The Latin Recording Academy® Announces Mayna Nevarez, Mia Nygren, Mónica Vélez and Ivy Queen as the 2021 Leading Ladies of Entertainment
The 2021 Leading Ladies of Entertainment recipients are:
The Latin Recording Academy® announced today its 2021 Leading Ladies of Entertainment honorees — an initiative created five years ago to honor and recognize professional and socially-conscious women within the arts and entertainment fields who have made significant contributions and inspired the next generation of female leaders. Given the continuous challenges imposed by the COVID-19 pandemic, this year's honorees will be acknowledged during a virtual ceremony on Nov. 16 at 7:00 pm EST.
The 2021 Leading Ladies of Entertainment recipients are:
- Mayna Nevarez, founder & CEO, Nevarez Communications
- Mia Nygren, managing director, Latin America, Spotify
- Mónica Vélez, music composer
- Ivy Queen, singer-songwriter
“On behalf of The Latin Recording Academy, I am proud to honor these powerful women as this year’s Leading Ladies of Entertainment,” said Manuel Abud, CEO of The Latin Recording Academy. “These dynamic women give us a chance to reflect on the challenges female professionals face in today’s arts and entertainment environment. There is still a lack of gender parity in the industry, and we remain focused on continuing our work to overcome the challenges that women face through educational programs, partnerships and a transparent voting process. The work of these recipients is truly inspirational, and we are grateful for the positive impact they have had, and will continue to have, on our communities and on future generations.”
Additionally, as part of this year’s program, the Leading Ladies of Entertainment is partnering with She Is The Music — a global nonprofit working to increase the number of women in music — on a collaborative mentorship program. Past Leading Ladies honorees will be invited to mentor a She Is The Music mentee. The partnership will build on She Is The Music’s mentorship program, a series of highly successful initiatives supporting rising women in music.
“She Is The Music shares the same values as Leading Ladies of Entertainment: supporting women in the industry and inspiring future generations. We are excited to launch this mentorship program together and take an important step forward for the Latin music community,” said Alexandra Lioutikoff, Co-Chair of She Is The Music Latin Committee, Group President of Universal Music Publishing for Latin America and U.S. Latin, and Board member of The Latin Recording Academy. “This is a perfect example of how women are working together to create positive change; today’s trailblazers guiding tomorrow’s leaders.”
Rebeca León, former Leading Lady of Entertainment and She Is The Music Board Member, added: “It’s incredibly fulfilling to connect with the new generation of aspiring female executives. These girls are sharper and smarter than ever!”
The annual Leading Ladies of Entertainment event not only celebrates and spotlights current female leaders, but also creates opportunities for the next generation of women in entertainment through the creation of female-specific scholarships distributed through our philanthropic arm, The Latin GRAMMY Cultural Foundation®. The event, with the help of our generous corporate partners, is making a commitment to the creation of a fund to provide scholarships for young women interested in pursuing studies in the field of music.
TURESPAÑA will come on board for the second year as an official sponsor. In addition, Spotify’s Noteable joins as the official music streaming services sponsor and will be making a special donation to the Latin GRAMMY Cultural Foundation’s Scholarship Fund.
ABOUT MAYNA NEVAREZ:
As founder and CEO of Nevarez Communications, Mayna Nevarez tells the stories of Latin music’s brightest superstars, preeminent entrepreneurs and most influential cultural figures across media platforms and beyond borders. She has established herself as an award-winning publicist, sought-after speaker and committed philanthropist, representing everyone from Daddy Yankee and Carlos Vives to Natti Natasha.
ABOUT MIA NYGREN:
Mia has spent most of her professional life connected to the music business in combination with technology. Ten years ago, she joined Spotify and has been working across departments and continents. Innovation, drive and passion for people and the business are the force behind two decades at the forefront of change and implementation of new models.
ABOUT MÓNICA VÉLEZ:
Mónica Vélez is a two-time Latin GRAMMY-winning composer whose works have been recorded by renowned Latin artists such as Marc Anthony, Camila, Luis Fonsi, David Bisbal, Los Tigres del Norte, Reik, Paulina Rubio, OV7, Malú, Luis Enrique and Alejandro Fernández. She is also the author of more than 300 recorded songs, some of them covered in Italian, Portuguese, Korean and Turkish.
ABOUT IVY QUEEN:
Martha Ivelisse Pesante Rodríguez (Ivy Queen) is a Latin GRAMMY®-nominated reggaeton composer and singer with over 20 years making music. She was one of the first women to be nominated for a Latin GRAMMY in the Best Urban Music Album category. Through her lyrics she shines a light on important matters such as women’s empowerment, gay issues and racism.
ABOUT THE LATIN RECORDING ACADEMY:
The Latin Recording Academy is an international nonprofit dedicated to nurturing, celebrating, honoring and elevating Latin music and its creators. Established as the global authority on Latin music, the membership-based organization composed of music professionals produces the annual Latin GRAMMY Awards, The Biggest Night in Latin Music®, which honors excellence in the recording arts and sciences, in addition to providing educational and outreach programs for the music community through its Latin GRAMMY Cultural Foundation®. For more information, please visit LatinGRAMMY.com.
ABOUT THE LATIN GRAMMY CULTURAL FOUNDATION:
The Latin GRAMMY Cultural Foundation® is a 501(c)(3) charitable organization established by The Latin Recording Academy® in 2014 to further international awareness and appreciation of the significant contributions of Latin music and its makers to the world’s culture. The Foundation provides college scholarships, educational programs and grants for the research and preservation of its rich musical legacy and heritage, and to date has donated more than $6.5 million with the support of Latin Recording Academy members, artists, corporate sponsors and other generous donors. For additional information, or to make a donation, please visit latingrammyculturalfoundation.com, Amazon Smile or our Facebook page. And follow us @latingrammyfdn on Twitter and Instagram, and at Latin GRAMMY Cultural Foundation on Facebook.
ABOUT SHE IS THE MUSIC:
She Is The Music (SITM) is a global nonprofit working to increase the number of women in music and transform the gender landscape of the industry. Operating as a unifying network for the music business and beyond, SITM provides resources and support for female-focused initiatives, both through its own programs as well as external efforts worldwide. A first-of-its-kind collaboration, SITM is powered by industrywide representation: creators, publishers, record labels, talent agencies, management companies, industry groups, think tanks, media companies, streaming services and more. Entertainment Industry Foundation serves as a partner.
For more information, visit sheisthemusic.org.
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