2006 Billboard Latin Music Awards.

The 2006 Billboard Latin Music Awards will honor the extraordinary careers of two of Latin music’s biggest stars: Mexican singer/composer Joan Sebastian, who will receive the Billboard Hall of Fame Award for his career achievement, and Colombian singer/songwriter Shakira, who will be honored with this year’s Spirit of Hope Award for her exceptional humanitarian work, and who will also delight fans with an electrifying performance. Both stars will be honored at the 2006 Billboard Latin Music Awards, to be broadcast live by Telemundo from Seminole Hard Rock Live in Hollywood, Florida, on Thursday, April 27 at 7PM ET/PT.

When she released her first English-language album in late 2001, after achieving superstardom throughout Latin America, Shakira became an instant pop sensation. The Colombian poetic lyricist will be honored with the Spirit of Hope Award for her charitable work through her Fundacion Pies Descalzos (Barefeet Foundation). The foundation, which was created by Shakira in her native Barranquilla and has since extended to other regions of Colombia, aims to change the living conditions, including education, nutrition and lifestyle, of the thousands of children who have been displaced by violence and have been left in a vulnerable situation due to the internal conflicts in this country.

In addition to receiving the Spirit of Hope Award, Shakira is also up for eight awards in the categories of Top Latin Albums Artist of the Year; Hot Latin Songs Artist of the Year; Latin Pop Album of the Year, Female – “Fijacion Oral Vol 1;” Latin Pop Airplay Song of the Year, Female – “No;” and her hit “La Tortura” is up for Hot Latin Song of the Year, Vocal Duet; Hot Latin Song of the Year; Latin Pop Airplay Song of the Year, Duo or Group, and Latin Ringtone of the Year.

For his contributions to Latin music, where he has not only been a consistent best selling artist, but a prolific author whose many songs are an intrinsic part of the Latin American songbook, Joan Sebastian has been hailed by critics and colleagues alike during his career, which has spanned over three decades, making him the ideal recipient of the Billboard Hall of Fame Award.

At the age of 17, Joan Sebastian became involved in popular music, dedicating his first composition, “Juliantla,” to his native town in Mexico. In 1977, Sebastian, who’s real name is Jose Manuel Figueroa, decided to call himself Joan Sebastian – paying tribute to San Sebastian, where he used to work. He embarked on a successful career that has led to the production of 32 albums to date, and his lyrics performed by some of Latin music’s most prominent artists including Vicente Fernandez, Antonio and Pepe Aguilar, Lucero, Alberto Vasquez, Beatriz Adriana and Graciela Beltran among many others. His versatility has been evident in his ability to span through the different popular genres; therefore, his repertoire includes ballads, ranchera, nortena, banda, and more. Now, with “Inventario,” he’s a finalist for Regional Mexican Album of the Year, Male Solo Artist.

While finalists and eventual winners of the 2006 Billboard Latin Music Awards are determined by performance on the Billboard charts, winners of the Billboard Hall of Fame and Spirit of Hope Awards are decided by an editorial committee based solely on merit specific to that award. Previous recipients of the Billboard Hall of Fame Award, recognizing career achievement, include Marco Antonio Solis, Armando Manzanero, Los Lobos, Mongo Santamaria and Banda El Recodo. The Spirit of Hope Award, recognizing humanitarian contributions, has previously been awarded to Juan Luis Guerra, Mana, Ricky Martin, Olga Tanon, El General and Soraya.

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