Press Release

Mastercard and the Latin Recording Academy® announce artists joining the Fellowship Program and integrate a talent acceleration platform in Latin America

November 9, 2023 | Miami, FL

Mastercard announces the new generation of artists that make up the Fellowship Program, in collaboration with The Latin Recording Academy.

To strengthen this program, Mastercard integrates its Mastercard Artist Accelerator platform to enhance the support for these talents.

In addition, Mastercard continues its sponsorship of the Best New Artist Showcase, which kicks off the Week of the Latin GRAMMY®.

Miami, November 9th, 2023 - Mastercard reaffirms its passion for the growth of latin music and its long-term commitment to generate greater inclusion in the industry and, in collaboration with the Latin Recording Academy®, announces the new generation of artists who will be part of the Fellowship Program.

Furthermore, on this occasion, and to strengthen the support bases that Mastercard provides to emerging artists, the company complements the Fellowship Program, in collaboration with the Latin Recording Academy, with its Mastercard Artist Accelerator platform, which integrates a series of trainings in various skills that will benefit artists in the growth of their careers.

Through the Mastercard Artist Accelerator, Mastercard connects new artists with outstanding people in the music industry and provides them with the necessary tools to develop their skills and build a strong relationship with a dynamic fan base, enabling the growth of their musical communities.

Leon Leiden (Mexico), Paula Arenas (Colombia), Maréh (Colombia), and Ali Stone (Colombia) are the artists comprising the new edition of the program and are also nominated in various categories of the 24th Latin GRAMMY® awards.

"We are really proud to support the Best New Artist category and the Fellowship Program presented in collaboration with the Latin Recording Academy. We are committed to championing the next generation of talent in Latin America, especially during an unprecedented moment in the careers of these artists. As a brand, we are fully dedicated to supporting music as a passion and helping these talented artists to gain more visibility and opportunities in collaboration with the Latin Recording Academy. Our 'Mastercard Artist Accelerator' program is one way we’re doing that” - Oscar Romo, Director of Sponsorships for Mastercard Latin America and the Caribbean.

In addition, during the Week of the Latin GRAMMY, Mastercard gets its sponsorship of the 24th Latin GRAMMY® awards, by presenting the highly anticipated Best New Artist Showcase, an event designed to give visibility to the next generation of Latin music talent, which will take place on Tuesday, November 14th in Seville, Spain.

The Best New Artist Showcase, a landmark of Mastercard's partnership with the Latin Recording Academy, is a unique and exclusive event that kicks-off the festivities and attracts influential Latin and international industry figures. It will continue in 2024 with a tour through Latin America thanks to Mastercard's support.

Media Contacts

Roberto Vila, Mastercard

About the Latin Recording Academy®

The Latin Recording Academy® is an international non-profit organization dedicated to fostering, celebrating, honoring, and celebrating Latin music and its makers. Founded as the international benchmark for Latin music, the organization is made up of music professionals and produces the annual Latin GRAMMY® Awards, The Biggest Night in Latin Music™, which recognizes excellence in the recording arts and sciences, as well as educational and outreach programs for the music community through its Latin GRAMMY® Cultural Foundation. For more information, please visit LatinGRAMMY.com.

About the Artists

Leon Leiden is a 25-year-old Mexican singer-songwriter with a variety of musical genres in his songs, such as jazz, afrobeat, pop, and traditional Mexican tones.  León launched himself into the expansive Mexican music scene and understood the profound influence of music on a live audience, he also stands out for building a distinctive market in the Latin music world.

Paula Arenas is a 35-year-old Colombian singer and songwriter who has established herself as a reference in the traditional Latin pop genre. This has earned her multiple awards and nominations. Throughout her career she has collaborated with big names in the industry such as Jesus Navarro, Julio Reyes Copello, Santiago Cruz, Manuel Medrano and Diana Fuentes, among others.  She recently released her third album A CIEGAS, with which she received four Latin GRAMMY® 2023 nominations, completing a total of 15 Latin GRAMMY® nominations and one GRAMMY® nomination to date.

Maréh is a 32-year-old Colombian musician, singer, composer, and anthropologist. In 2018, he released his first album as an artist and has shared stages with great artists in the music scene. He is passionate about lyrics and found his love for music in them. He is nominated as Best New Artist and in the Best Singer-Songwriter Album category with his work "Tierra de Promesas".

Ali Stone is a 31-year-old Colombian music producer, multi-instrumentalist, singer-songwriter and artist. She has been named by Billboard as one of the Latin Hitmakers of the last three years. During her professional career she has worked with artists such as Katy Perry, RBD, Danna Paola, Manuel Turizo, among others. Also, she was part of Justin Bieber's Purpose World Tour in Colombia.

About Mastercard (NYSE: MA)

Mastercard is a global technology company in the payments industry. Our mission is to connect and power an inclusive, digital economy that benefits everyone, everywhere by making transactions safe, simple, smart and accessible. Using secure data and networks, partnerships and passion, our innovations and solutions help individuals, financial institutions, governments and businesses realize their greatest potential. With connections across more than 210 countries and territories, we are building a sustainable world that unlocks priceless possibilities for all.  

www.mastercard.com