Anthony Santos was honored during the 35th Soberano Awards for his contributions to positioning bachata as an international dance music. The Dominican Republic has requested that the Unesco list Dominican bachata as intangible cultural heritage. Santos received the honor from Emely Baldera, president of the Dominican Show Business Writers Association and Franklin León, president of Cervecería Nacional Dominicana, the sponsor of the event. On the same evening, Anthony Santos had been honored as the Best Bachata Performer and for the Best Bachata (Mal educado) for 2018.
Another big winner of the Soberano Awards was Alá Jazá (Emmanuel Jiménez), who won in the categories of Merengue of the Year (Nadie se meta), Best Collaboration (Mi forma de ser) and Street Merengue. Alá Jazá is credited for creating the 21st Century style of urban merengue known as MamWali, that merges merengue and trap music. He is also an acclaimed mambo, bachata, and ballad singer.
In the movie category, Tabaré Blanchard took to the stage of the National Theater on three occasions to receive awards for “Veneno,” the story of wrestler Jack Veneno. In the theater category, the big winner was Juancito Rodríguez for “Agosto.”
Another highlight of the evening was the performance by singer Juliana O’Neal, who is battling cancer. Merengue star Alex Bueno performed his long-time merengue hit “Colegiala” on the stage. Danny Rivera sang the music of the late Anthony Ríos. Others that were remembered that evening were radio innovator Teo Veras, singer Luchi Vicioso and movie-maker Fernando Báez in a segment with Lily Goodman.
There were many expressions of solidarity to Venezuelan artists who expressed their appreciation to Dominicans for local support.
See the list of the award winners:
Listado Soberanos
20 March 2019