Cruz to Receive Musical Tribute at This Year’s Latin American Music Awards

Celia Cruz may be gone, but she’ll be remembered in a big way at the inaugural Latin American Music Awards.

The late Cuban-American salsa singer/performer and seven-time Grammy winner, who passed away in 2003 at the age of 77, will receive a musical tribute produced by Sergio George at the Latin AMAs.

Celia Cruz

George, a tropical music legend, has rounded up a diverse group of performers to honor the late Queen of Salsa’s legacy during the October 8 telecast on Telemundo, airing live from the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood.

Colombian sensation Maluma, princess of salsa India, Mexican icon Yuri and singer/actress Aymée Nuviola — who portrays Cruz in the new Telemundo series Celia — will sing a medley of her most beloved hits.

Presenting the tribute are Puerto Rican actors Jeimy Osorio and Modesto Lacén, who play Cruz and her husband/manager Pedro Knight during their younger years on Celia (Nuviola and renowned theater actor Willie Denton play the couple later in life).

Slated for an October 13 premiere, Celia chronicles Úrsula Hilaria Celia de la Caridad Cruz Alfonso‘s evolution from a shy teen in pre-revolution Havana, Cuba, to a larger-than-life figure that brought the world to its feet with the power of her voice, inimitable style and exuberant presence. Along the way, Cruz battled racism, sexism and defied expectations of what a black female musician could achieve in the ’50s.

Other performers confirmed for the Latin AMAs include Paulina RubioDaddy YankeeJesse & JoyReikFarrukoFonsecaShaggyLil Jon, YandelNatalie La Rose, Jencarlos Canela, Luis CoronelCD9Gloria TreviGerardo Ortiz and Il Volo.

Jesse & Joy to Perform at This Year’s Latin American Music Awards

Jesse & Joy will be spreading their (ecos de) amor at this year’s Latin American Music Awards.

The Mexican pop duo, comprised of siblings Jesse Huerta and Tirzah Joy Huerta, have been added to the lineup of the first-ever Latin AMAs.

Jesse & Joy

No word on what song Jesse & Joy will perform, but all bets are on the duo’s new ballad, “Ecos de Amor.”

Jesse & Joy will join a lineup that includes Paulina Rubio, Daddy Yankee, Yuri, Reik, Farruko, Fonseca and Shaggy.

The Latin AMAs, the first-ever Spanish language award show modeled after the American Music Awards, will be broadcast on October 8 on Telemundo, live from the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles.

The newly announced performers will join Lil Jon, Yandel, Natalie La Rose, Jencarlos Canela, Maluma, Luis Coronel, CD9, Gloria Trevi, Gerardo Ortiz and Il Volo.

With awards given in 20 categories, winners to the Latin AMAs will be voted by the fans in the traditional format of the American Music Awards.

Fans from the United States and Puerto Rico can vote online now at www.LatinAMAs.com/vota, through Wednesday, Septenber 30 at 12:00 pm EST.

Fans worldwide can vote via Twitter by posting a tweet that contains first and last name of the nominee, category and the hashtag #LatinAMAs.

Nicky Jam Leads the Pack of Latin American Music Awards Nominees

Nicky Jam is on a roll…

The 34-year-old Puerto Rican/Dominican American urban singer, who recently moved into the No. 2 stop for most consecutive weeks at No. 1 on Billboard’s Hot Latin Songs Chart, continues his hot streak in 2015 with six nominations for the new Latin American Music Awards – the most of any artist.

Nicky Jam

Nicky Jam is nominated in key categories like artist of the year, song of the year and favorite streaming song on the strength of his hit “El Perdón,” featuring Enrique Iglesias.

An awards show regular, Iglesias follows Nicky Jam with five nods (three of those for “El Perdón”). He’s tied with J Balvin, who is up for new artist of the year and favorite male artist – urban, in addition to other song categories in recognition of his smash “Ay Vamos.”

Romeo Santos, Maná and Calibre 50 each have four nominations, while Demi Lovato and Selena Gomez pop up in the favorite crossover artist and favorite dance song categories respectively, making the first-ever Spanish language award show modeled after the American Music Awards a must-watch event for all music lovers.

