Raphael received the Lifetime Achievement Award at the 2022 Billboard Latin Music Awards on Thursday night (Sept. 29), where he also performed a medley of timeless hits.
Joined by Spanish pop star Pablo López and Latin boy band CNCO, Raphael performed his tracks “De Tanta Gente,” “Mi Gran Noche,” “Estar Enamorado,” “Como Yo Te Amo,” “Que Sabe Nadie” and “Escandalo.”
Raphael is recognized for his “exceptional professional career and his artistic and personal contributions” that have influenced the development of Latin music around the world.
With a musical career that spans more than 60 years, Raphael — known for anthemic songs such as “Yo Soy Aquel,” “En Carne Viva” and “Mi Gran Noche” — has garnered worldwide recognition as a pioneer of Spanish-language romantic ballads. In 1962, he began his professional career, where he soon earned first, second and third prizes at Spain’s Festival Internacional de la Canción in Benidorm. He also performed two consecutive times at the Eurovision Festival, starred in various films, and hosted a radio show called The Raphael Show. To date, he’s recorded more than 60 albums and has sold over 70 million records. He’s slated to release a new album at the end of the year.
Past recipients of the Lifetime Achievement Award include Paquita la del Barrio, Armando Manzanero, Miguel Bosé, Los Temerarios, Intocable, José José, Marco Antonio Solís, Ricardo Arjona, and Maná, among others.
