Premios Juventud 2026: Winners List

The 2026 edition of Premios Juventud marked a historic shift as the celebrated Latin music awards were hosted for the first time in Europe, taking place at the Starlite Auditorium in Marbella, Spain. This relocation from their usual venues in Miami, Puerto Rico, and Panama highlighted the growing global influence of Latin music.

Broadcast on a delay across multiple U.S. platforms including Univision and ViX, the ceremony culminated a weeklong festival known as PJ Fest. This festival featured creator activations and live concerts in cities such as Houston, Miami, and Los Angeles before reaching its finale in Spain. The event carried the theme “Conéctate al Vibe,” emphasizing connection and cultural vibrancy.

Among the standout achievements, Colombian superstar Shakira emerged as one of the night’s most decorated artists, securing three awards despite her physical absence. She won Premios Juventud’s female artist category alongside accolades for the best pop song with “Bésame,” a collaboration with Alejandro Sanz. Additionally, her joint track with Burna Boy, “Dai Dai”—the official song of the 2026 World Cup and a global chart-topper—claimed the OMG collaboration award.

Bad Bunny also dominated the ceremony, receiving honors for male artist of the year as well as tour of the year for his “Debí Tirar Más Fotos World Tour.” His influence across genres was further underscored by his presence in urban and rhythmic categories.

Karol G was another key figure at the awards, winning album of the year for “Tropicoqueta” and best urban rhythmic song for “Verano Rosa,” a collaboration with Feid. Her achievements reflect her continued ascent in the Latin urban scene.

The tropical music category was notably swept by Romeo Santos and Prince Royce, whose collaborative album “Better Late Than Never” and singles like “Dardos” and “Lokita por Mí” garnered critical and popular acclaim. Both artists also shared equal recognition with Shakira, Aitana, and Alejandro Fernández in terms of total awards received.

Emerging artists received prominent attention through categories such as New Generation – Male and Female Artists, with Santos Bravos and Aria Vega earning distinction. Santos Bravos additionally secured the title of favorite group or duo, signaling a promising future in the Latin music landscape.

The ceremony also paid tribute to the broader cultural impact of Latin music figures. Marc Anthony and Yandel were honored as “Agents of Change,” acknowledging their contributions beyond music, including social and artistic influence.

Musical performances highlighted the event’s diverse appeal, with Quevedo making his Premios Juventud debut through a medley that featured collaborations with Elvis Crespo. Likewise, Farruko and Greeicy energized the audience with their EDM hit “Yapaque,” which had recently topped the Latin Airplay chart.

The awards recognized a wide spectrum of genres and collaborations. For instance, Carín León and Alejandro Fernández shared the “My Favorite Track” award for “Me Está Doliendo,” a song that achieved number one positions on both Latin Airplay and Regional Mexican Airplay charts. Cazzu was celebrated for the best cumbia song with “Con Otra,” which led the Billboard Hot 100 Argentina chart.

Producers and behind-the-scenes talents were not overlooked; Bizarrap was named producer of the year, reflecting his influential role in shaping contemporary Latin music sounds.

Premios Juventud 2026 also introduced new categories such as Best Euro-Song and Best Mexican Music Fusion, illustrating the evolving and cross-cultural dimensions of the Latin music industry. Winners included Aitana’s “Superestrella” and Xavi & Grupo Frontera's “No Capea,” respectively.

The ceremony’s global setting in Marbella underscored Latin music’s expanding reach and highlighted the genre’s ability to bridge cultures. With Spanish and Latin American artists celebrated on an international stage, Premios Juventud 2026 reinforced the genre’s dynamic growth and its artists’ influential roles within and beyond music.

While the event showcased numerous standout winners across multiple categories, many details about the full scope of performances and award presentations remain to be fully detailed in subsequent coverage. Nonetheless, this edition of Premios Juventud set a new benchmark for Latin music celebrations on a global scale.