Thalia, the celebrated Mexican superstar, delivered one of the most vibrant and memorable moments at the 2026 Billboard Women in Music Awards on Wednesday, April 29. Honored with the prestigious Icon Award, she not only showcased her signature charm but also passionately displayed her Mexican pride by incorporating a full mariachi band into her captivating musical performance.

Clad in a striking short, bright red dress complemented by a flowing cape of the same color, Thalia lit up the stage with a dynamic medley of her timeless hits, “Piel Morena” and “Amor a la Mexicana.” “Piel Morena” marked a significant milestone in her career, earning her first top 10 on Billboard’s Hot Latin Songs chart, where it peaked at No. 7 in 1995. “Amor a la Mexicana” also achieved commercial success, reaching No. 6 in 1997. Her performance began with “Piel Morena,” accompanied by two guitarists, who were soon joined by four dancers dressed in white, sleeveless mariachi suits. The spectacle escalated with “Amor a la Mexicana,” as an all-female mariachi group took the stage, while a large male mariachi ensemble, adorned in black, appeared from the aisles, playing their instruments amidst the captivated audience.

Immediately following her electrifying performance, a visibly emotional Thalia received her award from actress and activist Eva Longoria, who lauded her extensive career and celebrated her as a true “chingona,” a Mexican slang term for a bad-ass. Expressing her profound gratitude, Thalia thanked Billboard, her family, her fans, and all the individuals who have supported her journey for over four decades, across generations, countries, and languages. She profoundly reflected on the word “icon,” describing it as a short term representing a long process. For her, an icon is a symbol, a representation of something greater than itself – a story, a culture, a moment in time that resides in people’s hearts. She articulated that if her journey had connected in that way, she received the award with immense love. Furthermore, she emphasized that being an icon is not about standing alone but about opening doors for others, holding onto dreams amidst uncertainty, and continually reinventing oneself. She defined an icon as a survivor who falls, stands up, and keeps going because there is no other option.

Thalia dedicated her award to her younger self, “that little girl who’s still living in me, to that little Thaly who stepped onto a television stage when she was seven years old and found magic in those lights and through the lens of the camera.” She extended this dedication to every single child who dares to dream big, urging them not to stop, asserting that their dreams are not big, but rather, they are simply waiting to grow into them. She concluded her impactful speech with fervent exclamations in Spanish: “¡Viva México! ¡Viva los latinos! Gracias.”

Thalia’s illustrious career spans over four decades, earning her the titles of “Queen of Latin Pop” and “Queen of Telenovelas.” She began her career as a child in the 1980s, initially as an actress and later as a member of the influential Mexican pop group Timbiriche. By her early twenties, she had already attained global celebrity status as the star of the iconic María Trilogy of telenovelas, which aired in more than 180 countries and captivated an audience of nearly two billion people. Her solo music career, launched in 1990, embraced progressive pop-rock melodies and a distinctively flirty image, yielding significant success.

Her impact on the music industry is evident in her impressive Billboard chart achievements. She has placed 41 songs on Billboard’s Latin Pop Airplay chart, ranking as the third-highest female artist in the chart’s history, behind Shakira and Ednita Nazario. Additionally, she has accumulated 29 entries on Latin Airplay, 26 on Hot Latin Songs, 16 on Top Latin Albums, and seven entries on the all-genre Billboard 200 chart. Thalia’s contributions to music were also recognized in 2023 when she received the Global Powerhouse Award at Billboard Latin Women in Music.

The 2026 Women in Music ceremony, hosted by Keke Palmer, was streamed live on Billboard’s YouTube channel and Billboard.com. In addition to Thalia, this year’s distinguished honorees included the vocalists of the K-Pop group HUNTR/X—EJAE, AUDREY NUNA, and REI AMI—who were named Women of the Year. Other recipients included Teyana Taylor (Visionary Award), Zara Larsson (Breakthrough Award), Kehlani (Impact Award), Laufey (Innovator Award), Mariah the Scientist (Rising Star Award), and Tate McRae (Hitmaker Award).