By Griselda Flores, Jessica Roiz
Billboard Latin kicked off Women’s History Month with an industry mentorship dinner, hosted by Billboard’s Leila Cobo — courtesy of WhatsApp, as part of their new campaign, “Escúchanos. Míranos.” The intimate event, which took place in Los Angeles on March 2, brought together more than 50 emerging Latin female talents and established artists, including special guest Becky G.
In celebration of Women’s History Month, Billboard asked industry leads at the event to share their best career advice and which woman opened the doors for them. Below, read inspirational quotes from singer-songwriter Elena Rose, renowned artist Claudia Brant, newcomer Giulia Be and many more.
ALE ALBERTI
Best Advice: Be persistent, and just keep going at it. There are a lot of talented women but what sets you apart is your work ethic.
Women Who Opened the Doors: Delia Orjuela was my person at BMI. She signed me when I was 16 when I first got my start in music. She was the woman who opened the door for me as a writer and as an artist. She would invite me to events, she networked, and she sent emails, she was a big supporter of mine.
ALI STONE
Best Advice: Believe in yourself and be focused on where you want to go. Don’t let your authenticity, morals, and values fall because of what someone else says. Work with patience and persistence, people will eventually discover that X factor you carry.
Women Who Opened the Doors: Following my own advice led Diana Rodriguez to see that I was a producer, composer, and multi-instrumentalist in 2016. She was the one who shared my work, and realized that not many women were doing what I was doing at the time.
CLAUDIA BRANT
Best Advice: When I came to the U.S. 24 years ago, I signed a contract with Peermusic, and the boss at the time was a very wise lady called Catalina Schindler who told me to never stop writing and to always collaborate. That’s what I’ve always done and it’s worked great for me.
Women Who Opened the Doors: I worked closely with Diane Warren, and she was one of the ones who pushed me and helped me a lot. There were other women who helped me out in my career and opened many doors, like Alexandra Lioutikoff, especially when I was in ASCAP and just getting started.