22 of the most iconic performances by Hispanic artists, including some you may have forgotten about

• Latin music has grown and evolved since its introduction to American culture.
• From salsa to reggaeton, Latin genres have inspired generations.
• As Hispanic Heritage Month wraps up, celebrate the legacy of iconic Latin musicians.

For decades, Latin music has evolved and grown from small salsa clubs in New York City to some of the world’s largest stages.

From inspiring dance crazes in the 1980s and 1990s to topping charts in the streaming era, some of the most influential acts in Latino and Hispanic genres have defined and redefined culture across the US, Latin America, and beyond.

And while the announcement of Bad Bunny as the 2026 Super Bowl halftime show performer has ruffled some feathers, he is far from the first Latin artist to perform on the world’s biggest stage. Who could forget Shakira and JLo’s dazzling show of Latin pride in 2020?

As Hispanic Heritage Month wraps up, look back on some of the most iconic performances by Hispanic artists, including a few you might’ve forgotten about.

Gloria Estefan with the Miami Sound Machine at the American Music Awards (1988)

In 1988, Gloria Estefan became one of the first Latin music artists to perform at a televised American music show when she took the American Music Award stage with Miami Sound Machine.

The group performed a medley of their hits, which were topping the charts at the time, like”Rhythm Is Gonna Get You,” “Surrender,” and “Conga.”

Celia Cruz at Madison Square Garden (1993)

Madison Square Garden hosted a night of salsa music on October 23, 1993, when Celia Cruz, along with artists like Tito Nieves, La India, Tony Vega, Marc Anthony, and Oscar D’León, took the stage.

The four-hour show, which celebrated the growing popularity of salsa music in Hispanic communities in the US, was later released as a live album and video.

In its review of the night, The New York Times wrote of Cruz’s “iron voice nailing every note perfectly.”

Reviewer Peter Watrous continued, “‘Yo soy la reina!’ (‘I’m the queen!’), she improvised between riffs, ‘Yo soy la candela!’ (‘I’m the hottest!’), and there wasn’t a soul to contest her.”

Selena at the Houston Astrodome (1995)

Then a rising star in the Tejano genre, Selena Quintanilla performed her last televised performance on February 26, 1995, when she sang in the Houston Astrodome in front of a record-breaking attendance of 61,000 fans during her Amor Prohibido Tour.

Wearing the now-iconic purple jumpsuit, the singer performed some of her hits, including “Como la Flor,” “Bidi Bidi Bom Bom,” “Amor Prohibido,” as well as a medley of disco music with tributes to Donna Summer, Gloria Gaynor, Van McCoy, and Lipps Inc.

The show was later released as a live album and DVD.

Ricky Martin at the MTV Video Music Awards (1999)

On a night marked by iconic Y2K pop culture moments like Lil’ Kim’s daring outfit and Britney Spears’ VMAs debut, Ricky Martin made history as the first Latin artist to perform at the MTV VMAs show.

The Puerto Rican singer performed his hits “She’s All I Ever Had” and “Livin’ la Vida Loca,” and later took home five awards, including best pop video and best dance video.

Marc Anthony at the Grammy Awards (2000)

Hispanic musicians also had a significant presence at the 2000 Grammy Awards, when Marc Anthony took the stage alongside a group of musicians, including Ricky Martin, Ibrahim Ferrer, Chucho Valdés, and Poncho Sánchez, in a tribute to Latin music.

Speaking of iconic, it was also the night Jennifer Lopez — Anthony’s future wife — wore the green Versace dress.

Celia Cruz, Ricky Martin, and Gloria Estefan at the first annual Latin Grammys (2000)

During the first edition of the annual Latin Grammys, Cruz, Martin, and Estefan performed a tribute to Tito Puente, a legendary Puerto Rican musician who died earlier that year.

The performance was introduced by Jennifer Lopez, who lauded Puente’s accomplishments in helping to fuel the growing popularity of Latin music.

Maná and Carlos Santana at the Latin Grammys (2000)

Latin rock also had a significant spot at the inaugural Latin Grammys, with Maná and Carlos Santana performing their collaboration “Corazón Espinado,” which later won record of the year and best rock duo or group with vocals.

Daddy Yankee, Don Omar, and Tego Calderón at the MTV Video Music Awards (2005)

Daddy Yankee’s “Gasolina” introduced Latin urban music to worldwide audiences, and at the 2005 VMAs, the rapper took the stage alongside Don Omar and Tego Calderón for a three-song medley showcasing reggaeton.

Don Omar performed a verse from “Reggaeton Latino” while sporting the Puerto Rican Flag, then Tego Calderón followed with “Abayarde,” and Daddy Yankee closed the set with “Gasolina.”

The performance was a “milestone from reggaeton’s first mainstream explosion,” Remezcla wrote.

Just earlier that night, Shakira and Alejandro Sanz made history performing the first-ever Spanish song at the VMAs.

Shakira and Wyclef Jean at the Grammy Awards (2007)

While Shakira won her first Grammy in 2000, it wasn’t until 2007 that she made her performance debut at the awards show.

The Colombian singer, along with collaborator Wyclef Jean, performed their hit “Hips Don’t Lie,” with a Bollywood-inspired show featuring an ensemble of dancers, a backflip from the rapper, and Shakira’s iconic belly dance.

Gloria Estefan, José Feliciano, and others at the White House South Lawn (2009)

In a musical tribute sponsored by then-President Barack Obama, an array of Latin artists took the stage at the White House‘s South Lawn, including acts like Gloria Estefan, José Feliciano, Marc Anthony, Los Lobos, Aventura, Thalía, Tito El Bambino, Pete Escovedo, and a band led by Sheila E.

