- 10 minutes ago
It’s no secret that independent music entrepreneurs have been driving much of the growth of Latin music globally. Virgin Music Group executives Nat Pastor (Co-CEO) and Víctor González (EVP, president of Latin America, U.S. Latin and Spain) will offer a wide-ranging discussion on the rise of Latin music globally and how independent labels and artists are the engine behind much of this global success.
The 2026 Billboard Latin Music Week takes place from Oct. 19-22 at the Faena Forum Miami Beach, serving as a dynamic platform celebrating the heartbeat of Latin music and culture, with a packed week of programming that includes artist conversations, panels, live performances, hands-on workshops, brand activations, networking opportunities and more. Latin Music Week also coincides with the 2026 Billboard Latin Music Awards, set for Thursday, Oct. 22, airing live on Telemundo and Peacock.
The 2026 Billboard Latin Music Week takes place from Oct. 19-22 at the Faena Forum Miami Beach, serving as a dynamic platform celebrating the heartbeat of Latin music and culture, with a packed week of programming that includes artist conversations, panels, live performances, hands-on workshops, brand activations, networking opportunities and more. Latin Music Week also coincides with the 2026 Billboard Latin Music Awards, set for Thursday, Oct. 22, airing live on Telemundo and Peacock.
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00:00I have an anecdote with Nicky.
00:02One of the requests he made was,
00:05I want to be in the Virgin Cruz singing.
00:09I said, okay, fine.
00:11And we did it.
00:17All right, welcome, everybody.
00:19Hello, hello.
00:20How are we feeling out here?
00:21Hello, hello.
00:22Hello.
00:25I'm Jason Lipschatz.
00:26I am the co-chief content officer at Billboard.
00:30My co-chief content officer,
00:32my counterpart is the wonderful Leila Kobo,
00:34who I demand a round of applause
00:37for doing all of this this week.
00:39It was the absolute greatest.
00:42And I'm here with my pals,
00:44Nat and Victor from some Virgin.
00:47How are you guys doing?
00:48Excellent. Amazing.
00:49Thank you for having us.
00:51Give it up for Nat and Victor as well.
00:56So I want to start with the name of this panel,
00:59which is Latin music's independent revolution.
01:02And I'm curious about that word revolution
01:06and why you guys think that this isn't just like
01:09a fruitful moment for independent Latin artists
01:12and Latin artist teams,
01:13but this is an actual like fundamental shift going on.
01:17Well, first of all, thank you for having us,
01:19Jason and Leila and everybody at Billboard.
01:22This is a thrill for Victor and I
01:23to be here and talking to all of you.
01:27I'll start as somebody who didn't grow up in Latin music,
01:30but I think independence and Latin music
01:34has been threshold for the Latin industry
01:38for generations, right?
01:40In many ways, the Latin industry
01:43is the model for independence
01:45that the rest of the music industry has looked towards.
01:47And I think a lot of that comes from just generations
01:49of independent musicians and independent artists
01:52who didn't grow up with the traditional music infrastructure
01:57necessarily in their territories
01:59and had to be entrepreneurial, right?
02:01They were creating their own record labels.
02:03They were creating their own touring infrastructure.
02:05They were creating their own agency ecosystems.
02:08And all of these things made entrepreneurism,
02:13independence, and the Latin music business
02:16very much one thing.
02:17And now technology has just caught up to that, right?
02:20And I think so much of what we see
02:23in the explosion of the genre around the world
02:26is just the rest of us catching up
02:28to where Latin has been for generations.
02:30And that to me is really exciting
02:33to just be able to be in a position
02:34where that tailwind of great entrepreneurs,
02:38incredible music, and discovery happening
02:41in territories outside of Latin America
02:43are fueling the things that we're most excited about.
02:46I totally agree.
02:47I think that we're seeing justice for the Latin industry
02:52because for the first time,
02:54there is this big recognition
02:56about the talents in the territory.
03:00And I think that technology is helping a lot on that.
03:04And the numbers, the numbers.
03:07I think that the region is big.
03:08You have 620 million Spanish-speaking people around,
03:16and that consumption is big.
03:18I'm curious.
03:20I'd love for you guys to talk a little bit
03:22about your respective career paths
03:24and kind of how you ended up focusing on this sector
03:27and what drew you to not just Virgin Music Group,
03:31but also just in terms of like,
03:32oh, this is such an exciting thing
03:35to focus on professionally.
03:36Well, I think that has been there.
03:39I think the early days
03:41when Virgin started with In Groups,
03:44we saw their records doing regional Mexican music,
03:48and those guys were thriving
03:51on trying to reach the new regional Mexican
03:55new generations.
03:58So I think that we saw that
04:01in the early days on In Groups.
04:03And that was just the kickoff
04:07of what happened in the rest of the years.
04:10So I think that those days,
04:15we put a lot of attention on what was going on.
