BMI Honors Reggaetón Pioneers Luny Tunes with the BMI President’s Award at the 2026 BMI Latin Awards
Elena Rose To Receive the BMI Impact Award
BMI is thrilled to salute legendary production duo Luny Tunes with the BMI President’s Award for their immense contributions to Latin urban music at the 2026 BMI Latin Awards on Thursday, March 19. This prestigious award celebrates the duo’s enduring legacy as pioneers of reggaetón whose work helped transform the genre from an underground movement into a global phenomenon. In addition, singer-songwriter Elena Rose will be presented with the BMI Impact Award. From writing hits for music superstars like Bad Bunny, Selena Gomez, and Becky G to launching a successful solo career, this honor recognizes her groundbreaking artistry, creative vision, and impact on the future of music. The private event will take place at the Fontainebleau Coastal Convention Center in Miami Beach and will be hosted by BMI President & CEO Mike O’Neill, BMI Executive Vice President, Chief Revenue & Creative Officer, Mike Steinberg, and BMI Vice President, Creative, Latin, Jesus Gonzalez.
“Luny Tunes are architects of reggaetón’s golden era and catalysts for its global rise,” said Gonzalez. “We’re honored to recognize their enduring legacy alongside rising star Elena Rose, whose songwriting talent and artistry continue to captivate audiences. We’re also excited to celebrate our exceptional familia of songwriters, producers and publishers behind the most-performed Latin songs of the past year during the ceremony.”
Throughout the evening, BMI will also recognize the songwriters and publishers of the past year’s most-performed Latin songs in the United States. The BMI Regional Mexican Song, Songwriter, and Publisher of the Year and the BMI Contemporary Latin Song, Songwriter and Publisher of the Year will be named during the ceremony.
Luny Tunes is comprised of Francisco “Luny” Saldaña and Víctor “Tunes” Cabrera, a producer duo widely regarded as one of the most influential in Latin music history. Originally from the Dominican Republic, they later relocated to Massachusetts, where they began developing their signature musical style. With a career spanning 25 years, the pair moved to Puerto Rico in 2001, where they honed their production approach alongside DJ Nelson and became integral to the island’s emerging reggaetón scene. With more than 500 songs to their credit, Luny Tunes helped define the genre’s golden era through landmark albums like Mas Flow, Mas Flow 2 and Los Benjamins, as well as explosive hits like “Gasolina,” “Mayor Que Yo,” “Besos Mojados,” and “Salgo Pa’ la Calle,” to name a few. In 2005, their excellence was recognized with Latin GRAMMY nominations for Record of the Year for “Gasolina” and Best Urban Music Album for their own project, The Kings of the Beats. They have amassed a total of 18 BMI Latin Awards, with recognition for BMI’s 2020 Contemporary Song of the Year for “Callaíta,” while Saldaña was individually honored as BMI’s Latin Songwriter of the Year in 2007. Their visionary sound launched and elevated the careers of icons like Daddy Yankee, Don Omar, Wisin y Yandel, Tego Calderón and Ivy Queen, among others.
As the 2026 BMI President’s Award recipients, Luny Tunes join an elite ensemble of music creators who have received the accolade in the past including benny blanco, Luis Fonsi, Ellie Goulding, Horacio Palencia, Pitbull, T-Pain and Wisin y Yandel, among others.
Elena Rose is a Venezuelan American singer/songwriter who has emerged as one of Latin music’s most sought-after creative forces. Born in Miami, Rose has penned hits for some of the biggest names in the industry including Bad Bunny, Selena Gomez, Jennifer Lopez, Becky G and Rauw Alejandro, among others. Her popularity rose significantly after collaborating with Ed Sheeran, who invited her to create a Spanish verse for his hit song “Thinking Out Loud,” which immediately went viral online. Boasting 14 Latin GRAMMY nominations and five BMI Latin Awards throughout her career, Rose made a successful leap from songwriting powerhouse to recording artist with her first EP, En Las Nubes – Con Mis Panas, which earned her nods in major categories including Album of the Year, Song of the Year, and Best Contemporary Pop Vocal Album. Rose represents a new generation of Latin music creators who are shaping the sound of contemporary Latin music.
In receiving the BMI Impact Award, Elena Rose joins Edgar Barrera, GloRilla, Ice Spice, Arlo Parks, RAYE, P2J, Tems and Tito Double P among others.
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