March 20, 2026
Elena Rose Receives the BMI Impact Award; Edgar Barrera, Karol G, Fuerza Regida’s “JOP,” MAG, Alexis Fierro Román and Sony Music Publishing Among Major Honorees
MIAMI, FL – March 19, 2026 – Tonight, BMI® celebrated its top Latin songwriters and publishers at the 33rd annual BMI Latin Awards, held at the Fontainebleau Coastal Convention Center in Miami Beach. The evening's highest honor went to legendary production duo Luny Tunes, who received the prestigious BMI President's Award in recognition of their contributions to Latin music as pioneers of reggaetón. In addition, singer-songwriter Elena Rose was presented with the BMI Impact Award, celebrating her extraordinary creative force as one of Latin music's most sought-after voices, as a songwriter and artist in her own right. BMI also saluted its Regional Mexican Song, Songwriter and Publisher of the Year and Contemporary Latin Song, Songwriter and Publisher of the Year, along with the top 50 Latin songs of the past year. The private ceremony was hosted by BMI CEO Mike O'Neill, BMI Executive Vice President, Chief Revenue & Creative Officer, Mike Steinberg, and BMI Vice President, Creative, Latin, Jesus Gonzalez.
Francisco "Luny" Saldaña and Víctor "Tunes" Cabrera, the production duo known as Luny Tunes, helped build reggaetón's golden era, producing more than 500 songs and launching the careers of icons like Daddy Yankee, Don Omar, Wisin & Yandel, Tego Calderón and Ivy Queen, among others. They shaped the sound of a generation and their landmark albums Mas Flow, Mas Flow 2 and Los Benjamins became foundational in reggaetón culture. Steinberg presented Luny Tunes with the BMI President's Award, saying "Francisco and Víctor, you have inspired countless producers to dream big and follow in your footsteps. You gave us the sound of an era and changed Latin music forever. Tonight, we salute your enduring legacy as architects of reggaetón."
In accepting the BMI President's Award, Luny Tunes stated, "Thank you to BMI, always, for everything they do for songwriters." They went on to acknowledge foundational figures in their careers like Gus Lopez, DJ Blass, DJ Nelson, and Nely "El Arma Secreta," while giving a nod to Tainy, MAG and MVSIS, and "the new generation of producers carrying the legacy."
Luny Tunes join an elite group of past BMI President's Award recipients including benny blanco, Luis Fonsi, Ellie Goulding, Horacio Palencia, Pitbull, T-Pain and Wisin & Yandel, among others.
Elena Rose was presented with the BMI Impact Award and is the first Latin woman to receive the honor. In accepting the award she said, "I've learned to honor everyone that is a part of this industry…the songwriters, the producers, engineers, assistants and managers. Everyone can make an impact on the lives of those they work with and those who later receive the music. I think the most valuable thing I can give is that at the end of the day, I've done everything with love." Rose then delivered a captivating performance of three of her hit songs including "orióN," "LA DE DIOS," and "CARACAS EN EL 2000."
She joins past BMI Impact Award recipients including Edgar Barrera, GloRilla, Ice Spice, Arlo Parks, RAYE, P2J, Tems and Tito Double P, among others.
The BMI Regional Mexican Songwriter of the Year award was presented to Fuerza Regida frontman Jesús Ortiz Paz "JOP" for writing nine of BMI's most-performed regional Mexican songs of the past year including "Barbiez," "Brillarosa," "Dos Días," "EXCESOS," "ME JALO," "Por Esos Ojos," "Rosones," "TÚ NAME," and "UNA CERVEZA." Hit producer and songwriter MAG was named BMI's Contemporary Songwriter of the Year for penning seven of the most-performed contemporary Latin songs of the past year including "BAILE INoLVIDABLE," "Déjame Entrar," "DtMF," "EL CLúB," "Kloufrens," "NUEVAYoL," and "Qué Pasaría…"
Karol G's hit song "Si Antes Te Hubiera Conocido," with Edgar Barrera and Sky Rompiendo, was crowned BMI's Contemporary Song of the Year, and "Tu Boda" written by Alexis Fierro Román was awarded BMI's Regional Mexican Song of the Year. Additionally, Sony Music Publishing made BMI Latin Awards history, becoming the first publishing company to receive both the Contemporary Latin and Regional Mexican Publisher of the Year Awards since the inception of the awards in 1993.
The evening also saluted 51 first-time BMI Latin Award recipients including RaiNao, Jay Anthony Nuñez, Jorge Ontiveros, Alejandro Ahumada Nuñez, Aidan James Cullen and Estevan Plazola, to name a few. Throughout the award show, the 50 most-performed Latin songs of the past year were named including "Corazón de Piedra," "HOLLYWOOD," "Khé?," "PERFuMITO NUEVO," "Por Esos Ojos," "Peligrosa," "VOY A LLeVARTE PA PR," and "POR EL CONTRARIO," among others.
DJ El Dusty closed out the ceremony with a medley of Luny Tunes hits. The 2026 BMI Latin Awards was sponsored by Gallagher Insurance.
For a complete list of 2026 BMI Latin Award winners, please visit:
https://awards.bmi.com/show/latin-2026
High-resolution photos, performances and video footage can be downloaded now by going to:
https://publicity.gettyimages.com/event/2026-bmi-latin-awards
ABOUT BMI:
Celebrating over 80 years of service to songwriters, composers, music publishers and businesses, Broadcast Music, Inc.® (BMI®) is a global leader in music rights management, serving as an advocate for the value of music. BMI represents the public performance rights in over 25 million musical works created and owned by more than 1.4 million songwriters, composers, and music publishers. The Company negotiates music license agreements and distributes the fees it generates as royalties to its affiliated writers and publishers when their songs are performed in public. In 1939, BMI created a groundbreaking open-door policy becoming the only performing rights organization to welcome and represent the creators of blues, jazz, country, and American roots music. Today, the musical compositions in BMI's repertoire, from chart toppers to perennial favorites, span all genres of music and are consistently among the most-performed hits of the year. For additional information and the latest BMI news, visit bmi.com, follow us on X and Instagram @BMI or stay connected through Broadcast Music, Inc.'s Facebook page. Sign up for BMI's The Weekly™ and receive our e-newsletter every week to stay up to date on all things music.
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