Billboard’s Chief Content Officer of Latin Music and Billboard Español, Leila Cobo moderates a discussion with Loud and Live CEO, Nelson Albareda, Alex Mizarahi, CEO of OCESA Seitrack and the president of Sony Music Latin, Alex Gallardo about the role of OG power players in the industry.
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00:00What one is looking for in an artist is that factor that makes him unique,
00:03that he is not like anyone else, and that special talent that makes him stand out.
00:09I think that when it is the copy of the copy of the copy, there you lose something.
00:14And many times, an artist in his development tries to...
00:20Where am I going? I'm going more this way or more the other way.
00:23And I think that everything that brings him closer to something genuine in himself,
00:27to exploit what makes him unique, I think it is a well-taken decision.
00:32And a second point that I would also like to emphasize,
00:35which I think that in these times of so much offer, as we said before,
00:39I think it becomes very important.
00:42I really like to see artists who are very active, who work a lot,
00:49who are in the studio, who call colleagues if they want a collaboration,
00:53who are anxious to take the step forward,
00:56compared to others who are more accommodated,
00:59who hope that opportunities will come to them.
01:02I feel that now the artists who are doing better are those who have that initiative,
01:08who pull out of the car before the manager, the promoter or the label.
01:13Power Players, Los OGs
01:16I just noticed that they left us a single bottle of water.
01:19That's because I'm not going to make them sweat.
01:22There are the others.
01:24Well, welcome to our traditional, iconic Power Player panel.
01:30This time we have Nelson Alvareda, the CEO and founder of Loud and Live.
01:35Alex Gallardo, president of Sony Music U.S. Latin.
01:40And Alex Mizrahi, CEO and founder of Oseza State Track. Welcome.
01:48Well, each of you represents a different sector of the business.
01:53Promotion, events, labels, managers,
01:59and also concerts.
02:01What is the advantage and challenge for Latin music today, at this time?
02:09Well, I'll start. Good morning, good afternoon, everyone.
02:13It's a pleasure to be here. Thank you, Leila, for the invitation.
02:16From the point of view of the label,
02:19something that we find very interesting now is
02:22the fact that we have a lot of artists,
02:25and in the label, something that we find very interesting now
02:29is the variety of genres that are coming out.
02:35A couple of years ago, three years ago,
02:37there was a genre that was the most dominant,
02:39which was a more urban genre, reggaeton,
02:41and now we see cumbia, merengue, salsa,
02:45quartet in Argentina, well, in Mexico,
02:48a numberless one within the umbrella of the Mexican region.
02:51And that, I think, is very interesting and a great opportunity.
02:56On the other hand, another challenge, I think,
02:58is that now it's more difficult for an artist
03:01to conquer all the markets in Latin America,
03:03because, because of this variety,
03:05the markets are becoming more local,
03:07and you look at the charts in Argentina,
03:11and they are dominated by Argentine artists,
03:13in Mexico, by Mexican artists.
03:15So, I think making this regional conquest is a bit more complex.
03:20So, I would say that those are the two aspects that I identify with.
03:27Yes, well, I would add... Good afternoon, everyone.
03:30I would add that, from the record label's point of view,
03:35it's easier to generate success today than ever,
03:39because the platforms are more democratic than ever before.
03:43The artist's access to his fans is completely direct.
03:47There are no intermediaries,
03:49or there are not the same intermediaries that existed before.
03:51Making a record, putting it in a store,
03:53in short, the call to action,
03:55making people come, buy it, listen to it.
03:59From the side of live music, as a management,
04:02because right now Nelson is on the promoter's side,
04:06the biggest challenge that I feel exists today
04:08is that artists consolidate their repertoire.
04:12It sounds a bit strange, but consolidating their repertoire
04:16means that they generate enough success
04:20to make their fans want to buy a ticket.
04:26Today, I feel that there are more successful artists than ever before,
04:32and I don't see many artists selling tickets.
04:37For me, that's the biggest gap
04:42that exists between recorded music and live music.
04:49Nelson, you must see that firsthand, right?
04:52Yes, good afternoon to all of you.
04:54Yes, from the point of view of live music and promoters,
04:57and we also work in the label,
04:59and maybe we can talk about that a little later,
05:01we are seeing that we have to work.
05:03I think we got used to it,
05:05leaving the pandemic,
05:07we had more time to listen to music,
05:10more artists were made,
05:12because they had the time,
05:14not only the artist's time, but the consumer's time.