04:18Yeah.
04:18Yeah.
04:18And for me, before I got to Virgin,
04:21I was an entrepreneur, right?
04:23I mean, I had my partner, JT Myers,
04:26and I, who are both co-CEOs at Virgin,
04:28and we started a business called M Theory,
04:30which was in the management space,
04:32and then kind of accidentally started
04:35an independent record label alongside it.
04:38But we grew up in dance music.
04:41We grew up kind of putting out records
04:43in the way that we thought
04:44made a lot of sense to us
04:47in a time of great transformation
04:48in the early 2010s and beyond.
04:51And it was only four years ago or so
04:54when my boss, Lucian Grange,
04:56approached us and said,
04:57hey, you guys live in this independent world.
05:01You are entrepreneurs.
05:02You can probably talk to entrepreneurs
05:04in a way that is just different
05:06than the rest of the Universal Music Group.
05:08And so at that point,
05:10he brought us in to take over Virgin.
05:13And we've been so fortunate
05:15that there are great executives
05:17like Victor and Jacqueline Saturn
05:19and, you know, Nick Roden
05:21and people all around the world
05:22in our 40-something territories
05:24where we operate
05:25who are all dedicated to entrepreneurs
05:30building their own businesses.
05:31Yeah.
05:33You guys have had a very busy year.
05:36And, you know, obviously,
05:38along with a million other things,
05:39the downtown acquisition,
05:42we were talking a little bit backstage, Nat,
05:44about just what Victor's superpower
05:47and the connection, Victor, you make.
05:50Like, what is it like seeing him operate
05:52and across different regions,
05:54across different teams,
05:55across different artists?
05:56It's unbelievable.
05:57I think that one of the things
05:59that I'm most proud of with Virgin
06:02is the way that our Latin American team
06:05in the nine-plus territories
06:08where Victor has boots on the ground,
06:10it is a very local organization
06:12with a really global infrastructure.
06:14And I think this team
06:16has very much set the model
06:17for how people in different territories
06:21can export really great local music
06:25to all of their partners in their region,
06:27but then beyond.
06:28And I think what Victor has been so,
06:31and his whole team, of course,
06:33have been, I think, so successful in doing
06:36is creating that one-team atmosphere.
06:38It doesn't feel like Deanna,
06:40who runs Chili, focuses on Chili, right?
06:42She's taking Lucky Brown to the world, right?
06:44And I think seeing the way Victor
06:46has looked at these various territories
06:49and the American business itself,
06:51I think has really just set the model
06:53for the rest of our European business,
06:55for our Australian business,
06:56for our business in the Middle East
06:59and North Africa.
06:59It really, really has been incredible to watch.
07:02That's very cool.
07:04Victor, I'm curious,
07:05looking back on this year
07:07and some of the biggest wins for Virgin.
07:10You talk about superstars like Karine Leon,
07:13you talk about Grupo Fermé.
07:15When you look back on those
07:17as huge flashpoints for you guys,
07:20what do you think Virgin has really kind of added
07:23to that secret sauce of those wins
07:25in terms of the way you guys are able to move,
07:27what you guys are able to offer,
07:28the biggest superstars that you're working with?
07:31I think that at the end,
07:33this is a conversation with the artist
07:36and what they want to do.
07:38I remember when we signed Nicky Jam
07:40and he said,
07:41well, I want to release a lot of music.
07:43I want to release tomorrow.
07:45I want to release full album in a month.
07:48And we said, yes, why not?
07:49And I think that at the end,
07:51we were trying to understand
07:54the artistic side of this icon in the reggaeton.
07:58And basically, we match
08:01on different requests that he made.
08:03So I think that that flexibility
08:06with the combination of technology
08:10and global reach
08:11is what I think is making click with these icons.
08:15I have an anecdote with Nicky.
08:18One of the requests he made was,
08:20I want to be in the Virgin Cruise singing.
08:24I said, okay, fine.
08:27And we did it.
08:29We connected with the Virgin Cruise team
08:32and they said, yes, why not?
08:33Sure.
08:34Yeah.
08:34I think there's one thing I want to add,
08:37which is just, I think,
08:38one of the things that he talks about
08:39is flexibility.
08:42So much of the ethos
08:43of what we're trying to do at Virgin
08:44is meet independent artists
08:46and entrepreneurs where they are.
08:48Yeah.
08:48So artists like Carine Leone
08:52or Grupo Fermi
08:53or any of these superstars
08:55that we're so, so lucky to work with
08:57don't wake up in the morning saying,
08:59I hope I get signed.
09:01Right?
09:02Or who's going to help me
09:03or, you know,
09:04who's going to sign me
09:05so that I can be successful?
09:07What those independent artists
09:09and the people
09:09who are running independent labels now
09:10are saying is,
09:11who else do I need on my team?
09:13What other resources
09:15do I need to be successful?
