As evidenced by our panelists Kany García, María Becerra, Nicki Nicole, Nathy Peluso, Young Miko and GALE, Latin music is no longer just a boys’ club. Women rule, and comprise a new generation of artists dominating the charts.
Moderated by Billboard Español‘s Isabela Raygoza, the aforementioned artists took the Billboard Latin Music Week stage on Tuesday (Oct. 3) for a candid conversation on why the boys club is no longer needed, as García put it. “It’s the fourth time I speak at Latin Music Week and I realize that it’s the first time I’m sitting with five other women that I admire so much,” García shared. “Before I had to share this stage with so many men but you know, women are the future.”
Below, the best and most memorable quotes from the Boys No More Club! panel:
Nicki Nicole on the first woman who supported her: “I had 20 subscribers on YouTube, I released my first song with so much hope, really wanting for it to go places you never expected, but it’s hard for women in the industry. Then, Cazzu was the first one who supported me, and I just had one song. She embraced me and it changed me as a woman and as an artist.”
Young Miko on being inspired by Kany García: “I’m so excited to be here with all of you, but Kany was really the first artist that motivated me to not be scared. I found out we were from the same [LGBTQ+] community and it made me feel comfortable to speak with my mother. Things are now changing, today, thank God, there’s an audience that’s more receptive, there’s an audience that is looking for change.”
Nathy Peluso on discovering her craft: “I know I wanted to dedicate myself to art and communicating. To communicate being a woman is a challenge and a privilege. I stopped singing on the streets to song on stages, and every day I wake up thinking: How can we evolve? When I started rapping, there weren’t many women on the scene, it was a struggle, to create a space for myself. Today, we’re far from those times and I’m grateful for the work of my sisters.”
María Becerra on being experimental: “I decided to start doing trap, dancehall, I really just wanted to do it all because I always liked everything. But that’s what it’s all about: experimenting. At the end of the day, we’re artists.
Kany García on embracing the learning process: “I’m still finding myself 16 years later, as the days pass, you don’t really stop discovering yourself. I’m still walking. I’m still learning.”
GALE on connecting with fans: “It’s always very strong to connect with vulnerability, and since I was a little girl, [I knew how] to embrace the fear that’s always going to be there. It happens to me a lot with songs, being honest, embracing fear in that way is how one connects with others.”
Celebrated for more than 30 years, the 2023 edition of Latin Music Week includes a Superstar Q&A with Shakira; the Legends on Legends chat with Chencho Corleone and Vico C; Making the Hit Live! with Carin León and Pedro Capó; a panel with RBD’s Christian Chávez, Christopher von Uckermann, and Maite Perroni; Superstar Songwriter discussion with Edgar Barrera and Keityn, among many other panels, Q&As and workshops. See the ultimate Latin Music Week guide here.
This year’s Latin Music Week, taking place Oct. 2-6, also includes showcases by Peso Pluma, Mike Bahía and Greeicy, DannyLux and Fonseca, to name a few. Check out the dates and times for the showcases throughout the week here.
Official partners of the 2023 Billboard Latin Music Week include AT&T, Cheetos, CN Bank, Delta Air Lines, Lexus, Netflix, Michelob ULTRA and Smirnoff.
Latin Music Week coincides with the 2023 Billboard Latin Music Awards ceremony, which will broadcast live from the Watsco Center in Coral Gables, Fla., on Thursday (Oct. 5), and will air on Telemundo. It will also broadcast simultaneously on Universo, Peacock, the Telemundo App, and throughout Latin America and the Caribbean on Telemundo Internacional.
