Leila Cobo, Billboard’s VP/Latin industry lead, connected on her personal Instagram account with emerging artists, aspiring industry leaders and music aficionados alike to talk about all things music and the biz.
In a 30-minute Instagram Live that began at noon on Sunday, Cobo not only shared her background in music and passion for journalism, but also answered a variety of questions. “Now that I have time and I’m more active on Instagram, I see that many people send me questions about the music industry on my messages and I never have time to answer,” she said. “That’s why I did this Live, to answer every question to the best of my ability, and be as honest as I can.”
One of the questions Cobo was asked during the Q&A was if an artist needs to only sing urban music to be successful. “No,” she said, appreciating the fact that urban music is dominating right now. “What’s important is that the music is good, distinctive, authentic and genuine. If it’s made up, it’s not going to work.”
Another viewer asked how a composer can sell their music to an artist, to which Cobo immediately suggested not selling their songs, because they belong to the composer and they can generate him or her money for a long time. However, Cobo also mentioned that if the composer wanted to, he or she can do so through a publisher — BMI or ASCAP, for instance — or reaching out to the artist directly on social media. “Write to them offering your song, but make sure that the song is suitable for the artist,” she said.
When asked what emerging artists should do after the current coronavirus pandemic and if record labels will want to sign them, Cobo advised the artist to polish their proposal and reach out to record labels. “Labels are always looking for good artists that are different,” she said. “This is a good time to showcase your talent.”
Cobo, who plans to continue this initiative every Sunday on her personal Instagram account, also shared her opinions on the Latin trap movement, music consumption, Luis Miguel’s success, and much more.
Watch the full Instagram Live on mobile here.
