The YouTube community is growing restless. Over the years, the creator Alec Hernandez has watched his patience wane as he chased releases for Rewind Spanish. What started as an independent project five years ago now boasts more than 86 million views across its last four installments. Yet with success comes doubt and envy, making it tougher to bring on global stars such as The Grefg, Auronplay, DjMariio, Rivers, Cristinini, or IlloJuan, who are increasingly tired of being told what to do. The team has faced pressure to pivot, and this year the central theme centers on Artificial Intelligence.
Or so the claims go for the 2023 edition. It premiered in Madrid on a bustling Thursday at Callao Cinemas, drawing more than 460 attendees, including influencers and fans who packed the city square. The general audience waited 24 more hours for the longest Rewind ever released on YouTube, clocking in at 27 minutes.
That moment offered a glimpse into a production whose pre production and filming stretched from September 18 to November 28. Filming occurred in 16 locations including Madrid, Barcelona, Andorra, Teruel, and even Mexico. More than 50 professionals worked on set and hundreds of VFX artists labored in post production. The scale reached a level where scenes involved more than 100 people on set, and the recording of TheGrefg scene alone accounted for roughly 16 and a half hours of work.
More than 70 content creators
Over 70 remarkable Spanish speaking creators were invited before the cameras during production. In addition to the names already mentioned, participants included the Receiver brothers, Juan de Dios, Jordi Wild, Misho, Joan Pradells, LladosElPatica, Santaolalla, Espe, Mayichi, YoSoyPlex, Frank of the Jungle, Quackity, Gemita, Zazza, xokas, MasiGuanyar, Kiko Rivera Ampeter, Rubius, Spursito, Caesar Blue, Andrea Garte, Juan Guarnizo, Paula Gonu, and many others.
What stands out is that Ibai and several other popular creators were not part of the project this time. Ibai, who was the most watched on Twitch this year and earned a diamond play button on YouTube, explained his desire to take a break and let others carry the scene for a change. He has 10 million subscribers on YouTube.
Yet the organizers noted that the number of creators this year was lower by design. They suggested that shorter shoots of two or three days would allow participants to spend more time on stage while still demanding more intense effort from everyone involved. Alec Hernández spoke during the presentation, without naming any specific large names, and hinted at the broader direction of the project. Gerard Romero and Spreen were among the other names mentioned in passing.
An expanding project
As the project grew, professional shooting increased and hundreds of special effects artists helped finalize the video. Funding tensions in recent years have pushed Rewind to diversify its backing. This year saw involvement from brands such as Takis and Mahou and additional support from Mediapro Brands in coordinating the launch. The initiative relied on partnerships rather than sole community contributions, marked as a deliberate strategy to preserve the project’s independence and its potential for organic growth.
From the perspective of the producer behind the video, the decision to feature sponsors so prominently was seen as a thoughtful strategic move. It creates a sustainable model that does not depend exclusively on community contributions while maintaining a strong commitment to the project’s autonomy and long term growth potential.