Premios MTV Latinoamérica (previously known as MTV Video Music Awards Latinoamérica or VMALA's ) is the Latin American version of the Video Music Awards. They were established in 2002 to celebrate the top music videos of the year in Latin America and the world. They are presented annually and broadcast live on MTV Networks Latin America. Until 2004, all the VMALAs were held in Miami. The 2005 edition was the first one planned to be held outside the United States, but the show was cancelled (see below). The 2006 VMALAs (Premios MTV Latinoamérica) were held in Mexico City, and therefore were the first ones to actually be celebrated in Latin America.
The statues given to winners of the award are often called " Lenguas " because the statue is of a tongue. This is because, according to MTV, "the language (Spanish) is what brings all Latin America together as a whole".
History
For more details on this topic, see Los Premios MTV Latinoamérica background.Created in 2002, the VMALAs were held in the Jackie Gleason Theatre in Miami Beach, Florida until 2004. In 2005 the awards were to be held Wednesday, October 19 at the Xcaret Park's Great Tlachco Theater in Playa del Carmen (close to Cancún), Quintana Roo, Mexico, for the first time in a different location since their creation. However, due to the approach of Hurricane Wilma towards the Mexican Riviera Maya, the show was moved from October 20th to the 19th, but it was eventually postponed. The date was then moved again, this time to December 22nd. A couple of months later, MTV decided that it was not feasible to have the show on the aforementioned scheduled date. Instead, the awards were given out on a 1/2 hour special where the winners received their awards after having practical jokes played on them (a la Punk'd ). Would-be hosts Molotov hosted this special and played live on a public concert in Playa del Carmen. Another special aired that same day with some of the winners performing. Miranda! played from their studio in Argentina. Two songs from Juanes's concert in Buenos Aires were also filmed by MTV for this special, and Panda and Reik also performed from MTV's studios in Mexico City. Another 1/2 hour special was broadcasted that day showing how the show was supposed to happen and the reaction of the artists and MTV's workers after they found out about its cancellation.
Performances on the show have included artists such as the Black Eyed Peas, Dido, the Beastie Boys, Shakira, Avril Lavigne, The Rasmus, Tiziano Ferro, System of a Down, The Mars Volta, Sum 41, Lenny Kravitz and Juanes. The 2005 edition would have included performances by Shakira, Sean Paul, My Chemical Romance, Foo Fighters, Ricky Martin, Simple Plan, Miranda!, Babasónicos, Belinda, and Good Charlotte.
On July 21 MTV Latin America announced that the 2006 ceremonies would be held on 19 October 2006 in Palacio de los Deportes indoor arena in Mexico City. Also, MTV announced that the name of the awards would be changed from Video Music Awards Latin America to Premios MTV Latinoamérica (MTV Awards Latin America). The nominees for this year's awards were announced on September 4 , introducing 3 new categories: Promising Artist, Breakthrough Artist, and Song of the Year (the only category with nominees in both English and Spanish). Also, Best Solo Artist again replaced Best Male and Female, while the award for Best International Hip-Hop/R&B Artist will not be handed out. It also appeared that, for the first time, viewers would be able to vote for the Best Independent Artist award, but a few days later, the category was taken completely off the voting list, which meant that its inclusion on it was an error by MTV. Also, MTV Tr3s will be handing out for the first time ever its own Viewer's Choice Award during their U.S. simulcast of the event. The performers were: Julieta Venegas, Maná, Nelly Furtado, Shakira, Robbie Williams, Miranda!, Evanescence, Belanova, Calle 13, Belinda, Daddy Yankee, Panda, Allison and Kinky.
Cameos in the starting video of the awards have included Madonna, Britney Spears, Erik Estrada, U2's leader Bono and Soccer star Diego Armando Maradona
On July 25 MTV Latin America announced that Mexico City would be again the host of the ceremonies in "El Palacio de los Deportes". The local government announced they will invest $10 Million pesos and that they will have 16 giant screens around the city to broadcast the event live on October 18 , 2007. The confirmed acts are Hilary Duff, Avril Lavigne, 30 Seconds to Mars, Belinda, Babasónicos, Kudai, Juanes, División Minúscula, Molotov, Kudai, Plastilina Mosh, Jesse & Joy, Ely Guerra and The Cure. Diego Luna hosted the event.
Premios MTV Host Cities
Awards by countries
Mexico is, as of 2008, the country which has received the most awards followed by Colombia. The Mexican artists who have received the most awards are Maná, Julieta Venegas and the band Panda with 5 awards each, followed by the band Molotov with 4, and the Colombian artists who have received the most awards are Shakira with 11 and Juanes with 10.
Award Categories
- Artist of the Year (2002-present)
- Video of the Year (2002-present)
- Song of the Year (2006-present)
- Best Solo Artist (2003-2004, 2006-present)
- Best Group or Duet (2002-present)
- Best Pop Artist (2002-present)
- Best Rock Artist (2002-present)
- Best Alternative Artist (2002-present)
- Best Urban Artist (2007, 2009-?)
- Best Pop Artist — International(2002-present)
- Best Rock Artist — International (2002-present)
- Best New Artist — International (2002-present)
- Best Artist — North (2002-present)
- Best New Artist — North (2002-2007, 2009-?)
- Best Artist — Central (2002-present)
- Best New Artist — Central (2002-2007, 2009-?)
- Best Artist — South (2002-present)
- Best New Artist — South (2002-2007, 2009-?)
- Breakthrough Artist (2006-present)
- "La Zona" Award (2009-?)
- Fashionista — Female (2007-present)
- Fashionista — Male (2007-present)
- Best Fan Club (2008-present)
- Best Video Game Soundtrack (2008-present)
- Best Ringtone (2008-present)
- Best Movie (2009-?)
- Agent of Change (2007, 2009)
- MTV Legend (2002, 2006, 2008)
Defunct Categories
- Best Male Artist (2002, 2005; handed out interchangeably with "Best Solo Artist")
- Best Female Artist (2002, 2005; handed out interchangeably with "Best Solo Artist")
- Best Hip-Hop/R&B Artist — International (2004-2005)
- MTV Tr3́s Viewer's Choice Award (2006; divided into three categories in 2007)
- Best Independent Artist (2003-2007)
- MTV Tr3́s Viewer's Choice Award — Best Pop Artist (2007)
- MTV Tr3́s Viewer's Choice Award — Best Urban Artist (2007)
- MTV Tr3́s Viewer's Choice Award — Best New Artist (2007)
- Influence Award (2007, replaced the "MTV Legend Award" that year)
- Promising Artist (2006-2008)
- Best Music Film (2008; replaced by "Best Movie")
- Best Reunion Tour (2008)
Winners
2002
- Artist of the Year:
Shakira
- Video of the Year:
- Best Male Artist:
- Best Female Artist:
- Best Group or Duet:
La Ley
- Best Pop Artist:
- Best Rock Artist:
- Best Alternative Artist:
Manu Chao
- Best Pop Artist — International:
Pink
- Best Rock Artist — International:
- Bes