BMI recognized the best Latin songwriters and publishers for its 31st annual BMI Latin Awards in Beverly Hills on March 13.
Horacio Palencia — best known for his work with música Mexicana hitmakers Banda MS, Banda El Recodo, Carin León, Christian Nodal and more — took home the BMI President’s Award. The Songwriters Hall of Fame inductee joins a list of recipients including Carlos Vives, Gloria Trevi, Juanes, Luis Fonsi, Mario Quintero, Pitbull, Sergio George and Wisin y Yandel, among others. This latest recognition is one of over 50 BMI Latin Awards Palencia has won, including four-time wins for the BMI Latin Songwriter of the Year and BMI Regional Mexican Songwriter of the Year.
As part of the ceremony, the singer-songwriter also performed a medley of his most popular songs including “A Través Del Vaso,” “2 Veces” and “Ya Es Muy Tarde.” Also on the lineup for the evening was Eslabon Armado, the foursome behind the global smash hit “Ella Baila Sola,” which took home the award for regional Mexican song of the year.
Elsewhere, songwriter and producer Edgar Barrera — also a 2024 Grammy nominee for songwriter of the year — was named Regional Mexican songwriter of the year for the second consecutive year for writing seven of BMI’s most-performed regional Mexican songs of the past year including Fuerza Regida and Grupo Frontera’s “Bebe Dame,” Becky G and Peso Pluma’s “Chanel,” and Grupo Frontera’s “Di Que Sí,” among several others.
Puerto Rican-Dominican producer MAG also received recognition as the contemporary Latin songwriter of the year for his work on ten of the most-performed BMI Latin songs of 2023, including “Aguacero,” “Andrea,” “Después de la Playa,” “Dos mil 16,” “Efecto,” “El Apagón,” “La Corriente,” “La Jumpa,” “Otro Atardecer” and “Un Coco,” all of which belong to Bad Bunny.
Bad Bunny’s “Efecto” — penned and produced by MAG, La Paciencia and Cesar Americo, Feli Ciano, Harissis Tsakmaklis and Luzian Gregor Tuetsch of Bass Charity — was named contemporary Latin song of the year. Contemporary Latin publisher of the year went to Sony Music Publishing and Prajin Music Publishing, fronted by Peso Pluma manager George Prajin, along with Downtown DMP Songs, was named Regional Mexican Publisher of the Year.
Earlier in the evening, BMI also announced it would be opening a new office in Miami for those working “in southern Florida, Puerto Rico, Latin America and beyond,” according to a statement. The office will be headed by Gonzalez and RC Carranza, BMI’s director of creative services for Latin territories.