J Balvin Receives Spirit of Hope Latin Billboard Award

Colombian superstar J Balvin shined at the 2024 Latin Billboard Music Awards, where he not only delivered an emotional speech upon being honored with the special Spirit of Hope Award — which he got from his colleague and fellow countryman Maluma — but also delivered one of the night’s most spectacular performances with an explosive salsa music finale.

Balvin, recognized for his philanthropic efforts through his Vibra En Alta Foundation, spoke emotionally as he accepted the award, created in honor of the late Selena Quintanilla to highlight stars who have dedicated extraordinary time and efforts to civic, community, and humanitarian purposes beyond their artistic achievements.

“I’ve always liked to help my people quietly, because those are the awards that one carries forever,” he said. “These awards come and go, but the awards of the soul, helping a friend, serving others, those are the ones that are most worthwhile.”

Amid screams from fans, who chanted “Balvin, Balvin!”, he dedicated the award to his life partner, Valentina, his son Río, his friends and his fans for their constant support.

“At the Vibra En Alta Foundation, that’s really what we do, look for ways to help elevate the aspirations and dreams of others, children, single mothers, people who have suffered from abuse — we always want to help them raise their vibes so that they can find their way,” he added. “Now that I am a family man, I am getting involved in a job that is quite complex which is [the fight against] child trafficking. It’s something very few talk about, and I’ve been told to be very careful, but I prefer to die for our children and our families rather than stay silent.”

Balvin, dressed in a two-piece white suit and sneakers, received the trophy from Maluma, whom he mentioned in his recent Billboard cover story as a colleague he turned to for advice during tough times, becoming good friend. “Today we are celebrating an artist who with his music has taken our culture around the world,” said Maluma as he presented the award amid cheers from the audience. “Jose is a great representative not only of our country, Colombia, but of our genre, a man that gives without expecting anything in return.”

Moments ealier, Balvin transported viewers to an Amazon jungle to perform onstage his hit “Cosa de Locos” accompanied by an energetic group of dancers. The song, part of his latest album Rayo, is a fast and forceful reggaeton combined with futuristic synthesizer rhythms, but for the Latin Billboard Music Awards, the star brought a surprising arrangement that ended with a salsa rhythm, igniting the audience at the Mediapro Studio in Miami Beach, Florida.

Balvin also headlined the 2024 Billboard Latin Music Week, sitting down on Wednesday (Oct. 16) for a Superstar Q&A in which he reflected on the industry and his career.

With his Spirit of Hope Award, the artist joins a list of previous honorees including Carlos Santana, Carlos Vives, Daddy Yankee, El General, Emmanuel, Gloria Estefan, Juanes, Juan Luis Guerra, Karol G, Los Tigres del Norte, Luis Fonsi, Maná, Marc Anthony, Ricardo Montaner, Ricky Martin, Shakira, Soraya, Olga Tañón, and Willy Chirino.

The Billboard Latin Music Awards 2024 also featured performances by J Balvin, Grupo Niche, Pepe Aguilar, Gloria Trevi, Maria Becerra, Xavi, Chencho Corleone, Prince Royce, Gabito Ballesteros, Proyecto Uno, and more.

To keep up with more performances, special awards, and exclusive behind-the-scenes content from the awards night, visit Billboard.com.