At a time when it matters more than ever, Latin women in the music industry have united to share their voices and advocate for recognition and respect. On Tuesday night (March 1), the most influential females in the Latin music scene gathered for an industry mentorship dinner, with special guest Becky G, to highlight the importance of cultural connectivity, courtesy of Billboard and WhatsApp.
The Esúchanos. Míranos (Hear Us. See Us). dinner event, which took place at the indoor-outdoor Casita Hollywood venue space, saw Leila Cobo, Billboard’s VP of Latin, host a special night of connection to celebrate the accomplishments of a guest list of leading women in executive and creative fields, accompanied by someone they’ve had the opportunity to mentor or support professionally, within the Latin music business. Throughout the evening, talent of all ranks and spaces, including executives, musicians, producers, songwriters and composers, enjoyed meaningful conversation, a pre-dinner cocktail hour, on-site photos, a private video content capture and, of course, a special meal, particularly catered to the essence and cultural standpoints of its attendees.
The peak of the evening saw guests hit the outdoor patio under a string of twinkling lights for a sit-down dinner, facing tables or a continued opportunity for connection and reflection. Cobo jumpstarted opening remarks by emphasizing the importance and hard work behind the mentorship event, but made sure to acknowledge the timing of it all. “I don’t think we could have done this 10 years ago,” she admitted to the 50-something guests in front a three-tiered fountain and lush foliage. Yet, they were there. They fought for their recognition. And now they’re thriving. “Every time we open one door for someone, we open many doors,” she added.
Guest of honor Becky G went on to offer her unique perspective in participating in the joint Billboard and WhatsApp event, highlighting the importance of unity in the Latin music industry. “As young women within this industry, we are constantly told that there’s only one seat at the table and that’s why we’ve been conditioned to think that it’s me versus you,” the pop star explained to the crowd. “If it was me and you coming together, we could accomplish so much more. We could actually build our own table and now we have two tables. Everyone can sit. Everyone can drink and everyone can eat and everyone can coexist because all of us have a different story to tell. All of us come from somewhere different. All of us have had to sacrifice so many different things to be where we are today.”
Elsewhere in her speech, she touched on her new Karol G collaboration, “MAMIII,” which currently sits at No. 1 on Billboard’s Hot Latin Songs chart, a first-time feat for the singer. “I am so honored to be here with everyone. I’m so thankful to everyone who’s had even the slightest ounce of input into where I’ve gotten today as an artist and in my charting today,” she said. “And you know, they come and they go, but the truth is, is how we coexist with one another. Everyone you see on your way up are the same people you see on the way down. Be kind to one another. It’s the truth. Be kind.”
While songwriter Elena Rose offered praise to her fellow attendees, describing them as “warriors” of the scene, it was META’s Tania Dorantes, Strategic Partner Manager, Music Label Partnerships, who spoke to the power of technology like WhatsApp to facilitate the connection in the room.
“We need to continue supporting each other and showcase the impact of Latin women, right? We deserve it. We have worked very hard for it,” she said. “We will continue to raise the bar on stage [and] behind the scenes, behind all these engineering things that some of us don’t understand. However, this connection, all that work is making us stronger every second. We need each other. We need to stay connected. We need to use the tools and the technology that we have available to our advantage. Our voices are being heard, but we need to scream even louder.”
Staying connected for personal and professional collaboration served as the mission statement behind WhatsApp’s Esúchanos. Míranos. campaign and accompanying short film. In the just-released 90-second video, viewers see how real-life friends Becky G, Anitta and TINI come together to stay connected, collaborate and support one another using the app’s voice notes feature. It also integrates WhatsApp’s blue microphone as a symbol of how the app’s features can help amplify Latin female voices to drive change. The film, which was shot in Las Vegas after the 2021 Latin Grammy Awards, was true to form in its creation with a cast of Latin female collaborators. The film’s original score was composed by rising producers Ali Stone from Colombia and Tiffany Román Louk from Puerto Rico, while the project was edited by María-Celeste Garrahan, who also hails from Puerto Rico.
This feature was created in paid partnership with WhatsApp.