Tito Nieves, Luis Figueroa Say Salsa Will Endure at Latin Music Week

Tito Nieves and Luis Figueroa opened Billboard Latin Music Week with a clear message: salsa will not disappear.

The two singers met on Monday, Oct. 19, at the Faena Theater in Miami Beach. Their conversation, “Salsa Revival: Bridging Generations,” was part of the first-day programme at the 2026 edition, according to Billboard.

Bryant Pino of AARP moderated the session. AARP also presented the panel. Billboard’s Spanish-language programme listed it as “Renacer de la Salsa: Uniendo Generaciones con Tito Nieves y Luis Figueroa.”

The English final lineup used the same billing: “Bridging Generations with Tito Nieves and Luis Figueroa presented by AARP.” The official 2026 lineup page also names both men as speakers. The Spanish programme was published in June, months before the October event.

Nieves and Figueroa focused on salsa’s place in the current music scene. Salsa is the Afro-Caribbean dance music built around horns, percussion and call-and-response vocals. Reggaetón offers a different dance-music option. Both men agreed salsa will hold its ground.

That point landed with a recent example. Figueroa earned his first No. 1 on Tropical Airplay, the Billboard chart that measures plays on tropical-music radio stations, with “Hasta El Sol de Hoy,” according to Billboard. The song is a remake of a 1993 hit. It put a new voice on an older song at the top of a current chart.

The timing mattered. Billboard Latin Music Week 2026 was scheduled for Oct. 19 to 22, according to Billboard. The week runs for four days. This year’s edition is based at two neighbouring venues, the Faena Forum and the Faena Theater, both in Miami Beach.

The salsa session was one thread in a wide programme. The final lineup added names including Rubén Blades, actor and singer Anthony Ramos and Lenny Tavárez. Another first-day industry panel, “The New Urban Movement,” paired Quevedo and Kidd Voodoo.

What makes this stand out is the pairing. The title promised a bridge between generations. The booking delivered it, with two salsa singers from different career stages addressing the same question about longevity.

For fans, this means the message was simple. Two generations shared one stage. The rhythm they discussed has competition. It also has a crowd.