Rubén Blades on Willie Colón, Salsa History and The Walking Dead at Billboard Latin Music Week

Rubén Blades spent decades shaping Latin music, and at Billboard Latin Music Week 2026 he finally walked fans through the whole ride. The salsa legend sat down for an Icon Q&A at the Faena Forum Miami Beach, revisiting his biggest hits and sharing memories of his legendary partnership with Willie Colón.

The most surprising part? Blades said he never expected to become a major salsa singer or actor. He also reflected on music’s power to unite people across cultures, a message that landed hard in a week full of celebration. And he couldn’t leave without telling the story of his unexpected role on The Walking Dead, which is the kind of career twist nobody could script.

Latin Music Week runs through today, and the Billboard Latin Music Awards air live tonight on Telemundo and Peacock. Which Rubén Blades era is your favorite: the salsa years, the acting era, or the zombie apocalypse? Tell us in the comments.