‘Significant Growth’: South America Realizing Potential With New Markets Emerging (South America Focus 2025)

There’s no stopping the música Latina train. The Recording Industry Association of America reported in its 2024 mid-year Latin music revenue report that it was already outpacing the first half of 2023 by 7% with $685 million in revenues, which is a record for the first six months. Also, just look at what Karol G did in Europe. The Colombian sold out every date in 2024, including an epic four-night run at Santiago Bernabéu Stadium in Madrid, Spain, that grossed $26.2 million, according to Pollstar Boxoffice reports, and she had the 11th highest-grossing tour of 2024.

A golden era is upon us on many fronts, not only for Latin music and live entertainment but also for the countries that produced stars like Karol G, Feid, Mon Laferte, LAGOS, Shakira, Maluma and J Balvin. South America’s potential is finally being realized with markets prospering in what is now a new normal for the live business, turning heads and earning the respect of the entire global industry.

“Rather than lessons, we confirmed that the industry’s strong momentum is no longer just a post-pandemic reaction but a structural shift in consumer behavior,” Daniel Hiller, CEO of Be Live Entertainment Group, told Pollstar (see page 34). “People are increasingly willing to invest in experiences such as travel and live events. This shift also fueled significant growth in the food and beverage business, a division of increasing importance within our operations, making it the fastest-growing area in 2024.”

With arenas in Santiago, Chile, and Bogotá, ticketing services, a major promoter in Bizarro Live and hospitality services, Be Live is showing that anything is possible in South America, and other forward-thinking promoters like Move Concerts, 30e, DG Medios, Breakfast Live and EB Producciones have helped the region catch up to the rest of the world, putting on more shows, selling more tickets and drawing acts of all kinds to the region despite economic challenges and political hurdles.

“With the political climate in South America, we are constantly on a roller coaster ride,” said Alfredo Alfonso, Bizarro Live’s director of entertainment. “Presidents appear, then disappear and countries go from one political side to the other economically. It’s a constant rise and fall, but hey, for those who live and were born here and know this have known how to overcome those waves. From the moment you were born and you set sail in these seas, you learn to avoid those waves.”

The success of venues and promoters in the top markets like Bogotá, Buenos Aires, São Paulo and Santiago have buoyed the live business and inspired other cities to step up their game as investors are more aware of the region’s potential.

World Bank Group, a group of organizations that provides financial assistance to developing countries, recently said Latin America and the Caribbean is “full of opportunities, with endless stories of strength and creativity, a region that does not stand still, that transforms itself to face adversities.”

That quote could be applied to the resilient promoters who manage to overcome barriers like transfer fees, currency exchange and red tape to put on a show and pay everyone on time. Their nimbleness and ability to make the most of situations have helped them stay above water, and soon they’ll see the fruits of their labor with new arenas on the horizon and a strong slate of shows in 2025, including stadium dates from Shakira’s highly anticipated “Las Mujeres Ya No Lloran World Tour.”

KEEPING THE MOMENTUM GOING

The world’s leading promoters, including Live Nation, AEG and Eventim, have stated that globalization is key to the success of live entertainment, and there’s no better example than that of Latin music, which has crossed over into non-Spanish-speaking markets across the globe thanks to ear candy provided by artists like Bad Bunny, Shakira, Peso Pluma and Karol G.

“At the beginning, what was traditional was that with the presence of Latinos in the United States and Mexican roots, there was a crossover because of families that grew up in markets that were part Anglo and part Latin,” said Carlos Geniso, founder and owner of DG Medios. “There was always that mix, but now with the digital revolution over the last 10 years with social media and the music platforms, that crossover intensified and is much more global.”

The digital revolution also helped Latin music reach other Spanish-speaking countries within the Americas, markets that were previously considered risky. Mexican artists have greatly benefited from the Latin boom in the past few years, allowing them to do more dates in South American cities.

Eduardo Basagaña, CEO of EB Producciones, told Pollstar that the Southern Cone, which encompasses Argentina, Chile and Uruguay, in particular, has been more receptive to Mexican artists and has given them an opportunity to promote shows of all sizes, including stadiums.

“The expansion of regional Mexican, or if you want to call it corridos, has been huge,” Henry Cárdenas, CEO of Chicago-based promoter Cárdenas Marketing Network, told Pollstar in October. “In Colombia, we did a la Feria de las Flores (Flower Festival) in Medellín in August. One of the headliners was Xavi. I never thought a 19-year-old [Mexican American] would be a headliner in Medellin, [which usually features] vallenato and cumbia and salsa. Carin León went to Colombia and Christian Nodal was there too. So, the storyline is that there’s crossover within the Latin market, which didn’t happen about seven years ago.”

One major artist whose crossover appeal was evident is legendary crooner Luis Miguel, who partnered with Cárdenas for his world tour (which was the fourth biggest tour of 2024) and found success at every South American arena and stadium he visited, including a sold-out show last March at Campo Polo in Buenos Aires, Argentina, which grossed $3,031,933 off 42,494 tickets.

