First of all, Happy New Year 2025 to all the “rumberos” out there! It’s hard to believe we’re already halfway through January. I’m sure we all agree that the tragic wildfires in Los Angeles have made it a rough start for many people. We’re all praying for everyone affected, and we truly hope our government authorities and community leaders can assist them in getting back on their feet as quickly as possible.
Los Angeles is where it all started
Los Angeles has a very special place in my heart since it was my home city for over 15 years. In fact, I moved there right after graduating from Berklee College of Music in 2006. A few years later, I founded RUMBAVISION, and since then, I’ve been offering my services and expertise to record labels, publishing companies, advertising agencies, film and TV producers, and independent artists.
I’ve worked with major corporate clients such as FOX, Univision, Telemundo, Televisa, Nickelodeon, Warner Music, Universal Music, Sony Music, and National Geographic, as well as major artists such as Lila Downs, Jenni Rivera, Espinoza Paz, Natalia Jiménez, Pepe Garza, Ana Bárbara, Margarita la Diosa De La Cumbia, Maite Perroni, Mane De La Parra, Buika, Pitingo, Paloma San Basilio, Arturo Sandoval, among many others. My song Como dice el Dicho has been on the air for over a decade as the theme song for the popular Mexican TV show of the same title, and I produced the hit song Un Hombre Normal for renowned songwriter Espinoza Paz.
The transition into the technology industry
In 2012, I saw an opportunity to enter the technology industry and went head-on into it. I became the technology leader of Impremedia, a media/publishing company that owns La Opinion (Los Angeles), El Diario (New York), and other digital news properties. Although challenging, I gained tremendous experience working with them. Later, in 2015, I joined ACTV8, a Los Angeles-based advertising technology company that creates custom software solutions for the media industry.
Since then, I’ve completed my master’s degree in software engineering and a professional certification in Artificial Intelligence from UC Berkeley, and I’ve been providing my expertise in large-scale advertising campaigns for major media and entertainment companies such as FOX Television, NBC Universal, AT&T, Univision, and several other global brands.
Re-entering the music industry
Although my focus has been on the advertising and technology sectors for the last 12 years, I’ve never abandoned my music career. In fact, in 2021, right in the middle of the pandemic, I was invited by my great friend Mane De La Parra to be part of Olé Mexico, an album recording project led by Mexican music conductor Alondra De La Parra, who was able to fusion the big sound of a symphonic orchestra with the extraordinary talent of internationally renowned pop artists Lila Downs, Buika, and Pitingo. I had the honor of being one of the arrangers for the project, which led me to a Latin Grammy Nomination for Best Arrangement in 2022 for the song Adoro (Armando Manzanero).
The Latin Grammy nomination opened the doors to several other projects, including the arranging for Arturo Sandoval’s Big Band Christmas Concert at the Disney Hall (Los Angeles), the production of my classical piano album “Venezuela En Blanco Y Negro“, performing with major pop artists such as Natalia Jimenez, and partnering up with event producer Roberto Carlos for the production of the “Boleros De Noche” concert at the Ford Amphitheater in Los Angeles. Most recently, I joined the board of directors of the Palm Springs International Piano Competition, a non-profit organization that discovers, promotes and inspires young classical pianists through triennial public competitions.
Expanding the vision
The word “rumba” has several meanings in music and dance. However, according to Dictionary.com the original meaning, in Latin American Spanish, is “party”, which is directly related to “happiness”. According to the 2024 Latino Happiness Report, released in 2024 by Vida Y Salud, 57 percent of the Latinos living in the U.S. consider themselves to be happy, while an additional 30 percent say they’re at least somewhat happy with their lives. Moreover, 100 percent of the Latinos surveyed expressed that they try to approach life with a positive outlook. These findings don’t surprise me since, throughout my life, I’ve witnessed how the positive energy of most Hispanic people seems to be resilient to even the most challenging situations.
The academic and professional experience I’ve acquired over the last 20 years in media, entertainment, technology, and advertising, but more importantly, the incredible people I’ve met over the years, are fueling my desire to expand the scope of my vision for RUMBAVISION and start exploring opportunities to help promote the positivism and happiness that is engrained in the culture, lifestyle, and entertainment of Hispanic people.
As a resident of California for almost two decades, I couldn’t be more proud to start this journey here at home, especially during these difficult times we’re all going through. I’m sure there’s a long road ahead filled with many obstacles and rewards. But I’m also confident that great and joyful times await us on the other side of the bridge. So, I welcome you all to join me and cross it together!
Marco Antonio Godoy
Founder