The 2024 Billboard Latin Music Week officially wrapped on Friday (Oct. 18) with a star-studded concert featuring Ana Mena, Belinda, Elvis Crespo, Floyymenor, Tito Double P and Young Miko.
The evening was hosted by Venezuelan comedian George Harris, who entertained the packed Fillmore Miami Beach with relevant music jokes, and even had a salsa karaoke sesh with the crowd.
Shortly after, Spanish artist Ana Mena kicked off the Billboard Latin Music Week 35th Anniversary Celebration with her sugary pop-dance tunes that included her viral hit “Madrid City” — and yes, a handful of people were spotted doing the ponytail trend during her performance.
Straight from Chile, Floyymenor then took center stage to perform three of his tracks that are creating all the buzz on social media: “Peligrosa,” “Apaga El Cel,” and “Gata Only.” The latter of the three — which spent 14 nonconsecutive weeks at No. 1 on the Hot Latin Songs chart — is a three-time finalist at the 2024 Billboard Latin Music Awards airing Sunday (Oct. 20) on Telemundo.
Belinda, who earlier in the week formed part of the women’s panel at Latin Music Week, arrived wearing a baby blue satin dress and white knee-high boots. And while she oozed pop princess, the Mexican artist flaunted her fierce bélica era on stage, performing “Cactus,” “300 Noches” (her collab with Natanael Cano), and “La Mala.”
With just an acoustic guitar, Tito Double P (who earlier in the week sat down with Peso Pluma for a panel on the new Mexican music movement) helmed an intimate stripped-down performance that left the crowd wanting more. During his set, the corridos breakthrough star sung a couple of his hits, including “Escápate,” part of his debut album, Incómodo, which bowed at No. 2 on the Top Latin Albums and Regional Mexican Albums charts, and No. 20 on the all-genre Billboard 200.
The evening continued with the highly-anticipated performance by Young Miko, who pumped up the crowd with bangers such as “offline,” “Classy 101” and “Bzrp Music Sessions, Vol. 58.” The Puerto Rican rapper and artist formed part of a Superstar Q&A at Latin Music Week, where she discussed her rising success. “In reality, if you think about it, social media growth is so abrupt, fast, and global that it can definitely seem like an overnight thing, social media-wise. But indeed, we have been making music since 2018, 2019, and about three years ago is when Young Miko really started to gain a lot of momentum,” she said at the panel.
Closing off the 35th anniversary celebration was global merengue star Elvis Crespo, who, joined by a live band and group of dancers, had the entire venue of all ages on their feet. Crespo performed timeless tropical tunes such as “Luna Llena,” “Nuestra Cancion” and “Tu Sonrisa.”
“I want to thank Billboard because in February of 1998, the people at Sony presented me for the first time at this conference. I’m enjoying this moment to the max, 26 years later. It’s an incredible path where through my dream and my passion for music, I have managed to develop stories of many people I meet on the street,” Crespo said, also thanking Billboard’s Leila Cobo for all the support, before finalizing with the all-time party classic “Suavemente.”