05:17So yes, we made a lot of artists,
05:19a lot of artists were made,
05:20but I think what Alex is saying is that
05:22we are seeing today that it is not a genre that is dominating.
05:24So it is more difficult,
05:26not only for the promoter, for the label,
05:28where do we put the resources,
05:29because all the artists in different genres
05:31are hitting each other in some markets, in other markets.
05:34Now, the challenge that we see
05:37is that the bookstores are not selling as they used to.
05:40That is, you have bookstores now,
05:42you used to have 20 markets,
05:44before there were 20 markets for artists,
05:46now there are 13, there are 5.
05:49That's three years from now.
05:51Yes, we are seeing that,
05:53especially in the last, I think this year.
05:55That is, this year has been where
05:57we are returning to the live sector,
05:59before the pandemic,
06:01and where the artist did not have to work a lot,
06:03he would upload something, we would upload a bookstore,
06:05it was sold.
06:07The same with the promoter.
06:08That is, now we have to work on the marketing strategy,
06:11the price, we are seeing that the prices
06:13are not the same price as before in bookstores.
06:15If we were selling a ticket,
06:17for example, at $110, $120 in the United States,
06:19now we are seeing it at $80.
06:21And speaking in Europe and Latin America,
06:23we are seeing the same trend.
06:25That is, both management, the label, the artist,
06:28we have to work a lot more now
06:30than we were working after the pandemic.
06:32And I would say that it is a little more
06:34than before the pandemic.
06:36It seems to me,
06:38and now I ask the question for everyone,
06:40I think that, well, I don't think so.
06:42Is this part of the general market
06:44that is very saturated?
06:46Because I think that in the recording,
06:48it also stands out,
06:50yes, it is more democratic,
06:52as you say, Alex,
06:54but what is there?
06:5630,000 songs a day?
06:58So has it become more complicated
07:00to find artists in that sense?
07:04Well, let's see,
07:0620 years ago,
07:08for any artist to access a studio
07:10or access a distribution,
07:12he had to go through a label.
07:14There were a series of filters.
07:16Nowadays,
07:18and I think it is something beautiful
07:20of this era that we are living,
07:22any boy from his home
07:24with a computer
07:26can create an album,
07:28upload it to the platforms,
07:30even promote it.
07:32So,
07:34this democratization,
07:36as Alex said,
07:38makes for more potential artists
07:40or more people who can access.
07:42But that also makes
07:44the offer much greater.
07:46The latest data
07:48was that 120,000 songs
07:50were uploaded a day,
07:52when that 30,000
07:54was left behind.
07:56So,
07:58effectively,
08:00when there is so much
08:02offer,
08:04the audience is left with what?
08:06And that is our job.
08:08And I think that is true,
08:10and Alex can tell you,
08:12we work very closely with Sony
08:14to develop artists.
08:16What happens is that some genres
08:18need that live exposure.
08:20For example, there are tropical artists,
08:22salsa, which is not the same to listen to,
08:24and that is a problem we are facing.
08:26There are so many artists,
08:28how do you give them the opportunity
08:30to see them live?
08:32And on the other hand,
08:34there is a saturation of shows.
08:36We had so many shows,
08:38I think the global situation
08:40and the US economy
08:42is affecting it.
08:44The streams,
08:46you are not getting sick
08:48because you are paying your subscription
08:50and you are not going to cancel it,
08:52so there is saturation
08:54on the side of artists.
08:56And how do we develop new artists?
08:58A good artist we developed
09:00before the pandemic,
09:02a good example, was Camilo.
09:04And it developed because we had time.
09:06Obviously, the pandemic also helped,
09:08but it was how we put it on stage
09:10so that the fan could capture that essence.
09:12And now there are many artists
09:14and few stages where we can put it.
09:16Going back a little,
09:18sorry, you mean?
09:20I was going to give you the floor.
09:24Going back a little to the topic
09:26of consolidating a repertoire,
09:28it is a step back.
09:30When people leave their home
09:32for a show,
09:34they are not alone.
09:36They go with someone,
09:38they have to pay for a parking,
09:40they have to have a drink,
09:42they go out to dinner,
09:44it is an experience.
09:46The live concert is an experience.
09:48We, as management,
09:50have to say that
09:52this artist has to have
09:54the power in music,
09:56in personality,
09:58in speech,
10:00to get you out of your house
10:02with two or three friends,
10:04with your parents,
10:06with your family,
10:08and bring you to this world
10:10to offer you a great experience.
