‘Our Focus Remains Firmly On The Artists’: Q’s With Rosa Lagarrigue, GTS

Pollstar last spoke with Rosa Lagarrigue back in 2022, back then in her role as founder and CEO of her own pioneering business, Rosa Lagarrigue Management. She sold the business to Universal Music Group’s Global Talent Services (GTS) last year, where she serves as global executive vice president, leading her existing team that came over with her.

Both businesses have always been powerhouses in Spanish and Latin American talent and touring. Their merging has taken the overall business potential to the next level, as the following conversation, conducted for Pollstar‘s annual Spain Focus, proves.

Lagarrigue talked about the culturally rich and valuable exchange between Spain’s and Latin America’s most beloved artists, the importance of domestic talent, the arrival of the incredibly successful Spanish talent show Operación Triunfo in the U.S., and much more.

Pollstar: How would you sum up the state of business at GTS
Rosa Lagarrigue: GTS is a highly ambitious and creative company, with a strong focus on developing long-term careers for our artists. We’ve experienced consistent growth in recent years, and the acquisition of RLM marked a turning point in our evolution. It strengthened our positioning and reflects a more forward-thinking, artist-centric approach to the business.

What are some recent successes you’d like to highlight? And what upcoming shows, project, acquisitions, and business moves of any kind would you like to highlight?
We’ve had a particularly strong period across touring and artist development. Aitana is a clear highlight, with the success of her latest album Cuarto Azul and her first American tour, where she sold out Movistar Arena in Buenos Aires and Auditorio Nacional in Mexico City within 24 hours, adding second dates in both markets. Pablo Alborán’s global tour has also delivered excellent results across Chile, Argentina, Colombia, Brazil, Mexico, Portugal… and Spain.

It also remains a privilege to work with consolidated artists such as Raphael, a true legend who continues to deliver sold-out shows worldwide, including two recent standout nights at the Auditorio Nacional in Mexico City; David Bisbal, who has previously toured successfully across the Americas and is now looking ahead to the next phase of his global career; and Pablo López, an artist who can convey deep emotion and connect with audiences all around the world, among the other brilliant artists in our roster.

At the same time, we’re seeing sustained growth from artists like Chiara Oliver, Marlena, Juanjo Bona, Joaquina, Ela Taubert and TIMØ, alongside the consolidation of Vanesa Martín and Andrés Suárez as key singer-songwriters within Spanish pop.

We’re also seeing standout artistic milestones across the roster. Sara Baras has reached a major one with VUELA, her tribute to Paco de Lucía, which has become the most successful tour ever by a flamenco dancer. In Spain, Amaia has taken an important step forward with her first arena tour, presenting her third album Si abro los ojos no es real. Lola Índigo has also announced her festival tour following the success of her stadium tour, further consolidating her position as one of Spain’s most dynamic and influential pop artists.

From a strategic perspective, we continue to invest in Latin America, particularly in Mexico and Brazil, with a strong focus on developing new talent such as TIMØ and La Coreañera. At the same time, we are strengthening our branding and sponsorship division, which is already very active in Spain, the U.S. and Brazil.

Looking ahead, one of our most exciting moves is our alliance with Telemundo around Operación Triunfo USA, the first U.S. edition of the format, which we see as a key platform to identify and develop the next generation of Latin talent globally.

Can you elaborate on the acquisition of your management company last year? What does it mean for GTS’s business, how does it enhance your business, and what does it mean for the Spanish as well as Latin markets?
The acquisition of RLM brought a very valuable cultural and operational perspective to GTS. RLM has always been deeply rooted in artist management, booking and promotion, rather than coming from the record business, which complements GTS’s broader structure.

The entire RLM team joined GTS, and together we operate with a high degree of independence, working with artists from different labels and maintaining a flexible, artist-first approach. While the scale of the company has increased, we still aim to operate with a “boutique” mindset, offering highly personalized service.

What trends do you observe in the live entertainment world of Spain, like certain genres becoming more popular, more (mini-)residencies, less legacy artists touring, etc. Anything that stands out to you?
There is a clear and growing demand for live experiences. Audiences are increasingly looking for emotional connection and planning ahead to attend shows, which reflects a deeper engagement with live music.

Spain remains a very open and dynamic market in terms of genres, formats and venues, and fans are responding strongly. We also see a growing sense of community around artists, particularly with newer generations such as Aitana, Lola Indigo, Ela Taubert, TIMØ… among others.

At the same time, we don’t see a decline in legacy touring. On the contrary, artists like Raphael or Ana Torroja continue to tour internationally with strong results, showing that there is a solid audience for established acts.

How important is local and regional talent to your business?
It is absolutely central. Our core business is focused on Spanish and Latin talent, and everything we do is built around identifying, developing and supporting artists globaly.

Any cities/regions in Spain that emerged as real concert markets in recent months and years? Do you see tours visiting places they previously wouldn’t have, and what are the reasons for that?
We are seeing a clear expansion of the live market across Spain, with secondary cities becoming increasingly relevant for touring. This is driven by a more professionalized ecosystem, improved infrastructure, stronger local promotion, and growing audience demand nationwide.

Can you talk about Spain as the European gateway to Latin America for a bit? Is it fair to describe it that way? What are key events that highlight this connection?
Spain plays a key role as a bridge between Latin America and Europe. For many Latin American artists, it is the natural entry point into the European market, and in many cases it also opens the door to broader touring across the continent. At the same time, both Spanish and Latin artists are now incorporating European routing into their tour plans much more naturally and consistently than in the past. This is closely linked to the growing global demand for Spanish-language music, which is having a very positive impact on the artists we work with. The Hispanic community is very strong and more visible than ever, with a deeper connection to its cultural roots. That cultural momentum is helping drive the international reach of the music we export.

What challenges remain to your business?
Our focus remains firmly on the artists. Each artist brings different challenges, and our role is to adapt and create the right opportunities for each career. Of course, we are also navigating broader industry changes, including new technologies, AI and evolving consumption patterns. But ultimately, our priority is to stay focused on the music — on the songs, which are the foundation of our industry — and to work hard to bring them to new audiences, project by project, while building sustainable artistic careers.

Where do you identify the biggest opportunities?
One of the biggest areas of opportunity is within our branding and sponsorship division, where we see strong potential for growth by connecting artists with brands in more strategic and meaningful ways.

Anything you’d like to add with regards to GTS’s business?
We are very focused on long-term development — both for our artists and for the company — and on continuing to grow internationally while maintaining a close, artist-centered approach in everything we do.

Subscribe to Pollstar HERE