However, the crossover didn’t only benefit Latin artists but also acts from all genres, expanding the musical literacy of fans in South America and paving the way for artists to consider the region when routing a tour.

“So, what happened? Everyone begins to listen to a variety of music genres, a growing trend that is informing their music consumption, all created by an attraction to an artist, song or genre,” said Geniso, whose company sold most of its stake to Live Nation in 2019. “It allows artists to have a global identity so that they can come to South America. They don’t only come once. They consolidate a fanbase and keep coming every few years to visit the most important cities.”

Technology has accelerated the development of South American markets in other ways that have provided fans and artists with a sense of security going into a show.

Not long ago, Latin American fans were still printing physical copies of tickets to attend concerts, which can lead to scalping scams and other issues as they arrive at the venue. Fans are adjusting to a new normal when it comes to digital ticketing, easing the process and helping them feel more secure in their purchases.

Venues have made upgrades and adapted to the times with modern equipment that wasn’t available to artists over a decade ago. Tour managers coming to the region have less to worry about and less to load in, which also encourages artists to extend their stay and visit more cities.

But the vastness of South America, which takes up about one-eighth of the Earth’s land surface, poses challenges for artists to travel by freight, and flights can make any tour very costly.

“The distances are far, only a few are drivable for the freight (Argentina, Brazil and Chile),” said Phil Rodriguez, CEO of indie promoter Move Concerts. “All this means it takes longer to add dates in cities that are out of the ‘hub markets’ and it becomes a question of time versus net income. That said, we have done, in the past, tours in Brazil of up to 21 cities. If an artist has the time to invest and the ticket sales potential, the markets are there.”

The markets are there, especially in one of the most populous countries in the world.

‘COME TO BRAZIL’

One act that has consolidated a rabid fanbase in South America is rock band The Offspring, who released a single titled “Come To Brazil,” dedicated to their Brazilian fans who always replied to their social media posts with pleas asking the band to visit their country.

It worked, with the band hailing from Orange County, California, not only writing a song about South American fans on their latest album Supercharged but routing a five-show run throughout Brazil, including Rio De Janeiro, São Paulo and Porto Alegre.

If there’s one consensus among the major South American promoters, it’s that Brazil is the one market to watch. It is the fifth-largest country in the world by area with more than 210 million people, 22 million of whom reside in São Paulo and have a voracious appetite for live music.

One company emblematic of Brazil’s growth is 30e, a promoter that launched only four years ago and quickly established itself as one of the top entertainment companies in the globe on the promise of “delivering happiness.” With ranking at No. 4 on Pollstar’s South America Promoter chart and grosses surpassing $53 million, it’s safe to say that 30e delivered on that promise and helped artists like Bring Me The Horizon and Mariah Carey set records for their Brazilian headline shows in the process. That kind of success stems from their understanding of their eclectic audience.

Caio Jacob, 30e’s vice president of global touring, said they sold 2 million tickets last year, and 2025 is already off to a strong start with an upcoming sold-out stadium run from System of a Down and a farewell tour from Brazilian legend Gilberto Gil, who has already moved 600,000 tickets.

“The whole South American System of a Down tour is ours. We did a global deal [with the band], and we’re doing seven cities,” said Jacob, who added it was their first time expanding into other markets.

A deal like that shows the aspirations 30e has as a company, one that is shared by many other promoters in the region.

“It’s time for us to look at other markets and see opportunities of expansion, and System of a Down was an opportunity for us to build more relationships that we thought would work,” Jacob said. “Our local tours, for example, there is so much potential in going out of South America to Europe and the United States. … I think [we want] to tell the world that 30e is not a Brazilian company. It’s a global company that is looking to market opportunities. We have an appetite; we are aggressive in the way we do business. It’s in our DNA.”

It’s not just newcomers like 30e finding success in Brazil but also veterans like Pedro Bianco, president of Dançar Marketing, which has produced live events for over four decades. While the company has worked with iconic artists like Andrea Bocelli, Luciano Pavarotti, Chris Cornell, Jeff Beck and many others, Dançar prides itself in providing entertainment for the whole family.

The company is bringing “The Messi Experience – a Dream Come True,” a multi-media experience that allows fans to step into the Argentinian soccer icon’s world, as well as its Best of Blues and Rock festival, proving that mass events and alternative programming can also find success in South America.

“We have been holding the festival since 2013 and it is considered the most important blues and rock festival in Latin America,” Bianco said of the event, which has featured Buddy Guy, George Benson, Chris Cornell and Jeff Beck. “More than 360 Brazilian and international artists have performed on the festival stage with an audience of more than 1.53 million people.”

The festival was Bianco’s initiative, and it has generated thousands of jobs and revenue for São Paulo.

“I think that entertainment, concerts, especially with international artists, are going through a very good moment in Brazil,” Bianco said. “Brazilian culture reflects a warmth, a great vitality, and the Brazilian public has a very large following with bands and artists. They are a very affectionate audience with all these artists who come to perform in our country.”

BUILDING BRIDGES

Brazil isn’t the only South American nation on the rise with plans of globalization.

