Love and music arrived at the 2026 Billboard Latin Music Week when Jay Wheeler, Zhamira, Jessi Uribe and Paola Jara took center stage on Wednesday (Oct. 21) in a conversation moderated by Billboard‘s Sigal Ratner-Arias. During the panel, the four artists not only demonstrated their unique and spontaneous personalities, but also bonded on being power couples, having children and the challenges of creating music together.
Below, read some of the highlights from the “Love and Music” panel presented by Walmart.
Touring With Children
Zhamira: “My mom went on my entire tour, and my mother-in-law came along too. We always try to bring Aiunii everywhere; that’s why she is the way she is—she’s surrounded by so many adults. It’s challenging, but at the end of the day, they actually have a much better time than we do.”
Paola: “We brought Emilia with us to Miami. She’s staying with my two aunts and my mom. It’s about keeping her in a safe space so that her routine isn’t disrupted when we travel to different cities.”
Creating Music Together
Jay: “My wife and I are best friends; we’re always joking around, always together. The only time we’re apart is when I’m playing video games—but the real challenge is when we’re making music. We butt heads a bit, but we always find a middle ground.”
Zhamira: “At the end of the day, I always want what’s best for him—from my perspective, at least—because we both know it comes from a place of trust and love.”
Jessi: “The hardest part about making music with Paola is that we’re so different. I really study a song and look for the underlying intention—ranchera music is all about interpretation—but Pao is blessed with a beautiful voice, yet she doesn’t study the songs, and that frustrates me.”
On Children and Social Media
Zhamira: “Aiunii is the first baby to be ‘canceled’ on social media because she says a bad word, which is mamahuevo. She has a knack for picking up the last thing her dad says and repeating whatever suits her. The thing is, she enjoys it—and she knows it makes people laugh.”
Jay: “When my parents got divorced, it was really hard for me. That’s why I make sure to be present. I’d rather look bad in the eyes of the world than let my daughter down.”
Billboard Latin Music Week coincides with the 2026 Billboard Latin Music Awards, which will broadcast live on Oct. 22 via Telemundo and Peacock from James L. Knight Center in Downtown Miami. It will also be available on Universo and the Telemundo app, as well as throughout Latin America and the Caribbean via Telemundo Internacional.