10:12And when you leave,
10:14you have to leave saying
10:16and more than today,
10:18technology doesn't just
10:20play for
10:22recorded music platforms.
10:24Today, one wants to buy
10:26a Taylor Swift insurance ticket
10:28and gets in the queue
10:30of the ticket office.
10:32There is an algorithm
10:34that is thinking how many people
10:36are in the queue and says,
10:38I can sell you the most expensive ticket
10:40for $12,000.
10:42There is no such thing as face value.
10:44What is our challenge?
10:46To build the experience.
10:48What is that experience
10:50of repertoire,
10:52of attitude, of power on stage,
10:54of power, of connecting with your fans.
10:56And that is what we work on
10:58every day.
11:00Why? Because we have
11:02an additional challenge.
11:04When you are making artists in development,
11:06when you are starting to work with artists,
11:08today we face...
11:10Before it was very easy.
11:12There is the House of Blues
11:14or its equivalents in each country
11:16where we live. Clubs.
11:18So, you went to the small version
11:20of the club and you were growing
11:22little by little with a new album,
11:24with new songs.
11:26You aspired to go to a theater
11:28and from the theater you went to an auditorium
11:30and from the auditorium to the arena
11:32and from the arena to the stadium.
11:34So, what happens today?
11:36Today there are 50 festivals
11:38that you say,
11:40but I can have two songs
11:42and I can already go to a festival
11:44because I don't even need to go
11:46to sing an hour and a half
11:48to Fillmore.
11:50With the fact that I appear
11:52in the flow up there,
11:54I already did it, I already consolidated myself.
11:56It's not like that.
11:58There is still the same path.
12:00Some go faster than others,
12:02but the advice I would give
12:04to artists,
12:06that surely here there must be
12:08managers, artists,
12:10this I think is more a race
12:12of resistance than of speed.
12:16But there is so much pressure
12:18for artists to release music
12:20constantly because of the famous algorithm.
12:22How the hell
12:24do you create a repertoire
12:26that is worth it
12:28if you are being pressured
12:30to release a song a week?
12:32No?
12:34Ok, Alex Gallardo,
12:36looking at Alex Gallardo,
12:38obviously.
12:40It wasn't just for you,
12:42it was for everyone,
12:44because I find it very difficult
12:46to do good things so fast.
12:48Well, I don't think it's about
12:50releasing a song every week,
12:52but it is true
12:54that an artist has to be
12:56right now
12:58permanently connected
13:00with the fan
13:02and the truth is that the cycle
13:04that that fan has had,
13:06not only musically,
13:08but in telling him
13:10what he did that day,
13:12requires skills that
13:14years ago were not necessary,
13:16but now in social networks
13:18it almost forces him.
13:20Something that I think
13:22that never goes out of fashion
13:24for an artist
13:26is to work your repertoire
13:28in the best possible way,
13:30to make you with the best
13:32of your repertoire,
13:34as Alex said before,
13:36and it is to raise
13:38the bar.
13:40There is more competition,
13:42as I do to stand out,
13:44I have to raise the bar
13:46in my composition,
13:48in my production,
13:50in how it sounds,
13:52in what I tell,
13:54and once I have that song,
13:56how I release it,
13:58how I tell it to the world,
14:00it is neglected,
14:02at least in the label
14:04we live when the artist calls you
14:06today is Tuesday,
14:08I have composed a song,
14:10I want it to come out on Friday
14:12and making the analogy
14:14with concerts,
14:16you say, but if you
14:18do a concert on Friday,
14:20do you put the tickets on sale on Thursday?
14:22No, you put them months before
14:24so that people know,
14:26well, releasing a song is not one day for another,
14:28so I think
14:30two factors that have to be taken care of
14:32is that those songs
14:34can be the best possible
14:36and then take care of how we tell the world
14:38that that song is there and why they have to go
14:40listen to it.
14:42Are you going to add something, Nelson?
14:44I think what Mirage said,
14:46and I say Mirage because they are both Alex,
14:48it is interesting,
14:50we as an industry have to do a reset
14:52on the button, what does that mean?
14:54How many artists do we not know
14:56that during the pandemic
14:58and it was already happening during the pandemic,
15:00they want to go out as artists to sell sand?
15:02You have to work,
15:04you have to stay in that career,
15:06start small, then do theater,
15:08create an audience, then go and create sand.