09:17And for me,
09:18that mindset is entirely
09:20what we're trying to do
09:21is meet entrepreneurs
09:22and independent artists
09:23where they are.
09:24Maybe they're excellent
09:26in, you know,
09:27in their hometown in Columbia
09:28and they've got
09:30their small region covered
09:31and what they need
09:32is a global partner.
09:33Maybe they don't have radio.
09:34Maybe they need better
09:35kind of DSP marketing.
09:38Maybe they need royalty accounting.
09:40Yeah.
09:40Right?
09:41I want to be the place
09:42where Victor and his team
09:44can creatively
09:45and otherwise meet
09:46these entrepreneurs
09:47where they are
09:48and say,
09:48how can we help you
09:49be more successful?
09:50And let that be our ethos.
09:52That's right.
09:53Is there something
09:54like a trend
09:55that you've noticed
09:56over the past couple years
09:56in terms of like
09:57what more and more artists
09:58and artist teams
09:59are asking about specifically?
10:01Well, I think that
10:03the reach,
10:04I think that
10:05going to other territories
10:06and this idea,
10:09for example,
10:09with a group of firme
10:10that was a band
10:12just playing in Mexico
10:13and the US
10:13and this year
10:14they were playing
10:15in Chile and Spain.
10:17So I think that's part
10:20of what they ask
10:22but also what not said
10:24about different administration tools
10:27that they need
10:28and the splits and everything.
10:30So that's what we have,
10:34what we are offering them also.
10:36So I think it's a bunch of things
10:40that we want to be
10:42the best in class doing that.
10:44The only thing
10:45I would add to that list
10:46is really data and analytics
10:49and understanding their fans.
10:51Right.
10:51I think the world
10:52has sped up pretty quickly
10:54as it relates to understanding
10:57who's consuming your music where.
11:00I think it,
11:01we use the phrase table stakes.
11:03I don't know if that means anything
11:04but it's like a gambling term
11:05meaning you have to have
11:07great data and analytics
11:09to even be out of the starting gate
11:11in this business.
11:12And for an artist
11:13to have the ability
11:15to use that data,
11:16to use the global consumption analytics
11:18and information effectively
11:22is how they're building an audience.
11:24And so I just,
11:25I think more and more every day
11:26we're getting stronger
11:28and stronger demands
11:29for that data to be tighter,
11:30to be presented in a different way,
11:31to be more user-friendly
11:33than usable.
11:34And that's really exciting to me
11:35because people are really
11:36taking control of their careers.
11:37So interesting.
11:38How different is that
11:39between like superstars
11:41and versus like baby bands,
11:45rising artists?
11:46Is it, you know,
11:47it's same kind of philosophy
11:48just on a different scale?
11:50I think it's,
11:50I think in many ways,
11:51I'm sorry,
11:52I didn't mean to interrupt you.
11:53You're going to have
11:53a better perspective on this
11:54because you're closer to it.
11:55I actually think
11:56the younger artists
11:57and the ones
11:59in the development cycle right now
12:00who are native to this world
12:01are way more sophisticated
12:03with how they're using
12:04data and analytics, right?
12:05I think one of our biggest challenges
12:07is the super duper stars
12:08who have grown up,
12:09you know,
12:10over the last decade,
12:11decade plus,
12:12don't necessarily look at
12:14data and consumption information
12:16the same way
12:17as a lot of these young,
12:18you know,
12:18a lot of these younger artists do.
12:20In many ways,
12:21we're lucky
12:22because we get to learn
12:23from a lot of the young artists
12:24we work with, right?
12:25Like they,
12:25they're coming in and saying,
12:26I saw this,
12:27I tried this,
12:28I A-B tested this,
12:29whether they're saying it
12:30that way or not.
12:31And we're saying,
12:32oh, that's great.
12:33We then get to see that happen
12:35a thousand different times
12:36and we can say to another artist,
12:38you should try that strategy over there.
12:41I think that the daily interaction
12:43is key with the developing acts.
12:45I think that they have this energy
12:48to present different ideas
12:50and tools
12:51and that's part of their job
12:54to be connected
12:55in an everyday basis.
12:57So,
12:57the evolution
12:58or the conversation
13:00is at the end,
13:01the evolution
13:01or the art
13:02is at the end,
13:02at the end of the day.
13:04I want to,
13:05speaking of,
13:06you know,
13:07going global
13:08and,
13:08you know,
13:09spreading across regions,
13:10I want to talk about regional success
13:11a little bit
13:12because you guys have had
13:13really major campaigns
13:15recently in Chile
13:16and in Brazil,
13:17in Mexico.
13:19What is it like
13:20just in terms of,
13:21you know,
13:23targeting campaigns
13:24in different regions?
13:25Like,
13:26break it down for me,
13:27like,
13:27from the very,
13:28very fundamentals.
