More than 20 years after its launch, the Premios Juventud, TelevisaUnivision’s annual awards show celebrating Hispanic youth culture, has evolved into a week-long fest that will culminate at the Starlight Amphitheater in Marbella, Spain on Sept. 3.
This expansion marks a historic milestone for the show as it grows from a single-night event to an immersive festival, dubbed the PJ Fest, featuring creator initiatives and live concerts from Houston, Miami and Los Angeles, before culminating in its 23rd edition in Marbella.
Fans voting for the 50 award categories began casting their votes from August 10 at PremiosJuventud.com.
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The event is particularly meaningful for Univision Television Networks Group President Ignacio Meyer who was previously executive VP of Music for Univision in the U.S.
Since Univision’s merger with Televisa in 2022, the company has made a commitment to reach audiences wherever they are, he told Variety. “Our merger with Televisa really shifted our focus toward becoming a global organization, delivering content through our streamer [ViX] to Spanish-speaking audiences around the world,” he noted, pointing out that 600 million people speak Spanish worldwide.
“Our first big move was when we took the Latin Grammy Awards to Seville, Spain, a few years ago,” he noted, adding that the Premios Juventud also became more itinerant, taking place in Puerto Rico and Panama in recent years.
“This latest move [to Spain] took quite some time because it involved our partners at Televisión Española, the wonderful team at Starlite in Marbella and really the entire music community, which needs to support us and be there. It took about a year and a half to put together and we’re very excited.”
While most award shows acknowledge long-standing careers or achievements, the Premios Juventud Agents of Change awards recognize artists for their social impact and commitment to future generations and their communities. “We’re ‘re rewarding the generosity of artists that use their platforms for social good,” said Meyer, naming actor Antonio Banderas, singer Marc Anthony, reggaetón artist Yandel and Spanish pop-rock band La Oreja de Van Gogh as this year’s agents of change.
Banderas established the Lágrimas y Favores Foundation as a social impact vehicle in his hometown of Málaga and co-hosts, alongside Sandra García-Sanjuán, the Starlite Gala organized by the Starlite Foundation charity. “He is one of the principal reasons why we are partnering with Starlight in Malaga. He is an ambassador to Malaga and to the south of Spain and he’s played a very integral part,” Meyer noted.
Anthony is known for his philanthropic work through his Maestro Cares Foundation, which has supported more than 35 projects benefiting children and underserved communities across Latin America and the U.S. Since the devastating earthquakes in Venezuela, he has also led “Unidos por Venezuela,” a benefit concert and international telethon supporting the country’s recovery and reconstruction.
Yandel is recognized for his support of community and educational initiatives, mental health awareness and emerging Latino talent. Through charitable programs and his Yandel Sinfónico Tour, which blends reggaetón with local symphony orchestras, he has created opportunities for more than 250 classical musicians while collaborating with music students and orchestras worldwide.
La Oreja de Van Gogh will be acknowledged for their ongoing support of social causes, including Guitarras Solidarias, Cadena 100 Por Ellas and Ay Haití. Making their Premios Juventud debut, the band will perform their hit song “Rosas,” which recently surpassed one billion Spotify streams. Celebrating 30 years together with original vocalist Amaia Montero, the group is also nominated for Group or Duo Favorite of the Year and Best Euro-Song.
The confirmed lineup assembles major Latin stars, emerging talent and artists from across Latin America and Spain, including Christian Nodal, Ángela Aguilar, Camilo, Yandel, Wisin, Ǫuevedo, Ana Mena, Farruko, DND | Do Not Disturb, Santos Bravos and many others.
Premios Juventud will air in 12 countries through broadcast partners and broadcast live in the
U.S. on Univision is the No. 1 network among U.S. Hispanics and the sixth-largest broadcast or cable network among Adults 18–49, regardless of language. It will also air live on its sister networks Unimás, Galavision and stream on its platform ViX and YouTube.
The time difference with Spain creates an opportunity for an ambitious co-production with Televisión Española, which will produce and edit its own version of the show live from Spain while the event takes place in Marbella. Beginning at 10:30 p.m. local time, its hosts will interview artists and create dedicated segments during the U.S. broadcast’s commercial breaks.
Said Meyer: “This [collaboration] really underscores what we’ve been able to do with our commitment to international audiences, which is taking Latin culture and localizing it. Just like we localize Latin culture in the U.S., they will localize the importance of Latin music, Latin culture in Spain.”
