The 20th anniversary of the Premios Juventud 2023 took place yesterday (July 20) at the historic Coliseo de Puerto Rico José Miguel Agrelot in San Juan, Puerto Rico. Not only did the popular award show deliver hard-earned awards to emerging and prominent artists, but it also entertained its audience with exciting and throwback performances.
This year’s performances gave its audience a balanced treat of the old-school generation and the newcomers in music. To remind us of the old-school hits, both the older and newer generation of el movimiento started the night off with a throwback reggaeton medley that brought the audience to their feet. On the other hand, artists who delivered performances of today’s popular music include Fuerza Regida performing their newest single “Sabor Fresa” and Eslabon Armado performing the hit single “Ella Baila Sola.”
But that wasn’t all that made last night a night to remember. Though Yailin La Más Viral’s scheduled performance didn’t end up happening, Dominicans were still well-represented this year. Pavel Núñez, Fernando Villalona, Jandy Ventura, Ilegales, and La Materialista teamed up to remind us about Dominican music’s impact and history. There were also sentimental performances by Carin León and Camilo for their duet “Ni Me Debes, Ni Te Debo” and a heartfelt cover of Agustín Lara’s “Piensa En Mí” by the night’s co-host Ángela Aguilar. Moreover, there was an exciting premiere of Chiquis and Snow Tha Product’s new collaboration, “Ni Muerta.” But all of this barely scratches the surface of Premio Juventud’s performances.
Needless to say, it was an eventful night with over 35 performers who left their mark on the hot award show’s stage. From the energetic reggaeton medley showcasing both veterans and emerging stars in el movimiento to CNCO’s farewell performance, here are six of our favorite performances from this year’s Premios Juventud.
Reggaeton’s Legacy
Premios Juventud’s intro performance was nothing short of epic. This year, Daddy Yankee and Luny Tunes curated the event’s intro, showcasing el movimiento’s most popular tunes from the past two decades. The award show started with an introduction by DY, followed by a string of iconic hits, including “Ven Bailalo” by Angel & Khriz, “Down” by R.K. M y Ken-Y, and “El Tiburón” by Alexis y Fido. The electrifying start also featured Wisin, who performed “Saoco” alongside Chencho Corleone and Omar Courtz. Other artists in this showstopping performance include RaiNao and De La Ghetto who sang “Travesuras.” Chesca, DJ Playero, and Khea were also part of the segment.
Hoobastank’s Salsa-Infused Version of “The Reason”
Hoobastank in Premios Juventud was not in our 2023 bingo card, and yet it worked. The band performed alongside Venezuelan tropical pop and salsa singer Jonathan Moly, also known as Moly. When asked who came up with the collaboration idea, Moly said he brought the idea to Hoobastank three years ago. He mentioned that it’s a special song for him and his uncle, who is also his manager. His manager advised him to do a salsa version of it and send it to the American band, so Moly did via Instagram. Moreover, the salsa version of “The Reason” aligns perfectly with the popular song’s upcoming 20th anniversary. The result? A rhythmic bilingual version of the throwback alternative rock tune.
Camila’s Comeback After 10 Years
Camila made their epic comeback on the PJ stage. After 10 years, Camila returned to sing their newest single, “Fugitivos,” as well as sbippets of their hit tracks “Mientes” and “Todo Cambió.” Seeing the three members on stage after a decade brought us chills—and we weren’t the only ones. It also left their viewers wanting more. A social media user commented: “IS CAMILA OFFICIALLY BACK TOGETHER??? I NEED TO KNOW???? I NEED TOUR DATES IF SO.” Although there’s no tour news yet, we’re stoked to see that the trio is back in action.
Jenni Rivera’s Daughters Sing “Pedacito de Mí”
La Diva de la Banda’s spirit is still present among us. Last year, Banda MS and Grupo Firme teamed up for a 10 year death anniversary tribute to Rivera. This year, her family continued her mother’s legacy by performing “Pedacito de Mí,” the focus single from Rivera’s posthumous album Misión Cumplida. The performance started with a single microphone decorated with white roses from top to bottom. Rivera’s voice started with her chilling, spoken intro. During the presentation, old photos of the beloved singer and her family appeared in the background while her three daughters—Chiquis, Jacqie Rivera, and Jenicka López—sang their mother’s tune. In the end, her son Johnny also made an appearance on stage.
Showstopping Merengue Medley
Premios Juventud doesn’t just focus on what’s on mainstream media. They also highlight music that made history in one way or another. In this case, they reunited Toño Rosario and Los Hermanos Rosario to perform their rhythmic and catchy hits that still pop off during quinceañeras today. The hits included “El Palo,” “Dale Vieja Dale,” “La Dueña Del Swing,” “Alegría,” “Rompecintura,” and ended with “Cumande.” It goes without saying that the audience danced throughout the merengue compilation that was one of our favorites to watch this year.
CNCO’s Farewell Performance
If you haven’t heard yet, CNCO is saying goodbye to stages. Last night, they closed an important part of their musical journey by performing on Premios Juventud’s stage. The Latine boy band sang their heartfelt tune “La Última Canción” as fans echoed the lyrics back to them. Their performance started with the boys across the venue. Some were on stage, others walking through the award show’s fans, greeting them as they made their way on stage. Together, they created a sentimental ambiance while they sang for the last time on the show’s stage. “It’s crazy for us to be saying goodbye at PJ because the first time we performed in an awards show was at Premios Juventud,” CNCO said in a previous press statement.