13:29Like,
13:29what are the things
13:30that you have to understand
13:31about different regions,
13:32that you have to understand
13:33about different audiences
13:34and that you have to
13:36help artists
13:37and artist teams
13:38figure out
13:38in terms of,
13:40hey,
13:40I'm huge here,
13:42I'm growing here,
13:43I want to grow over there.
13:44What are the ABCs
13:46of what you need to do?
13:47Well,
13:48I think that we
13:49need to start
13:50in the local stuff,
13:53of where the artists
13:54come from.
13:55I think that's,
13:56that route is key to grow.
13:59I think that from there
14:00we go and check
14:01the different metrics
14:03on what is moving.
14:05But one key part
14:07is the desire of the artist.
14:09I think sometimes
14:10we have to take
14:12what they are feeling
14:12when they're reading
14:13in the comments,
14:14when they are
14:17checking on socials.
14:19from there
14:20we get also feedback.
14:22So it's a combination,
14:23I will say,
14:24between the data
14:25and what the artist
14:27is trying to do
14:28and achieve
14:29and move
14:29and we get conclusions
14:32on that.
14:33But again,
14:35I think it's a combination
14:37of back and forth
14:39between the artist
14:40and us
14:41all the time.
14:43we're all so lucky
14:45to work in the music business.
14:46And I think
14:47at heart
14:48we're all fans.
14:49We wouldn't have
14:50these crazy jobs
14:51if we didn't really love
14:53what we do.
14:54And I think
14:54for me
14:56I go back
14:57to kind of
14:58the first principles
14:58of great music
14:59will cut through.
15:00And then it's our job
15:03to take something
15:04that feels really
15:07true to an artist's
15:08voice and vision
15:09and bring that
15:10to the world.
15:11That was a lot harder
15:1320 years ago
15:14when I started
15:15in the business.
15:16Today,
15:16the good news is
15:17my teenage daughters
15:19are discovering music
15:20from all over the world
15:21and honestly
15:22are agnostic
15:23to what language
15:23it's in.
15:24And so
15:25one of the things
15:26we try and do
15:28is utilizing
15:29a global infrastructure
15:30to not say
15:31okay,
15:31because this is
15:33music from Argentina
15:35it's going to have
15:36to stay inside
15:37of the Latin box.
15:38Or what we used
15:40to call
15:40Musica Mexicana
15:41was regional Mexican
15:43not too long ago
15:44that has exploded
15:46into,
15:46like you were saying
15:47into Spain
15:48which is the bridge
15:48to Europe
15:49and we're talking
15:49about all these
15:50different ways
15:51that music can travel
15:52well beyond diaspora
15:53and I think
15:54that for me
15:55is really
15:56an exciting thing
15:57that we're taking
15:58a little bit
15:58of these boundaries
15:59off of artists
16:00as they're creating.
16:02Has it been hard
16:02to kind of keep pace
16:04in the sense of
16:04because I couldn't agree more
16:06these trends
16:07have been moving
16:08so quickly
16:09over the past
16:09half decade.
16:10Is it,
16:11you know,
16:12when an artist
16:13comes to you
16:13and says like
16:14I want to accomplish
16:15X, Y, Z
16:15it's like
16:15oh wow,
16:16actually we can
16:17we can figure this out
16:18because things
16:19are moving
16:20and progressing
16:20so quickly.
16:21What has that been like?
16:22Yeah,
16:23I think,
16:23you know,
16:24from a macro level
16:25and Victor
16:26will be much better
16:26at talking about it
16:27at the ground level
16:28with these artists
16:29but I just think
16:30there's been enough
16:33global success stories
16:34now, right?
16:35In many ways
16:36so much of what it means
16:38to be the trailblazing artist
16:39is that you get to model it
16:41for the next generation.
16:43The first one over the wall
16:43always is the one
16:44with the most bruises
16:45and cuts, right?
16:46But like
16:47there have been now
16:48a handful of like
16:50actual global superstars
16:52that you wouldn't call
16:53Latin superstars, right?
16:54And I think
16:55from that perspective
16:56it has magnified
16:58what I think
16:59the expectations are
17:00for independent artists
17:01and the way
17:02they set their goals
17:03for us to keep up
17:04with that
17:04is a fool's errand, right?
17:07We're not trying
17:07to keep up with anything
17:08what we're trying to do
17:09is think about
17:10what that artist
17:10wants to achieve
17:11where we have
17:12the capability
17:13and the opportunity
17:15to help them
17:15be successful
17:16and then just work
17:17really hard
17:18but ours is a service business,
17:19right?
17:20And that's what we
17:20have to do every day.
17:22I agree.
17:22I think that
17:23there is tons
17:24of information
17:25but at the end
17:28especially the developing acts
17:29they have to decide
17:30what to do
17:31and how to respond
17:32to those questions, right?
