Premios Juventud

Premios Juventud (Youth Awards) is a Spanish-language awards show presented by Univision that celebrates Hispanic and Latino celebrities across music, film, sports, fashion, and pop culture. Established in 2004, it is the only major awards show where winners are determined entirely by online public voting. The 22nd edition took place in 2025, hosted by Clarissa Molina, Alejandra Espinoza, and Nadia Ferreira at the Figali Convention Center in Panama.

The 22nd annual ceremony on September 25, 2025 was the first Premios Juventud held outside the United States. Bad Bunny won three awards including Best Urban Track for "DTMF," Best Urban Collaboration for "Adivino" with Myke Towers, and Best Urban Album for "Debi Tirar Mas Fotos." Karol G won Artist of the Year and Tropical Hit for "Si Antes Te Hubiera Conocido," a track whose music video surpassed 1 billion views on YouTube. The ceremony opened with a tribute to Panama's musical legacy, featuring salsa legend Willie Colon performing "La Murga de Panama" alongside an all-star lineup including Boza, Farruko, Los Rabanes, Nando Boom, Natti Natasha, Sech, and Samy and Sandra Sandoval.

Past Winners by Category and Year

Premios Juventud has been presented annually since 2004. The table below covers the top categories from the last four ceremonies (2022 through 2025), showing which artists and songs have resonated most with the fan voting base.

The 2024 ceremony (21st edition) was hosted by Lele Pons, Clarissa Molina, and Wisin at the Coliseo de Puerto Rico Jose Miguel Agrelot on July 25, 2024. Karol G and Peso Pluma each won five awards. The show opened with Wisin and Sergio George performing their single "La Vida Es Una Fiesta" live for the first time, followed by a medley of hits from Anitta. The ceremony also featured a tribute to the Fania All Stars on their 60th anniversary, with performances by Anitta, Ivy Queen, La India, Luis Figueroa, Oscar D'Leon, and Tito Puente Jr.

The 2023 ceremony (20th edition) on July 20, 2023 was the biggest night of Shakira's career at Premios Juventud. She won eight awards including Female Artist, Best Song For My Ex, Girl Power, Best Urban Track, and Best Pop/Urban Song, all powered by "Shakira: Bzrp Music Sessions, Vol. 53" with Bizarrap and "TQG" with Karol G. Shakira also received the Agent of Change honor for her work with the Pies Descalzos Foundation, which has aided 150,000 underprivileged students in Colombia since 1997. In her acceptance speech she said, "To be an agent of change you just have to differentiate what is right from what is wrong."

The 2022 ceremony (19th edition) on July 21, 2022 was the first Premios Juventud held in Puerto Rico. Karol G won nine awards including Album of the Year for "KG0516" and La Mas Pegajosa for "Provenza." Grupo Firme followed with four awards. The ceremony was hosted by Eduin Caz, Clarissa Molina, Danna Paola, and Prince Royce.

How Premios Juventud Works

The awards follow a fan-driven process:

1. Nominations: Nominees are selected based on commercial performance, streaming data, social media engagement, and cultural impact. Categories span music, film, sports, and fashion, reflecting the show's broader pop culture focus compared to music-only awards.

2. Voting: Winners are determined entirely by online public voting at univision.com. There is no jury, industry panel, or professional voting body. Fans vote for their favorites during the voting period before the ceremony.

3. Ceremony: The annual ceremony is broadcast on Univision and features live performances, celebrity appearances, and award presentations. The show travels to different venues across the Americas. The 2022 ceremony was held at the Watsco Center in Miami, the 2023 edition at the Jose Miguel Agrelot Coliseum in Puerto Rico, and the 2025 edition at the Figali Convention Center in Panama.

Premios Juventud is set apart by its unique categories that go beyond standard music awards. Categories include "Me muero sin ese CD" (Album I can't live without), "Mi concierto favorito" (My favorite concert), and "La mas pegajosa" (Catchiest song). These fan-oriented categories reflect the show's focus on audience engagement rather than industry recognition.

Real-World Example: Records and Recent Ceremonies

The record for most Premios Juventud won in a single ceremony is held by Luis Fonsi, who won 10 awards in 2009 on the strength of "Despacito" and his broader catalog. RBD won 9 in 2006, Karol G won 9 in 2022, and Shakira won 9 in 2023.

The all-time records are notable for independent and emerging artists. Karol G holds the overall record with 33 career Premios Juventud wins. Bad Bunny holds the male artist record with 23 wins. RBD holds the group record with 20 wins. These artists built massive fanbases through streaming and social media before achieving awards dominance.

The 2024 ceremony (21st edition) was hosted by Lele Pons, Clarissa Molina, and Wisin. The 2025 ceremony (22nd edition) was hosted by Clarissa Molina, Alejandra Espinoza, and Nadia Ferreira, marking the show's continued expansion beyond its original Miami base to venues across Latin America.

Why It Matters for Independent Artists

Premios Juventud is entirely fan-voted, which means independent artists with passionate fanbases can win without label backing or industry connections. The nomination process considers streaming data and social media engagement, so strong digital performance can earn a nomination.

The show's unique categories reward fan engagement specifically. "My Favorite Concert" and "Catchiest Song" are not about industry consensus but about which artist mobilizes their audience to vote. For independent artists, this means building a dedicated fanbase that will vote is more important than critical acclaim.

Latin music's streaming growth has created opportunities for independent artists to reach Premios Juventud nomination levels. Artists like Peso Pluma, Natanael Cano, and Bizarrap built careers through streaming and social media before appearing on the awards radar.

If you are an independent Latin artist, focus on building streaming numbers and social media engagement during the eligibility period. Mobilize your fanbase to vote during the voting window. Use our Streaming Royalty Calculator to track your performance, and check the Premios Juventud website for eligibility windows and voting dates.

Related Resources

• Streaming Royalty Calculator - Track streaming performance that feeds into nominations
• Target Streams Calculator - Set streaming goals for awards eligibility
• 21 Ways Musicians Can Earn Income - Build revenue alongside fan engagement
• When and How to Hire a Music Manager - A manager can help coordinate fan voting campaigns
• What Is an Artist Development Deal - Understand label deals before pursuing awards strategy
• Premios Lo Nuestro - TelevisaUnivision's longest-running Latin music awards, sister show to Premios Juventud
• Latin Grammy Awards - The premier Latin music peer-voted awards
• Billboard Latin Music Awards - Chart-based Latin music awards from Billboard
• MTV Video Music Awards - Fan-influenced video music awards
• Latin American Music Awards - Fan-voted Latin music awards presented by Telemundo
• Music Awards Directory - Browse all music awards in our directory