Shakira, Bad Bunny, Aitana and Karol G topped the list of winners at the Premios Juventud awards, held in Marbella, in southern Spain, marking the first time the ceremony has taken place in Europe. Romeo Santos, Alejandro Fernandez and Prince Royce were also among the night's biggest winners, in a celebration of Latin music and culture that used Spain as a bridge to the rest of the continent.
Antonio Banderas, Marc Anthony, Yandel and the Spanish pop group La Oreja de Van Gogh received the "Agentes de Cambio" (Agents of Change) honor, recognizing their cultural impact, community work and influence across generations of Hispanic audiences.
Premios Juventud, organized by TelevisaUnivision, has previously been staged in cities including Los Angeles, Miami and Houston in the United States, as well as in Panama. This year's move to Spain came through a partnership between the organizers and Starlite Marbella.
Top winners of the night
Shakira won three awards, including best female artist and best pop song for "Besame" with Alejandro Sanz. Bad Bunny took home two prizes, best male artist and best tour for his "Debi tirar mas fotos" world tour.
Aitana received three awards: Best Euro-Song for "Superestrella," Best Pop Album for "Cuarto Azul," and Couple Goals with Plex. Karol G won Album of the Year for "Tropicoqueta" and Best Urban Rhythmic Song for "Verano Rosa" with Feid.
Alejandro Fernandez won My Favorite Track for "Me esta doliendo" with Carin Leon, Best Pop Ballad Song for "Sin despedida" with Carlos Rivera, and Best Banda Mexican Music Song for "El Rey" with Vicente Fernandez. Prince Royce and Romeo Santos picked up three awards between them for their work together.
The full list of winners included roughly thirty other artists, among them Beele, Bizarrap, Quevedo, Carin Leon, Alejandro Sanz, Camila Fernandez, Carlos Rivera, Greeicy, J Balvin, Farruko, Daddy Yankee, Morat and Lola Indigo.
Performances lit up the show
Among the many performances during the gala, Colombian singer Camilo used the ceremony to exclusively debut "Arbol," a preview track from his upcoming album "Para cuando sean mayores."
Marc Anthony praised Latino heritage as he accepted his award and also performed some of his best known songs. Puerto Rican reggaeton veteran Wisin ran through several of his biggest hits, while Spanish artists Manuel Carrasco and Ana Mena also had the crowd dancing.
Elena Rose presented her recent collaboration with Silvestre Dangond, "Efectos Secundarios," while Farruko, Juan Magan and DJ Rous led the opening number with "Marbella Nights," the official anthem of Premios Juventud 2026.
Agents of change honored for their impact
Banderas dedicated his award to Ceuta, describing it as a multicultural and multireligious city, and to its residents, who he said deserve to reclaim their lives and live in peace. He made the dedication after reflecting on the need to defend personal freedom against those who try to manipulate people.
La Oreja de Van Gogh marked thirty years of friendship and music together, saying the band members had grown up together and traveled the world, and pledged to keep supporting charitable associations.
Yandel, introduced by the show's host as a living legend of music, thanked the organizers and Spain for their warmth, telling the audience he was grateful to the country for everything.
Fifty categories and what comes next
The 2026 edition featured fifty categories honoring artists in music, television, streaming, content creation and pop culture, along with a new category, "Creator de Espana," recognizing Spanish digital talent.
The PJ Fest, the wider festival built around the awards, continues after the gala with performances by Wisin and Manuel Carrasco at Starlite this Friday and on Saturday, September 5, respectively.
The broadcast reached more than 150 countries, with new audiences in Europe, Asia and Africa, following a broadcast agreement between TelevisaUnivision and RTVE, Spain's public broadcaster. The ceremony was hosted by Spanish presenter Jesus Vazquez, Mexican presenter Alejandra Espinoza and Dominican presenter Clarissa Molina.