17:36So for example
17:37Malija
17:38he wanted to come
17:39to the US
17:39but he didn't know
17:41what to do exactly
17:42and checking
17:45the options
17:47he focused on
17:48doing shows
17:49on clubs
17:50and he ended
17:52just two weeks ago
17:5322 shows
17:56in the US
17:56just doing that
17:58but he could do
17:59other stuff
18:01but I think
18:02the right answer
18:06was
18:06just do
18:08what you need
18:10to do this time
18:11don't think
18:12overthinking
18:12don't do
18:13the over
18:14do thing
18:15just go
18:16and check
18:17the clubs
18:18and do the tour
18:19and I think
18:19that's part
18:20of
18:22of the success
18:23you choose
18:24what to do
18:25at the right time
18:25right moment
18:27in this
18:28puzzle of
18:29all kind of information
18:31so
18:31it is complicated
18:34but
18:35that's the challenge
18:36I'm sure
18:38we have some
18:38independent artists
18:40independent companies
18:41in this room
18:42right now
18:42I'm curious
18:43what your advice
18:44would be
18:45to
18:46someone in the
18:47independent sector
18:48who wants to make
18:50waves in multiple regions
18:51but doesn't necessarily
18:52have
18:53the type of resources
18:55of a virgin music group
18:56where do you start?
18:57yeah I think
19:00the good news is
19:02if you could pick
19:03any day
19:04in history
19:05to be
19:06an artist
19:07right
19:08from
19:08the 1800s
19:10to the 1950s
19:11to the 90s
19:12you'd pick today
19:13right
19:14this is the most
19:15exciting time
19:15with the most
19:16opportunity
19:17to be an artist
19:18you can build
19:19your own audience
19:20all of the barriers
19:21to entry
19:22around recording
19:23and around distribution
19:24these things
19:25have all come down
19:26right
19:26it is
19:27the playing field
19:28is level
19:28which is a blessing
19:29of course
19:30because it means
19:30everybody has a chance
19:32but it's a curse
19:33because everybody
19:33has a chance
19:34right
19:35and so
19:35in so many ways
19:37the old gatekeeper
19:38model of like
19:38the label
19:39would anoint you
19:40okay
19:40you're the next
19:41priority
19:42those days are over
19:43to me
19:45what this means is
19:46through the lens
19:47of that opportunity
19:48you have to build
19:49your own audience
19:50you have to hustle
19:51you have to do
19:51you have to do
19:52those things
19:52and I promise
19:55everyone in my
19:56industry is watching
19:57right
19:58we have
19:58data that says
20:00if something grows
20:0120% on TikTok
20:02from a very small
20:03base
20:04I'm getting three
20:05calls about it
20:05right
20:06the industry
20:06is locked in
20:08on artists
20:09who are able
20:10to establish
20:10themselves locally
20:11or in small
20:12scenes
20:13or in areas
20:14where
20:14you know
20:16you might never
20:16think you're going
20:17to get discovered
20:17you are
20:18so my advice
20:19is don't boil
20:20the ocean
20:21aim for
20:21being hot
20:22in your hometown
20:23getting yourself
20:24some real
20:25actual fans
20:26who are consuming
20:27this stuff
20:27in small numbers
20:29but in big
20:30quantity
20:30and the industry
20:32is taking notice
20:33for sure
20:34isn't it so
20:35interesting
20:36that like
20:37all these years
20:37later
20:38it really is
20:39it still is
20:40be hot
20:40in your hometown
20:41right
20:41absolutely
20:42for sure
20:43and it's
20:44just mostly
20:45because
20:45those are going
20:46to be the people
20:47who are
20:47those super fans
20:48that we care
20:49most about
20:50yeah
20:50right
20:51like
20:51it's great
20:52that somebody
20:53has a gazillion
20:54fans on social
20:55media
20:55but what makes
20:56Virgin successful
20:58what makes
20:58our independent
20:59artists and
20:59entrepreneurs
21:00successful
21:00is a very
21:01small number
21:02of very
21:03passionate fans
21:04right
21:04don't forget
21:05that as
21:05artists
21:06you need
21:07to know
21:07that's your
21:08bread and
21:08butter
21:09you know
21:09Victor
21:11I'm curious
21:11what
21:12looking ahead
21:13a little bit
21:15what markets
21:16are exciting
21:17to you
21:17what are
21:18you know
21:19you think
21:19about 2027
