On a momentous occasion for the music industry, the Mexican cumbia band Los Ángeles Azules will be awarded the Billboard Artistic Career Award at the upcoming Latin Music Billboard Awards 2023. This grand event is set to take place in Coral Gables, a neighboring city to Miami, in October.
Emerging from humble beginnings in the Iztapalapa neighborhood of Mexico City, Los Ángeles Azules have taken the world by storm, showcasing their talent on global stages and prominent festivals. Their journey has been nothing short of meteoric, becoming the global ambassadors of cumbia music. Over the years, the band has graced renowned stages such as Vive Latino and Coachella, to name a few.
The Mejía-Avante brothers, founders and leaders of the ensemble, have innovatively adapted to the changing times. Their music, which has resonated with audiences throughout Mexico, the United States, and other Latin American countries, includes hits like “Como te voy a olvidar,” “El listón de tu pelo,” and “17 años” that have reverberated across the continent.
Chart-Topping Success
Their success story is best encapsulated by their achievements on the charts. With 14 appearances on Billboard’s Hot Latin Songs, three of their tracks made it to the top 10. They also marked their presence with 16 appearances on Latin Airplay, six of which reached the top 10. Their track “Nunca es suficiente” notably clinched the third spot in 2019.
Their album “De Buenos Aires para el mundo” made its debut on Billboard’s Top Regional Mexican Albums at the eighth spot. This entry marked the twelfth album by the group to make it to the Top 10 of this esteemed list.
Embracing modernity, the album boasts collaborations with notable artists such as Vicentico, Abel Pintos, Lali, Julieta Venegas, Soledad Pastorutti, Jay De La Cueva, and Américo, among others. Impressively, the album has garnered over a billion views on YouTube.
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Furthermore, Los Ángeles Azules is the only Mexican group to have two entries in the prestigious YouTube Billion Views Club. This feat was achieved with over a billion views for “Nunca es suficiente” featuring Natalia Lafourcade and “Mis sentimientos” with Ximena Sariñana.
The Mejía-Avante brothers, ever-evolving with the times, continue to release new hits. Their recent tracks, such as “Otra noche” with Nicki Nicole, “Tú y tú” featuring Cazzu and Santa Fe Klan, and “El amor de mi vida” with María Becerra, which garnered over six million views on YouTube within a week of its release, are testament to their enduring relevance.
A Well-Deserved Honor
“We are deeply honored to receive this award. It’s a recognition of our music, which we have shared with the audience throughout all these years,” expressed the Mejía-Avante brothers in an official statement.
This award ceremony will be broadcast live by Telemundo from the Watsco Center in Coral Gables. Additionally, viewers can catch the event on the Hispanic entertainment cable channel Universo, the streaming service Peacock, the Telemundo app, and throughout Latin America and the Caribbean on Telemundo Internacional.
In addition to this accolade, Los Ángeles Azules are also finalists in the category of Tropical Artist of the Year, Duo, or Group for this edition of the Latin Music Billboard Awards.
Joining an Elite Group
Los Ángeles Azules now joins an elite group of artists who have previously been honored with the Billboard Artistic Career Award. This illustrious list includes luminaries such as Andrea Bocelli, Armando Manzanero, Carlos Santana, Conjunto Primavera, Emmanuel, Flaco Jiménez, Intocable, Jorge Pinos, José José, Los Lobos, Los Temerarios, Maná, Marco Antonio Solís, Miguel Bosé, Ricardo Arjona, and Roberto Carlos.
It’s a testament to the indelible mark that Los Ángeles Azules have left on the global music landscape and their legacy promises to resonate for generations to come.