The first major Latin music award show took place last night with the 2024 Premio Lo Nuestro. The big winner of the night was Colombian superstar Karol G with nine awards. Though she wasn’t in attendance, Latin stars Don Omar, Anitta, Grupo Frontera, Carin León, and others delivered memorable performances with surprise guests like Machine Gun Kelly and Kane Brown. Here’s six of our favorite moments from the all-star event.
Don Omar Revisits His Classics With Machine Gun Kelly and Anitta
Don Omar was honored with the Global Icon award for being a reggaeton music pioneer. The Puerto Rican legend received the award from Anitta, Wisin y Yandel, and Machine Gun Kelly. “You and I are from different worlds, but your music brought us together tonight,” Machine Gun Kelly told Don Omar. Don Omar then performed a medley of his greatest hits, including “Salió El Sol” with Anitta and “Sandunga” with Wisin y Yandel. Machine Gun Kelly then pulled out his guitar to perform an electrifying version of “Danza Kuduro” with him.
Carin León and Kane Brown’s Country Music Crossover
Carin León is proving that regional Mexican music isn’t all that different from country music. The Mexican superstar teamed up with country star Kane Brown to perform their new single “The One (Pero No Como Yo).” León and Brown’s crossover collaboration seamlessly blended both their worlds of music as they delivered heartfelt performances. León won four Premio Lo Nuestro awards, including two for his genre-bending collaboration “Según Quién” with Maluma.
Grupo Frontera’s Powerhouse Performance with Arcángel
There was a strong regional Mexican music presence at Premio Lo Nuestro last night. Another standout crossover took place with Grupo Frontera’s heartfelt performance. The Mexican-American group performed the emotional track “ALV” with reggaeton icon Arcángel. The voice of Adelaido “Payo” Solís III, who is the lead singer of Grupo Frontera, soared as he belted the band’s baby-come-back anthem “Quédate Bebé.” When Maluma opened the show, he also sang a pair of regional Mexican songs including “Bling Bling.” Later, Natti Natasha performed her Mexican-inspired track “Ya No Te Extraño.”
Anitta’s Fierce Medley Featuring Bad Gyal
Anitta performed a captivating medley of her recent hits. The Brazilian superstar opened her set with her freaky reggaeton banger “Bellakeo.” Mexican singer Peso Pluma didn’t join her to sing the song, but his raspy vocals could still be heard. Rising Spanish artist Bad Gyal then emerged to sing “Bota Niña” live for the first time with Anitta. Both women grinded on each other during the playful performance. Anitta then proudly represented Brazil with her alluring song “Mil Veces,” which embraces her country’s melodic funk sound.
Camilo and Evaluna Montaner’s Pregnancy Reveal
Camilo and his wife Evaluna Montaner are one of Latin music’s most beloved couples. In 2022, Camilo and Evaluna, who is the daughter of Ricardo Montaner, became parents with the birth of their first child Índigo. During the adorable performance of their salsa-infused track “Plis,” they revealed that a second child is on the way. Camilo proudly kissed Evaluna’s baby bump. On Instagram, they announced that the baby’s name will be Amaranto.
Emilia and Tini Share a Kiss
Emilia is on a mission to bring Latin pop music back to the forefront. The Argentine star hit the Premio Lo Nuestro stage with a medley of hits from her album “.MP3.” First, she performed “No_Se_Ve.mp3,” which blends EDM and Brazilian funk music. Emilia gave a shout-out to her collaborator, Brazilian artist Ludmilla. Fellow Argentine singer Tini then joined Emilia onstage for a fierce performance of “La_Original.mp3,” which culminated with them sharing a friendly kiss.
Lucas Villa is a freelance music contributor for LATINA and his work is featured in Rolling Stone, Billboard, Teen Vogue, MTV News, and W Magazine.