At only 20 years old, Ángela Aguilar received the Musical Dynasty award at the 2024 Billboard Latin Women in Music gala for continuing the legacy of an emblematic family in Mexican music that includes her father, Pepe Aguilar, and her grandparents Antonio Aguilar and Flor Silvestre.
After a sublime performance of an old song of her father’s, “Me Vas a Extrañar,” accompanied only by the piano of Arthur Hanlon, the Mexican star – in a romantic and floaty white dress with blue flowers – was surprised by her dad, who from Japan sent a video message expressing the great pride he feels for his daughter.
“A lot of thoughts come to mind from when she was little, two and a half years old when I started training her, I started teaching her how to sing, when I started teaching her the craft that my parents taught me and that I am sure that she will follow it just as I have followed it,” said Pepe Aguilar. “I think they are people who lead and continue to lead the Aguilar dynasty, like her brother [Leonardo], in a very dignified way. Congratulations daughter.”
Moved and with a maturity beyond her years, Ángela expressed feeling “a great relief and a great privilege” to be part of a family that has already experienced everything she is preparing to experience.
“I feel like they grab me, hug me, and take care of me and lead me on the right path. And not only with words but with actions,” she expressed with aplomb. “With my grandmother I learned to be a good woman, with my mother I learned to always express myself. My father taught me that what you don’t know how to say with words you know how to sing. I am very grateful to be able to receive this because I know that this is not because of me, but it is due to generations of sweat in the throat, sleepless nights, and composed melodies.
“More than anything, I want to thank the people who have supported me, because between this great legacy and this great last name, I am still trying to find who I am among all of it,” she concluded.
In its second annual edition, Billboard Mujeres en la Música also honored Karol G as Woman of the Year, Gloria Estefan as Legend, La India as Pioneer, Ángela Aguilar with the Musical Dynasty Award, Camila Cabello with the Global Impact award, Kany García as Spirit of Change and Kali Uchis as Rising Star.
In addition to airing on Telemundo on Sunday, the ceremony is also available on the Telemundo app and Peacock.
