Premios Juventud commemorated its 20th anniversary on Thursday night, and the standout victor was Colombian sensation Shakira, who claimed a total of eight music awards.

Marking two decades of celebrating the best in Latin music, Puerto Rico served as the venue for this star-studded event, hosting some of the genre’s biggest names.

Shakira triumphed in categories including best female artist, best song, girl power, best urban track, best pop song, best pop/urban collaboration, tropical mix, and social dance challenge. As the night came to a close, Shakira was also honored with the Agent of Change Award, presented by Puerto Rican singer Kany Garcia. This distinguished recognition acknowledged Shakira’s philanthropic efforts through her foundation, “Fundación Pies Descalzos,” which was established in 1997 to provide underprivileged children and their families with improved access to quality education.

In her acceptance speech, the Colombian superstar addressed the challenges faced by marginalized communities, stating, “We live in an ambiguous world, filled with great music, beauty, TikTok dances, selfies with filters, but there are things that you cannot filter or paper over… places where you are born poor and you die poor because they do not get a chance to receive a quality education, places where you are discriminated against because of your sexual preference, your skin color or your social standing.”

Two other recipients of the Agent of Change award were singer Camila Cabello and Emmanuel Estuardo Yoque, a student from Los Angeles, recognized for their efforts in social justice work. Mexican regional star Peso Pluma and Colombian singer Karol G each garnered five awards. However, neither artist could attend the ceremony due to their ongoing tours.

Peso Pluma’s accolades included best male performance, next generation regional Mexican, best regional Mexican song, best collaboration regional Mexican, and best regional Mexican album. Karol G shared three awards with Shakira for their song “TQG” — best urban track, girl power, and social dance challenge. She also secured awards for favorite streaming artist and best female urban album.

Bad Bunny, Bizarrap, and Rosalia, though absent from the show, each received four awards.

One of the most anticipated moments of the night was a touching tribute performance to Jenni Rivera by her three daughters, Chiquis Marin, Jenicka López, and Jacqie Campos. Dressed in white, the trio delivered a heartfelt rendition of their late mother’s classic hit, “Pedacito de Mi.”

As with most awards shows, intrigue and controversy emerged. Tekashi 6IX9INE was expected to perform alongside Yailin La Mas Viral but failed to appear, citing security concerns. Puerto Rican officials advised Univision, the network hosting the show, to cancel the performance due to social media speculation regarding potential violence against the rapper.

The hosting duties were shared by Alejandra Espinoza, Angela Aguila, Dayanara Torres, and Marcus Ornellas.