15:10And second, I think that also
15:12we as an industry,
15:14the managers, the artists,
15:16we go out and all they want is more money, more money, more money.
15:18And the money,
15:20if the artist wants all that money,
15:22I see it every day,
15:24if you want the money today or you want it tomorrow.
15:26Because at the end of the day,
15:28everyone, including the managers,
15:30the advertisers, the whole ecosystem,
15:32we have to invest in that artist.
15:34And there is a problem where the business has gone,
15:36it is gone.
15:38I know many artists who come and say,
15:40no, because I want to do a theater of 6,000 people.
15:42Well, but you have not sold one of 500.
15:44And we lost that as an essence,
15:46not only the artists, the managers too.
15:48Yes, some came out of the pandemic
15:50who went, because we know,
15:52they sold it,
15:54but we were not living in a normal moment.
15:56And now the business is being normalized
15:58where we have to think more
16:00how we do strategy,
16:02how this artist, speaking of repertoire,
16:04if it can come out, and we have seen it,
16:06they sell a full tour and then they come out the next time
16:08and they don't sell it.
16:10So we have to create that audience,
16:12invest in the career,
16:14and little by little, that short path
16:16is not the correct one,
16:18the long one is the one we have to see.
16:20And we have to be aware of that
16:22as an industry,
16:24because the costs have also gone
16:26through the roof, the production costs,
16:28the marketing costs, everything has gone up.
16:30And there is a mismatch there.
16:32And then the industry
16:34is resetting itself, because I see it.
16:36And I hear
16:38million dollar figures,
16:40million dollar contracts, million dollar deals,
16:42and I always say, wow,
16:44they are
16:46receiving the return
16:48or they are
16:50readjusting the numbers.
16:52Because I always hear two narratives
16:54in the last months in the market.
16:56One is that the tickets
16:58are not being sold as much as before,
17:00that the market is being readjusted.
17:02The other is that the artists are charging a lot.
17:04I don't know, apart from the label,
17:06and it would be good to hear from Alex,
17:08but from our side, what we are starting
17:10and we have said to all the artists is
17:12if you want to work with us, perfect.
17:14If what you want are contracts, and it depends on the artist,
17:16we think that what the market
17:18today, because today we are living
17:20with many offers and many contracts
17:22that were made a year ago, that were made
17:24two years ago, but we are choosing
17:26who we work with today.
17:28If the artist is able, if the manager is able
17:30to say, hey, this is what the market, for example,
17:32if a ticket today is worth 80,
17:34and before it was worth 100 or 120,
17:36it is not the same offer that can be given to the artist.
17:38So yes, there are offers that are out there,
17:40but we, at the side of London Live,
17:42we are adjusting everything
17:44to be able to fulfill the artist
17:46and fulfill, in the end, the fan
17:48that wants to go to that show.
17:50And we still have to create the experience.
17:52Yes, let's see, I think that
17:54the role of the manager in this,
17:56the role of the manager
17:58is
18:00the wisdom,
18:02he has to talk to his artist.
18:04Yes, because, look, it's true
18:06everything they are saying is correct.
18:08The industry is suffering
18:10a revolution everywhere.
18:12It doesn't mean that recorded music doesn't.
18:14On the contrary, it started with recorded music
18:16because these mega-successes
18:18that are made on Spotify
18:20and YouTube and billions
18:22and billions of streams,
18:24and then that, the truth is that
18:26again, taking a step back,
18:28after we have lived for many years
18:30a fall in recorded music,
18:32so strong, when the issue
18:34of platforms, plays,
18:36streams, factors, revenues, etc., etc.,
18:38begins, it is very good news
18:40for the industry, correct.
18:42From there to the fact that we are releasing 100,000 songs
18:44every Friday, uff,
18:46the issue of
18:48ticketing,
18:50the use of technology
18:52for these dynamic prices
18:54that are destroying the issue of live.
18:56On the other hand,
18:58the artists, it's not that I want to leave,
19:00the artists, every time they want more,
19:02every time they want more, of course.
19:04And everyone must understand
19:06the essence of their business.
19:08In us there has to be,
19:10I repeat, the wisdom to be able
19:12to speak the truth with your artist,
19:14explain things to him,
19:16because the great sin,
19:18Leila, I dare to say as an industry,
19:20in all sectors,
19:22is that we don't tell the truth to the artists.
