Latin Grammys Unveil This Year’s Leading Ladies Of Entertainment

One month away from the Latin Grammys ceremony, the Latin Recording Academy announced it is honoring Vivir Quintana, Diana Rodriguez, Ana Rosa Santiago and Julieta Venegas as its 2024 Leading Ladies of Entertainment, a program that recognizes professional and socially conscious women who have made significant contributions in the Latin music industry.

The women will be celebrated during a private event sponsored by Amazon Music taking place in Miami on Nov. 11 during Latin Grammy Week.

“It is a privilege to present this year’s Leading Ladies of Entertainment honorees, an exceptional group of women who have distinguished themselves through their successful careers as well as for their continued fight for gender equity,” Manuel Abud, CEO of The Latin Recording Academy, said in a statement. “Our honorees are so much more than a representation of excellence; they are a group that has significantly contributed to the empowerment and growth of other women.”

Quintana is an influential Mexican singer-songwriter known for her hit song, “Canción Sin Miedo” (“Song Without Fear”), which became a feminist anthem, and her music has been featured in films like “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever.” She is currently working on a follow-up to her debut album, Te Mereces Un Amor (You Deserve Love), which tells the stories of women incarcerated for standing up to their abusers.

Rodríguez is the CEO and founder of music management and marketing firm Criteria Entertainment and bouquet agency and label Mercado Negro. She is a luminary in the industry with 32 years of experience, having worked with artists like Enrique Bunbury, Mon Laferte and Diamante Eléctrico. She became the first woman to lead a multinational Latin record label in the U.S. back in 2009 and has held senior roles at major labels like Universal Music, Polygram and EMI Music.

As senior vice president of Latin music and LatAm for Universal Music Publishing Group, Rosa Santiago has developed talent and created global opportunities for major talents like Ivan Cornejo, Feid, Romeo Santos and Yahritza y Su Esencia. She also serves on the board of She Is The Music, an international nonprofit that aims to increase the number of women working in the music industry.

Venegas is an influential eight-time Latin Grammy-winning singer-songwriter who is one of the most listened female voices on Spotify in Mexico. She recently performed in front of 80,000 people at El Zócalo in Mexico City and 85,000 people at Estadio Santiago Bernabéu in Madrid. The talented artist is also a UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador in Mexico and ambassador for the Council of Ministers of Women in Central America.

As a presenting sponsor, Amazon Music will make its first donation to the Latin Grammy Cultural Foundation’s Scholarship Fund to support Latin music makers.

“Our industry is powered by incredible women, both in front of the mic and behind it, which is why we’re thrilled to team up with Leading Ladies of Entertainment to celebrate this year’s fantastic honorees,” Rocío Guerrero , head of music, Latin/Iberia, for Amazon Music, said in a release. “Championing female talent at all stages of their career and celebrating their impact on the success of Latin music globally, is extremely important to us so we can continue to have a thriving music industry. The Latin Grammy Cultural Foundation’s Scholarship Fund is a brilliant way of doing this.”