How Latin Artists Conquered Stages Worldwide: Highlights From Billboard Latin Music Week’s Touring Panel

How do Latin artists transcend borders to conquer stages worldwide? On Monday (Oct. 20), global tour manager Jorge García (Live Nation), festival director Leizer Guss (OCESA), and top agent Mac Clark (CAA) teamed up to discuss the rise of Latin touring on the global stage, and the opportunities and challenges that come with exporting Latin music internationally.

Moderated by Billboard’s senior editor of Latin Griselda Flores and presented by Live Nation, the panel unpacked the changing dynamics of the live Latin music market – from breaking into untapped regions to capitalizing on the genre’s cultural crossover appeal.

Clark emphasized the importance of growing thoughtfully in new regions, adjusting strategies to ensure sustainability: “You still have to be very thoughtful with the markets. In one year, tickets might sell at $40, and the next at $100, and then you lose people in between. You have to make sure the growth is accessible.” He shed light on the critical role of Mexico as a focal point in Latin touring, describing it as the “guiding light” for measuring an artist’s success: “Mexico sets the tone in Latin music,” he noted.

Have you played Billboard’s Latin Music Week Crossword?
Play now!

“After Bad Bunny, ‘global’ really means global,” Garcia pointed out during the panel. “Every artist should be thinking that way. Artists are emerging in L.A. or Guadalajara, and now you have Peso Pluma selling 10K tickets in Madrid, or Bad Bunny selling out stadiums in Australia.”

According to Garcia, Latin music has proven that there are few limits to where it can reach: “The fans are there. In Idaho, in Ohio — the fans are there. There’s going to be more shows.” Garcia also warned of the danger of over-saturation, adding that artists have to be very deliberate with their output and touring strategies to avoid getting lost in an increasingly crowded space.

Guss highlighted how post-pandemic demand supercharged the Latin music industry, describing the moment as “bigger, larger, faster,” with fans eager to reconnect with live music. He also pointed out the importance of combining the perfect storm of factors to pull off record-breaking tours. Referencing Shakira’s record-breaking 12-night residency at Mexico City’s GNP Estadio Seguros, Guss referenced a popular meme: “Every day it rained, and every night there was a Shakira show. It was magical. For it to happen again, a lot of things would have to combine, and the artist would have to pay attention to Mexico like she did.”

Spanning over 30 years, Latin Music Week is the single-most important and largest gathering of Latin artists and industry executives in the world. Latin Music Week coincides with the 2025 Billboard Latin Music Awards, set to air Thursday, Oct. 23, on Telemundo and Peacock.