The show, airing live on October 8 on Telemundo from the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles, marks the first time a Dick Clark Productions awards show is recast in a Spanish language version, underscoring the growth of the Spanish speaking TV viewer and its appeal to advertisers.

Nominations to the Latin AMAs are based on key fan interactions with music, including (but not limited to) sales, airplay, streaming and social activity tracked by Billboard through its data partners Nielsen Music and Next Big Sound. Voting powered by Telescope Inc. has officially begun here.

Here’s the full list of nominations for the Latin AMAs:

New Artist of the Year
Chiquis Rivera
J Balvin
Maluma
Remmy Valenzuela

Artist of the Year
Calibre 50
Enrique Iglesias
Julión Álvarez y su Norteño Banda
Nicky Jam
Romeo Santos

Song of the Year
“Ay Vamos” – J Balvin
“Contigo” – Calibre 50
“El Perdón” – Nicky Jam & Enrique Iglesias
“Hilito” – Romeo Santos
“Fanática Sensual’ – Plan B

Album of the Year
“A Quien Quiera Escuchar” – Ricky Martin
“Cama Incendiada” – Maná
“Hoy Más Fuerte” – Gerardo Ortiz
“Los Dúo” – Juan Gabriel
“Mis Número 1…40 Aniversario” – Juan Gabriel

Favorite Female Artist
Chiquis Rivera
Fanny Lu
Gloria Trevi
Natalia Jiménez
Paulina Rubio

Favorite Male Artist – Pop/Rock
Chayanne
Enrique Iglesias
Juan Gabriel
Marco Antonio Solís
Ricky Martin

Favorite Song – Urban
“Ay Vamos” – J Balvin
“Pierdo La Cabeza” – Zion & Lennox
“Sígueme y te Sigo” – Daddy Yankee

Favorite Artist – Tropical
Chino y Nacho
Juan Luis Guerra
Romeo Santos
Victor Manuelle

Favorite Song – Tropical
“Hilito” – Romeo Santos
“La Gozadera” – Gente de Zona feat. Marc Anthony
“Me Voy Enamorando” – Chino y Nacho feat. Farruko
“Solita” – Prince Royce

Favorite Collaboration
“Como Yo Le Doy” – Pitbull & Don Miguelo
“El Perdón” – Nicky Jam & Enrique Iglesias
“Mi Verdad” – Maná feat. Shakira
“Nota de Amor” – Wisin & Carlos Vives feat. Daddy Yankee

Favorite Duo or Group – Pop/Rock
Camila
Jesse & Joy
Maná
Reik

Favorite Song – Pop/Rock
“Mi Verdad” –Maná
“La Mordidita” – Ricky Martin feat. Yotuel
“Perdón” – Camila

Favorite Male Artist – Regional Mexican
Gerardo Ortiz
Luis Coronel
Régulo Caro

Favorite Duo or Group – Regional Mexican
Banda El Recodo de Cruz Lizárraga
Banda Sinaloense MS de Sergio Lizárraga
Calibre 50
Julión Álvarez y su Norteño Banda

Favorite Song – Regional Mexican
“Háblame De Ti” – Banda Sinaloense MS de Sergio Lizárraga
“Y Así Fue” – Julión Álvarez y su Norteño Banda
“Contigo” – Calibre 50

Favorite Male Artist – Urban
J Balvin
Nicky Jam
Don Omar
Daddy Yankee
Yandel

Favorite Duo or Group – Urban
Gente de Zona
Plan B
Zion & Lennox

Favorite Crossover Artist
Demi Lovato
Ellie Goulding
Meghan Trainor
Natalie La Rose
OMI

Favorite Dance Song
“Where Are U Now” – Skrillex & Diplo with Justin Bieber
“I Want You To Know” – Zedd feat. Selena Gomez
“Lean On” – Major Lazer & DJ Snake feat. MØ
“You Know You Like It” – DJ Snake &  AlunaGeorge
“Back It Up” – Prince Royce feat. Jennifer Lopez

Favorite Streaming Song
“El Perdón” – Nicky Jam & Enrique Iglesias
“Travesuras” – Nicky Jam
“Ay Vamos” – J Balvin
“Háblame de Ti” – Banda Sinaloense MS de Sergio Lizárraga
“Fanática Sensual” – Plan B