Carlos Rivera won three awards at the Premios HEAT 2026 in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico, leading the honors during the ceremony's Mexican debut on Thursday.
Rivera did not attend the gala at the Puerto Vallarta International Convention Centre to collect his trophies, heading an extensive list of missing winners on a night decided entirely by public voting.
The Mexican singer secured Album of the Year for ¡Vida México!, Best Male Artist, and Best Video for Sin Despedida, his musical collaboration with Alejandro Fernández.
Pop star Gloria Trevi brought the audience to its feet with a high-energy finale, taking home the Artista de Oro trophy in recognition of her decades-long musical career.
The Premios HEAT, established by television channel HTV to celebrate Latin music, staged its first ceremony in Mexico after holding past editions in Punta Cana, Dominican Republic, and Medellín, Colombia.
Performances and Tributes in Puerto Vallarta
Dominican merengue performer Eddy Herrera opened the broadcast, delivering a lively musical set that paid tribute to the Dominican Republic's longstanding role as a principal host of the awards platform.
The musical lineup showcased a range of popular genres across Latin America, featuring performances by Puerto Rican singer Olga Tañón and Mexican pop sister duo Ha*Ash.
Colombian acts Jessi Uribe and Luis Alfonso brought popular and regional sounds to the stage, while tribute segments honored deceased artists including Mexican icon Paquita la del Barrio through performances of their classic songs.
Organizers incorporated the cultural identity and traditions of Jalisco into the stage presentation, using regional elements to reflect the host state's heritage throughout the evening.
Gloria Trevi and Career Recognitions
Trevi closed the musical program with a theatrical performance marked by dynamic choreography and her signature irreverent style, earning a standing ovation from the crowd.
The Mexican singer converted her Artista de Oro presentation into a headline spectacle, reinforcing her position as one of Latin pop's most recognizable figures.
Several other veteran acts earned lifetime achievement honors for their musical careers, including Los Ángeles Azules, Olga Tañón, Banda MS de Sergio Lizárraga, Piso 21, and Don René Camacho of La Arrolladora Banda El Limón. Digital entertainer Marko received recognition for his career in online content creation.
Production Assessment and New Host City
Puerto Vallarta hosted a week of activities leading up to the gala, successfully demonstrating its hospitality and logistical capacity to accommodate major international music gatherings.
The broadcast featured a visually striking and large stage, though the overall artistic deployment remained smaller than the expansive productions mounted in Punta Cana or Medellín.
The live telecast experienced moments of slow pacing, and differences in experience and fluency were apparent among the hosts across different segments of the ceremony.
While the absence of multiple winners and a reduced musical roster diminished the broadcast's momentum, the event succeeded in broadening the geographical footprint of the awards platform.
Dominican Winners and Fan Voting Impact
The ceremony relied entirely on public voting, allowing loyal fan communities to influence outcomes and provide visibility to artists from markets such as Peru and Ecuador in tropical and regional categories.
The Dominican Republic secured two major honors during the broadcast. Urban performer Yailin La Más Viral received the trophy for Best Dominican Urban Artist.
Dominican urban artist La Perversa won Fandom of the Year for her follower community, VibraPerversa, though she did not attend the gala in person to receive her award.
Complete List of Competitive Winners
Mexican sister duo Ha*Ash earned two competitive honors, winning Best Pop Artist and Best Group or Band. Colombian star Karol G claimed Best Female Artist, Puerto Rican rapper Arcángel took Best Urban Artist, and Grupo Firme was named Best Regional Mexican Artist.
The full list of competitive winners from the Premios HEAT 2026 includes:
- Album of the Year: Carlos Rivera, for ¡Vida México!
- Breakthrough Artist: Yeri Mua
- Song of the Year: "La Villa", by Ryan Castro, Kapo and Gangsta
- Composer of the Year: Gianmarco
- Music Video Director of the Year: Rodrigo Films
- DJ of the Year: Juan Magán
- Fandom of the Year: VibraPerversa, by La Perversa
- Influencer of the Year: Aaron Mercury
- Best Female Artist: Karol G
- Best Male Artist: Carlos Rivera
- Best Pop Artist: Ha*Ash
- Best Regional Mexican Artist: Grupo Firme
- Best Popular Region Artist: Jessi Uribe
- Best Andean Region Artist: Dayanara
- Best Northern Region Artist: Gabito Ballesteros
- Best Southern Region Artist: Cazzu
- Best Rock Artist: Maná
- Best Salsa Artist: Brunella Torpoco
- Best Tropical Artist: Grupo 5
- Best Urban Artist: Arcángel
- Best Dominican Urban Artist: Yailin La Más Viral
- Best Song for Video Games, Series or Movies: "Zoo", by Shakira, for Zootopia 2
- Best Religious Song: "Ayer hablé con Dios", by Corridos del Rey
- Best Viral Song: "Dichavate", by Ya Ice Dilan, Rey Tony and Helabusador
- Best Collaboration: "Así Fue", by Arthur Hanlon and Thalía
- Best Platform Content: Karime Pindter, for Karime Kooler
- Best Group or Band: Ha*Ash
- Best Video: "Sin Despedida", by Carlos Rivera and Alejandro Fernández
- Producer of the Year: Ovy on the Drums
- Musical Promise: Mario Girón
Special Honours
The gala presented several special awards recognizing career achievement:
- Artista de Oro: Gloria Trevi
- Musical Career: Los Ángeles Azules
- Musical Career: Olga Tañón
- Musical Career: Banda MS de Sergio Lizárraga
- Musical Career: Piso 21
- Musical Career: Don René Camacho, of La Arrolladora Banda El Limón
- Content Creation Career: Marko