19:24And when you don't tell the truth
19:26to the artists out of fear
19:28that they get angry
19:30or that they don't do what,
19:32well, you're already wrong,
19:34because the artist says,
19:36well, if everything is fine,
19:38then pay me what I want,
19:40take me to the stadium, record me,
19:42give me so much advance
19:44for my record contract.
19:46So we have to talk more,
19:48we have to be a little more in communication
19:50and with the new artists,
19:52because I'm talking in this case
19:54about the legendary ones,
19:56the ones that sell, the big ones.
19:58And when you're talking about artists
20:00in development,
20:02you have to explain to them,
20:04well, it's like a race.
20:06We can try to find that immediate boom,
20:08go to the festivals
20:10and have them pay you the big checks
20:12because you don't have the burden
20:14of selling the tickets,
20:16but my recommendation is to go little by little,
20:18because when you remember,
20:20and you do the exercise,
20:22which bands are still following,
20:24which artists are still following
20:26since they were kids, very few.
20:28Why do they follow them?
20:30Because the artist you're still connected to
20:32was giving them something
20:34that made them grow with those artists.
20:36Today I have many doubts
20:38that there are artists
20:40that in their storytelling,
20:42they don't care if you grow with them
20:44or not, you know?
20:46They just grow, they're a boom,
20:48and then they pass,
20:50and then how do you manage
20:52the issue of reincorporating me
20:54to the growth curve?
20:56Well, not anymore.
20:58So the solid step
21:00is that you're talking to your artists.
21:02I'm talking to your artists.
21:04Yes, sir, and all these cameras you see...
21:06No, because I have a lunch
21:08after this with Alex
21:10to see if I negotiate with one of his artists,
21:12so I want to be sure.
21:14It's hard work, and sometimes
21:16you have to go with a mask
21:18to have the conversation,
21:20but you have to say things.
21:22Well, I'll ask the three of them,
21:24because Nelson was saying
21:26that they choose very well
21:28who to sign with,
21:30and Alex Mizrahi,
21:32you just created an entertainment company
21:34where you're working
21:36with artists in development
21:38who already have a certain platform,
21:40but how do they choose
21:42which artist to work with?
21:44What is the profile they're looking for?
21:46Because there must be a lot of new artists here.
21:48I want them to sign me.
21:50What do I have to bring to the table as an artist?
21:54Well, I think an artist
21:56or what you're looking for
21:58is that one-of-a-kind factor
22:00that doesn't resemble anyone
22:02and that special talent
22:04that makes you stand out.
22:06I think when it's the copy of the copy
22:08of the copy,
22:10you lose something,
22:12and many times an artist,
22:14in his development,
22:16tries to... where do I go?
22:18Do I go this way or that way?
22:20And I think everything that brings
22:22something genuine in itself
22:24exploits what makes it unique.
22:26I think it's a well-taken decision.
22:28And a second point
22:30that I would also like to emphasize
22:32that I think in these times
22:34of so much offer,
22:36as we said before,
22:38I think it becomes very important.
22:40I really like to see artists
22:42who are very active,
22:44who work a lot,
22:46who are in the studio,
22:48who call colleagues
22:50if they want a collaboration,
22:52and so on,
22:54compared to others
22:56who are more accommodating,
22:58who wait for opportunities.
23:00I feel that now
23:02the artists who are doing better
23:04are those who have that initiative,
23:06who get out of the car
23:08before the manager,
23:10the promoter or the label
23:12are already four steps ahead.
23:14Yes.
23:16Before, one could simply be an artist
23:18and not anymore.
23:20Nelson, you here in the center.
23:22Well, I think, first, talent.
23:24Obviously, without talent,
23:26without music repertoire,
23:28there are no artists,
23:30and obviously, they don't sell tickets.
23:32Second, for us, the team
23:34around the artist is very important.
23:36I think the team around the artist
23:38is as important as the artist
23:40and that there is communication
23:42between that team and the artist
23:44and that they are coordinated.
23:46Management, we see very well
23:48Alex in another way,
23:50and we tell him to put on his shirt.
23:52He has to put on his shirt.
23:54Nowadays, networks are very important.
23:56The moment the artist
23:58knows how to have that pulse
24:00in his audience,
24:02that if he has to talk today,
24:04he has to talk today,
24:06he can't wait until tomorrow,
24:08and that the artist wants to work,
24:10the personality of the artist is very important.
