Ever Wondered How to Keep Evolving in the Music Industry? Ask Amaya Javier Fernandez
By: Holly Owen, FestForums | September 21, 2026
Ever wondered how you keep evolving in an industry that never stands still? I sat down with Amaya Javier Fernandez, founder of artistas creativos international llc (a.c.i) and co-founder of United Independent Promoters (UIP), to find out.
Starting Out
Amaya's path wasn't a straight line. He started as a musician managing his own high school band, then went to college for a music business course, where he started learning the legal side of the industry. That grounding opened the door to a job as personal assistant to a major promoter booking South American tours for acts like Bon Jovi and Elton John, and a few years later he launched his own company, a.c.i, now 28 years and hundreds of shows across five continents strong
A Turning Point
When I asked Amaya about a moment that stands out, he told me about booking a Spanish band's show in Guatemala while still working as an assistant. Fifteen thousand people showed up, and on stage the band's bassist turned and gave him a thumbs up.
That's when it clicked, he told me. He realized he found more joy in helping bands get on stage than he ever had being on stage himself. Not long after, he was managing Gustavo Cerati's first three solo tours.
What It Takes to Last
When I asked about the hardest part of the job, Amaya pointed to himself: staying organized and disciplined while running a one person operation, handling legal and logistical work alone, and never confusing an artist's money with his own, a mistake he's watched trip up other promoters. That discipline, he said, is why so many promoters gravitate toward working with him. Reputation is everything in this business. COVID tested that discipline more than anything else. It was one of the hardest stretches the industry has seen, and many of his peers across South America went over two years without income. He got through it on grants and sheer scrappiness.
The Advice He'd Give His Younger Self
Don't lose the joy, Amaya told me. The industry has gotten more corporate, but he still comes back to the same idea: you got into this because you love music, so protect that. His bigger advice: be prepared before opportunity shows up.
Building Something Bigger
Amaya has always believed artists deserve more freedom to work on their own terms, and that belief is what led him to co-found United Independent Promoters. He said the company grew out of real demand: independent producers kept reaching out wanting a global platform and a real voice, tired of rigid touring contracts that can lock artists into punishing schedules, sometimes 300 shows in 18 months. He calls this a golden age for live music, pointing to new technology and a wave of new venues as reasons independent promoters and artists now have more room to grow.
In His Own Words
Amaya put it best in his own words: "Live music connects people, cultures and dreams. My mission has always been to create the bridge, and make it real." On where the industry is headed, he added: "The next generation of the live-entertainment industry will be defined by independence, collaboration and the ability to create opportunities beyond the mainstream."