International icon Juan Gabriel will be honored with the Telemundo Star Award at the 2016 Billboard Latin Music Awards. The noteworthy accolade recognizes the achievements of a musical artist beyond the realm of the performance. The longest-running and most prestigious awards show in the Latin music world will be produced and broadcast live by TELEMUNDO onThursday, April 28 at 8pm/7c from the BankUnited Center at the University of Miami in Florida, and will be preceded at 7pm/6c by the acclaimed red carpet preshow “La Alfombra de Premios Billboard.”
Juan Gabriel is recognized worldwide as a singer, composer, producer, actor and philanthropist. His contribution to Latin music throughout the past 45 years is unparalleled. He has sold over 100 million copies of his albums and has performed sold-out concerts throughout the world. His songs have been interpreted by over 1500 artists and groups, and have been translated to many languages, including Turkish, Tagalog, Greek and Japanese. His music has crossed through a variety of genres including pop, ballads, rancheras, flamenco, and new age, achieving numerous hits for himself as well as leading Latin artists including Angelica Maria, Lucha Villa, Ana Gabriel, Luis Miguel and Rocio Durcal. Juan Gabriel has also produced albums for Rocio Durcal, Lucha Villa, Lola Beltran, and Paul Anka.
With the highest-grossing Latin touring act of 2015, the renowned showman is back at the top of the Latin music scene. In January of this year, Juan Gabriel made history becoming the first living act to rule the top three on the Top Latin Albums chart with “Los Duo 2 (No. 1),” “Los Duo (No. 2),” and “Mis Numero 1 … 40 Aniversario (No. 3).” In addition, the life of the Mexican icon will be featured on the small screen through TELEMUNDO, when the network broadcasts this year the much-anticipated bio-musical series titled “Hasta que te conoci”.
Juan Gabriel will also delight viewers with a special performance, joining previously announced performances by Juanes, Lucero, Yandel,Natalia Jimenez, Marc Anthony, Nicky Jam, Victor Manuelle, Banda Sinaloense MS de Sergio Lizarraga, Marco Antonio Solis,Alejandro Fernandez with Camila Fernandez, and Daddy Yankee with Don Omar.
Presenters of the awards show, which will be hosted by Gaby Espino and Pedro Fernandez, include: Adriana Lima, Dr. Ana Maria Polo,Andres Cantor, Angelica Vale, Blanca Soto, Carmen Aub, Don Francisco, Edith Gonzalez, El Dasa, Fernanda Castillo, Giselle Blondet, Maria Celeste Arraras, Michael Buffer, Patricia Manterola, Rafael Amaya and Raul Gonzalez
Previous winners of the Telemundo Star Award include Marc Anthony, Alejandro Fernandez, Ricky Martin, Ana Gabriel and Thalia.
The Billboard Latin Music Awards are the only awards that honor the most popular albums, songs, and performers in Latin music, as determined by the actual sales, radio airplay, streaming and social data that informs Billboard’s weekly charts.