Nicky Jam, the resilient reggaeton star who rose to stardom after a decade of silence battling drug addiction, was the big winner at the Billboard Latin Music Awards on Thursday night, taking home six awards.
Jam was able to claim his first No. 1 on Billboard’s Top Latin Albums chart earlier this year with Fenix, his first set in 10 years, and he lived up to the album’s name, winning hot Latin songs artist of the year, male and Latin rhythm songs artist of the year, solo. His hit song “Hasta el amanecer” won hot Latin song of the year — an award that includes radio airplay, sales and streams, underscoring Nicky Jam’s popularity across all platforms. “Hasta el amanecer” also won digital song of the year, streaming song of the year and Latin rhythm song of the year.
Following in wins was the late Juan Gabriel, who won the coveted artist of the year award as well as top Latin albums artist of the year, male and Latin pop albums artist of the year, solo. Juan Gabriel’s album Los Dúo 2 won top Latin album of the year as the top-selling release and Latin pop album of the year.
Enrique Iglesias — whose capacity for churning out hits appears to be endless — won four awards, including Latin pop songs artist of the year, solo. Iglesias and reggaeton star Wisin both won three awards for their hit collaboration “Duele el corazón”: hot Latin song of the year, vocal event; airplay song of the year; and Latin pop song of the year.
Also winning three awards each were Banda Sinaloense MS De Sergio Lizarraga, CNCO, Gente de Zona and Los Plebes del Rancho de Ariel Camacho. CNCO — a bilingual/bicultural pop group spawned from a TV reality show — were the winners in the coveted artist of the year, new category. The group, mentored by Ricky Martin and produced by Wisin, is currently playing its first major tour.
Special awards of the evening went to Ricardo Arjona, the iconic Guatemalan singer/songwriter, who was given the lifetime achievement award for a career that continues to be one of the most successful in Latin music. Luis Fonsi won the Spirit of Hope Award for his work with St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital and Jennifer Lopez, who also won social artist of the year, was given the Telemundo Star Award.
A full list of winners follows.