Pepe Aguilar Honored By Carin Leon, Rubén Blades & Banda El Recodo With Genre-Spanning Medley at 2023 Latin AMAs

Mexican music titan Pepe Aguilar was honored with a special legacy award at the 2023 Latin American Music Awards, which took place Thursday, April 20 live from Las Vegas.

None other than his daughter, recording artist Ángela Aguilar, took the stage to present the award to her father. “When I was a little girl, I didn’t know what I wanted to be, but I knew I wanted to be like him,” she offered. “My father has sold millions of albums, he’s a songwriter, singer, producer, entrepreneur but most of all, a great man. I have the great privilege and great pride to recognize the greatest exponent of Mexican music. The man I most admire and love the most, he’s the artist that has represented Mexico in the best way. My father, my hero, Pepe Aguilar.”

An emotional Pepe Aguilar took the stage, humbled by his daughter’s words. “Thank you so much,” he began the speech. “I accept this but I don’t feel like I personally deserve this because all I’ve done in life is to follow my heart and my passion, and that is Mexican music. Honestly, if it’s legacy or not, one thing I will say is that, God willing, I will continue to do what my heart tells me to do, and my heart tells me to respect my traditions, to move forward with Mexican music — which is mariachi, banda, norteña. And that’s the legacy, more than a person, it’s the energy that represents regional Mexican music. Y viva México!“

His tribute continued with a special medley by Banda El Recodo, Carin Leon and Rubén Blades, who sang some of Aguilar’s most well-known songs including. Leon gave “Perdóname” the norteño treatment, El Recodo got everyone dancing with the Sinaloa banda version of “Son Las Dos de la Mañana” and Blades gave “Por Mujeres Como Tú” a salsa twist. One of the best performances of the night that, deservingly, got a standing ovation.

Nominations for the 2023 awards — based on streaming, sales, radio airplay, tours and even social media interactions data provided by Billboard and Luminate during the eligibility period (Feb. 12, 2022, through Feb. 4, 2023) — are led by Bad Bunny with 11 nominations. He’s followed by Becky G and Daddy Yankee, each with nine nominations. For the first time since its debut on Oct. 8, 2015, the ceremony — which is taking place at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas — will be broadcast live simultaneously on Univision, UNIMÁS, and Galavisión.

Get tickets to the first-ever #BBMujeresLatinas on May 6 in Miami: billboardmujeresenlamusica.com