‘We Don’t Just Sell Music, We Create Moments To Remember’: Q’s With Juli Guiu Marquina, President, Clipper’s Music Group

Clipper’s Music Group is a leading independent music company in Spain – a third-generation business founded in Barcelona in 1952, that is today chaired by Juli Guiu Marquina.

Clipper’s offers a 360-degree service approach for people seeking to succeed in the music biz, covering publishing (Clipper’s oversees a catalog of 1.5 million works); a record label specialized in dance music; management, with clients including Antonio Orozco, Cepeda, Delafé y Las Flores Azules, Montana, Wise, Jxta Martin and Miriam Sae; booking, with clients including Juan Magan, Stay Homas (exclusive outside Catalonia), Arde Bogotá, Carmesí, Fanvvi, Hoonine, María de Juan, Nunatak, and Claim (exclusive Catalonia), and live, with more than 500 concerts a year, and a festival portfolio that includes Les Nits de Barcelona, Cap Roig Festival, Occident Summerfest Cerdanya, White Summer, and others.

If one wants the lowdown on the Spanish music biz, Marquina is the man to speak with. For our annual Spain Focus, Pollstar did just that.

Pollstar: What’s the state of business at Clipper’s? Please highlight some of the bigger projects you’re working on in 2025, with a focus on the live side.
Juli Guiu Marquina: In 2025, Clipper’s Music Group is celebrating major milestones. One of the most significant is Antonio Orozco’s tour, marking his 25-year career with an extensive series of concerts in 25 Spanish cities. In many of these cities, we’ve already sold out, and we’ve even had to add extra dates due to high demand.

We’re also celebrating the 25th anniversary of the Cap Roig Festival, which has become one of the most important concert series in Southern Europe. This year, more than ever, we aim to highlight the artistic quality and overall experience we offer.

Another key milestone is that we have started to produce large-scale concerts in stadiums, a big leap for us. A clear example is Aitana’s upcoming show at the Estadi Olímpic Lluís Companys in Barcelona, where she will become the first Catalan woman to headline a concert at this iconic venue.

Les Nits de Barcelona returns this year. What’s changed since last year’s premiere? What would you like to highlight about that event?
This is the third year we’re organizing Les Nits de Barcelona, and we’re very pleased with how the project has evolved. Our goal remains clear: to bring audiences a carefully curated and diverse artistic offering in the iconic setting of the Pedralbes Royal Palace Gardens. This year, once again, we’re committed to a lineup that blends big international names with local talent, all within a format that prioritizes sound quality, visibility, and the overall experience. We’ve established ourselves as a key event in Barcelona’s summer calendar, and with each edition, we strive to surpass ourselves in both production and content.

Producing festivals presents a particular challenge in the current economy, as production costs have risen across the board. What Clipper’s secret recipe to make them work? Can you talk about the art of balancing lineups, ticket prices, and the offering on site?
Our approach is based on creating a complete and memorable experience, and that starts with choosing extraordinary venues. We organise concerts in truly unique venues: from a botanical garden overlooking the Mediterranean Sea, to the gardens of a royal palace, to a natural valley surrounded by the Pyrenees mountains. These settings add an emotional and aesthetic dimension to the music that is impossible to reproduce elsewhere. Many of the artists we present usually perform in stadiums, but we invite them to play in these more intimate venues, where the acoustics, the proximity to the stage and the ambience transform the show into something truly special. Of course, this type of production comes at a higher ticket cost, but it’s also where we offer real value: exceptional sound, perfect visibility, an iconic venue and a carefully curated food offering that turns the whole evening into a complete cultural and sensory experience. We don’t just sell music: we create moments to remember.

What challenges remain in the live events sector in Spain, and what opportunities do you see?
Market saturation is a challenge. There’s a huge amount of competition, which forces us to differentiate not just through the lineup, but through the overall experience. However, that same saturation creates opportunities for those who know how to craft a distinctive, well-organized product with a solid artistic proposal. We also see opportunities in decentralizing events: bringing major shows to medium-sized or smaller cities is working increasingly well and allows us to reach more diverse audiences.

Any trends you observe? Last year, you mentioned the rise of Urban. Has that continued, and have other genres emerged since?
Yes, urban music remains strong, but we’re also seeing an interesting resurgence of national pop rock, as well as Latin music and flamenco in more contemporary formats. Our programming aims to reflect that diversity, combining well-established names with emerging talents who resonate with different audiences. The key is observing what works well live and adapting it to various audiences and venues.

How about live formats outside of concerts, like family shows, or other creative ideas…anything Clipper’s is working on?
We’ve been exploring those avenues for many years. For example, in Cap Roig Festival we have the program “Cap Roig Mini” – a day dedicated to children and families. We’ve successfully replicated this initiative at the Occident Summerfest Cerdanya. Additionally, our programming includes flamenco performances like Sara Baras, who will open this year’s Les Nits de Barcelona, as well as comedy shows such as Carles Sans at last year’s Cap Roig Festival. It’s not just about music – we’re committed to a complete and cross-disciplinary cultural offering.

Is there anything else you’d like to add?
Just to thank the public and everyone who makes it possible for us to overcome new challenges each year. At Clipper’s, we continue working to raise the level of the cultural experience, supporting talent and ensuring flawless organization that makes each concert feel like a truly unique night.

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