The Central America Music Market (CAMM) celebrated its third edition over the weekend in Panama City, with more than 800 attendees, 89 invited Central American artists, two nights of showcases, and business meetings with industry executives, solidifying its position as a strategic hub for music in the region.
The Central American event aims to strengthen the musical dynamics among participating countries by connecting emerging talents with producers, record labels, programmers and international media.
Over the course of two days, CAMM offered educational talks, workshops and a songwriting camp organized by Sony Music Publishing Colombia, which was presented Saturday during the programming workshops. The event also featured educational sessions with notable figures, including Panamanian producer, songwriter and singer Alberto Gaitán of Gaitanes; Iván Sergey of Unión Musical Guadalajara; Nathaly García and Camilo Vega of Altafonte; Alfredo Zayas of Upper Sound Guatemala; Juan Carlos García of Aginpro; Jackelin Reyes and Pedro Meléndez of MUSICARTES and Henry Alonzo of Adarga Entertainment Group.
During the opening night panel discussion, titled “Beyond Streaming: How Rights, Global Networks, and the Industry Are Making Central America Profitable,” and moderated by Billboard’s Ingrid Fajardo, participants emphasized the need to stop perceiving the region as isolated from global musical movements. The panelists, including Norma Buendía from PANAÍE, Luis Carlos Pinzón from Sony Music Publishing, Camilo Vega from Altafonte and Noemí Planas from WIN Worldwide Independent Network, highlighted the importance of unity among Central American countries to strengthen and monetize the growing impact of their music on the international stage.
Once again, Panama reaffirms its status as the epicenter of regional musical exchange, showcasing the cultural and symbolic impact music has on the region.
Here are the five most exciting moments from the third edition of CAMM.
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Showcases that put Central America on the map
The two showcase nights were the heart of CAMM 2026. Emerging talents and renowned artists from across the region took the stage to share Central America’s rich musical heritage with festival programmers, record labels and international media. From traditional folkloric rhythms fused with modern sounds to innovative proposals.
On the first night, Flama (Costa Rica), Liz Grimaldo (Panama), Atomic Rose (Honduras), Volein (Guatemala), Inflorescencia (El Salvador) and Entre Nos (Panama) performed. Meanwhile, the second night featured Lauren Sofía (Honduras), DollHouse (El Salvador), Tzutu Kan and Balam Ajpu (Guatemala), Yek Gamboa (Panama), Alessandra “La Panameñita” Clarke (Panama) and F.A.V & Tino Amor (Costa Rica).
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A delegation of students from Guatemala
For the first time, a delegation of students from the Composition and Music Production program at Universidad del Valle de Guatemala attended CAMM. This program is renowned for its focus on fostering creativity, technological innovation, and academic excellence, making it a benchmark for music education in the region.
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Networking and connections with international platforms and festivals
One of CAMM’s main goals is to create real opportunities for artists and music professionals. This year, the event became a key meeting point for cultural agents, producers, record labels and global music platforms. In this edition, TikTok made its debut in Central America, sharing valuable information with regional artists on how to make the most of the platform. Additionally, prominent industry players participated, including Ocesa, the Vive Latino Festival, executives from Canada’s Sunfest and FIM Guadalajara.
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Sony Music Publishing Colombia songwriting camp
A true meeting point for creativity was the composition workshop organized by Sony Music Publishing Colombia. This space brought together emerging composers from Central America and experienced mentors to create music together and develop technical skills, then present the songs they worked on. The most exciting part is that, in previous editions, Sony has signed several Central American artists who participated in this camp, which shows the transformative power of this initiative.
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Los Rabanes in Panama
During the closing of the opening night, one of Panama’s most iconic bands couldn’t be left out — Los Rabanes, a group that not only carries the mark of their music within the country but also on an international level. This year, Los Rabanes was chosen as one of The 50 Best Spanish-Language Rock Bands by Billboard‘s editorial team. With their unique sound and contagious energy, the group brought the day of showcases to a spectacular close during their debut at CAMM.
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