Alvaro Rizo Named MD of Carlos Vives’ Label Gaira Musica Local

Alvaro Rizo has been named Gaira Música Local’s new MD, the company tells Billboard. Rizo will be based in the record label’s headquarters in Bogotá, Colombia.

The label, which was founded in 1993 by Carlos Vives, is rooted in highlighting Colombia’s musical heritage with a roster that includes artists such as Gusi, Estereo Beat and Distrito Especial.

“I am happy for this new opportunity in my professional life that Carlos Vives and Claudia Elena Vásquez have given me,” Rizo said in a press statement. “The focus will be on developing and continuing to position our artists locally and project them internationally. On the other hand, a dream we have is to continue supporting ‘El Colombian Pop’ work that we started years ago and that we are going to solidify with the launch of great projects that we will launch under the ‘Gaira Musica Local’ label.”

With a career trajectory that spans more than three decades, Rizo was the president at EMI Music for the Andean region for 13 years, where he managed a roster of artists in Colombia, Venezuela, Ecuador, Peru and Central America.

“We are thrilled to have Alvaro Rizo join our team as the managing director of Gaira Musica Local,” Vives said of the appointment. “With his vast expertise and vision, we believe he will play a crucial role in promoting Colombian music on a global scale.”

With the purpose of supporting emerging talent from his country, Vives launched Gaira Música Local in the early ’90s alongside the release of his album Clásicos de La Provincia. The label partnered with Sony Music and The Orchard in 2019.