univision

When the 35th edition of Premio Lo Nuestro airs tonight (Feb. 23 at 7 p.m. ET) on the Univision network, some 1,300 people will be working under the baton of Ulises Chang, the network’s vp and executive producer for Live Event Tentpoles.
In the Univision-verse, the role includes purview over the network’s four music award shows: Premio Lo Nuestro, Premios Juventud, Latin Grammys and its most recent addition, the Latin AMAS. Among them, Lo Nuestro is not only the network’s highest-rated, but, according to Nielsen, it’s also been the “No. 1 program on all of television for the third consecutive year among adults 18-49 and adults 18-34,” with over six million viewers tuning in last year.

On set at the Miami-Dade arena, Chang is, as ever, preternaturally calm. He’s had this position since 2017, and if the tumult caused by four hosts, 21 musical numbers and nearly 30 artists (not to mention dancers and musicians) fazes him, he doesn’t let it show.

“Ulises has played an instrumental role in shaping the success of our live events and tentpoles. His passion and unwavering commitment to excellence are a reference in the industry,” says Ignacio Meyer, president of the Univision Television Networks Group.

Between rehearsals by the likes of Maluma, Ozuna, Ricardo Montaner, Ivy Queen, Sebastian Yatra, Grupo Firme and Tini, we managed to ask Chang five questions about tonight’s show:

1. How is this year’s show different from other years?

Every year is a challenge. Balancing budgets, venue, timing, artist relations, the amount of artists that are out there now. This show has such a long history and such prestige, people really want to be here. That’s one of the biggest challenges: Being able to somehow fit everybody which always is hard. But also, if people come to us early on with a pitch or a plan, we can say, maybe it’s not the right fit for this show, but we can work out a plan where it fits more organically somewhere else.

2. You oversee four music award shows. What is Premio Lo Nuestro?

This is tradition and celebration of music, of our music. Celebrating our history in this country, and what we’ve contributed musically. And the slogan this year is incredible: El mundo es lo nuestro (The world is ours). Because of where are we nowadays. Where did Bad Bunny take us a year ago when, for the first time a Hispanic artist wins [artist of the year] at the VMAs and gives his speech in Spanish and says I don’t have to change who I am. Going out on tour, who breaks the record for most tickets sold? Bad Bunny’s tour. We’re taking over in a way.

3. My understanding is this is your top-rated show. What do you attribute the high ratings to?

Yes, this is our highest rated show. The goals we’re given are higher than for any other, so, it’s a big responsibility. I don’t know if the ratings have to do with it being at the beginning of the year. Also, we take a lot of risks and we have a lot of freedom to do things in this show

4. What is the Ulises Chang imprint on a music show?

Overall, to be able to make people happy at home when theyr’e watching, and to be able to transport them to another place. Music is so beautiful. Music takes us to places we’re no longer at, it reminds us of our parents. When we had Roberto Carlos, for example, that tribute took me back to my youth. If it takes me, imagine people at home who don’t have the capability of experiencing this the way we do. We feel very fortunate and at the same time very powerful with what we are able to give.

5. It seems to me like you’re really creating a multi-generational show. Is that how you view it?

Yes. And that’s how we always prepare it. We think that people at home –that co-viewing with different generations– is what Univision is. It’s what Hispanics are. We still sit at home with our parents to watch especially these types of shows. These types of shows do do that; they do bring the multi-generational co-viewing. I don’t know if it happens in other networks, but in Univision, the research we’ve done indicates co-viewing is very present.