Photo credit: Getty images and video for BMI
BMI saluted its top Latin songwriters and publishers this evening at the 31st Annual BMI Latin Awards held at the Beverly Wilshire Hotel in Beverly Hills, CA. Horacio Palencia was presented with the prestigious BMI President’s Award for his outstanding contributions to the art of songwriting and his profound impact in shaping the Mexican music genre. BMI’s Regional Mexican Song, Songwriter and Publisher of the Year and BMI’s Contemporary Latin Song, Songwriter and Publisher of the Year were also announced, as well as the top 50 Latin songs of the previous year. The private event was hosted by BMI’s President & CEO Mike O’Neill, Executive Vice President, Chief Revenue & Creative Officer, Mike Steinberg and Vice President, Creative, Latin, Jesus Gonzalez.
After being presented with the BMI President’s Award, Palencia captivated the room with a performance of some of his greatest hits including, “A Través Del Vaso,” “2 VECES,” and “Ya Es Muy Tarde,” among other fan-favorite hits. Throughout his prolific career, Palencia has received more than 50 BMI Latin Awards, including the coveted BMI Latin Songwriter of the Year and BMI Regional Mexican Songwriter of the Year, four times each. He was named Billboard’s Latin Songwriter of the Year in 2017, has five Latin GRAMMY nominations, thirty-two Billboard No.1’s to date and was the first Latin songwriter inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame in Miami.
In receiving the night’s highest honor, Palencia joins previous BMI President’s Award recipients including Carlos Vives, Gloria Trevi, Juanes, Luis Fonsi, Mario Quintero, Pitbull, Sergio George and Wisin & Yandel, among others.
Throughout the ceremony, the top songwriters and publishers of the previous year’s 50 most-performed Latin songs were also applauded leading up to the night’s top honors. Mexican-American songwriter/producer Edgar Barrera was named Regional Mexican Songwriter of the Year for the second year in a row for writing seven of BMI’s most-performed regional Mexican songs of the past year including “Bebe Dame,” “CHANEL,” “Di Que Sí,” “Frágil,” “Que Vuelvas,” “UN X100TO” and “Ya No Somos Ni Seremos.” Puerto Rican-Dominican hitmaker MAG received the Contemporary Latin Songwriter of the Year award for his work on ten of the most-performed BMI Latin songs of 2023, including “Aguacero,” “Andrea,” “Después de la Playa,” “Dos mil 16,” “Efecto,” “El Apagón,” “La Corriente,” “La Jumpa,” “Otro Atardecer” and “Un Coco.”
Eslabon Armado brought the audience to their feet with a performance of the anthem “Ella Baila Sola,” which was named Regional Mexican Song of the Year. “Efecto” by MAG, La Paciencia and Cesar Americo, Feli Ciano, Harissis Tsakmaklis and Luzian Gregor Tuetsch of Bass Charity was named Contemporary Latin Song of the Year. Sony Music Publishing took home the honor for Contemporary Latin Publisher of the Year and Prajin Music Publishing and Downtown DMP Songs was named Regional Mexican Publisher of the Year.
Earlier in the evening, BMI announced it will open a new office in Miami later this year to closely serve its exceptional creative community in southern Florida, Puerto Rico, Latin America and beyond. The office will be headed by BMI’s Vice President, Creative, Latin Jesus Gonzalez, who relocated to Miami from Los Angeles. Joining Gonzalez in Miami is RC Carranza, who was recently hired as BMI’s Director, Creative, Latin.
