Latin Women in Music 2023: 6 Things You Didn’t See on TV

The Billboard Latin Women in Music 2023 is a wrap. Shakira, Thalia, Ana Gabriel, Evaluna Montaner, Goyo, Emilia and Maria Becerra were honored as the first class of the Billboard Latin Women in Music at a gala in on Saturday (May 6) in Miami, which aired Sunday (May 7) exclusively on Telemundo and Peacock.

 A first of its kind for Latin music, Mujeres Latinas en la Música — hosted by Ivy Queen and Jacqueline Bracamontes — celebrates Latin female artists, executives and creatives who are proactively working for positive change, inclusion and gender parity in the music industry. 

Shakira received the first-ever Woman of the Year award. Other honorees included Ana Gabriel (Living Legend Award), Emilia (Rising Star Award), Maria Becerra (Visionary Award), Evaluna (Tradition and Future Award), Goyo (Agent of Change Award) and Thalia (Global Powerhouse Award).

The inaugural Latin Women in Music event was announced earlier this year as an expansion of Billboard’s Women in Music franchise. Billboard and Telemundo aim to further elevate Latin music globally and celebrate the women who have made a concrete impact on Latin music through their artistic achievements, or through tangible, noteworthy actions that have brought measurable recognition and opportunity to women, affecting positive change to the industry as a whole.

The two-hour event featured epic moments, including show-stopping performances by the honorees and powerful, poignant speeches. But there was a lot happening behind the scenes and off camera.

Here are six moments from the inaugural Latin Women in Music that you didn’t see on television.