Hello and welcome to GEN33! A newsletter about the business and culture of LATAM's creative industries.

In this edition, I want to shift focus back to music and highlight why the world should pay attention to the rise of Argentinian duo CA7RIEL & Paco Amoroso, especially after their viral Tiny Desk concert in October 🔥.

Back in 2018, when I wrote about reggaeton stars landing high-profile gigs for BoF, it was a pivotal moment for musical crossovers. Luxury brands were eager to tap into the fanbase of these artists, drawn by their undeniable swagger and hit-making prowess. Bad Bunny, as you know, is a prime example.

In that same piece, I pointed out it was only a matter of time before women followed suit. Soon after, we saw Anitta landing a Dolce & Gabbana campaign and Karol G becoming the face of Loewe. I see many parallels between that wave of Latin American artists and CA7RIEL and Paco’s rise. I’m taking a deeper dive on them and their presentation in London. Keep reading!

(Send me a message if you want to read the BoF Business of Reggaeton Style Piece)

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🎬 🎵 But before delving into the Argentinian duo of the moment, I wanted to revisit the drama around Selena Gomez’s criticised Spanish in Emilia Pérez. (Buzzfeed has a solid recap of the events).

As I’ve said before, I don’t think it’s her fault. Selena’s accent was just one of many issues revealing that Emilia Pérez—despite its merits (like Karla Sofía Gascón’s standout performance)—is yet another portrayal of Mexico through a Eurocentric lens. Non-native Spanish speakers probably won’t notice the three or four inauthentic Mexican accents in the film. But what about the 600 million native speakers who will?

Zoe Saldaña, playing a Mexican character, had an ambiguous accent. At least the script added a few lines to explain she was of Dominican origin—her real-life background—to justify it. Selena deserved a similar consideration, one might argue. Meanwhile, Edgar Ramírez, despite using some Mexican slang, sounded very Venezuelan. Again, it’s not the fault of the actors; this is on the director for lumping all Latin American identities into one. 🙄 The usual.

Imagine a film where Irish, Scottish and British actors were cast to play Americans, yet they all kept their native accents. Would anyone find that believable outside a comedic sketch? Don’t get me wrong, though, I did enjoy Emilia Pérez, overall.

On a brigther note, few know rising Venezuelan singer, Yadam, was featured on the Emilia Pérez soundtrack and they’re amazing!

🎬 One of the most anticipated premieres of the year is Netflix’s adaptation of Cien Años de Soledad (One Hundred Years of Solitude) by Gabriel García Márquez, one of the most revered Latin American literary works. I had to read the whole thing back in school—no Google or summaries back then). It’s not an easy book, folks.

For those unfamiliar, it tells the story of the ill-fated Buendía family, serving as a metaphor for the isolation and stagnation of Macondo, a symbol of Latin America’s struggle with cycles shaped by its history.

Cien Años de Soledad also introduced the world to magical realism, where the extraordinary intertwines with the mundane—much like the surreal realities Latin Americans know all too well. A concept still very much alive.

🍫 Another highly anticipated book-to-screen adaptation is Laura Esquivel’s Como Agua Para Chocolate (Like Water for Chocolate), produced by Salma Hayek. Set in early 20th-century Mexico, the novel also incorporates magical realism elements. It follows Tita, a young woman forbidden to marry her true love, Pedro, because of a family tradition binding her to care for her mother. Her emotions, poured into her cooking, deeply affect those who eat her food.

I’ve heard good things about both adaptations, though I haven’t watched them yet. Remezcla has a great piece about the Colombian writers who brought One Hundred Years of Solitude from book to screen. If you’ve seen these I’d love to know your thoughts! Comment below 👇

Looking for more Spanish Language shows? Here are the top 12 according to LA Times.

COMO LA ESPUMA

Forget Bad Bunny—Fashion and Luxury Brands Should Have Their Eyes on CA7RIEL and Paco Amoroso

On a cold December night in London, thousands of fans lined up outside the sold-out Electric Brixton, marking the near end of CA7RIEL and Paco Amoroso's 2024 tour. London was one of many cities where the Argentinian duo had to upgrade to a bigger venue after selling out their entire European tour just days after their famous Tiny Desk concert aired on October 4th.

As showtime approached at 9 pm, the room crackled with anticipation. Teal Ushanka hats and red heart-printed vests visible among the crowd nodded to the viral looks the duo wore during those viral 17 minutes on YouTube. That performance has since clocked 19 million views, making it the most-watched of 2024. Their popularity has spread like wildfire ever since. (BTW shoutout to Gaba Najmanovich of Exprimido de Tendencias for bringing them to my attention).

CA7RIEL and Paco Amoroso—whose real names are Catriel Guerreiro and Ulises Guerriero—have been committed to their visual storytelling as much as their music since they began officially working together. They had previously collaborated on several tracks before launching Baño María, their first album as a duo. (And yes, their similar last names are purely coincidental).

A great example is their Buenos Aires concert that kicked off the 2024 Baño María tour. There, the duo flew through the air à la Cirque du Soleil and had several outfit changes. Meanwhile, their accompanying short film of the same name blurred the line between music videos and avant-garde cinema. It’s one of the best depictions of how they infuse chaos and humour into their music and performances.

That night in Brixton was no different (minus the flying). CA7RIEL stepped onto the stage in a feathered top hat and fan, check trousers and a graphic tee layered under a patent trench coat. Paco followed in head-to-toe black vinyl. All the musicians had styled looks, notably the bass player Feli who rocked the Tiny’s triple sunglasses and a bra-over-shirt ensemble.

