Celia Cruz to be Honored Posthumously with the “Legend Award” at this Year’s Special
Miami, FL, April 15, 2025 – Telemundo and Billboard announced a spectacular tribute to the legendary queen of salsa, Celia Cruz, featuring a heartfelt performance and the prestigious “Legend Award” recognition at the Billboard Latin Women in Music event airing live on Telemundo on April 24 at 9pm/8c. The special will also be available on the Telemundo app, Universo and Peacock and throughout Latin America and the Caribbean on Telemundo Internacional.
The tribute will showcase unforgettable performances by Latin music superstars, the undisputed queen of reggaeton, Ivy Queen, the princess of salsa, La India, and the merengue queen, Olga Tañón. These powerhouse artists, all honorees of the Billboard Women in Music franchise, will bring Celia’s most iconic hits to life, delivering a celebration that promises to be both electrifying and deeply moving. In recognition of their own extraordinary achievements, Ivy Queen received the “Icon Award” at the 2023 Billboard Women in Music, while La India was honored with the 2024 “Pioneer Award” and Olga Tañón will receive the 2025 “Lifetime Achievement Award,” both at Billboard Latin Women in Music.
In honor of her centennial, Celia Cruz, the legendary and one-of-a-kind figure whose influence on Latin music and culture remains unparalleled, will receive the “Legend Award,” celebrating her groundbreaking contributions to the arts. This honor highlights her role as a trailblazer who shattered expectations, broke barriers, and empowered countless individuals worldwide. Known worldwide for her hits such as “La Vida es un Carnaval” and “Quimbara,” Cruz’s powerful voice, infectious energy, and iconic “Azúcar” chant made her a global symbol of joy, pride, and empowerment. Her music has consistently appeared on the Billboard Hot Latin Songs chart, showcasing her enduring popularity and influence in Latin music. Shortly after her passing in 2003, she achieved an extraordinary feat with eight albums simultaneously in the Top 10 of Billboard‘s Tropical Albums chart. Her album “Regalo Del Alma” peaked at No. 40 on the Billboard 200, further cementing her legacy.
Over a career spanning five decades, she revolutionized salsa music, bringing Afro-Cuban rhythms to the world stage and breaking barriers as a Black Latina woman in a male-dominated industry. As a trailblazer in Afro-Latina representation, Cruz’s fearless authenticity paved the way for future generations of artists. Today, we celebrate not only her musical genius but also the resilience, strength, and profound cultural legacy she left on the world.
Previously announced honorees for this year’s special include Anitta “Vanguard Award,” Belinda “Evolution Award,” Chiquis “Impact Award,” Ha*Ash “Unbreakable Award,” Natti Natasha “Unstoppable Artist Award,” and Olga Tañón “Lifetime Achievement Award.” The rest of the performers and presenters will be announced soon.
The two-hour event will celebrate the groundbreaking women shaping the future of Latin music. To join the celebration and enjoy exclusive content, follow @Telemundo on Instagram and TikTok. Also, be part of the conversation using the hashtag #BBMujeresLatinas and visit Telemundo.com/BillboardMujeresLatinas and Telemundo Entretenimiento on YouTube for all the latest.
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About Billboard:
Billboard is the ultimate barometer of success in music. Through its iconic charts, breaking news, thought leadership, multi-platform storytelling and world class events, Billboard tracks the world’s top musicians and the business that powers them. Since its origin in 1894, music leaders and fans across the world look to Billboard as the most trusted source for music information, spanning more than a dozen countries and published in 10 languages. The prestigious Billboard Music Awards are the only premium awards ceremony that recognize musicians for their undeniable achievements on the Billboard charts, using pure data to determine the winners, rather than relying on opaque committees or undisclosed voters to select the honorees giving fans maximum impact at each year’s ceremony, as Billboard’s chart data measures fans’ engagement with their favorite music. Billboard’s other premium experiences range from the Billboard Power 100 to Billboard Women in Music, Billboard Latin Music Week, and Billboard Live, which connects the most impactful artists and industry leaders with fans from all cultures and corners of the globe.
About NBCUniversal Telemundo Enterprises:
NBCUniversal Telemundo Enterprises leads the media industry in the production and distribution of Spanish-language content for U.S. Hispanics and audiences around the world. The company serves U.S. Hispanics through its national broadcast network, the cable network Universo, and digital platforms including the Telemundo app, a suite of FAST channels, and streaming services, such as Peacock, among others. The Telemundo Network offers Spanish-language entertainment, news, and sports content reaching 95% of U.S. Hispanic TV households in 210 markets through 30 owned stations and 91 affiliate stations. Telemundo also owns an independent station serving Puerto Rico. Anchored on Telemundo Studios, the network is the #1 producer of scripted Spanish-language content in the U.S., and the only network to produce original content specifically for US Hispanic audiences. Offering over 600 hours of reality TV shows a year, Telemundo is considered the undisputed Home of Reality TV in Hispanic media. The network is also the exclusive Spanish-language home of the world’s two most popular sporting events, the FIFA World Cup and the Olympic Games. NBCUniversal Telemundo Enterprises is a division of NBCUniversal, a subsidiary of Comcast Corporation.
Media Contacts:
Telemundo
Claudia Franklin – claudia.franklin@nbcuni.com
Ana Echenique – ana.echenique@nbcuni.com
Nicole Morano – nmorano@pmc.com
Lydia Baskharoon – lbaskharoon@pmc.com
