'Cultura Clash' At Latin Music Week: Yendry And Other Artists Talk About Representation

clash culture recorded a live episode during the Week Billboard de la Música Latina (Latin Music Week), where artists came together to discuss colorism and representation in Latino music and media on Wednesday (September 28).

the star of Charm Mauro Castillo; kunno, influencer and singer; and recording artist Yendry are opening new doors for artists who have long been sidelined. But is the industry doing its part to bring about real representation?

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The episode is part of the second season of clash culture, a series of videos hosted by Latino executive AJ Ramos that spotlights artists and influencers Latinos discussing current issues within Latino culture and music.

For 30 years, Billboard Latin Music Week has been the oldest and largest gathering of the Latin music industry. It also coincides with the 2022 Billboard Latin Music Awards, which take place on Thursday (September 29) in Miami. The ceremony will be broadcast live on Telemundo and can be seen simultaneously on the Universo cable channel, the Telemundo app and, in Latin America and the Caribbean, through Telemundo Internacional.

Billboard Latin Music Week runs from September 26 to October 1 with star-studded panels. The program also includes concerts, intimate presentations and premieres of new music by Bizarrap, Elena Rose, Ozuna and Mariah Angeliq. BRESH will host the closing party at Oasis, in Miami’s artsy Wynwood neighborhood.

These are five memorable quotes from clash culture at Billboard Latin Music Week:

KUNNO: “When I started on TikTok, I was like, ‘Wow, I’m really doing this.’ There are many eyes on me. This new generation is exploring itself, so it is more tolerant. I’m here to say that dreams do come true.”

YENDRY: “As a child I used to spend a lot of time in front of the TV watching MTV. But I didn’t feel like there was much representation of me in music. Until I saw J.Lo, one of the first. She is Latina, an amazing singer. I thought: ‘Maybe it will happen to me’. And when I started my project, girls from the Dominican Republic started sending me messages saying they loved seeing my curls.”

YENDRY: “As a woman who has seen so many white princesses, [ver más representación de nosotros en estos remakes de cintas animadas con actores reales] It is a great moment for us. Even animated movies like Charm either Coconut they are impacting young children a lot… Children are the future and we need to have more representation. The little Mermaid It’s a cartoon, a fairy tale. Nobody really decided what color it was. She can be anything.”

CASTLE: “My advice? You have to be prepared. You must be prepared for your opportunity and, if not, build it. It is about the ability we have to give our best… There is a chance that this story [o los afrolatinos] grow up, and we’re here telling the world who we are and that we’re enough.”

KUNNO: “When I was little, I always wanted a pink car, Barbies, all that, and people said, ‘No, it’s wrong.’ And now, with my music, I’m proving that it’s not like that… It’s been wonderful because I can really be myself… I was talking to some people before and I think that we, as Latinos, as people queer, Whoever we are, we really need to have our values. We need to be ourselves, and many people are not because they are afraid and they are in boxes that no longer exist, that is from the past. And kiss whoever you want to kiss.