K-pop giant HYBE is accelerating its focus on the Latin American market with the launch of two talent searches both aimed at promoting Spanish-language music content.<\/p>\n
HYBE<\/b> on Sunday (June 8) launched Pase a la Fama<\/i>, a TV music competition that will pit aspiring musicians from Mexico, Spain and Brazil against each other to form three bands.<\/p>\n
Winners will receive $100,000<\/b> and a recording contract with HYBE Latin America<\/strong>. The show airs on Telemundo<\/b>, NBCUniversal Media<\/b>\u2019s Spanish-language network.<\/p>\n HYBE Latin America first announced<\/a> its Pase a la Fama<\/i> partnership with Telemundo in April. At the time, the HYBE unit revealed the panel of judges for the show, comprised of three prominent figures in regional Mexican music: singer and actress Ana B\u00e1rbara<\/b>; Mexican-American singer-songwriter Adriel Favela<\/b>; and Horacio Palencia<\/b>, a songwriter with over 6.4 billion<\/b> streams and 50<\/b> BMI Awards.<\/p>\n \u201cLeveraging HYBE\u2019s top-tier training and production capabilities, we aim to discover and nurture the next generation of global Latin artists.\u201d<\/p>\n Jounghyun JH Kah<\/b>, HYBE Latin America<\/span><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n Separately, HYBE says it has selected 300<\/b> applicants from Mexico, the US, Brazil and Spain for a boy band project based in Mexico. The audition project will narrow that field down to 16 finalists. It brings together Kenny Ortega<\/b>, who directed Disney<\/b>‘s High School Musical<\/i> franchise, as executive producer, with Charm La\u2019Donna<\/b> as head choreographer and Robert J. \u201cRAab\u201d Stevenson<\/b> as head vocal coach. <\/i><\/p>\n HYBE says both projects will employ its \u201cproven artist development methodology\u201d used in the development of K-pop artists.<\/p>\n Jounghyun JH Kah<\/b>, CEO of HYBE Latin America, said: \u201cLeveraging HYBE\u2019s top-tier training and production capabilities, we aim to discover and nurture the next generation of global Latin artists.<\/p>\n \u201cOur audition projects will strengthen the bridge connecting Asia, the English-speaking world, and Spanish-speaking regions, further enhancing our global business capabilities.\u201d<\/p>\n HYBE’s methodology focuses on structured training and mentorship programs. In February, HYBE teamed up<\/a> with Grammy Award winner Ryan Tedder <\/b>to search for and create a new boy group.<\/p>\n \u201cOur audition projects will strengthen the bridge connecting Asia, the English-speaking world, and Spanish-speaking regions, further enhancing our global business capabilities.\u201d<\/p>\n Jounghyun JH Kah<\/b>, HYBE Latin America<\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n An earlier talent search effort resulted<\/a> in the launch of girl group KATSEYE<\/b> in the US last year through HYBE\u2019s partnership with Universal Music Group<\/b>\u2018s Geffen Records<\/b>.<\/p>\n On a recent earnings call,\u00a0HYBE CEO Jason Jaesang Lee<\/b> said KATSEYE \u201chad the best year in 2024 with their debut album SIS,<\/i>\u201d with their title track\u00a0Touch<\/i>\u00a0appearing on the\u00a0Billboard<\/em>\u00a0Bubbling Under Hot 100 for two weeks and the Global Song Chart for 13 consecutive weeks.<\/p>\n \u201cThe group has received so much attention and affection from listeners and music critics worldwide. The success of KATSEYE<\/b>\u00a0 demonstrate[s] that the K-pop system can work in the US,\u201d Lee stated.<\/p>\n HYBE\u2019s Latin America plans arrive as the market continues to grow. In 2024, recorded music revenues in Latin America rose 22.5% YoY<\/b>, outpacing the global growth rate of 4.8%<\/b>, according to data<\/a> from the IFPI.<\/p>\n The growth can be attributed to streaming revenue, which accounted for 87.8%<\/b> of all recorded music revenues in the region.<\/p>\n\n
\n