Impact NextGen: Gilbert Paz

Latin music had its biggest year ever in 2022 with revenue exceeding $1 billion, and that growth isn’t showing signs of slowing down anytime soon with young artists such as Peso Pluma leading the cultural shift.

But there are Latinos behind the scenes also leading the charge, such as Gilbert Paz of marketing, entertainment and live events promotion company Loud And Live. As vice president of entertainment business operations, he is part of a team that has had a record-breaking year with nearly 400 live events produced in North and South America.

“Our determination led us to secure and manage the tours of some of the biggest Latin artists in the industry, ranking Loud And Live as one of the world’s top promoters,” Paz tells Pollstar.

Paz interned for Universal Music Latin Entertainment before working as an agent assistant at William Morris Endeavor, helping him develop tech and social media skills that companies very much value today.

“[A] generational advantage I have is that millennials have an entrepreneurial spirit and are willing to take risks,” Paz says. “This mindset is valuable in the music industry where self-promotion, creativity and innovation are key to success.”

Paz isn’t confined to one genre or language, having led the talent booking for Miami’s first premier country music festival, Country Bay. His goal is to make events worthwhile for fans and artists of all kinds.

“The white glove treatment which we have established as the ‘Loud And Live difference’ has really been one of the drivers for our growth and success,” he says.

Paz says such personal touches are essential and encourages all interested in the live business to connect with people outside of the virtual world.

“It is very easy in today’s landscape to get caught up in sending emails … but talking to someone over the phone, virtually or face-to-face goes much further in this business,” he says. “This business demands personal connections by developing a strong network and building relationships with industry professionals.”