21:20and beyond
21:21you're in
21:21planning mode
21:22right now
21:22like
21:23yeah
21:23what are you
21:24excited about
21:24I think
21:25that
21:25Chile is
21:27a very
21:27interesting
21:28market
21:28because
21:2920 years
21:30a year
21:31ago
21:31we didn't
21:32have enough
21:33artists
21:33I think
21:33it was
21:34just
21:3610-15
21:37important
21:37artists
21:38in the
21:38territory
21:39today
21:40there are
21:41hundreds
21:42and
21:43it's
21:43one of the
21:44fastest
21:44growing
21:45markets
21:46in terms
21:46of new
21:47artists
21:48artists
21:48and
21:49that's
21:49impressive
21:49for me
21:51used to
21:52be
21:52those days
21:5315 years
21:54ago
21:55in that
21:55territory
21:55and
21:56what is
21:57happening
21:57today
21:57is
21:58the
21:58real
21:59revolution
21:59I think
22:00that
22:02the
22:02consumption
22:03is amazing
22:04the value
22:05is great
22:06but also
22:07the
22:09freedom
22:09to do
22:10things
22:10and
22:11I'm
22:12happy
22:12to see
22:13that
22:13as a
22:14territory
22:15that is
22:16bringing
22:16new
22:16artists
22:17to
22:17the
22:17region
22:17so
22:18interesting
22:19yeah
22:19I'll brag
22:20on behalf
22:21of Victor
22:22for just
22:22a second
22:23but I
22:23think
22:23one of
22:23the
22:25funny
22:25things
22:25about
22:26running
22:27a global
22:28business
22:28is
22:29repertoire
22:30is coming
22:30from so
22:31many different
22:31places
22:31but then
22:32mixing
22:32right
22:33I think
22:33one of
22:33the things
22:34that his
22:34team
22:34has been
22:35so
22:35successful
22:36at
22:36is
22:37encouraging
22:38artists
22:38from
22:38across
22:39borders
22:39to be
22:39collaborating
22:40right
22:40we'll
22:41have
22:41you know
22:42a lot
22:42of presence
22:43in great
22:43A&R
22:44and really
22:44good
22:44marketing
22:45on the
22:45ground
22:45in so
22:46many
22:46Latin
22:46American
22:46territories
22:47and it's
22:48you know
22:48two kids
22:49from Riverside
22:49California
22:50who are
22:50second
22:50generation
22:51Americans
22:52saying
22:52I'm going
22:53to collaborate
22:54and create
22:54something
22:55that sounds
22:55entirely new
22:56right
22:56I think
22:57for me
22:59being agnostic
23:00to where
23:00this great
23:01music is
23:01coming from
23:02is one
23:02of the
23:02things
23:02that
23:03Victor's
23:03team
23:03has done
23:04incredibly
23:04well
23:04but let
23:05me add
23:05something
23:06don't get
23:06me wrong
23:07besides
23:08Chile
23:08we see
23:08artists
23:09from Ecuador
23:09we see
23:10artists
23:11from Peru
23:11we have
23:13artists
23:13from Costa Rica
23:14so we
23:16are seeing
23:17for the first
23:17time
23:18artists
23:18coming from
23:19territories
23:19that normally
23:20we didn't have
23:21those artists
23:23so I think
23:24the whole region
23:25has an opportunity
23:26and the heat
23:27can come from
23:27anywhere
23:28beyond Latin
23:31you guys are
23:31always thinking
23:32globally
23:32are you seeing
23:34different regions
23:35around the world
23:36where you're like
23:36this is going
23:38to be
23:38especially in a
23:39climate where
23:40English language
23:41is less
23:43dominant than
23:44ever on
23:44top 40 radio
23:45and in the
23:46mainstream
23:47is Virgin Music
23:49group really
23:49thinking
23:50everywhere
23:51are there
23:52certain regions
23:53that really
23:54have piqued
23:55your interest
23:55over the next
23:55five years
23:56yeah
23:57it's a great
23:57question
23:59you know
23:59we are not
24:01organized
24:01in a genre
24:03basis
24:03we're organized
24:04in kind of
24:05geographic regions
24:06and we run
24:07one single
24:10business
24:10right
24:11and the idea
24:11is so that
24:12we can move
24:13and prioritize
24:13repertoire
24:14from all over
24:15the world
24:15to all over
24:16the world
24:16I think
24:17some of the
24:17places where
24:18we're seeing
24:18the fastest
24:19growth
24:19I mean
24:19Brazil
24:19is growing
24:20incredibly
24:20quickly
24:20and we have
24:21a great
24:22operator
24:22there
24:23who's helping
24:24that business
24:25explode
24:25the Middle East
24:27is the fastest
24:28growing region
24:28by a country
24:29mile for us
