s older daughter Chiquis, and [Rivera’s sister] Rosie Rivera, CEO, Jenni Rivera Enterprises, representing the late singer’s estate, to find out how the family has worked in a collaborative effort with the network to create an authentic perspective into [presenting] the late singer’s life.

Another highly anticipated slot is for “Iconic singer/songwriter Q&A,” taking place Wed. – April 26 [11:15 – 11:45 am], sponsored by Sony/ATV Music Publishing, with René Perez Jogular known artistically as Residente [Spanish for resident], who is currently focused on his solo career. Residente along with his step brother Eduardo José Cabra know artistically Visitante [Spanish for visitor], founded Puerto Rican rap group Calle 13.

Other panels during the conference include the highly anticipated “Superstar Q&A” taking place Wed. – April 26 [5 – 5:45 pm] with Spanish singer and songwriter and Latin Grammy winner Miguel Bosé, marquee sessions like the “The Latin Trap Panel,” moderated by MeccaLani’s Miami based veteran Latin music attorney Angie Martinez, featuring recording artist Farruko, and newcomers Messiah, Noriel, and Bad Bunny, taking place Wed. – April 26 [12 – 1 pm], and also the “How I Wrote that Song, the New Generation,” panel with 2016 best new artist Latin Grammy winner Manuel Medrano, 2016 best new artist Latin Grammy nominee Joss Favela, and with one of the most prolific and successful Latin female songwriters Erika Ender, who during the 17th Annual Latin Grammy’s became the first Panamanian female songwriter to win a Latin Grammy for Ataúd, a song she co-wrote with Manu Moreno and Mónica Vélez for Los Tigres Del Norte.

 

 

Puerto Rican musical icon Ednita Nazario who was part of  the “Divas Panel,” during the 2016 Billboard Latin Conference, returns for the “Me, Me, Me,” panel moderated by Bruno Del Granado, Creative Artists Agency [Miami, Fl.], taking place Tues. – April 25 [3 – 3:45 pm], with panelists that include Luis Balaguer, owner, Latin World Entertainment, and Raymond Garcia, CEO, Major TV and Major Books, who will explain why Latin acts are a hot commodity for memoirs and biopics.

 

Pop/Rock act Reik, Silvestre Dangold, Wisin, Chocquibtown’s Tostao, and new comer Ozuna, will also be part of the “Pop + Urban = The Perfect Marriage,” panel taking place Tues. – April 25 [10-10:45 am], who among other things will discuss the phenomenon of how the Billboard charts are [currently] dominated by urban/raggaeton/pop and soon to come trap fusions.

Reggaeton superstars Nicky Jam and J Balvin will also be going head to head in the  “Superstar Mano a Mano,” where the colleagues in the game will among other things, discuss the state of Latin music, social responsibility and the genre’s global domination. The discussion will take place Wed. – April 26. Both chart-topping artists are Billboard Latin Music Awards finalists and will perform at the ceremony taking place April 27, to be televised by Telemundo.

 

 

Ex Universal Music Latino/Machete Music president Walter Kolm, who left [Universal] to manage the career of Mexican pop singer Cristian Castro, in what would give birth to WK Entertainment in 2012, and who currently manages Maluma, Carlos Vives, Wisin [Wisin & Yandel], and Silvestre Dangold, will pow wow in a rapid fire session with colleagues that include veteran touring executive Henry Cardenas, Founder & CEO, Cardenas Marketing Network, and Nicky Jam’s manager Juan Diego Medina, President, La Industria Inc., about new talent, the age of 360 deals, the role of management and the record label, touring and much more, during the “Power Players” panel taking place Wed. – April 26 [9:30-10:15 am].

Colombian reggaeton artist Maluma, will also take center stage at conference, as he brakes down the ins and outs of his social media presence and engagement, of his combined [Facebook, Instagram, & Twitter] 47 million followers  during “Socializing Maluma,” taking place on Tues. – April 25 [4 – 4:30pm].

After registering for the conference, attendees will have a chance to submit one song to be critiqued during the conference’s “I Want To Be Number 1,” panel, where the nation’s leading programmers including Jesus Salas, EVP, Spanish Broadcasting System [SBS], will analyze the [chosen] songs live, taking place Wed. – April 26 [3:15 – 4 pm].

Also upon registering, attendees will have a chance to sign up, meet and rub elbows with executives from companies such as Kobalt Music, Warner Chappell, Artists Solutions, SoundExchange, Creative Media Group, Altafonte US, Sirius XM Radio, and SESAC Latina, during the “One on One Sessions,” taking place before the opening night reception [performances], on Mon. – April 24 [3 – 5 pm].

For more information or to register for the conference, log on to http://www.billboardevents.com/event/billboard-latin-conference-2017/