The Billboard Latin Music Conference and Awards is the longest running and most prestigious event in the Latin music industry. For three days and four nights, the hottest artists and the most prestigious industry personnel gather to discuss, consider, celebrate and revel in all that makes the Latin music business dynamic and successful.
The event featured performances, Q&As and panel discussions with such Latin music luminaries as Mana, Don Omar, Pitbull, Gloria Trevi, Enrique Iglesias and many others, along with label representatives from every important Latin label, including Universal Music Latin America, Sony Music Latin, Disa and Fonovisa.
Check out all of our coverage of the 2011 Billboard Latin Music Conference and Awards right here.
This year’s conference, for the first time, featured a Marketing Exchange Hosted by Telemundo and Mun2 that included discussion panels such as My Big Vast Social Network. Sponsored by Internet portal Muzicol, the discussion featured successful singer and entrepreneur Don Omar along with executives from Facebook and Google. The Marketing Exchange also presented the first annual Billboard Latin Music Marketing Awards, honoring the best campaigns, collaborations and creative visions from Latin music over the past year.
Below is a photo gallery with some of the event’s biggest movers and shakers, of which there were far too many to include here. Stay tuned to next week’s Billboard magazine for more.
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Billboard Latin Music Awards producer Tony Mojena breathes a sigh of relief backstage at the end of the show. The awards, presented by State Farm, delivered its highest ratings ever on the Telemundo network.
Talking music and the virtues of A&R backstage at the Billboard Latin Music Awards, from the left: Ruben Leyva, president, Sony Music Latin; Paul Forat, head of A&R, Sony Music Latin; Billboard publisher Lisa Howard; Billboard editorial director Bill Werde; Billboard executive director of Latin content & programming Leila Cobo.
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At the VIP Room at the Billboard Latin Music Awards, Elena Sotomayor, executive VP of event marketing at Cardenas Marketing Network (CMN); CMN president/CEO Henry Cardenas; and Billboard’s sponsorship/business development manager Cebele Marquez discussed future projects and alliances.
Mexican singer and composer Emmanuel accepted the Billboard Lifetime Achievement Award. In his impassioned acceptance speech, Emmanuel thanked his father. Raul Hacha, for being by his side during his career, and spoke about the importance of seeing his name on the Billboard charts during his 30-plus-year artistic trajectory. Emmanuel is pictured backstage after accepting his award with Billboard’s executive director of Latin content and entertainment Leila Cobo.
Following their walk down the red carpet, urban duo RKM and Ken-Y and pianist Arthur Hanlon celebrate their collaboration, “Yo Se,” featured on RKM and Ken-Y’s new album, “Forever,” (Pina Records). From left: Ken-Y, Hanlon and RKM.
Members of rock band Mana — who currently top both the Billboard Top Latin Albums and Hot Latin Songs chart — sat for an intimate Q&A during the Billboard Latin Music Conference. During, the band discussed music, immigration and the long lasting influence of mothers. More than 400 people were in attendance. From left: Alex Gonzalez; Fher Olvera; Billboard executive director of Latin content & programming Leila Cobo; Juan Calleros; and Sergio Vallin.
Very late following the Billboard Latin Music Awards, the party continued at the Universal Music Latin Entertainment bash at Miami’s Epic hotel. Pictured from left: Billboard executive director of Latin content & programming Leila Cobo; Billboard director of charts Silvio Pietroluongo; Billboard editorial director Bill Werde; Billboard publisher Lisa Howard; and Universal Music Latino/Machete president Walter Kolm.