Tu Música/univision Deal Boosts Awards Profile

The ninth edition of Premios Tu Música, the only awards show geared toward Puerto Rican artists and that country's market, received a boost this year via a new relationship with the Univision Network, which will broadcast the awards on the Telefutura network in the U.S. and locally on Univision Puerto Rico. Following the announcement of the deal, an array of international superstars confirmed their assistance or said they would perform at the awards.

Soraya Sánchez, founder and executive producer of the event, says: "[Because] they will be broadcast via Telefutura, it gives Latinos in the U.S. a chance to see what happens here at a musical level. At the same time, our [artists] will receive more exposure there." In addition to the usual categories, Premios Tu Música also gives awards for specialized categories specific to the Puerto Rican market, such as best national Latin rock album and best national rap album.

The awards show previously only aired locally, on TV station Teleonce, which was purchased by the Univision Network earlier this year.

The awards show will be broadcast Aug. 24, one day after the event takes place at Centro de Bellas Artes in San Juan. Artists scheduled to perform include Juanes, Thalía, Pablo Montero, Ednita Nazario, and Elvis Crespo. Artists confirmed to attend include Olga Tañón, Luis Fonsi, Gilberto Santarrosa, Alejandra Guzmán, Sin Bandera, Gisselle, Jaci Velasquez, Limite 21, Melody, Diego Torres, and Melina León.

Sanchez says, "Even though Puerto Rico is one of the most important markets for Latin music in the United States, there was no award that would reflect the success of the music being marketed here. Through the years, [the awards] have gained enormous credibility, because they summarize what happens in the music industry here." Sanchez is also co-owner of Acisum Group, a concert promoter, artist management, and TV production company that produces Anda Pal Cara (Go to Hell), a top-rated local TV show that is broadcast at 10 p.m. every weekday via Univision Puerto Rico.

Nominees for Premios Tu Música are elected by an awards committee that selects the five most successful albums in terms of the positioning of the artist in Puerto Rico. From that list, 500 music industry professionals, including radio programmers, music journalists, and retailers, select the winners.