The Latin Recording Academy has revealed its 2024 Leading Ladies of Entertainment honorees, celebrating Vivir Quintana, Diana Rodríguez, Ana Rosa Santiago, and Julieta Venegas. Established eight years ago, the Leading Ladies of Entertainment program recognizes socially conscious women in the arts and Latin entertainment who have inspired future leaders and made profound contributions to the field.
"It is a privilege to present this year's Leading Ladies of Entertainment honorees, an exceptional group of women who have distinguished themselves through their successful careers as well as for their continued fight for gender equity,” said Manuel Abud, CEO of The Latin Recording Academy. “Our honorees are so much more than a representation of excellence; they are a group that has significantly contributed to the empowerment and growth of other women.”
Meet the Honorees
Vivir Quintana
Mexican singer/songwriter Vivir Quintana is one of her generation's most beautiful and powerful voices. Her songs blend folk, regional and ranchera music with lyrics full of freedom, love and poetry. Millions of women have adopted her “Canción Sin Miedo” as a global feminist anthem, making it one of the most translated protest songs in the world. Her music has been featured in films such as Black Panther: Wakanda Forever (2022). In 2023, she was named a Spotify EQUAL ambassador, Forbes included her among the 100 most creative Mexicans, and Rolling Stone considers her "one of the most recognized female figures in Mexico." Following her first album, Te Mereces Un Amor; she is working on a follow up: a collection of corridos chronicling the tales of women incarcerated for standing up to their abusers.
Diana Rodríguez
A pioneer in the music industry, Diana Rodríguez is the CEO and founder of Criteria Entertainment, a creative service and music marketing company, and Mercado Negro, a boutique management agency and label under the Criteria umbrella. Through these entities, she oversees the careers of Latin GRAMMY winners, such as Enrique Bunbury, Mon Laferte and Diamante Eléctrico, among others. In 2009, she became the first woman to lead a multinational Latin record label in the United States. In her 32-year music career, Rodríguez has held senior positions at Phillips, Polygram, Universal Music, EMI Music, and Capitol Latin, catapulting the careers of artists like Juanes, Juan Luis Guerra, and Francisca Valenzuela. Billboard and El Tiempo Colombia have recognized her in their lists of powerful women.
Ana Rosa Santiago
Ana Rosa Santiago is the Senior Vice President of Latin music for Universal Music Publishing Group in the United States and Latin America. She leads the A&R and Sync departments, developing talent and creating global opportunities for UMPG songwriters. She has signed artists such as Ivan Cornejo, Feid, Romeo Santos, and Yahritza y Su Esencia. During her 18-year tenure at ASCAP, she signed artists like Kany García, Farruko, Luis Fonsi and Daddy Yankee, among others. With over 25 years in the music industry, she is a dual member of The Latin Recording Academy and the Recording Academy, serves on the board of She Is The Music, and is the Assistant Vice President of Events for the Miami chapter of Women In Music.
Julieta Venegas
Singer/songwriter Julieta Venegas, an eight-time Latin GRAMMY-winner and GRAMMY recipient, is one of Latin pop's foremost exponents and icons. Known for hits like "Limón Y Sal," "Me Voy" and "Lento," Venegas' versatility, coupled with the authenticity that permeates her creations, has made her the most listened-to female artist on Spotify in Mexico. Her collaboration with Tainy and Bad Bunny won the Latin GRAMMY for Best Reggaeton Performance in 2022 and her album Tu Historia won the Latin GRAMMY for Best Pop Vocal Album a year later. In 2024, she performed before 80,000 people in Mexico City's Zócalo and 85,000 at Madrid's Bernabéu Stadium. She is a UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador in Mexico and an ambassador for COMMCA.
The 2024 Leading Ladies of Entertainment event will be held as a private ceremony on November 11 in Miami, coinciding with Latin GRAMMY Week and presented by Amazon Music. Amazon Music, supporting future Latin music creators, will also make its inaugural donation to the Latin GRAMMY Cultural Foundation’s Scholarship Fund. Additional event sponsors include Baptist Health South Florida and Espolón Tequila.
“Our industry is powered by incredible women, both in front of the mic and behind it, which is why we’re thrilled to team up with Leading Ladies of Entertainment to celebrate this year’s fantastic honorees,” said Rocío Guerrero, Head of Music, Latin/Iberia at Amazon Music. “Championing female talent at all stages of their career, and celebrating their impact on the success of Latin music globally, is extremely important to us so we can continue to have a thriving music industry. The Latin GRAMMY Cultural Foundation’s Scholarship Fund is a brilliant way of doing this.”
The Connect TogetHER Mentorship Program is also an integral part of this initiative. In collaboration with She Is the Music, an international organization working to increase women’s presence in music, this program is sponsored by AARP for the second year. Past and present honorees will act as mentors, with applications open until November 22, 2024. For more information about the program or to apply, please visit Latin GRAMMY Cultural Foundation’s website.