Antonio Banderas, Marc Anthony Lead Agents of Change at Premios Juventud Marbella Debut

More than two decades after its debut, Premios Juventud—TelevisaUnivision’s flagship celebration of Hispanic youth culture—has outgrown its single-night format. What began as a straightforward awards ceremony is now a sprawling, multi-city festival dubbed PJ Fest, with events stretching from Houston and Miami to Los Angeles before landing at the Starlight Amphitheater in Marbella, Spain, on Sept. 3. The 23rd edition caps off a week of concerts, creator-focused initiatives, and live shows, with fan voting for 50 categories having opened Aug. 10 at PremiosJuventud.com. The Starlite Amphitheater, carved into a quarry in the hills above Marbella, has become one of southern Spain’s most distinctive open-air venues since its founding in 2012, hosting everyone from Elton John to Ricky Martin.

For Ignacio Meyer, president of Univision Television Networks Group, the expansion carries deep personal significance. Meyer, who previously served as executive VP of Music for Univision in the U.S., has watched the organization transform since the 2022 merger with Televisa. “Our merger really shifted our focus toward becoming a global organization, delivering content through our streamer [ViX] to Spanish-speaking audiences around the world,” he told Variety, noting that 600 million people speak Spanish worldwide. The shift began with the Latin Grammy Awards moving to Seville, Spain, a few years ago, followed by Premios Juventud stops in Puerto Rico and Panama. The Marbella move, however, took far longer to orchestrate. “It took about a year and a half to put together,” Meyer explained, citing the involvement of Televisión Española, the Starlite team, and the broader music community. “We’re very excited.”

While many awards shows honor career longevity or chart success, Premios Juventud’s Agents of Change category takes a different approach, spotlighting artists whose social impact resonates beyond the stage. “We’re rewarding the generosity of artists who use their platforms for social good,” Meyer said, naming this year’s honorees: actor Antonio Banderas, singer Marc Anthony, reggaetón artist Yandel, and Spanish pop-rock band La Oreja de Van Gogh. Banderas, who established the Lágrimas y Favores Foundation in his hometown of Málaga, has been instrumental in forging the partnership with Starlite. “He is one of the principal reasons why we are partnering with Starlite in Málaga,” Meyer noted. “He is an ambassador to Malaga and to the south of Spain.” Anthony’s Maestro Cares Foundation, meanwhile, has supported more than 35 projects benefiting children across Latin America and the U.S., while his “Unidos por Venezuela” telethon and benefit concert aided earthquake recovery efforts. Yandel’s Sinfónico Tour, which pairs reggaetón with local symphony orchestras, has created opportunities for over 250 classical musicians while mentoring emerging Latino talent. La Oreja de Van Gogh, celebrating 30 years with original vocalist Amaia Montero, will be recognized for their support of causes like Guitarras Solidarias and Cadena 100 Por Ellas; their hit “Rosas” recently surpassed one billion Spotify streams, and the band is also nominated for Group or Duo Favorite of the Year and Best Euro-Song.

The confirmed lineup spans established icons and rising stars from across Latin America and Spain, including Christian Nodal, Ángela Aguilar, Camilo, Wisin, Quevedo, Ana Mena, Farruko, DND | Do Not Disturb, and Santos Bravos. The show will air in 12 countries, broadcast live in the U.S. on Univision—the No. 1 network among U.S. Hispanics and the sixth-largest broadcast or cable network among Adults 18–49, regardless of language—as well as on sister networks Unimás and Galavision, and stream on ViX and YouTube. The time difference with Spain has opened the door for an ambitious co-production with Televisión Española, which will produce its own version live from Marbella, starting at 10:30 p.m. local time, with hosts interviewing artists during U.S. commercial breaks. “This collaboration really underscores what we’ve been able to do with our commitment to international audiences,” Meyer said. “Just like we localize Latin culture in the U.S., they will localize the importance of Latin music and Latin culture in Spain.”