24:30like just
24:30what's happening
24:32regionally
24:32in the Middle East
24:34and North Africa
24:34and then
24:35the export
24:36of that
24:36music
24:37is wild
24:38and then
24:38we have a lot
24:40of work to do
24:40to catch up
24:41but we're
24:41investing heavily
24:42in Southeast Asia
24:43I think Vietnam
24:44is maybe
24:45one of the most
24:45exciting
24:46markets in the
24:47world right now
24:48for the kind
24:50of music
24:50they're creating
24:51in the way
24:51that it's
24:52starting
24:52to seep
24:54out of their
24:54borders
24:55and into
24:55other places
24:55so yeah
24:57in many ways
24:58it's a
25:00challenge
25:00to be able
25:01to think
25:02about
25:02with such
25:03a wide
25:03lens
25:03where
25:05the next
25:05big thing
25:06comes from
25:06but it's
25:06also
25:07we're really
25:08fortunate
25:08to say
25:09I don't care
25:10where it
25:10comes from
25:11as long
25:12as I can
25:12encourage
25:12entrepreneurs
25:13and independent
25:13artists
25:14to be
25:14successful
25:15when it
25:15comes
25:15yeah
25:16such an
25:16exciting
25:16time
25:17because
25:1820 years
25:19ago
25:19so many
25:20things that
25:20have been
25:20unlocked
25:21would have
25:21been
25:21unthinkable
25:22and now
25:23it's a totally
25:25blank map
25:26what's one thing
25:27that a kind
25:28of standard
25:29major label
25:29can learn
25:30and improve
25:31based on the
25:32way you guys
25:32operate
25:34wow
25:37well I think
25:38that we say
25:39before
25:39flexibility
25:40I think
25:40that
25:41that part
25:42is key
25:43and
25:44the other
25:45thing
25:45is that
25:47there is
25:48not one
25:49size
25:49fit
25:49all
25:50I think
25:50that
25:51you have
25:52to go
25:53to details
25:53and
25:54try to
25:55adapt
25:56to
25:57those
25:58ideas
25:59new
26:00talents
26:00new
26:01things
26:02so
26:02yeah
26:02yeah I agree
26:05early in my
26:06career
26:06I grew up
26:07in
26:08one of the
26:08major labels
26:09and I feel
26:10like the
26:11thing that
26:12I am
26:12my team
26:13and I are
26:14lucky to be
26:14able to go
26:15to work
26:15every day
26:15and do
26:16is to
26:17think about
26:17service
26:18yeah
26:18right
26:19like
26:20when I was
26:21coming up
26:21in the
26:21business
26:22you were
26:22an artist
26:23and you
26:23were signed
26:24to
26:25Atlantic's
26:26roster
26:26right
26:27and you
26:27were
26:27you were
26:28hoping
26:29they would
26:29pay enough
26:29attention
26:30and sprinkle
26:30resources
26:31on to
26:31help you
26:32be safe
26:32that isn't
26:33what it's
26:34like today
26:34and certainly
26:35not what it's
26:35like inside
26:36of a company
26:37like Virgin
26:38where
26:40like Victor
26:40is alluding
26:41to it is
26:42about
26:42how can we
26:43empower
26:44independent
26:44artists
26:45how can we
26:45empower
26:45entrepreneurs
26:46what can we
26:47do for
26:47them
26:48right
26:48and we
26:49went on
26:49service
26:49we don't
26:50have
26:50life of
26:51copyright
26:51nobody
26:51in the
26:52in the
26:52Latin
26:52business
26:53done
26:53a
26:53life of
26:53copyright
26:54deal
26:54in
26:5415
26:55years
26:55right
26:56that
26:56the
26:56idea
26:56is
26:57we
26:57sing
26:58for
26:58our
26:58supper
26:58if you
26:59don't
26:59like
26:59the
27:00experience
27:00you're
27:00having
27:01with
27:01Virgin
27:02you
27:02go
27:02across
27:03the
27:03road
27:03to
27:03the
27:03orchard
27:04right
27:04you
27:04say
27:05forget
27:05it
27:06I'm
27:06going
27:06to
27:06do
27:06it
27:06on
27:06my
27:06own
27:07and
27:07I'm
27:07going
27:07to
27:07do
27:07it
27:07with
27:07distro
27:07kit
27:08and
27:08for
27:08that
27:09reason
27:09I
27:10think
27:10it
27:10actually
27:10clarifies
27:11in a
27:11lot
27:11of
27:12ways
27:12the
27:12way
27:12we
27:13approach
27:13every
27:14day
27:14at
27:15work
27:15is
27:15be
27:15as
27:16good
27:16or
27:16better
27:16than
27:17we
27:17were
27:17yesterday
27:17make
27:18yourself
27:18more
27:18valuable
27:19to
27:19an
27:19artist
27:19or
27:20label
27:20owner
27:21than
27:21they
27:22would
27:22be
27:22without
27:22you
27:22and
27:23that's
27:23the
27:24way
27:24we
27:24can
27:24be
27:24successful
27:24and
