An artist whose music has shaped audiences everywhere
Once every generation, music produces an artist whose voice crosses every border it encounters — not by translation, but by something deeper. Karol G, the Colombian singer who has spent years building a global following through relentless artistry and cultural authenticity, will receive the International Artistic Excellence Award at the 52nd American Music Awards on May 25 in Las Vegas. She joins Whitney Houston, Beyoncé, and Michael Jackson as bearers of a distinction given only to those whose work has genuinely reshaped the world's listening. It is a moment that marks not just a career, but a shift in whose stories the world chooses to hear.
- Karol G becomes the first Latin artist ever to receive the International Artistic Excellence Award — an honor so rare it has been given only once in the past seventeen years.
- Her 2026 has already been historic: she broke barriers as the first Latina to headline Coachella, signaling a seismic shift in mainstream music's center of gravity.
- Her 'Viajando Por El Mundo Tropitour' sold over two million tickets in four days, a commercial force that makes the cultural argument impossible to ignore.
- On May 25, she will perform live at the MGM Grand Garden Arena, turning the award into a moment rather than a plaque — witnessed by millions on CBS and Paramount+.
Karol G has been named the recipient of the International Artistic Excellence Award at the 52nd American Music Awards — a distinction that places her in rare company. The honor, announced by CBS and Dick Clark Productions, has been given only once since 2009, when Whitney Houston received it. Before that, it went to Beyoncé, Michael Jackson, Led Zeppelin, and a handful of others whose influence reshaped modern music. Karol G becomes the first Latin artist to join that list.
The recognition arrives at the peak of a remarkable run. In April, she made history as the first Latina ever to headline the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival — a milestone that crystallized her crossover reach. Her current tour, supporting her 2025 album 'Tropicoqueta,' sold more than two million tickets in just four days. She also holds three nominations at this year's AMAs, including best Latin album.
The ceremony takes place May 25 at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, hosted by Queen Latifah. Karol G will perform alongside a wide-ranging lineup that includes Maluma, Teddy Swims, Twenty One Pilots, and Teyana Taylor, among others. Taylor Swift leads all nominees with eight nods. The broadcast airs live on CBS and streams on Paramount+ at 8 p.m. Eastern.
Karol G has been named the recipient of the International Artistic Excellence Award at the 52nd American Music Awards, a recognition that places her alongside some of the most consequential artists in modern music history. The announcement came Wednesday from CBS and Dick Clark Productions, the organizations producing the ceremony. She will also perform at the event, scheduled for May 25 at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas.
The award itself carries weight. It has been given only once since 2009, when Whitney Houston received it. Before Houston, the honor went to a carefully curated list: Aerosmith, the Bee Gees, Beyoncé, Led Zeppelin, Michael Jackson, and Rod Stewart. The award recognizes an artist whose music and cultural influence have resonated across the world, whose work has inspired and shaped audiences everywhere. Karol G becomes the first Latin artist to receive this particular distinction.
The Colombian singer has had a remarkable year. In April, she became the first Latina artist ever to headline the Coachella music festival in California—a milestone that underscores her crossover reach and commercial dominance. Her current tour, "Viajando Por El Mundo Tropitour," sold more than two million tickets in just four days, a pace that speaks to her drawing power. The tour supports her 2025 album "Tropicoqueta," which has earned her three nominations at this year's American Music Awards, including best Latin album.
The May 25 ceremony will be hosted by Queen Latifah and will feature performances from Hootie & the Blowfish, KATSEYE, Keith Urban, Maluma, Riley Green, SOMBR, Teddy Swims, Teyana Taylor, and Twenty One Pilots. Taylor Swift leads the night's nominations with eight, followed by Morgan Wallen, Olivia Dean, Sabrina Carpenter, and SOMBR, each with seven. The broadcast will air live on CBS and stream on Paramount+ beginning at 8 p.m. Eastern time. Tickets are available through AXS, the live events platform.
Citações Notáveis
This award recognizes an artist whose music and cultural influence have resonated across the world, whose work has inspired and shaped audiences everywhere.— CBS and Dick Clark Productions (award criteria)
A Conversa do Hearth Outra perspectiva sobre a história
What does this award actually mean? Is it just another trophy, or does it signal something larger about where Latin music sits in the American music industry right now?
It's the latter. This award hasn't been given out in seventeen years. The last person to get it was Whitney Houston. Before that, you're talking about Michael Jackson, Beyoncé, Led Zeppelin. It's not a participation award. It's recognition that an artist has fundamentally shaped global culture, not just sold records.
And Karol G is the first Latina to receive it. Does that surprise you?
It shouldn't, but it does. She's been the biggest Latin artist in the world for years now. Headlining Coachella in April—the first Latina to do that—selling two million tour tickets in four days. The numbers are staggering. But awards like this one often lag behind commercial reality.
What does headlining Coachella mean that a stadium tour doesn't?
Coachella is cultural permission. It's the festival that sets the tone for what's cool, what's next. When a Latin artist headlines it, it signals that Latin music isn't a category anymore—it's just music. It's the mainstream.
Her album "Tropicoqueta" got three nominations tonight. Is she expected to win?
She's nominated for best Latin album, which is her strongest category. But the night belongs to Taylor Swift with eight nominations. Still, Karol G's presence at this ceremony—receiving this particular award, performing—that's the real story.
What comes next for her after this?
Probably more of what she's already doing: breaking barriers that seemed fixed. The question isn't what's next for Karol G. It's what the industry does now that she's shown it's possible.