Warner Music Group is strengthening its A&R and marketing capabilities for Música Mexicana with the appointment of a revamped team led by Tomas Rodríguez.
Rodríguez, President of Warner Music Mexico & Música Mexicana, will lead the project from Mexico City, while Rubén Abraham, General Manager of Música Mexicana, will oversee the A&R and Marketing team from WMG’s downtown Los Angeles office, WMG said Tuesday (May 14).
Brian Plascencia will lead the A&R team as Director of A&R. He previously held roles at Universal Music and Univision Records, and served as West Coast Label Manager at Machete Music, where he played a role in launching and developing the careers of artists including El Potro de Sinaloa, Fidel Rueda, Larry Hernandez, and Roberto Tapia. Plascencia was also a founding partner at Alianza Records, where he helped launch the artists Caimanes de Sinaloa, Edicion Especial, and Grupo H-100.
Armando López, Associate Director of A&R, brings over a decade of industry experience, with expertise in marketing, musical production, and concert promotion.
Joining them is Cesar Carrillo, appointed to the role of Senior Manager of A&R, with a track record in music production and talent management within the Música Mexicana scene. Carrillo managed talents such as Los Buitres de Culiacán and Tomas Ballardo.
“The expertise, adaptability, and market acumen of our enhanced Música Mexicana team will bolster our vision for the genre’s development and globalization, cementing Warner Music as a driver of the scene.”
Tomas Rodríguez, Warner Music Mexico
Carrillo has also worked on bookings for the band Legado 7 with independent label and live company Lumbre Music, and worked with artist management and live company FM Entertainment in helping manage the agendas of Banda Machos, Fidel Rueda, and Ramón Ayala.
Meanwhile, Maria Angela Batiz, Director, Marketing, Música Mexicana, will continue to play a role in developing marketing strategies and campaigns for Música Mexicana.
“The expertise, adaptability, and market acumen of our enhanced Música Mexicana team will bolster our vision for the genre’s development and globalization, cementing Warner Music as a driver of the scene,” said Rodríguez.
Abraham added: “We’re primed to offer the industry’s premier platform for the genre, supported by top-notch professionals and tailored negotiation options that cater to both the present needs and future prospects of Música Mexicana.”
“We’re primed to offer the industry’s premier platform for the genre, supported by top-notch professionals and tailored negotiation options that cater to both the present needs and future prospects of Música Mexicana.”
Rubén Abraham, Warner Music Mexico
Warner Music’s expansion in Música Mexicana is underscored by its collaboration with ADA, facilitating a range of services and agreements for artists. The roster of Warner/ADA-supported artists includes names such as Codiciado, El Komander, Pesado, DannyLux, and Los Aptos, among others.
Last week, Warner Chappell Music appointed Delia Orjuela as its new Head of Creative, Mexican Music/Musica Mexicana. Orjuela is known for helping catapult Mexican-American singer DannyLux to chart-topping success.
The latest appointments come as the Musica Mexicana genre continues to explode in popularity globally. Spotify reported earlier this month that streams of Música Mexicana grew by 55% globally in 2023; and between 2018 and 2023, streams grew by 440%.
Bad Bunny and Grupo Frontera’s un100xto last year became the most-streamed Música Mexicana song in a single day, according to Spotify.
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