Colombian rock star Juanes was on Thursday awarded the prestigious President’s Award by music rights organization Broadcast Music Incorporated (BMI), reported Caracol.
The elegant ceremony, which took place at the Bellagio Hotel in Las Vegas, saw the Colombian singer named as the winner of the prize for his contribution “to Latin music on the world stage.”
Juanes reportedly accepted his award with grace and humility, choosing songs over speeches to thank his fans with an emotional acoustic rendition of a few of his favorite songs.
“Like all my colleagues here, I’ve been writing ever since I can remember,” said Juanes, “It’s a pleasure to share this moment with all of you.”
The recipient of eighteen Latin Grammy and Grammy awards, the Colombian singer is also a leading humanitarian – having a prominent role in several charity foundations – and was named one of the 100 most influential people in the world by Time magazine.