2024 Billboard Latin Music Week: Danny Ocean, Nacho, Elena Rose & More Unite for Venezuela Rising

Nacho, Danny Ocean, Elena Rose, Mau y Ricky and Lele Pons shared their Venezuelan pride during the Venezuela Rising panel on Wednesday (Oct. 16) at the 2024 Billboard Latin Music Week.

Moderated by Sigal Ratner-Arias, deputy editor of Billboard Español, the important and timely conversation captured a moment in time as a number of Venezuelan acts not only take over the charts but have become the voice of a generation that has been using their platform and artistry to echo a sentiment of hope for their country after perhaps one of the most consequential presidential elections that took place in July.

Below, find some of the best quotes from the panelists of Venezuela Rising:

Nacho: On a new generation of Venezuelan hitmakers: “I am very proud to see how the country shows that it has talent who have also been carrying all this knowledge that previous generations left us, particularly in what is Venezuelan pop music, we come from that formation even if many have not heard their music, all that has been mutating and evolving what is happening today.”

Elena Rose: On Venezuelan artist’s profound lyrics: “We want you to receive this love that we want to give you. Venezuela is such is a rich country in a thousand ways, especially because we share values such as faith and happiness and it is transmitted through any artist that comes from a country like Venezuela, it makes us unique to see life like this. Our generation has been exposed to adversity, the Venezuelan person is still fighting and looking for reasons to get ahead, they have purpose, intention, we want Venezuela to shine. There is nothing that will stop us, we are stronger. The country deserves to be happy and free.”

Ricky: On artists’ responsibilities to speak up and use their platform to call out injustices: “It is important to be responsible with the instinct that one has, mine and my brother’s (Mau), was to make Hotel Caracas and, apart from making an album, what we wanted was to show people why we are fighting, what we are defending. And it may be different from the responsibility that others felt. “

Lele Pons: On her role as social media influencer: “Everyone has a voice and it is very important to use it. As an influencer, I have done many things in my career. I told my mom and dad that this is the most important thing I can do. When Danny told me he wanted to do something, I said how can I not do it if it is our country. People did not know what was going on? Who is going to tell them? The most important thing I have done in my career is to be a voice for someone who needs a voice. And this was very important for me at that time.”

Mau: On returning to Venezuela after 15 years: “That trip changed my life. Leaving as a child and having people in your family who stayed, or even friends, say you are no longer Venezuelan because you left and you don’t deserve to say that you are Venezuelan or give your opinion on certain things, it fractures you. In time you begin to realize you have those wounds, also that begins to generate a domino effect because you begin to think that you really shouldn’t give you opinion about your country. One lives with anxiety thinking that one is not Venezuelan. This trip for us, we healed, and we went because there came a time when we could not keep postponing this. After the pandemic we were left with an identity crisis and we decided, despite the fear, to return because it was more than 15 years of accumulating that fear. The trip healed many things.”

Danny Ocean: On his momentous and deeply personal EP venequia.: “I needed to get those songs out of my system that had been accumulating inspired by Venezuela, it was the right time to say what I was feeling. My life changed since I released ‘Me Rehuso’ and I have always thought that moment was so drastic. venequia. is for the 8 million Venezuelans who are on the outside and what we crave: being able to spend time there.”

2024 Billboard Latin Music Week coincides with the 2024 Billboard Latin Music Awards set to air at 9 p.m. ET on Sunday, Oct. 20, on Telemundo. It will simultaneously be available on Universo, Peacock and the Telemundo app, and in Latin America and the Caribbean through Telemundo Internacional.