24:12There are artists who are good in the studio,
24:14but nowadays the artist has to be
24:16well-rounded, he has to be in the network,
24:18he has to be able to grab a microphone,
24:20he has to be able to talk,
24:22so those are the three things.
24:24Management, the artist, talent,
24:26and obviously, to put on his shirt.
24:28I'm getting stressed just listening to that.
24:30It's true.
24:32It's difficult to work with Nelson,
24:34isn't it?
24:36Well, in the case of Alex,
24:38in management, 100 points.
24:40No, no, I love you very much.
24:42I'm sure you love me.
24:44I love you too.
24:46You have a point.
24:48It's...
24:50It takes effort.
24:52It's not a matter of
24:54things coming as easily
24:56as they came to this industry at some point.
24:58That's what it means.
25:00Well, talking about
25:02the company that
25:04we recently did
25:06with Warner,
25:08who was also supposed to be invited today,
25:10my friend Alejandro Duque, but he's traveling.
25:12As you know,
25:14Leila,
25:16and my colleagues here know,
25:18our vision
25:20at Zaytrak is
25:22to invest in structure.
25:24We try to
25:26generate service equipment
25:28for the artist, because
25:30this company already went through
25:32the record crisis,
25:34and it was a little tough,
25:36because in that record crisis,
25:38I mean when they stopped selling physical records,
25:40which you didn't even see here,
25:42but the record companies
25:44changed
25:46their executives
25:48and their rosters.
25:50Artists came back
25:52who didn't sell enough to face the crisis,
25:54and all those actions are justified
25:56when there's a moment of crisis.
25:58So, I'm going to the point,
26:00because our bet has always been
26:02to invest in service structures,
26:04and
26:06when in the new stage
26:08of Warner,
26:10they have a company called Xamagatine,
26:12which has a lot of artists
26:14with signed rights
26:16and they weren't getting
26:18100% service
26:20in the live and in the sponsorship part,
26:22Alejandro
26:24shared the concern
26:26and we took advantage of that moment
26:28to also hire
26:30Checho Rodríguez, Sergio Rodríguez,
26:32who came from GTS,
26:34and we set up a JB
26:36for those artists,
26:38and I'm really glad
26:40that it's going well.
26:42We've been doing it for a year
26:44and it's the first time
26:46that Manuel Medrano
26:48is having a real
26:50run in all the territories,
26:52a substantial improvement
26:54in ticket sales.
26:56Blest is doing a spectacular tour
26:58with Ryan Carson in the United States,
27:00we're doing it,
27:02and so on,
27:04and it's been growing
27:06and bearing fruit
27:08thanks to having the vision
27:10of betting on that structure
27:12and being able to share it.
27:14Is Sony going to do something like that?
27:16Yes, I think
27:18all the labels have been adapting.
27:20Westwood?
27:22But it's still Westwood?
27:24Well, there are
27:26its alliances with
27:28Pepo Ferradas,
27:30with WK,
27:32but yes,
27:34there are similar alternatives.
27:36Sorry to interrupt you,
27:38my label is with Sony.
27:40Look at the things you learn
27:42moderating panels.
27:44Well,
27:46we're perhaps in the most
27:48exciting moment
27:50in the history of
27:52Latin music, I would say,
27:54or at least it seems to me.
27:56I think it's never been as global
27:58as it is now,
28:00but it's a challenge
28:02on the one hand,
28:04which is an emotion on the other hand,
28:06but it's also a challenge
28:08because you don't want to lose that moment.
28:10So, what excites you
28:12right now?
28:14What excites you right now?
28:16About your business.
28:18About our business.
28:20I think it's the cycle,
28:22right?
28:24And the wheelhouse.
28:26For example,
28:28if we hadn't worked,
28:30we worked hand in hand with Sony,
28:32the brands, which we are also very strong,
28:34that is, we are looking at
28:36brands, we are looking at artists
28:38to campaign globally,
28:40just like music.
28:42So, this same year we have worked,
28:44everyone says, oh, McDonald's,
28:46we have worked with McDonald's,
28:48New Balance, Nestlé, Pepsi.
28:50We see that it is a unique moment
28:52where music has reached its peak.
28:54The opportunity is how we continue to grow,
28:56how we work together as an industry
28:58and how we continue to evolve.
29:00But I think there is a lot to do
29:02in content, in brands,
29:04in live,
29:06what we have to work more closely,
29:08but I think the opportunity
29:10will continue to be there.
