Nearly four months after its release, Myke Towers‘ “Lala” (One World/Warner Latina) has become the Puerto Rican rapper’s first-ever global No. 1 single.
The track, which sonically borders pop and reggaeton, has been on the ascent on social media and across DSPs in the last week despite the fact that it was released as part of Towers’ 23-song “La Vida Es Una” album way back in March. The song experienced an increased and unforeseen popularity after going viral on TikTok, and while it is virtually impossible to predict what will happen next, Towers has plans to make the most of the boost in tandem with entertainment executive Brandon Silverstein.
Towers is now represented by the management arm of Silverstein’s S10 Entertainment — a full-service management, music publishing, record label, TV, film and investment company that will work hand-in-hand to steer his future business endeavors with One World Music (Orlando “Jova” Cepeda) and Casablanca Records (Jose “Tito” Reyes).
“I want to take what Myke and his partners have built and bring it to the world,” Silverstein tells PvNew. “His first global No. 1 is just the beginning of our journey as a family. I am also very excited about Myke’s brand [Young Kingz] and what’s to come of that.”
“Very excited to be joining Brandon and the S10 family,” added Towers in a press release. “Our visions are aligned and I think Brandon having a clear understanding of my artistic vision and the culture is a win. I am looking forward to continuing to expand globally and the success we have had with ‘Lala’ going No. 1 is just proof that there is no limit.”
In the last week, “Lala” catapulted to the top of Spotify’s Top 50 global chart, fending off new releases from Taylor Swift, Olivia Rodrigo and Bad Bunny. Not surprisingly, “Lala” has seen most of its movement across Latin America, occupying the No. 1 slot in Spain, Chile, El Salvador, Colombia, Costa Rica and numerous other countries.
It’s a significant feat for a months-old song in an industry that tends to jump from one trending topic to the next and also leaves ample room for growth. It also comes as S10 has entered a “creative renaissance,” as Silverstein puts it, after having recently cut ties with one of its biggest clients, Brazillian pop star Anitta.
“S10 has enjoyed incredible success over the past few years, and as proud as I am about that, I’m more excited about what we’re working on next,” Silverstein says.
Towers has released a steady stream of stacked albums — most of which contain upwards of 20 tracks each — throughout the last few years, including 2021’s “Lyke Mike” and 2020’s “Easy Money Baby,” which was certified 4x platinum by the RIAA.
Here, Silverstein talks about his plan to push “Lala’s” growth in individual markets outside the U.S., the complexities attached to keeping a viral song relevant and his plans for the evolution of S10.
“‘LaLa’ is an incredible song that Myke and the team crafted with an undeniable catchiness and a global ‘feel’ that can be appreciated regardless of your language,” he says. “We are seeing in the current landscape that sometimes it takes a few months for songs to get the awareness needed to cut through in becoming a global No. 1.”
How and when did your partnership with Myke start?
We’ve been working together since last November alongside the One World Music (Orlando Cepeda) and Casablanca team (José Reyes). I was put onto his music from a friend years ago and his incredible lyrics and melody stood out. But then you learn about his cultural significance and the years of work he’s put in to develop his art, and you’re mind-blown. Myke is a perfect fit for S10 and the team and we are so excited for what’s to come. He has no limits.
Before Myke and I sat down together, I met his partners at One World Music and Casablanca. The team around him is so strong and everybody is just so focused on helping him win, it’s exciting. The relationship was really natural and it’s amazing to see him have the No. 1 song in the world today.
What is your approach to managing an established act like Towers – someone who is several albums deep into his career?
Myke and team have been building for years, he’s done the work, he’s one of the most streamed artists in Latin, a Latin Grammy nominee and one of the most respected artists in the game. My job is to continue to develop a plan that builds on the strong foundation that has already been built, introducing this cultural force to a larger, global audience and executing Myke’s vision.
We’re going to do that with all of today’s digital-first methods, but also through those cultural touchpoints that create a mainstream momentum and just can’t be ignored.
“Lala” is from Towers’ latest album, “La Vida Es Una” – a March release. How does that figure in its rollout plan today?
You plan for the success “Lala” is having but you can’t expect it. The song is No. 1 globally, and that’s incredible, but there’s always plenty of room for growth, especially in a number of individual markets, and that’s what we’re focused on and already seeing the growth in markets that we started working on last week. For example, Mexico has gone from the top 200 to the top 5 in under a week and gunning for No. 1.
We’re building on his foundation and leaning in on markets and media where we can expand. Appropriate brand campaigns, syncs that move the cultural needle, as well as more “traditional” TV appearances, award shows, and terrestrial and satellite radio promotion around the world. The team at S10, including Claudia Schumann and Justin Hunter, is working with me daily to execute alongside the rest of the team he has had in place.
Towers is touring the U.S. later this year and he’s performing in Spain as we speak. How do you best manage someone who has numerous hands, and from all over the world, on deck?
We have an incredible bilingual team at S10 that understands how to work in a global way, they have years of experience and deep relationships across the international entertainment marketplace. Pairing this with the teams at One World Music and Casablanca and we are able to do incredible things, no matter the time zone or language barrier.
Will you be expanding your management roster further? What are your goals with your current talent?
I will always be interested in working with talented artists in a management capacity, but our future management success will be through a very selective roster of artists who are the greatest in their lane, where we can help them level up in a global, culture-crossing way where we can do what S10 does best in amplifying our artists’ authentic creative visions.
The same thing goes for the publishing business, and I think someone like Jasper Harris is a great example of that. He recently won a Grammy for Baby Keem and Kendrick Lamar’s “Family Ties” and produced global No. 1 songs such as Jack Harlow’s “First Class” and Post Malone and Doja Cat’s “I Like You.”
What can we expect from the other in-house arms of S10 – like publishing, film and TV ventures, etc.? Where is your focus the most these days?
S10 is not some faceless mega-conglomerate — I’m involved in every project. The things we decide to work on are the people and projects that I believe in and am excited about on a personal level.
Our focus will be to continue delivering for the management roster in a global way, but I am incredibly excited about what we’re about to do in publishing and records. The level of new investment in the work we’re doing there is going to change the equation for many artists and I’m excited to share details soon.
What’s your take on where the music industry is headed next?
Success in the future relies on building and supporting fandom. BTS and Taylor Swift illustrate this on the top end, but at any level, an artist needs to be developing a strong relationship with their most engaged fans. These superfans drive streams and sales, fighting for their favorite artist and tipping the digital scales in their favor. Make great music and then put it in the hands of superfans that you’ve fed over the years, and you will see success.
As far as the future of publishing, DSPs need to continue to raise payments to writers. It’s concerning how low the payouts are, even for big hits, and it’s totally unsustainable. Thanks to the campaigning of some really smart, driven advocates like Harvey Mason Jr., we’ve seen some movement here [but] not enough — the creatives who provide the basis for our entire music business need to be valued appropriately.
