Diana Rodriguez is a major figure in the Latin music industry, known as the first woman to ever lead a major U.S. Latin record label. This year, the Colombian executive was honored by the Latin Recording Academy as one of the Leading Ladies of Entertainment, a recognition crowning her extensive career as both an artist manager and label executive.
In an exclusive interview with Colombia One, Rodriguez reflects on her journey in the music industry and shares insights into Latin music, which has seen exponential growth since she began her career.
Diana Rodriguez, a Colombian giant in the Latin music industry
For as long as she can remember, Rodriguez has been passionate about music. “My first memory of a song was when I was five-years-old—‘Do You Think I’m Sexy’ by Rod Stewart. Something clicked in me with that song,” she recalls joyfully.
Born in Bogota, she grew up between the U.S. and Colombia with an early attraction to the music world. “I remember waiting for Kiss’ ‘Lick It Up’ video to come out and telling my sister I wanted to be part of the music industry,” she shares.
Starting from an internship at a local radio station, Rodriguez soon joined Polygram (formerly the Philips Division of Music), then progressed through industry giants like Universal and EMI, before eventually becoming the head of Capitol Latin.
Driven by the desire to grow professionally, Rodriguez decided in the early 2010s to launch her own company, Criteria Entertainment. “I felt that I was hitting a ceiling in terms of professional growth, as the Latin music market wasn’t as big as it is now,” she says.
In April 2011, Criteria Entertainment was born, “out of the idea to fill a void in the market, as there wasn’t a one-stop shop offering creative services under one roof.”
“About 15 years ago, there were no companies where you could hire an external product manager. You’d have to separately hire digital, PR and marketing,” she explains.
“The idea behind Criteria was to provide a place where artists could access a comprehensive menu of services. They could pick and choose what they needed based on their market and budget.”
The launch of Criteria draws upon her extensive experience as both an industry executive and artist manager. Rodriguez has been instrumental in the success of major Latin artists, including Colombia’s Juanes, the Dominican Republic’s Juan Luis Guerra, and Puerto Rican singer-songwriter Draco Rosa.
‘Colombia has always been a rich talent pool’
With 28 Colombian artists receiving 44 nominations at the Latin Grammys, and Vallenato icon Carlos Vives honored as Person of the Year, 2024 has been a monumental year for Colombian music.
“I’m very proud and happy about it. Colombia’s talent deserves this recognition,” says Rodriguez.
“Colombia has always been a rich talent pool. We have so many amazing artists, and not just in music! Sculpture, sports, painting, literature—everything,” she adds.
Colombian music has experienced a global surge in recent years, with artists like J Balvin, Shakira, and Karol G topping international charts. “Our industry is relatively young. It grew in response to the sheer amount of talented artists coming from our country,” explains Rodriguez.
For the executive, this is notably due to the uniqueness of Colombian artists.
“In the past decade, we’ve seen outstanding songwriters, composers and lyricists emerge. One thing that stands out about Colombian artists is their unique sound and identity. Carlos Vives has a tropical sound all his own. Even though Aterciopelados plays rock, they have a distinct sound,” she affirms.
Mercado Negro and the challenges of the industry
After Criteria, Rodriguez launched Mercado Negro, a management division within the company. “Criteria handles everything from red carpets to crafting digital strategies and managing press and promotional plans. Mercado Negro, a boutique label and management office for emerging artists, grew out of Criteria,” she explains.
With a multicultural team from Colombia, Brazil, Germany, Cuba, Mexico and Argentina, Mercado Negro quickly became a significant player in the Latin music industry, managing several prominent artists like Latin Grammy winners Enrique Bunbury (Spain), Mon Laferte (Chile), and Colombian rock band Diamante Eléctrico.
This year, Francisca Valenzuela (Chilean-American), Diamante Eléctrico and Mon Laferte were nominated for Latin Grammys, with the latter winning the Latin Grammy for the Best Alternative Music Album.
As she humorously notes, five out of the 12 members on her label’s team are Colombian, because “la tierrita jala” (the homeland pulls you back).
While Rodriguez lives her passion, her work is not without its challenges.
“You’re working with people and their dreams, so managing expectations is one of the hardest parts,” she notes.
“Music has a human factor; you can try to align everything perfectly, but ultimately, you need to connect with the audience—a factor you can’t control. What you thought would be a hit might not land as expected, and vice versa,” she stresses, adding that “It’s important not to overpromise and underdeliver. You have to keep it real with artists.”
Diana Rodriguez and the rise of Latin music
Latin music has experienced exponential growth in the U.S. and globally in recent years. Its reach now extends beyond summer hits, solidifying its presence in the market, as seen on streaming platforms and iconic charts like Billboard’s Hot 100, with Puerto Rican, Mexican, and Colombian artists gaining immense popularity with both Latin and non-Latin audiences.
Between 1966 and 2016, only six Spanish-language songs made it into the Billboard Hot 100 Top 10, including “La Bamba” and “Macarena,” which reached number one.
However, since the breakthrough of “Despacito” in 2017, 17 Spanish-speaking songs have entered the top 10, including “Despacito” and “I Like It” by Cardi B, Bad Bunny, and Colombia’s J Balvin.
For Rodriguez, Latin music’s growing success in the U.S. stems from artists’ ability to blend their rhythms—be it Mexican music or reggaeton—with sounds familiar to American audiences, such as country, hip-hop and rap.
In 2023, Diana Rodriguez was inducted into Billboard’s Latin Women in Music Hall of Fame, and her contributions were recently celebrated with Billboard’s Latin Women in Music award in 2024.
“I am incredibly grateful to work in music; it is a privilege,” says Rodriguez. “I have come to understand that there are artists and companies for all sizes and shapes in the music industry. It’s a constant conversation with the artists, and you have to respect that,” she concludes.