Premio lo Nuestro 2024
Although she couldn’t attend, Karol G was the top winner at Premio Lo Nuestro 2024 with nine awards including artist of the year, followed by Maluma, Carin León, Shakira and Peso Pluma (the last two also absent), with four trophies each. But the highlight of Thursday night’s (Feb. 22) event weren’t the winners themselves, but […]
Some of the biggest names in Latin music gathered on Thursday (Feb. 22) at the Kaseya Center in Miami for the 36th annual Premio Lo Nuestro Awards, many of them donning their best for the occasion. Black was the color of choice for several artists, including Anitta, Emilia, GALE and Gloria Trevi, as well as […]
Ana Bárbara stunned in a majestic mariachi baby blue outfit that sparkled gloriously — with a proper charro hat — on Thursday (Feb. 22) for her performance at the 36th annual Premio Lo Nuestro.
Flanked by a mariachi ensemble equipped with trumpets, violins, and a guitarrón, the Mexican superstar sang her heart out, singing back-to-back hits such as “No Es Brujería,” “Lo Busqué” briefly joined by Carin León, “Loca,” and “Me Asusta Pero Me Gusta.”
Impressively, Bárbara changed about four times: a baby pink cowgirl sparkly outfit, a vintage yellow ensemble with fringes, and one piece that sported a bull on her chest with horns. The star worked the dance floor like no other, even doing the splits at one point, along with her troupe of dancers amid the occasional pyrotechnics.
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Following her energetic and visually stunning set, the regional Mexican music icon was awarded with the Premio La Trayectoria (Lifetime Achievement Award) by another legend in the genre, Pepe Aguilar, for her extraordinary trajectory and legacy.
Upon handing her the award, Aguilar said: “Ana, for three decades, you have carried high the traditions of our flag. Your voice became anthems and I am honored to say that you are part of my family…. For me it is an honor to present you with the award.”
Teary-eyed as the crowd chanted her name, Bárbara replied: “You left me speechless, a brother of life, thank you my Pepe. They are just as dear your family to me. In this blessed thank you for having us.”
She continued: “I remember the little girl fighting for her dreams until she became a woman, but above all a mother, the mother who has fought unreachably. Beautiful children for society, and that mother’s heart is the one who receives this blessed award of Premio Lo Nuestro. Thanks to the team, to my husband, to my Gero representing. Thank you for being here, this is for Mexican women, for Mexican music and Mexican women, may they continue to be bigger and stronger!
On Wednesday, Ana Bárbara shared insights with Billboard during rehearsals into her meticulous preparation for the anticipated performance. “We sat down as a team and asked ourselves what we wanted to share in terms of emotions, in terms of rhythm and songs,” she noted. “After thinking about it a lot, they chose one from each era that was written by different composers […] and came up with that cocktail of songs that will take us to different dimensions.”
Celebrating three decades of unparalleled influence in regional Mexican music and Latin pop, Bárbara’s journey is marked by hits a ton of hits that have earned her the title of La Reina Grupera (or the Queen of Grupero Music). Throughout her prolific career, that dates back since the mid ’90s, the San Luis Potosí native has not only captured hearts but also shaped the regional style, earning her a special place in Latin music history.
At the 36th edition of Premio Lo Nuestro, held at the Kaseya Center in Miami on Thursday (Feb. 22), Olga Tañón, affectionately known as “La Mujer de Fuego,” delivered a joyous, fiery medley that will be remembered as a highlight of the evening.
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Wearing a captain’s cap and a metallic getup, the merengue icon — known for her electrifying stage presence — took the audience on a journey with her biggest hits, including “Es Mentiroso,” “Mi Forma de Ser,” and “La Gran Fiesta.” She soon after changed to wear a sparkly red outfit, while her group of dancers wore leather chaps and inspired the audience to get up on their feet. Her performance not only showcased her unparalleled talent and energy, but also served as a vibrant celebration of her career.
Following her dynamic performance, Tañón was honored with the Premio Lo Nuestro a la Excelencia, an award that recognizes artists who have not only built an impeccable musical legacy, but have also served as pioneers in their genre.
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Her genre peer and fellow icon, Victor Manuelle, gave her the award. He said, “I am just as excited as you are right now. Speaking on behalf of all Latinos, but above all, in the name of our Island of Enchantment, for the great artist, great mother, and great friend … As they say, empowered, La mujer de fuego!”
Tañon responded: “I need my friend, my brother Victor Manuelle to be with me, because not only does it represent a wonderful award for me, but that you would give it to me. I consider you my friend, my brother, part of my flag and part of yours too.”
In her acceptance speech, she shared heartfelt words: “To everyone who has had to do with this, to my dad who always told me that the most beautiful word you can say in life is thank you. Thanks to everyone who started with me, to my work team, thank you, to my parents who are upstairs dancing merengue, who take good care of us. But above all thanks to my children that I leave them to continue working after 38 years of career. I love you guys. I know you are watching me. Thanks to my husband … And to all of us who have independent company, and we have to work a little bit more. And to you guys thank you very much for the trust. Puerto Rico!”
