Premios Juventud 2024
In one of the most powerful and emotional moments of the 2024 Premios Juventud, Lele Pons emphasized her message of self-love when she was recognized as an Agent of Change at the Thursday (July 25) ceremony in Puerto Rico’s José Miguel Agrelot Coliseum .
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After tearfully receiving the award from her father, who seemed to have surprised her by presenting it, the Venezuelan influencer and singer regained her composure and gave a powerful and eloquent speech to the millions of people who follow her on social media.
“Enough of looking for your happiness in the acceptance of other people who don’t value you. Look for it in God, look for it in yourself and in the people who love you and who will be there for you,” Pons said. “I use my platform to see if I can help people love themselves and take life [more lightly] and laugh at their cellulite, and if you got your nose done, please show that, be you, be transparent.”
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“I’m here because I want you to love yourselves, because, who cares? So what? Not everyone is going to love you, you don’t have to be liked by everyone. That is THEIR problem, not yours. Love yourself, respect yourself, you’re enough,” she added.
Pons served as the evening’s co-host alongside Clarissa Molina and Wisin, and was one of three honorees with the Spirit of Change award, which “recognizes and celebrates” young entrepreneurs and prominent stars who “selflessly contribute to creating a better world.” The other two honorees were Anitta and Los Tigres del Norte.
In its 21st annual edition, Premios Juventud had Carín León, Maluma, Peso Pluma, Karol G, and Shakira among its main nominees. To see the list of winners, click here.
Watch Lele’s speech below.
A wave of Latin artists, emerging and established, arrived at the 2024 Premios Juventud in San Juan, Puerto Rico on Thursday (July 25) to traditionally celebrate the “extraordinary accomplishments in society, celebrating music, new artists, community and creators,” according to a press release.
This year’s fan-voted award show—which gave prominence to creators, figures who “lead on social media, by introducing new award categories to spotlight those who are making significant waves in la cultura”—were lead by top nominees Carin León, Maluma, and Peso Pluma, with seven nominations each. Karol G was the big winner of the night, nabbing five awards including female Premios Juventud artist and best urban album for Mañana Será Bonito (Bichota Season). (See full winners list here)
Other top nominees included Shakira with six nominations; Becky G and Grupo Frontera with five nominations; and up for four awards each, Bad Bunny, Bizarrap, Farruko, Feid, Fuerza Regida, Manuel Turizo and Ozuna.
Meanwhile, artists such as Ivy Queen, Natti Natasha, Emilia, Prince Royce, Los Esquivel, Los Ángeles Azules, and Reik, took center stage at the ceremony for memorable performances.
Additionally, Premios Juventud recognized Anitta, Lele Pons, and Los Tigres del Norte with the coveted “Agent of Change” recognition, celebrating young entrepreneurs and prominent stars who selflessly contribute to creating a better world. Previous AOC titleholders include Ricky Martin, Shakira, Becky G, Camila Cabello, J Balvin, and Daddy Yankee, to name a few.
As all of this was televised live on Univision and streamed on ViX, Billboard was catching all the action backstage—at the red carpet and media center—that you didn’t see on TV. Check out the list below:
Dembow & Música Mexicana Meet
The stage was set for a monumental tribute at Premios Juventud 2024, as the Coliseo de Puerto Rico José Miguel Agrelot came alive to celebrate the 60th anniversary of Fania Records. The tribute not only revisited the indelible imprint Fania has left on music but also the enduring influence of its legendary icons like Willie Colón, Celia Cruz, Héctor Lavoe, and Tito Puente.
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Kicking off the medley with the seminal “Oye Como Va” by Tito Puente, the legendary Venezuelan Oscar D’León delivered a powerful rendition right from the start, looking snazzy in a yellow metallic suit.
Meanwhile, salsa producer/keyboardist Sergio George and Peruvian-American percussionist Tony Succa, and Tito Puente Jr. accompanied him, and eventually the rest of the singers who took front stage.
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The set continued to dazzle as Anitta, in a sparkly mustard dress, delivered a passionate rendition of La Lupe’s “Fiebre.” Tener fiebre no es de ahora, hace mucho tiempo que empezó. ¡Ayyy!,” she belted, surrounded by men in black lace shirts.
A peak moment occurred when La India — a powerhouse who has famously reimagined Celia Cruz’s transcendental hits — not only sang “Quimbara” but sang the hell out of the salsa smasher. “Le canto a la reina de la salsa, Celia Cruz, a la estrella de la Fania,” she wailed.
Then, Puerto Rican singer Luis Figueroa took the stage, wearing a dark glimmering suite, to deliver Willie Colón and Héctor Lavoe’s “Aguanile”. Ivy Queen, with her long blonde hair, sang “Mi Gente” by Héctor Lavoe.
“Not only did Fania All-Stars made musical history, but it united people of different cultures and origins, and through the power of salsa, they made history,” said host/superstar Wisin prior to the star-studded tribute.
As new and old fans alike were reminded of Fania’s radical origins and its role in propelling Latin music on the global stage, the tribute at the award show underscored the timeless appeal and cultural significance of the fabled label.
The 2024 Premios Juventud is hosted by Lele Pons, Clarissa Molina and Wisin. See the list of this year’s winners here.
Mexican cumbia icons Los Ángeles Azules and Argentine star Emilia joined forces to sing their chart-topping Billboard hit “Perdonarte, ¿Para Qué?” at Premios Juventud 2024. Their performance marked a milestone, celebrating Los Ángeles Azules’ debut No. 1 on the chart after an impressive three decades in the music industry. Explore See latest videos, charts and news […]
Premios Juventud 2024 kicked off in a spirited spectacle led by the illustrious salsa producer Sergio George and reggaetón heavyweight Wisin, setting the stage ablaze, equipped with red lighting, at Coliseo de Puerto Rico José Miguel Agrelot. Celebrating tropical rhythms, their opening performance of “La Vida Es Una Fiesta” — which they live-premiered Thursday (July […]
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