Each artist performed a couple of songs, ranging from tropical styles like salsa and bachata to Latin pop and Chicano rock-n-roll.

The Obamas even joined the performance, playing along on the timbales at one point of the show.

Juan Gabriel at the Latin Grammy Awards (2009)

Mexican icon Juan Gabriel performed a nearly 40-minute-long medley of his top hits at the 10th-annual Latin Grammys, where he was honored with the Person of the Year award.

The performance broke the record for being the show’s longest performance.

The singer performed songs like “Hasta que te conocí” and “El Noa Noa” with a backing mariachi band.

Pitbull at the American Music Awards (2014)

If you lived through the 2010s, you’ll remember the plethora of Pitbull features that sat on the music charts for years on end.

Mr. Worldwide, during his second year hosting the American Music Awards show, performed a medley of some of his chart-topping hits, including “Fireball” and “Time of Our Lives.” In previous years, he also took the AMAs stage with collaborators like Enrique Iglesias, Marc Anthony, Jennifer Lopez, Kesha, and Christina Aguilera.

He performed atop a globe, obviously.

Selena Gomez at the American Music Awards (2015)

The next year, Selena Gomez performed her Charli XCX-penned song “Same Old Love” at the AMAs in a dramatic, theatrical, and noir-inspired performance.

For added drama, Justin Bieber, her ex, was also in the audience.

Shakira at the FIFA World Cup Final (2014)

By 2014, Shakira had become the face of the FIFA World Cup following the worldwide success of her song “Waka Waka (This Time for Africa),” which was the official song for the 2010 FIFA World Cup.

However, during the following tournament, the Colombian singer returned to the soccer stage — this time alongside Carlinhos Brown — during the opening ceremony of the final game to perform the song “La La La,” which, although it wasn’t one of the official World Cup songs, became a massive hit.

She was followed by Santana, Wyclef Jean, and Alexandre Pires, who performed the official World Cup anthem for that year, “Dar Um Jeito (We Will Find a Way).”

Jennifer Lopez at the MTV Music Video Awards (2018)

In 2018, MTV awarded JLo with the Michael Jackson Video Vanguard Award at the VMAs.

During her 15-minute medley, the singer opened with “Waiting for Tonight” and performed hits such as “Love Don’t Cost a Thing,” “Dance Again,” “On The Floor,” “All I Have,” and “Dinero.”

“J.Lo’s medley was a reminder of the sheer number of hits she’s provided over the years, and that she’s still one of the most talented dancers pop music has seen,” wrote Vanity Fair.

Luis Fonsi and Daddy Yankee at the Grammys (2018)

Following the success of “Despacito,” Luis Fonsi and Daddy Yankee performed the record-breaking song at the Grammy Awards in a high-energy performance, joining a small group of Latin performers at the awards show.

The duo performed the fully Spanish version of the song instead of the English remix featuring Justin Bieber.

Cardi B and Bruno Mars at the Grammy Awards (2018)

That same night, Cardi B made her Grammys debut alongside Bruno Mars when the duo sang “Finesse (Remix)” in a colorful ’90s-inspired performance, in what Billboard called “one of the most captivating moments of the 2018 Grammys.”

Later that night, Mars took home the album of the year, record of the year, and song of the year awards.

Bad Bunny and J Balvin at the MTV Music Video Awards (2019)

Bad Bunny and J Balvin made their VMAs debut in 2019 with a peculiar and cartoon-esque performance of “Que Pretendes” from their collaborative release, “Oasis.”

While the duo sang in oversized costumes, the stage was filled onscreen with VR figures. At one point in the performance, the two sang while floating over the stage.

Pitchfork called it “bonkers.”

Bad Bunny, Marc Anthony, and Will Smith at the Latin Grammys (2019)

Talk about an unlikely combination.

At the 2019 Latin Grammys, longtime buddies Marc Anthony and Will Smith recruited the then-up-and-coming Puerto Rican star for a performance of their joint collaboration, “Está Rico.”

Camila Cabello, J Balvin, and Ricky Martin at the Grammy Awards (2019)

Camila Cabello made history as the first female Latin artist to open the annual Grammy Awards ceremony in 2019, when she performed “Havana” alongside artists like Ricky Martin, J Balvin, trumpeter Arturo Sandoval, and rapper Young Thug, who is featured on the song.

The performance was marked by the Cuban-Mexican Fifth Harmony alumna holding up a newspaper reading “build bridges, not walls,” in a political statement.

Shakira and Jennifer Lopez at the Super Bowl (2020)

A lot of things happened in 2020, but Shakira and JLo’s Super Bowl halftime show was one to remember.

The two icons shared the stage, performing hits from both of their discographies like “She Wolf,” “Whenever, Wherever,” and “Hips Don’t Lie” during Shakira’s section, and “Jenny from the Block,” “On the Floor,” and “Get Right” during Jennifer Lopez’s section.

Bad Bunny and J Balvin also made appearances during the performance, bringing together the Puerto Rican and Colombian heritage of the headliners.

The two closed the show by performing “Let’s Get Loud” and “Waka Waka (This Time for Africa)” together.

Karol G at the MTV Video Music Awards (2023)

Karol G made her VMAs debut with a medley of “Mañana Será Bonito (Bichota Season)” tracks, including “Oki Doki” and “Tá OK,” bringing a piece of her record-breaking stadium show to the awards show audience.

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