Olga Tañon is the artist with the most wins in the history of Premio Lo Nuestro.
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The 36th edition of Premio Lo Nuestro showcased a riveting medley by Puerto Rican legend Don Omar, who was joined onstage by Machine Gun Kelly, Anitta and Wisin & Yandel on Thursday night (Feb. 22).
Evoking a post-apocalyptic vibe with 15 dancers, the guest performers and the Don himself rocking black — Don Omar sported a black trench coat and his cornrows, as usual — the artist appeared atop a mountain of speakers against a neon-green backdrop that looked like something from The Matrix.
He kicked off with “Pobre Diabla” and was soon joined by Wisin & Yandel to deliver their joint hit “Nadie Como Tu.” The Brazilian powerhouse Anitta joined the Puerto Rican legend to sing “Salió El Sol” — smashing all the verses — with the dance floor lighting up like the sun.
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For the grand finale, Machine Gun Kelly came out with his guitar, strumming the riff to “Danza Kuduro,” getting everyone on their feet. Thursday night’s collaboration comes months after MGK’s viral performance of the song in Spain.
“Seeing my song go viral in MGK’s voice absolutely blew my mind,” Don Omar told Rolling Stone about “Danza Kuduro.” “It’s incredible to see how music can transcend generations, genres and languages.”
“I was out dancing in Spain the night before my festival performance and ‘Danza Kuduro’ came on. It was the first moment of the night that everybody sang a song word-for-word and got lost in the vibe,” MGK told RS. “I woke up the next day and was like, ‘I’m going to sing this and re-create that moment for my first time performing in Spain.’”
Right after the wildly entertaining set, the Don was presented with the Ícono Global (Global Icon) award by all three guest performers.
“You have not only elevated reggaeton, but you have transformed it to a global dimension,” said Anitta. “Plus, you bring ‘Kuduro’ to every corner of the world.” Yandel added: “You are a pioneer, a genre warrior who was never afraid, and has known how to get ahead no matter what.”
“You and I are from different worlds, but your music brought us together tonight. Thank you so much from the bottom of my heart,” MGK offered.
“For all that you have done, for your past, for your present and for your future, it is a great privilege to celebrate you with the Global Icon award, the king of reggaeton, Don Omar,” echoed Wisin.
Don Omar, with heartfelt gratitude, said, “This is for those who made urban music before me, for those who made urban music at the time I made it, for those who make urban music in the future and for all the countries where there is not even a single urban music artist. Long live urban music, long live Puerto Rico!”
¡Azúcar! The eternal voice of Celia Cruz sounds more modern than ever in a new “collaboration” with Gente de Zona, and no, it wasn’t done with artificial intelligence. “Celia,” which the Cuban duo premiered on Thursday (Feb. 22) live at the 2024 Premio Lo Nuestro ceremony, uses original recordings from the Queen of Salsa to create an infectious medley with two of her songs: “Ella Tiene Fuego” and “La Negra Tiene Tumbao.”
“That woman seems from another planet/ The way she moves is not natural/ Men can’t stand her resistance/ and one after another they come and go,” begins Alexander Delgado, the deeper voice of Gente de Zona, before giving way to the Cuban music legend. “She has spent the night testings and testing/ And now none of them want to dance, dance,” Cruz sings with such a contemporary sound, it feels like she was right there with them in the studio.
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“This was something we had in mind for a long time,” Delgado told Billboard Español prior to the premiere. “When we arrived in this country it was a dream we had, but unfortunately she was no longer alive,” added Randy Malcom, the other half of the six-time Latin Grammy-winning duo, explaining that after a decade in the U.S., their priority was to make that dream come true for their upcoming album, DEMASIADO, which they plan to release between March and April.
Released under Magnus Music, “Celia” was produced by Angel “Pututi” Arce, Dale Pututi, and Malcom, and recorded in the latter’s studio about seven months ago. The project, which includes a new additional verse in “Ella Tiene Fuego,” had the full support and approval of Cruz’s estate executor, Omer Pardillo Cid, who helped them get the masters from Sony Music.
“When I heard the original voices, without any processing, I said, ‘That’s why she’s the queen’. It was something perfect, it was incredible to feel how she sang, her breathing,” recalled Malcom with excitement. “Once we started mixing our voices with hers, it was something magical. It was something we dreamt of so much that we really enjoyed it.”
The release of “Celia” coincides with a series of milestones. Not only does it come months after the 20th anniversary of Cruz’s 2003 death, but also a year ahead of both the 25th anniversary of Gente de Zona’s debut and what would have been Cruz’s 100th birthday.
“I am a believer that things happen, that God’s timing is perfect. I think this was the moment for this song, and we are super excited about it,” said Delgado. “What impresses me most about the song is that you see Celia today, you see Celia 2024 — and it really excites us, it’s a very beautiful thing.”
In a statement, Pardillo Cid said that “Celia would be very happy to know that, even two decades after her physical departure, her cheerful and contagious spirit, in addition to her musical excellence continues to inspire young artists like Gente de Zona.”
