A laptop with a PowerPoint presentation and the vision of a tour concept for Rawayana. That’s how the dream began — a dream that the Venezuelan band is now fulfilling with their first-ever world arena tour ¿Dónde Es El After?, promoted by Live Nation.
The story was shared on Tuesday (Oct. 20) by lead singer Alberto “Beto” Montenegro, drummer Andrés “Fofo” Story and Hans Schafer, senior vice president of global touring at Live Nation, during Billboard Latin Music Week 2026.
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At the panel “Rawayana Beyond the Stage,” moderated by Billboard Español deputy editor Sigal Ratner-Arias, the trippy-pop band revealed what’s behind this milestone, which includes 23 dates across North America. The U.S. leg of the trek kicked off on Oct. 15 at the Bill Graham Civic Auditorium in San Francisco, with stops in Atlanta, Toronto, New York, Chicago and Los Angeles before concluding in December with three sold-out nights in Miami.
“[Beto] came in with his computer, and the vision of what he wanted was so clear,” said Schafer, Billboard’s 2026 Latin Power Players Executive of the Year. “There’s no path without failure; you have to find that identity. That’s what makes Rawayana special. It’s a band that’s very difficult to categorize but very easy to recognize.”
This past April, Rawayana — also comprised of Antonio “Tony” Casas (bass) and Alejandro “Abeja” Abeijón (guitar) — kicked off their first world tour, selling out arenas across Europe and Latin America. The tour is in support or their album ¿Dónde Es El After?, released under their indie label Broccoli Records and distributed by Rimas Entertainment. The set has been nominated for album of the year at the 2026 Latin Grammys. The band is also a finalist at the Billboard Latin Music Awards, set to take place this Thursday (Oct. 22), and is featured on Billboard Español’s October digital cover.
“We’re Venezuelans, and coming from a place where there was basically no foundation or structure for anything, we had to invent, produce our own concerts and intuitively learn every aspect of the business,” Montenegro said. “Then, when we started going international, we began to understand other things.”
During the panel, the two Rawayana members reflected on the influence of iconic Venezuelan bands like Los Amigos Invisibles and Cultura Profética. Story described Los Amigos as “an institution” that opened their eyes to musical possibilities at a time when they had a more alternative sound. “These people set out to leave Venezuela and did so at the highest level, rooted in a strong identity. I remember the shock of seeing Los Amigos Invisibles live. It changed our lives,” he said. As for Cultura Profética, “they were also one of the projects we could see as relatively close,” he added.
Montenegro and Story discussed how their creative process has evolved over the years. “The pandemic forced us to reflect, rethink everything and change. That was a key turning point for us,” Montenegro explained. “We’re very aware of the need to change, to find new energy, a more modern approach based on digital tools. We’ve had the courage to change everything.”
In addition to their relentless work ethic, Montenegro highlighted the power of manifestation, which stems from the trust and faith that he and his bandmates have placed in their project, founded in Caracas in 201 by four college friends. “What we’ve done is channel that energy — a very powerful energy,” Montenegro said. “From joy, pride, resilience, and the struggles that one perceives in this environment (…) now there are more flags accompanying us after the migratory tragedy we’ve been living in Venezuela.”
When asked whether Rawayana’s natural next step would be a stadium tour, Schafer responded that the band has the potential and emphasized the importance of long-term goals. “That constant growth will take you there, but the beauty lies in making a living from this [music]; that’s the real goal,” he noted. “Achieving milestones along the way is nice, but playing in a stadium isn’t going to change the journey or the experience — it’s just one step in many things the band can accomplish.”
At the conclusion of the panel, Schafer announced that Live Nation would make a $100,000 donation to Fundación El After, a foundation recently created by Rawayana to aid recovery efforts in Venezuela following the double earthquake that struck the country on June 24.
Billboard Latin Music Week 2026 coincides with the Billboard Latin Music Awards 2026, which will air this Thursday (Oct. 22) from the James L. Knight Center in Miami via Telemundo and Peacock.