It’s Billboard Latin Music Week and the biggest stars in Latin music are in Miami, Florida. Day two of one of the biggest weeks in Latin entertainment saw amazing conferences and in-depth q and a’s with chart-topping hit makers. Sebastian Yatra, who once sat in the audience as a ticket holder when he was 18, took the stage and was interviewed by Lasso.

Reflecting on a moment in his life when he couldn’t believe the magnitude of the situation, he quickly replied, “The Oscars.” In 2022, the Colombian singer sang ‘Dos Oruguitas,” from Disney’s Encanto, becoming the first Colombian solo artist to perform at the awards. “I was terrified,” he admitted. “I tried to contain it, and did my best, but I almost went on a spiritual retreat before performing at the Oscars. I turned off my phone four days before the event, I isolated myself in a house in Los Angeles, and I studied the lyrics intensely.”

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While he was terrified of the Academy Awards, he admitted with every show comes fear, but said when you focus on people’s opinions or the media, you lose focus and transmit fear. Focusing on the emotion, and what his performance represented for Latinos, he said, “I knew who would be in the audience, but I tried not to think about that and simply focus on respecting the song I was singing, feeling that emotion, and doing it for Colombia, for Latinos, and for so many people here and around the world who have dreamt of sharing our global music.”

Reflecting on Colombian success

The Colombian star also reflected on the success of Colombian stars like himself, Shakira, and Camilo. “I don’t think it’s about talent because talent is everywhere; it’s universal. I believe it’s a cultural thing,” he said. “In addition to the difficulties Colombians have faced due to issues like war, drugs, and narcotrafficking, which, by the way, have also impacted other industries, no other country wanted to invest in Colombia for a long time,” Yatra said.

“International brands came much later. So, we had to create our own industry, our own restaurants, hotels, manufacturing, everything. It wasn’t easy for us. It’s a culture of hard work and effort,” the Tacones Rojos star continued.

“If you look at Medellín, for example, the topography is almost impossible to build a city on; it’s all mountains and peaks. But we found a way to create one of the most innovative cities in the world. So, the secret, I believe, lies in the difficulties we’ve faced, which have led to a culture of hard work, not complaining, giving your best, and understanding that setbacks are just part of the process,” Yara shared. “It’s about not getting stuck and acknowledging that hard work pays off. I think what most successful Colombian artists have in common is an incredible work ethic.”