Artists and fans of Latin music have a new date marked in red on the calendar. The 2022 Latin American Music Awards (Latin AMAs) in Las Vegas will gauge the boom Latin music is experiencing in the U.S. in post-pandemic times. The red carpet will also be coming back after two years of virtual celebration.

This year's gala will be presented by three celebrities: Rafael Amaya, Jacqueline Bracamontes and Cristian de la Fuente, who will welcome the artists, open the ceremony and present the Legend and Extraordinary Evolution awards.

Rehearsals began on Monday, April 18, to ensure a perfect event. In a gala full of music, surprises, stars and performances, everything must be under control. The Mandalay Bay Resort & Casino in Las Vegas is ready to host a night that promises to be memorable. It's only been two weeks since the Grammys, and the Latin AMAs want to set the bar high.

In addition to awards for the nominees in the various categories, there will be powerful live performances from The Black Eyed Peas, Jesse & Joy, Gloria Trevi, Caliber 50, Luis Fonsi and Jhay Cortez, among others.

Like many sports and cultural events in recent times, the motto of the show will be "Music unites us," a message in support of Ukraine in times of war and extreme cruelty. Ukrainian artist Nastya Kamenskykh will make a special presentation during the gala, to demand the end of the Russian invasion and bombing of her country.

The eighth edition of the Latin AMAs, which takes place in the same city that hosted the Grammys, will be broadcast on Telemundo through the Peacock streaming service. In Latin America, it can be followed by the cable channel Telemundo Internacional. The broadcast will begin this Thursday, April 21 at 5 p.m. Pacific and 8 p.m. Eastern.

In the 26 categories, there are dozens of Latin artists who aspire to win awards. The one with the most nominations is Bad Bunny (10), including the most important categories: Artist of the Year, Album of the Year and Single of the Year. With eight nominations, he is followed by Jhay Cortez, and with seven are the trio of Rauw Alejandro, Karol G and J Balvin.

There will also be special recognition to some artists for their successful careers. Mexico's Lupita D'Alessio will receive the Legend Award for her 50 years on stage. She will sing a mix of her greatest hits. Christian Nodal will also receive an Extraordinary Evolution Award for his contributions to regional Mexican music, and be invited to sing some of his hits.