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Spotify Rocks the Weekend With the Festival EQUAL in Buenos Aires

September 19, 2023

Last week in Argentina, artists, podcasters, fans, and industry luminaries came together for Spotify’s highly anticipated Festival EQUAL to celebrate the creativity and talent that women bring to the music and podcast scenes. The event is an extension of our EQUAL program, which aims to contribute to gender equity in the music industry by amplifying and celebrating the work of women creators around the world.

We kicked off the festival with a two-day event at the C Complejo Art Media venue that included panels and presentations specifically geared toward women creators and artists and concluded with a sold-out concert unlike any other.

Kicking off with industry events for creators

“With the Festival EQUAL, Spotify has found an opportunity to show the country and the world what Argentine artists are generating in the industry,” Bel Aztiria, Global Head, EQUAL for Spotify, noted ahead of the panels and presentations.

“What started as an early idea back then is today a reality. We are excited to know that Spotify is about to celebrate an unprecedented milestone in the country by bringing together more than 20,000 people in one place with a single common goal: to celebrate the talent of Argentine women,” remarked Carolina Martin, Artists & Label Partnerships, Spotify Southern Cone.

Attendees listened to a panel moderated by Carolina and Bel that included Barbi Recanati, Silvina Moreno, Juliana Gattas, and Julieta Laso as speakers. The women shared their feelings, ideas, and perspectives on the journey of women in local industry.

Spotify also held an EQUAL Podcast Festival for podcast creators so that women could share wisdom on building podcasting careers and tout advancements they’ve made in the industry. Onstage, the creators of ConchaPodcast hosted Moria Casán to discuss the launch of her Spotify Original podcast, La One.

In another session, Momi Giardina, Mica Vazquez, Marti Benza, and Martu Ortiz, creators from top-streaming Argentinian channel LUZU TV, talked about celebrating women empowerment and what the opportunities are to keep women visible in their industry.

To close the day, Jacinta de Oromí, creator of the podcast TIPO; Marian Soler, creator of the podcast Cebando Flores; and Buera, creator of the podcast ¿estás?; took the stage to share their tips and recommendations for creating content.

Prime performances

On Saturday, it was time for musical performances at the Hipodromo Argentino de Palermo. Connie Isla opened the show with her hits “Isla Mater” and “No ves.” TAICHU took over, with her track “TU SI K TA LOKO” becoming an audience favorite. Folklore talent Soledad stepped onstage for a performance packed with greatest hits, including “Vivir Es Hoy,” “Que Nadie Sepa Mi Sufrir,” “La Suavecita,” and “Se Me Ha Perdido un Corazón.” In a signature move, Soledad waved her poncho and then threw it to the audience before leaving the stage.

Next up was Karina, who was later joined by Ivonne for the song “Inocente.” And as the sun began to set, some of Argentina’s top women rock stars took over the stage, while DJs Queenflow and Anita B Queen kept the energy high between sets. Eruca Sativa’s Marilina Bertoldi, accompanied by her sister Lula Bertoldi, surprised and delighted the crowd by covering one of Shakira’s most emblematic songs, “Inevitable.”

Emilia took the helm, belting out her hits “No se ve” and “Perreito Salvaje.” Lali followed, and fans heard “Disciplina,” “Quiénes Son?,” and Spotify Single “1Amor.” Then came La Pol4ca, who pumped up the crowd with a captivating set. It was nearly midnight when Maria Becerra, the last performer of the evening, came onstage. The star sang renditions of “Automático,” “Corazón Vacío,” and “Miénteme,” and fans were treated to a surprise performance when Karina joined her onstage for “Con La Misma Moneda.”

The Festival EQUAL was an unforgettable day filled with powerhouse performances by established and emerging women artists of all genres. It was a real life depiction of the talented women highlighted through Spotify’s EQUAL program.