On Thursday, at the Premio Lo Nuestro award ceremony, the duo known for No. 1 Billboard hits like “Bailando” with Enrique Iglesias and Descemer Bueno and “La gozadera” with Marc Anthony premiered “Celia” in a joyful musical number that included a colorful party, fireworks and dancers in retro outfits inspired by Havana — while images of the iconic Salsa Queen adorned huge screens during the interventions with her voice.
“I want to be remembered as a very joyful, kind of like a jokester, happy person,” Cruz was seen saying with a smile in a video at the beginning of the performance. “A woman who enjoyed her life and what she did with it. A good friend, a good sister, a good wife. And all of it with lots of ¡azúcar!” she finished with her signature shout, which in English means “sugar.”
The same clip opens the music video for “Celia,” directed by Pedro Vásquez and which will debut Friday. It similarly showcases the duo singing amidst dancers against a colorful backdrop — with lots of fire and vintage elements like “almendrones,” as the classic old cars in Cuba are known, and Cruz projected on large screens.
In the meantime, you can stream “Celia” here:
Gente de Zona & Celia Cruz
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Premio Lo Nuestro is just around the corner, and Billboard was backstage at rehearsals catching up with some of the artists set to walk the carpet and take center stage live from Miami on Thursday night.
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The 2024 nominations are led by Maluma with 14 nods, followed by Peso Pluma (13), Grupo Frontera (10) and, with nine each, Karol G and Feid. Ana Barbara, Don Omar and Olga Tañon will receive this year’s Premio Lo Nuestro a la Trayectoria, Global Icon and Premio Lo Nuestro a la Excelencia special awards, respectively.
The 2024 awards ceremony will be co-hosted by Galilea Montijo, Clarissa Moline and Angélica Vale and will air live at 7 p.m. ET on Thursday via Univision.
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Below, check out some of the best highlights from the rehearsals on Tuesday and Wednesday (Feb. 21).
Ana Barbara’s Career Celebration
Ahead of receiving the 2024 Premio Lo Nuestro a la Trayectoria award, Ana Bárbara revealed how she prepared for the exciting medley of hits she will perform Thursday night. “We sat down as a team and asked ourselves what we wanted to share in terms of emotions, in terms of rhythm and songs,” she notes. “After thinking about it a lot, they chose one from each era that was written by different composers […] and came up with that cocktail of songs that will take us to different dimensions.”
Gente de Zona announce new album
Though Alexander Delgado and Randy Malcom are releasing solo music, the Cuban artists known as the duo Gente de Zona arrived together to rehearsals promoting their upcoming project and to assure that they are not separating. In fact, an album is in the works, filled with positive and feel-good music.
“It’s the type of content that made Gente de Zona an international duo,” Malcom notes. “I think there are many problems in the world. Social media has caused well-being but also many problems. It’s about enjoying the moment, enjoying life and time, which is what you can’t buy.”
Delgado adds: “This album is a lot of fun with the Gente de Zona stamp. We are very happy and we hope you all enjoy it.” The duo has yet to reveal the release date but promise that their special performance on Thursday will be a preview of what fans can expect.
Wisin Enters the Música Mexicana Realm
Backstage, Wisin revealed that his new single dropping this week is called “Un Shot” alongside Gabito Ballesteros — further proving that urban and Mexican music are the perfect match. “For us urban artists, it was a dream to enter Mexico and receive the support of all Mexicans,” the reggaeton star says. “More than a fusion with Gabito Ballestero and a rich song, musically speaking, it is a tribute to the people of Mexico and a way to enter their world and let them know that we respect what they do, respect their music.” The music video, Wisin notes, was filmed in Puerto Rico.
Banda MS’ Biggest Tour Secret
Banda MS has paused their tour to attend the 2024 Premio Lo Nuestro, where they are five-time nominees and will also have a special performance. After their Premios commitment, they will hit the road again, which had us wondering: What’s their biggest secret to having so much energy on tour?
“It’s the discipline, the desire to keep growing, the desire to go ahead, our family, our fans. All of that, and more, injects you with a lot of adrenaline, a lot of energy,” vocalist Alan Ramírez explains.
“Banda music has something very peculiar…most of the bands were born on the street,” vocalist Oswaldo “Walo” Carreón adds. “We are the bands that go to the restaurants, the cantinas, trying to get clients. I’ve personally performed 20 hours in a day… and all that suits you is giving resistance. So the three-hour show seems like a breeze.”
Los Ilegales celebrate 30 years
Los Ilegales are ready to inject viewers on Thursday with the ultimate throwback performance — and what better timing than on the year of their 30th anniversary? “It’s a gift from God who allows us to live our 30th anniversary,” lead singer Vladimir Dotel tells Billboard. “It’s also the discipline, the love for our career that allows us to be with you. If it weren’t for that, we wouldn’t be here. We’ve been awarded for our unattainable work and that is why we promise to literally rock the stage.” The Dominican group also remembered the first time they attended Premio Lo Nuestro in 1996, where they won new artist of the year.
Ilegales at rehearsals for Premio Lo Nuestro.
Mauricio Granados
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