By Jessica Roiz
J Balvin sang in pjs, Becky G and Natti Natasha got the party started with “Sin Pijama,” and sneakers (yes, sneakers!) were some of the highlights that went down at the 2018 Premios Juventud.
Unlike previous years, where artists received awards, Sunday night’s (July 22) four-hour showcase was a musical celebration in honor of PJ’s 15th anniversary and dedicated to Generation Z. Check out some of the memorable events of the night.
First-time TV debuts
One of the cool things about this year’s show was the fact that many artists debuted their latest hits on national TV. These included CNCO performing “Se Vuelve Loca,” Maluma and Wolfine singing “Bella,” J Balvin, Zion & Lennox jamming to “No Es Justo” with child dancers, and Becky G pumping up the crowd with Natti Natasha in “Sin Pijama’s” debut on U.S. television, just to name a few.
Daddy Yankee surprises fans
Speaking of first-time debuts, Daddy Yankee paused his European tour and made a pit stop in Miami, Fla. to perform “Zum Zum” alongside RKM & Ken-Y and Arcangel in the single’s world TV premiere. Going off topic here, but did you check out their bumblebee-inspired outfits?
The Cubaton Showcase
One of the most-talked about moments of the night was the Cubaton showcase featuring some of the strongest Cuban artists in the game right now. The performance was presented by renowned Cuban-American artist Pitbull, who said t it was a special night for the Cuban community and the Cubaton genre. Jacob Forever, Lenier, El Micha, El Chacal, El Taiger and I Am Chino repped their Caribbean flag to the fullest.
Raising Awareness
In the midst of the fiesta, Premios Juventud was a platform for social advocacy and brought to the forefront issues that matter to this and every generation. Through real stories and real people, PJ raised awareness on the importance of rebuilding communities, female empowerment, gun violence, organ donation, and bi-culturalism.
Sneakers, sneakers, and more sneakers
And finally, but definitely not least, if there’s one thing that every artist present at the 2018 Premios Juventud has in common, it’s sneakers! During the pre-telecast of “PJ Takeover,” we realized that artists including Becky G, Piso 21, Mau & Ricky, J Balvin, De La Ghetto, and Karol G are all “sneakerheads”— meaning they are obsessed with shoes and have collections of over 200 pairs. In Becky G’s words, “I lost count.”
Source: Billboard