29:12The question is how we can continue
29:14maintaining that level
29:16of market at a global level
29:18because we are also seeing bookings
29:20in markets where we have not seen before.
29:22In fact, this week we were closing
29:24an artist of ours for Australia.
29:26That is, we are seeing now
29:28that the time has come live,
29:30not only in the markets that we do,
29:32Latin America, obviously,
29:34which is still growing,
29:36Europe, which continues to grow every day,
29:38but other more traditional markets
29:40like Australia and Asia.
29:44I always tell an anecdote
29:46of when I started many years ago
29:48from AIR,
29:50I went to international meetings
29:52to put Latin music
29:54or in Spanish
29:56and how over the years
29:58they ended up doing meetings
30:00only for Latin music
30:02so that the world could see
30:04what the news were.
30:06I think we have the advantage
30:08of sharing a language
30:10that speaks one continent
30:12and part of another.
30:14I think that these years ago
30:16we have seen Latin superstars
30:18that have nothing to envy
30:20like Anglo,
30:22who before I feel had a little inferiority complex.
30:24I think we have removed it
30:26and what excites us
30:28is to see that
30:30we continue
30:32with all the energy,
30:34with all the illusion
30:36and with knowledge,
30:38with experience and without complexes
30:40to continue trying to take
30:42Latin music as far as possible.
30:44It sounds cliché,
30:46but that without complexes is very important.
30:48We all had to do that learning.
30:50And you, Alex M?
30:52Well, I think
30:54the challenge,
30:56or what I am most passionate about,
30:58which is not a challenge,
31:00is to live in an era
31:02where I can use
31:04everything I have learned in 20 years
31:06with artists like Alejandro Sanz
31:08or Alejandro Fernández,
31:10to use it
31:12in that experience
31:14for the benefit of new artists.
31:16The truth is that
31:18a year ago I started working with an artist
31:20called Elena Rose, for example,
31:22and I think she is
31:24a very talented woman
31:26who fully represents
31:28this new generation of artists.
31:30And it moves me a lot
31:32the energy of Elena,
31:34the creativity of Elena.
31:38Even at this stage
31:40one wakes up with a lot of
31:42excitement about what is coming
31:44and they are very small achievements
31:46sometimes, they are small,
31:48but they represent one thing
31:50for the vitality of a manager,
31:52they represent everything.
31:54I love to apply
31:56that experience
31:58in the new generation of artists.
32:00Now one last thing
32:02because I know we are running out of time.
32:04I know there are artists who
32:06suddenly have a hit that comes out of nowhere,
32:08like Floyd Menor
32:10and Chris MJ,
32:12or Latin Music Week,
32:14among other things.
32:16But if one does not have that hit,
32:18how would you like
32:20the artists to get it?
32:22When they already have a single song
32:24or already with a half-done trajectory
32:26that they can say,
32:28look, I come to you with this,
32:30what can you give me?
32:32Sometimes it can be a double-edged sword,
32:34because that shortcut
32:36that my colleagues also mentioned before,
32:38to get to a place very quickly,
32:40if reality puts you back in your place,
32:42I have always believed more
32:44to go step by step,
32:46building solid foundations
32:48that change your career.
32:50And that, as I say,
32:52sometimes it can be a double-edged sword
32:54that there is such an immediate success.
32:56And Nelson,
32:58do you have to see them live?
33:00I think that for us
33:02we like to always be there
33:04with the artist from the beginning.
33:06That is, there is an important thing
33:08to work with the artist from the first day
33:10because you create a work relationship
33:12and develop it.
33:14Now, the problem is that with a hit
33:16you don't sell tickets.
33:18So we have to work it.
33:20For us it is always a balance
33:22of whether we choose the artist
33:24to work from the beginning.
33:26Obviously, when an artist already has 10 hits
33:28or 20 hits, it's easy, right?
33:30So there we compete for money.
33:32But the important thing is
33:34how I feel with my rage,
33:36how I feel with my love for everything.
33:38But it is important to be there from the beginning
33:40if we bet on the artist.
33:42Yes, I recognize that a lot
33:44because I come across many artists
33:46who still don't sell many tickets
33:48and say, Nelson came to talk to me.
33:50That's good because promoters
33:52usually prefer to buy expensive when it's already a success.
33:54But if we are from the beginning,
33:56we charge less, right?
33:58Not so much.
34:00That's called good eye.
34:02And that's why you're on this panel.
34:04Thank you very much, gentlemen.