The Colombian superstar was honored at the awards show in Miami on Thursday.
J Balvin is kicking off the decade with a big honor.
The Colombian superstar was honored with the Global Icon Award at the first Latin music awards show of 2020, Premio Lo Nuestro, on Thursday night. The honor was awarded to Balvin for his ability to transcend borders and help globalize Latin music.
Balvin performed a medley of his hits at the awards show, including "Blanco" and "Morado," before Daddy Yankee honored him with his prestigious award. "Mucho respeto, Papi," DY said, as the crowd gave him a standing ovation.
The "Ritmo" singer couldn't help but thank Daddy Yankee for inspiring him while accepting his trophy at Miami's AmericanAirlines Arena, before giving a shout out to the other artists who have encouraged him along the way. "To all the dreamers, to all the young blood, to Bad Bunny, my little brother," Balvin sweetly said. He thanked his family for believing in him when he said he wanted to be like Daddy Yankee, and concluded his heartfelt speech by thanking his fans.
"Thank you for believing in me. Keep dreaming and que viva la paz," Balvin said.
Balvin's success is recognized through his more than 35 million singles sold worldwide and billions of video views across all digital platforms. He was also the first Latin music headliner of Lollapalooza last year, and made a huge impact at the 2020 Super Bowl, where he performed with Bad Bunny, Shakira, and Jennifer Lopez.
Throughout all his accomplishments, Balvin has stayed true to his roots by maintaining his residence in his hometown of Medellín, Colombia, and making his family as much a priority as his advocacy for inclusion and mental health.
Balvin started the awards show with nine nominations, including Album of the Year for Oasis with Bad Bunny, Urban Male Artist of the Year and Urban Song of the Year, for "Qué Pretendes" with Bad Bunny.
ET exclusively announced in January that Balvin would receive Premio Lo Nuestro's Global Icon Award.
"I feel grateful [to receive the Global Icon Award]. It truly got me by surprise," he told ET exclusively. "We've been working so hard to elevate our culture, take the Latino gang all over the world and create a new statement about our culture."
See more on Balvin in the video below.
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