Julio Reyes Copello is the new artistic director of the Ibagué Festival 2025
"I came to sow, to open doors." With this phrase, music producer Julio Reyes Copello, winner of 14 Grammy and Latin Grammy Awards, assumed the artistic direction of the Ibagué Festival 2025, which will be held from September 4 to 7 in Colombia's musical capital.
His arrival marks a new stage for the event: an ambitious expansion with an international vision and a focus on the training and promotion of new Latin American artists.
Reyes Copello, known for his work with artists such as Alejandro Sanz, Laura Pausini, Juanes, and Marc Anthony, will lead a plan that transcends artistic curation. His objective is clear: to consolidate the Ibagué Festival as a global platform for the country's young talent.
“I didn't come just to direct a festival. I came to sow seeds. To open doors. To bring the voice of Ibagué to the world and bring opportunities from the world to Colombia,” the producer stated.
One of the major new features of this edition will be the immersive experience 'Art House – Abbey Road,' a four-day intensive program in which young musicians, composers, sound engineers, producers, and bands will work on collaborative creation, studio recording, staging, content generation, and digital marketing.
This experience seeks to prepare artists not only for the stage, but also for the global industry.
Additionally, the creation of an international scholarship was announced, allowing a young Colombian to train at the prestigious Abbey Road Institute in Miami. This opportunity, made possible thanks to the initiative of Reyes Copello, along with Jorge Mejía, Robin Reumers, and Andrés Recio, is a demonstration of the collective commitment to building a real and sustainable support network for emerging artists.
In addition, the festival's training component is reinforced by the Así Producimos initiative, which will offer technical and aesthetic workshops to local suppliers in sound, lighting, event production, and stage production. This initiative seeks to professionalize Tolima's technical teams and strengthen the regional cultural industry.
Also participating will be music industry speakers such as Jorge Mejía, president of Sony Music Publishing Latin America; Juan Camilo Sánchez "JC," strategist at Spotify and Meta; Juan Muñoz, producer and creator of Ventino; and Recio himself, representative of figures such as Alessia Cara and Alejandro Sanz.
The festival will feature a diverse, contemporary, and deeply moving program, featuring a selection of young figures in Latin music:
- Joaquina, winner of the Latin Grammy for Best New Artist 2023, will share songs from her album Al romper la burbuja, an intimate journey through emotions such as love, nostalgia, and inner growth.
Joaquina won a Latin Grammy Award for Best New Artist in 2023. Photo: Universal Music
- Annasofia, a Colombian artist and producer based in Miami, fuses Latin rhythms with R&B and pop, standing out for her unique aesthetic and personal approach. She has participated in events such as the Latin Alternative Music Conference in New York.
- RIZA, a singer-songwriter with Filipino and Cuban roots, blends soul, folk, and jazz with sensitive and authentic lyrics. She participated in the collaborative album Art House Vol. 1 and has worked with artists such as Humbe.
- Maura Nava, from Mexico, will present her spiritual and symbolic music, recently nominated for a Latin Grammy. Her work is inspired by themes such as motherhood and connection with nature.
- Jules, a former member of Ventino, makes a strong solo return with MELODRAMÁTICA, a concept album about the seven deadly sins that blends R&B, pop, and orchestral arrangements.
Juliana Pérez has over a decade of experience as a singer and actress. Photo: Courtesy of MISI
- Paola Guanche, winner of The Voice Kids and Latin Grammy nominee, will explore her inner workings of ballads and Latin sounds with tracks from her EP Reencuentro and her tribute to Celia Cruz.
- Fabián Zignago, Peruvian singer-songwriter and son of Gian Marco, will showcase his sonic universe in the form of ballads and acoustic pop, influenced by artists such as John Mayer and Ed Sheeran.
ANGELA MARÍA PÁEZ RODRÍGUEZ - SCHOOL OF MULTIMEDIA JOURNALISM EL TIEMPO.
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