A lively yet emotional groove of salsa (Salsa) and rumba (Rumba) rhythms envelops the stage. Accordion, saxophone and bajo quinto (traditional Mexican guitar) take center stage while electric bass, drums and other modern sounds blend in, intoxicating the audience. The whole body responds. The hot passion, dance and music, and the rich mix of emotions characteristic of Latin music create a dynamic atmosphere that makes even the viewer's heart race.
The final stage of HYBE Latin America's audition program Pase a la Fama, which recently concluded successfully, was like a festival. The $100,000 first prize and the "golden ticket" toward a debut seemed to be forgotten for a moment. "It was completely different from what we had experienced before. It was intense, emotions surged, and it pushed us beyond our limits," Musza's bassist Rodolfo Blackmore recalled of the Pase a la Fama winning team Musza.
As HYBE's push into the Latin music market has intensified, the "K-bap methodology" championed by Chairman Bang Si-hyuk is once again drawing attention. That is because the so-called expansion of "Korean-style audition culture" and the resulting potential for Latin musicians to advance globally have increased. Some interpret HYBE's "multi-home, multi-genre" strategy as not only "the globalization of the K-pop production system" but also as injecting energy into local music industries.
The success of Pase a la Fama, which depicted local skilled musicians forming bands and growing through competitions and training, is the background for this. The program, which actually aired on U.S. Spanish-language broadcaster Telemundo, made a fresh impact from the first episode. It ranked No. 1 among Spanish-language programs in its time slot (according to Nielsen ratings). It averaged 200,000 viewers in the 18-49 adult viewer target and reached 688,000 viewers in total.
Gah Jong-hyun, CEO of HYBE Latin America, said the majority of the bands that appeared on the audition program, not just Pase a la Fama winner Musza, built strong fan bases as they accumulated their own charms and narratives. He added that the success of Pase a la Fama is significant because it went beyond the mere popularity of a band audition program and was the first step in building a differentiated Latin music ecosystem. He said local media are highly interested in the so-called "K-pop production system," which covers 360 degrees from artist development to top-level music production, content management and interactive experiences with fans.
HYBE Latin America established a new label, S1ENTO Records, and signed the winning team Musza, Grupo Destino, which reached the final, and Low Clika, which gained much popularity during the broadcast. Expectations are high for the music and activities they will present going forward.
Myrna Perez, who leads S1ENTO Records, said she will "respect the traditions of Mexican music while elevating them to HYBE's global standard." Cynthia Ochoa, Musza's drummer, also hoped, "We want to create music that connects with our roots. We want to bring the colors of Latin music to the global stage."
[Photo] Provided by HYBE.
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