They adapted their live sound to echo the raw, soulful essence of their NPR session. Paco shared in an interview that fans who discovered them through that performance were often surprised when they heard the album versions on Spotify. Apparently, fans said, 'it was shit!' he laughed.

When I first heard their Tiny Desk performance, I remember thinking how refreshing it was to hear something punchy and pop-driven that wasn't reggaeton. I'd even say these sounds are just as catchy — if not more — and with real crossover potential.

The concert was a short but potent 70 minutes, weaving a blend of their genre-defying style going from electronic to hip-hop, trap, pop while throwing in some lasers for good measure. As they put it, they're "sin género, degenerados" — and yet they pull it off quite effortlessly (though it surely isn't).

If you had seen their IG stories, the frenzy in London was a recurring tableau throughout the tour. But what was very telling of their influence is that while all this madness was happening, back in Buenos Aires, Florencia Tellado, the brilliant milliner behind Paco's Tiny Desk hat, was overwhelmed with requests for replicas of the piece. Tellado is a legend, she has designed for the likes like Rossy de Palma and Marilyn Manson and showcased her work at London Fashion Week in 2017.

However, the duo's eye-catching style largely comes down to Celina Lattanzio, their longtime stylist. Her collaboration with them began serendipitously at a party, where she bluntly told Paco, "Vos te vestís muy mal" (you dress terribly). Instead of taking offence, he handed her the reins. Since then, Lattanzio has curated a fashion narrative for the pair that prioritises independent designers, especially Latin American talent.

While touring, she relies on Instagram stories to source recommendations for cool local boutiques. For instance, In London, Lattanzio turned to Argentine designer Nikole Tursi and in Berlin she sourced clothes from Therapy, an upcycling-focused label from Argentina. Meanwhile, in Valencia, she picked pieces from Laka. Rolling Stone in Spanish published an article on how she came up with the entire look for the Tiny Desk concert, including The T-shirts with the TikTok chad-filtered faces of Catriel and Paco.

Back in 2018, in The Business of Reggaeton Style for BoF, I wrote about how Latin American music stars—particularly reggaeton artists—were poised to become the next big thing for luxury brands. At the time, reggaeton's crossover success in the midst of a digital shift had made these artists masters of brand creation, promotion and social media dominance. Take for example Bad Bunny who by then had already amassed 4 billion views on YouTube.

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As I wrote in that article, it was only a matter of time before women started landing these high-profile gigs, too. Not long after, we saw Anitta fronting Dolce & Gabbana campaigns and Karol G solidifying her fashion icon status with that Loewe campaign in April 2023—which ultimately led to my BoF 500 cover interview with her. (Paywall-free on CNN Style).

There are so many parallels I see with the buzz around CA7RIEL and Paco Amoroso. But, I'd argue Argentina is also having a big international moment with breakout artists recently — Nathy Peluso, Tini, Wos, Bizarrap, María Becerra, Duki, Nicki Nicole — some of whom the duo has collaborated with. They're all part of a new(ish) wave carving out space in the global music scene.

However, Cato and Paco, who knew each other from school, had remained relatively under the radar as they pursued their individual music careers. Outside Argentina, many weren't paying close attention until that Tiny Desk set hit like a lightning bolt.

Will they (and Lattanzio) still favour smaller, upcycling-focused labels when the big hitters (let's say Louis Vuitton or Dior) come knocking at their door? Would love to know your thoughts!

The boys are now gearing up for another tour covering LATAM, US and Europe in 2025 with even bigger venues—and tickets are already flying. So if you missed them there’s your chance!

Be a darling and share this with someone who might like it!

🇵🇪 Meet Milena Warthon. She’s a Peruvian singer-songwriter blending Andean traditions with modern sounds. In 2023, she captivated audiences at Chile’s Festival Viña del Mar with her song “Warmisitay,” a heartfelt tribute to Andean women inspired by her grandmother’s experiences at Peru’s Puka Polleracha carnival. The song, blending Quechua and Spanish, earned her first place in the Festival’s Folklore category and resonated with listeners across Latin America, celebrating cultural identity and self-love. (Remezcla).

Podcasts could be key to engaging the LatAm audience in the U.S.

🎤 The 2024 Latino Podcast Listener Report reveals a 72% surge in monthly podcast listenership among U.S. Latinos since 2020 . Women now represent half of Latino podcast audiences, and 43% of U.S. Latinos aged 18+ are monthly listeners (Latino Newsletter); mirroring the national average of 47% for Americans aged 12+ (Backlinko). Notably, 47% of Latino listeners discovered podcasts via social platforms, a 30% increase since 2020.

Toni Ruiz steps in as interim CEO of of Mango after founder Isak Andic tragically passed away in a hiking accident in Montserrat, Catalunya, on 14 December while walking with his son. The Catalan police continue their investigation, confirming the death was accidental. (El Mundo).

OTB Prepares to Launch in Mexico with Maison MargielaFashion group OTB is set to enter the Mexican market, strengthening its global presence through one of its most iconic brands, Maison Margiela. As reported by Fashion Network, the Renzo Rosso-led conglomerate is pursuing a direct retail strategy for this expansion.

Cuban painter Zilia Sánchez Domínguez has passed away in Puerto Rico. She was a pioneer and a unique voice in Caribbean and Latin American modernism.(Diario de Cuba). This Guardian piece delves deeper into who she was and her work.

 Did you know former Mexican President Andrés Manuel López Obrador was Latin America’s top Spanish-language streamer? In 2023 alone, his press conferences were watched for 49 million hours, fueling the rise of content creators who built thriving platforms around his daily broadcasts. Now, with his term ended, many are pivoting to stay relevant under new leadership. reports RoW.

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