If you want a snapshot of who is winning in Latin music right now, the 2026 Premios Juventud nominations tell a pretty interesting story.

And sitting at the very top is Carín León.

The Mexican superstar leads this year’s awards with an impressive nine nominations, continuing a run that has transformed him from a música Mexicana favourite into one of Latin music’s biggest crossover stars.

His nominations are everywhere.

Carín is up for Male Artist, Album of the Year for Palabra de to’s (seca), Best Tour and several song and collaboration awards. His nominations include music with Alejandro Fernández, Ricky Martin, Maná, Codiciado — and even Bon Jovi.

That list alone says a lot about where Latin music is heading.

The walls between genres are disappearing.

But Carín isn’t running away with it.

Puerto Rico’s Rauw Alejandro earned seven nominations, including Male Artist, Best Tour for his Cosa Nuestra World Tour, Best Urban Track for “Buenos términos” and Best Dance Track for “Dando vueltas.”

Colombia is also very well represented.

Beéle is among the year’s most nominated artists with seven nominations, putting the 23-year-old Colombian alongside some of the biggest established names in Latin music.

Puerto Rican singer-songwriter Kany García also collected seven nominations, including Female Artist, Best Pop Song, Best Pop Album and collaborations with Maluma and Juan Luis Guerra.

Then you look deeper into the nominations and realize just how stacked Latin music is right now.

Bad Bunny, Karol G, Shakira, Maluma, Myke Towers, Romeo Santos, Young Miko, Anitta, Rosalía, Farruko and plenty more appear across the 50 categories.

Even Album of the Year feels like a playlist of completely different corners of Latin music.

Karol G’s Tropicoqueta, Carín León’s Palabra de to’s (seca), Rosalía’s Lux, Romeo Santos and Prince Royce’s Better Late Than Never, Danny Ocean’s Babylon Club, Daddy Yankee’s Lamento en baile and Ozuna and Beéle’s Stendhal are all nominated.

And that’s probably the bigger story here.

There isn’t one sound dominating Latin music anymore.

Reggaeton is huge. Música Mexicana is huge. Latin pop is thriving. Bachata is still here. Afrobeat influences are growing. Salsa and tropical music continue finding new audiences.

Latin music isn’t having one moment.

It’s having about ten of them at the same time.

The 23rd Premios Juventud takes place September 3 at Starlite Marbella in Andalucía, Spain — the first time the awards will be held there. This year’s edition features 338 nominees across 50 categories.

And when the winners are finally announced, there will be plenty of debate over who deserved what.

But one thing already looks pretty clear:

Latin music in 2026 is ridiculously stacked.