The Latin Recording Academy® has recently unveiled its 2023 Leading Ladies of Entertainment honorees, a prestigious program that was established seven years ago to acknowledge accomplished and socially conscious women in the Latino arts and entertainment sphere.

This year’s distinguished recipients, namely Róndine Alcalá, Mon Laferte, Simone Torres, and Ana Villacorta López, will be honored in Seville (Andalusia), Spain, on November 13, as a part of the main events during the Week of the Latin GRAMMY®. The announcement also heralds the commencement of applications for the third annual Leading Ladies Connect TogetHER mentoring program.

The program’s fundamental pillar is to pay it forward by creating opportunities for future generations, and in this spirit, Leading Ladies of Entertainment has joined hands with She Is The Music, a global nonprofit dedicated to increasing the representation of women in the music industry, and the Latin GRAMMY Cultural Foundation, to establish a collaborative mentorship initiative, as stated in the release.

Moreover, previous Leading Ladies honorees will be invited to mentor mentees from She Is The Music, forging an alliance that will continue to support last year’s Leading Ladies Connect TogetHER mentoring program.

Here’s a closer look at this year’s remarkable honorees:

Róndine Alcalá – Róndine Alcalá, Founder, and owner of Rondene PR, embarked on her public relations career while working with international artist Luis Miguel during his “Amarte Es Un Placer” world tour in 1999. Subsequently, she served as a senior publicist for a renowned PR firm in Los Angeles, managing campaigns for luminaries such as Alejandro Sanz, Shakira, Maná, Robi Draco Rosa, Enrique Iglesias, Ricardo Arjona, Sin Bandera, Alejandro Fernández, and Julieta Venegas. Hailing from Venezuela, Alcalá has left her mark on the careers of global artists like Ricky Martin, Juan Luis Guerra, Laura Pausini, Los Temerarios, Luis Fonsi, Soraya, Natalia Lafourcade, Pablo Alborán, Jesse & Joy, and Camilo.

Mon Laferte – Within Norma Monserrat Bustamante Laferte, the singer-songwriter and visual artist Mon Laferte thrives. She began her journey by performing popular songs on the streets of Viña del Mar, on the central Chilean coast, during her teenage years. Her career gained momentum in Mexico, where she independently released her first two albums, “Desechable” and “Tornasol.” The breakthrough came with “Mon Laferte Vol.1,” an album that not only earned her a devoted and expanding fanbase but also multiple Latin GRAMMY® nominations. Over the years, she continued to release new music, culminating in the GRAMMY®-nominated “1940 Carmen” in 2021, followed by “Seis.”

Simone Torres – Simone Torres, a GRAMMY® and Diamond Award-nominated engineer and vocal producer, has left her imprint on records by artists like Cardi B, Camila Cabello, Becky G, and Anitta. Notable accomplishments include vocal production for Normani’s “Motivation” and engineering on Cardi B’s “I Like It” and “Be Careful.” Her recent work includes collaborations with Becky G on multiple records, including her latest single, “La Nena.” As a graduate of Berklee College of Music, Torres is known for her ability to bridge the gap between the technical and creative aspects of music production.

Ana Villacorta López – Ana Villacorta López entered the music entertainment industry in 1981, starting at RCA before serving for over a decade at EMI, primarily as Director of International Development in Spain. In 1993, she took on the role of Regional Marketing Director at EMI and relocated to Mexico. Five years later, she joined BMG as Marketing Director of Ariola. Following the merger with Sony, she assumed the position of Marketing Director and, in 2015, returned to Mexico as Senior Vice President. Throughout her career, she has played a vital role in guiding the journeys of numerous artists, including Rocío Durcal, Julio Iglesias, Héroes del Silencio, Thalía, Fito Páez, Tony Bennett, Maná, One Direction, Vicente Fernández, Joaquín Sabina, Joan Manuel Serrat, Reik, Carlos Rivera, and Camila.

“These exceptional and accomplished women have made remarkable contributions to Latin music,” emphasized Abud.