27:25that
27:25like
27:25kind
27:25of
27:26locked
27:26in
27:26service
27:27mindset
27:27I
27:27think
27:27is
27:28really
27:28differentiating
27:29in the
27:29market
27:29today
27:29yeah
27:30and
27:30it
27:30feels
27:31incredibly
27:32modern
27:33right
27:33where
27:33it's
27:33to
27:34your
27:34point
27:34like
27:35it's
27:35just
27:35that's
27:36the
27:36reality
27:36of
27:36what
27:36artists
27:37need
27:37right
27:37now
27:38my
27:39last
27:39question
27:39this
27:39has
27:40been
27:40so
27:40much
27:40fun
27:40my
27:40last
27:41question
27:41is
27:41you
27:42guys
27:42obviously
27:42think
27:43that
27:44the
27:45Latin
27:45music
27:45community
27:45will
27:46always
27:46be
27:46rife
27:47with
27:47independent
27:47entrepreneurs
27:48why
27:49do
27:49you
27:49think
27:49that
27:49is
27:50why
27:50is
27:51Latin
27:52such
27:52a
27:53rich
27:54ground
27:54for
27:56this
27:56you
27:56know
27:57this
27:57type
27:57of
27:57independence
27:59I
28:00think
28:02these
28:02entrepreneurs
28:03are
28:03everywhere
28:04and
28:05it's
28:05hard
28:05to
28:05reach
28:06so
28:06you
28:07need
28:07independence
28:07to
28:08put
28:09the
28:09dots
28:09between
28:10and
28:11bring
28:12into
28:12the
28:12world
28:13at
28:13the
28:13end
28:13I
28:15said
28:15it
28:15before
28:16this
28:16is
28:16a
28:16large
28:17region
28:17and
28:18the
28:18heat
28:18can
28:18come
28:19from
28:19everywhere
28:19so
28:21you
28:22look
28:22any
28:23territory
28:23like
28:24Mexico
28:25you
28:25have
28:26north
28:27south
28:28east
28:28west
28:30it's
28:30vast
28:31territory
28:31so
28:32independents
28:33are doing
28:33a great
28:34job
28:34connecting
28:35the dots
28:35and
28:36it's
28:37going
28:37to be
28:37like
28:37that
28:37for
28:39has
28:40been
28:40there
28:40like
28:41that
28:41before
28:41and
28:42it's
28:42going
28:42to be
28:42the
28:42future
28:43so
28:44it's
28:45a
28:45community
28:45at
28:45the
28:46end
28:46of
28:46the
28:46day
28:46and
28:46it's
28:47growing
28:47and
28:48the
28:49knowledge
28:49that
28:50they're
28:50getting
28:51is
28:52amazing
28:52so
28:53this
28:53is
28:53going
28:53to
28:54be
28:54the
28:54status
28:54quo
28:54for
28:55the
28:55future
28:55I
28:56agree
28:56we
28:57talked
28:57about
28:57it
28:57a little
28:58bit
28:58at
28:58the
28:58beginning
28:58I
28:59think
28:59entrepreneurism
29:00is
29:00just
29:00so
29:01deeply
29:02embedded
29:02in
29:02so
29:03much
29:03of
29:03the
29:03Latin
29:04culture
29:04especially
29:05around
29:05music
29:06and
29:06I
29:07think
29:08we
29:09had
29:09generations
29:10of
29:11musicians
29:11that
29:11have
29:11grown
29:12up
29:12being
29:13successful
29:14by
29:14their
29:14own
29:15hard
29:15work
29:15and
29:16not
29:17necessarily
29:17relying
29:18on
29:18the
29:18big
29:18industry
29:19apparatus
29:20to make
29:20them
29:20successful
29:21and
29:22I
29:22think
29:23that
29:23has
29:24led
29:24to
29:24the
29:24moment
29:24today
29:25or
29:26even
29:26a few
29:26years
29:27ago
29:27where
29:28Latin
29:28was
29:29first
29:29in
29:30creating
29:31the
29:32success
29:32story
29:32and the
29:33success
29:33model
29:34for
29:34independent
29:35artistry
29:35in the
29:36music
29:36business
29:37and now
29:37you see
29:37the rest
29:38of the
29:38business
29:39conforming
29:39to it
29:40right
29:40I mean
29:40we were
29:40doing
29:41these deals
29:42that everyone
29:42is now
29:43talking about
29:43as the
29:44independent
29:44deals
29:44you know
29:45when we
29:45first got
29:46here five
29:46years ago
29:46and well
29:47before
29:47that has
29:48now bled
29:49into the
29:49rest of
29:49the
29:50business
29:50and I
29:51think
29:51once
29:51you've
29:51established
29:52that
29:52kind
29:52of
29:53generational
29:53success
29:54and then
29:55modeled it
29:55such that
29:56the rest
29:56of the
29:56industry
29:57follows
29:57it's
29:58game
29:58on
29:58and
29:59that's
29:59really
29:59exciting
30:01this has
30:01been
30:01a blast
30:02I want
30:04to thank
30:04Nat
30:05and Victor
30:05for their
30:06time
30:06and their
30:07candor
30:07and yeah
30:09it was a lot
30:10of fun
30:10thank you
30:10guys
30:10thank you
30:11thank you