The “Salsa Revival: Bridging Generations” panel, held during the first day of Billboard Latin Music Week, brought together two generations of salsa artists: Tito Nieves and Luis Figueroa. The conversation took place Monday (Oct. 19) at the Faena Theater in Miami Beach and was moderated by Bryant Pino of AARP.
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Nieves, who has racked up numerous hits over the course of five decades — including “Fabricando Fantasías,” “De Mí Enamórate” and “El Amor Más Bonito” — shared the panel with Figueroa, who was born in Philadelphia but grew up listening to salsa at home and represents the genre’s new generation.
“Young people inspire me. I already have my legacy, but they’re coming up strong, and I want to support the younger generation,” said the Puerto Rican icon, who recalled that he and Marc Anthony used to visit the 60 clubs that existed in New York to bring the movement to audiences — a movement that would eventually spread around the world.
On that point, Figueroa said, “Unfortunately, we don’t have that today. That’s how they built their audience back then. We have platforms now, but it isn’t as personal as having places where you can sing for people and feel their feedback. Another important thing we shouldn’t lose sight of is that the numbers we see on social media or streaming platforms don’t necessarily mean tickets sold.”
Discussing salsa’s place in today’s music scene, both artists agreed that while reggaetón offered a different option for dance music, salsa will not disappear. The genre will continue to preserve the emotional honesty of its lyrics, which have traditionally focused on love.
When asked whether salsa feels the same in English as it does in Spanish, Nieves recalled that he began recording in English in the 1980s after his U.S.-born son asked him what his songs meant.
“Salsa is international. It can be made in any language; the rhythm itself conveys emotion,” he said. Figueroa added that he had a similar experience as a child, asking his mother to explain the lyrics while the music made him dance. He became such a devoted fan that, beginning in his teens, he attended concerts and kept photos he had taken with the genre’s biggest stars.
Finally, Nieves encouraged young salsa singers to pursue their dreams, even as radio and other traditional avenues for exposure have diminished. He urged them to work hard, but above all, to enjoy what they do. “I still perform two-and-a-half-hour shows, and I enjoy them from beginning to end,” he said. “That’s the key.”
Figueroa, who is now also an inspiration for the next generation of salsa artists, advised young performers to stay disciplined in order to protect their voices — and to remain aware of the realities of today’s music business. “They’ve spent 30 years doing what they love,” he said of the genre’s icons. “Now it’s our turn to fight to keep it going.”
