The new Ruidosa research reveals that only 1 in 5 artists on major festival stages are women — and less than 1% are headliners.
Supported by Believe and TuneCore, the new, never before explored research exposes persistent gender gaps across Latin America’s music stages and music industry power structures — and calls for urgent, systemic change.
As Latin music continues to take over global charts, a new report from Ruidosa -the Latin American music music festival and platform that promotes and celebrates female Latinx talent founded by Chilean artist Francisca Valenzuela– reveals who’s still being left behind.
In partnership with Believe, one of the world’s leading digital music companies, and TuneCore, the leading artist development partner for self-releasing artists, Ruidosa, known for championing gender equity has just released two major studies mapping the underrepresentation of women and gender gaps in the Latin American music industry. With data and research covering 2022 to 2024, the two different studies offer a striking picture: music festivals remain overwhelmingly male-dominated — and so do the decision-making spaces behind them.
“We created these studies because numbers are important – they don’t lie- they can provide concrete data that can drive public policy, better industry practices, and real change.” says Francisca Valenzuela, Latin GRAMMY-nominated artist and founder of Ruidosa. “We want to build the Latin American music industry we want to work in: more sustainable, diverse and equitable The gap persists and there is still much work to be done from many fronts.”
Stages still don’t reflect the audience
The first study analyzed about 400 lineups from large-scale festivals throughout seven countries in Latin America and the U.S. based Latinx events. The findings paint a sobering picture:
- Only 20% of performances feature women solo acts or all-women bands.
- All-female bands make up just 1% of total bookings; non-binary solo artists also represent just 1%.
- Headlining slots by women-led projects accounted for only 0.4% of headliners. The majority of these slots are largely held by male soloists (41%) and all-male bands (37%).
- The imbalance is also geographical: over half of all headliners come from the Global North, even in festivals based across Latin America.
- After peak participation in 2022, female acts in festival programming declined in 2024, showing an evident regression in inclusion.
- The term “mixed-gender band” doesn’t guarantee equity either — 52% of those bands included only one woman.
- Behind the scenes, the picture is even bleaker in the Latin American music industry
(CLICK HERE TO SEE FULL STUDIES).
The second study examined over 400 leadership roles at 116 music companies across Latin America — in seven different areas, including labels, streaming services, promoters, and publishers. The data reveals a persistent glass ceiling:
- Only 2 in 10 leadership roles are held by women.
- Streaming platforms showed the highest female executive representation (44%), but traditional labels (17%) and live music event promotors (9%) lag far behind.
- Women make up 34% of mid-level executives, yet hold only 12% of top-tier leadership roles (President/CEO level).
- The higher you go up the ladder, the fewer the women. The more entrenched the corporate culture, the lower the representation — reinforcing barriers that are cultural, organizational, and symbolic.
Alejandra Olea, Managing Director, Americas, at Believe commented, «The study from Ruidosa shines a light on a harsh set of facts on gender disparities, that despite some progress, still persist: women and gender-diverse talent remain sidelined, on festival stages and in corporations, despite Latin music’s global rise. The data is undeniable. If we want real change, we need to continue to move beyond good intentions and use this research as a springboard for action that opens doors for women and gender diverse talent at every level of the industry.”
Andreea Gleeson, Chief Executive Officer at TuneCore remarked, “This new research from Ruidosa is a critical wake-up call. While Latin music dominates charts and airwaves globally, the voices shaping the culture remain strikingly homogenous. Representation isn’t just about fairness; it’s about future-proofing our industry, ensuring it reflects the diversity of both its creators and audiences. At TuneCore, we believe that equity must be baked into every layer of our ecosystem, from who takes the stage to who sits at the table. It’s time to move beyond awareness and into action. The data has shown us where the gaps are, now we must close them.”
From RUIDOSA Research to Reform
This isn’t Ruidosa’s first time translating data into action. Its 2018 study on female participation in music festivals in Latin America directly contributed to the redaction and implementation of a quota law in Argentina, requiring at least 30% of festival lineups to include women. Similar bills are now in discussion in Chile, Uruguay, and Mexico.
With this new initiative, Ruidosa expands its scope and updates the conversation. The research offers more than a diagnosis — it’s a tool for programmers, policymakers, and music professionals to rethink how inclusion is defined, measured, and implemented.
“This isn’t just about stage time or job titles. It’s about the right to fully occupy the cultural, economic, and creative spaces where music is made and experienced,” says Valenzuela. “We are very excited that Ruidosa, hand in hand with Believe and Tunecore, have been able to pioneer this new data and contribute to the discussion and change”.
The full results of the studies were first presented at Ruidosa Fest New York @ Lincoln Center, this past August 9th which featured panels, and various shows, workshops, and conversations dedicated to equity in music. Additional Ruidosa events are taking place in Santiago, Chile in October (two day festival with more than 20 shows, various panels, and an international all female and female identified lineup with music and stand up comedy), as well as an event in Mexico City.