Chile in many ways set the modern template for other markets when Bizarro Entertainment formed over 15 years ago along with the opening of Movistar Arena in Santiago, by far the busiest arena in South America (see arena chart on page 50). That success allowed the company to explore other cities and build them up as viable markets.

One such market that Bizarro’s parent company, Be Live Entertainment Group, invested in was Bogotá, Colombia, a city that has long been a hotbed for music talent. Movistar Arena opened in Bogotá seven years ago and quickly became one of the most popular venues in the region. Alfonso of Bizarro Live credits the venue and live music for helping change people’s preconceptions of the country known for violence and drug trafficking.

“I would love for other South American promoters to continue working and provide space for new talent. Look at Colombia,” he said. “Fifteen years ago, you talked about the country and people would talk about Pablo Escobar and drugs. Today, people talk about Shakira, Juanes and Carlos Vives. Music has been changing our language, our culture and our countries.”

It’s also helped modernize markets like Bogotá, Santiago and Buenos Aires, and while the success of those cities underscores South America’s potential, it also points out the one thing holding the region back.

“The region lacks proper indoor arenas as a whole, but that’s slowly changing and we are in a much better place than 10 years ago,” Rodriguez said. “And more will be rolling out.  Proper indoor arenas help sell tickets as the fans are more motivated to go to a decent venue; plus, they can lower the cost of show production in many cases.”

With much passion for futbol, stadiums like Brazil’s Allianz Parque are king in South America with high capacities, but some artists feel safer indoors because of the region’s unpredictable weather conditions.

Politicians have made it difficult to construct more buildings in every city, but more people are starting to notice the impact indoor venues like Antel Arena in Montevideo, Uruguay, and Movistar Arena in Buenos Aires have had on their communities and local economies. Such success stories encourage policymakers and investors to facilitate the process of building new structures for live entertainment.

“You have to have good infrastructure,” said Nelson Albareda, CEO of indie promoter Loud And Live. “I think Ecuador and Peru are looking to build arenas, and you’ll continue to see the growth in other countries. They’ll see the economic impact. I mean, we’ve done shows in Colombia where we know we know people came from Panama and Venezuela to go see a show in Bogotá.”

Arena 1 in Lima, Perú, opened in May 2022 and quickly showed how a building can impact the local economy. It has seen consistent growth year-over-year, drawing acts like Lenny Kravitz, Maria Becerra, Keane, Feid, Carlos Vives and Megadeth and welcoming nearly 800,000 guests, including fans from neighboring countries Ecuador, Bolivia and Paraguay.

“We are located in the heart of the continent, making us a central communications hub,” said Natalia Vargas, commercial manager for the venue. “In addition, we boast key tourist and gastronomic attractions, with several restaurants regularly ranked among the world’s best. The growing interest from promoters, artists, and other stakeholders is generating exciting opportunities to engage in a dynamic and ambitious market that is focused on meeting public demand and expanding interest in international events.”

DEVELOPMENT ALL AROUND

The development of more venues means more shows that can be produced, and that gives developing artists something to aspire to. It’s the symbiotic nature of the business, where one part of the industry impacts two others, and it’s why some promoters like Move Concerts have developed management arms.

Managers are looking across the social media landscape and attending live events to find the next Mon Laferte or a talented producer like Bizarrap. Habibi Management, Noah Assad’s management firm overseen by Karol G’s manager Raymond Acosta, is on the prowl for talent and works with artists from all over the world. Their roster includes Eladio Carrión, Mexican music stars Grupo Frontera and Colombian singer Sebastian Yatra.

“I think we need to keep searching, keep working and, most importantly, keep betting on new talent because we need a changing of the guard,” Alfredo said. “Today we have artists like Chayanne, Alejandro Fernández and Maná, but in a decade, they will be in their 60s or older. We need to dedicate ourselves to finding that talent with potential. When we started off, we did our homework and bet heavily on the music from Mexico in Chile. We set out to learn everything about the culture and how it would help us, and it did in the end.”

Eduardo Basagaña, who is CEO of EB Producciones and has produced events for over a decade (see page 43), admits that working with artists in a role outside of promoter is fulfilling and that there is nothing quite like discovering talent and developing it.

“If you were to ask me what I liked most about my job, I’d say development,” Basagaña said. “I love developing artists and concepts. I think I can be someone who can eventually promote a tour or a few shows. … Beyond my job as a manager and developing artists, I see myself as someone of connections, of collaboration, bringing new business to the table.”

Collaboration — between government leaders, investors, promoters, managers and artists — will be key to building South America up and making it a priority destination for fans and artists from all over the world. The roller coaster that is the live business in South America is starting to experience fewer twists and turns and more stability thanks to economies like Argentina’s bouncing back. The continuous growth and the attraction of big acts like Oasis, who have five South American dates this year, K-pop group Stray Kids, Katy Perry and Sting light a beacon for everyone to see how prosperous the massive continent can be. It also shows potential markets in countries like Paraguay and Bolivia that if you build it, they will come. s