New York, NY (Top40 Charts) The Latin GRAMMY Cultural Foundation is pleased to announce that Latin GRAMMY winner
Nicky Jam is sponsoring its prestigious
Prodigy Scholarship toward a bachelor's degree at Berklee College of
Music starting in the 2023 fall semester.
The scholarship announcement comes as a follow-up to the artist's performance at the 23rd Annual Latin GRAMMY Awards®, alongside Foundation scholarship winners, where he pledged to support aspiring musicians. To view the performance and message, visit: https://www.facebook.com/NickyJamPR/videos/1559535407841920.
The four-year namesake
Prodigy Scholarship, this year the
Nicky Jam Scholarship, was created eight years ago and provides up to $200,000 in financial aid. It has been co-sponsored by the following Latin artists:
Sofia Carson (2022),
Juanes (2021)
Julio Iglesias (2020),
Emilio and
Gloria Estefan (2019),
Carlos Vives (2018),
Miguel Bosé (2017),
Juan Luis Guerra (2016), and
Enrique Iglesias (2015).
"Music has always been there for me; it has been the fuel that has kept me going even during the hardest moments of my life," shared Nicky Jam. "By providing the
Prodigy Scholarship in partnership with the Latin GRAMMY Cultural Foundation, I get to share my passion for music and give back to the next generation of Latin music makers on their journey to achieving their dreams."
"When it comes to pursuing a career in music, finances should not be a deterrent to cultivating talent," said Raquel "Rocky" Egusquiza, Executive
Director of the Latin GRAMMY Cultural Foundation. "We are grateful for Nicky Jam's generosity, which makes music education a reality for future generations of Latin music creators and preserves our legacy for years to come."
In addition, beginning today, the Foundation is accepting applications for all 2023 scholarships, and alongside Nicky Jam, Juan
Diego Medina, CEO of La Industria Inc., is also sponsoring one of the Gifted Tuition Scholarships of up to $100,000.
All scholarships are available to music students between the ages of 17 and 25, as follows:
Three (3) Gifted Tuition Scholarships of up to $100,000 each will be awarded to students to cover tuition costs towards a four-year bachelor's degree in music starting in fall 2023 at the university of their choice.
Forty (40) Tuition Assistance Scholarships of up to $10,000 each will be awarded to students pursuing a degree in music. This is a one-time award that will cover tuition costs over one year (fall 2023 and spring 2024 semesters).
Each year, the Foundation's Scholarship Committee carefully evaluates applications from a highly competitive pool of aspiring musicians on a variety of skills, along with rigorous requirements that are both academic and artistic in nature. To date, the Foundation has awarded over $7.6 million in scholarships, grants and musical instrument donations through their music education programming, and events worldwide. All scholarships are awarded to exceptionally talented music students, with financial needs, to support their educational and musical aspirations.
To apply, visit www.latingrammyculturalfoundation.org. The online application process requires students to submit two audition videos, two letters of recommendation, and an acceptance letter from an accredited university along with two essays. The materials can be submitted in English, Spanish or Portuguese. The deadline to apply is April 10, 2023, at 11:59 p.m. EDT. For information and the latest news, please visit the official Latin GRAMMY Cultural Foundation website at: www.latingrammyculturalfoundation.org. If you have any questions after reviewing the guidelines or require assistance with your application, please email
[email protected].
Nick Rivera Caminero, known as Nicky Jam, is an icon in the Latin urban genre. The Puerto Rican singer's unique perspective made him a reggaeton pioneer starting in the 2000s and into the last decade, helping to shape the genre into a global phenomenon. The Latin GRAMMY winner continues to enjoy success with many multi-platinum hits and sold-out world tours adding to his inspiring legacy.
At age 11,
Nicky Jam broke into Puerto Rico's reggaeton scene with his debut album, Diferente a Los Demás (Different From the Rest). In his teenage years he became a rising star in the genre with hits like "Yo No Soy Tu Marido," "Me Voy Pa'l Party," "Fiel A Tu Piel" and "La Combi Completa." He was also part of the duo Los Cangris with another musical pioneer, Daddy Yankee. However, time in prison and a deep depression derailed Nicky Jam's career soon after.
Three years later, he moved to Colombia with a renewed spirit to reclaim his career. After a 10-year hiatus from the charts,
Nicky Jam returned with "Travesuras," which peaked on Billboard's Hot Latin Songs in 2014 for over 20 weeks. The following year, he scored another global hit, "El Perdón," with Enrique Iglesias, which won the Latin GRAMMY Award for Best Urban Performance. He had the biggest hit of 2016 with "Hasta el Amanecer." The songs were featured on his comeback album, 2017's Fénix, which is credited with reviving global interest in reggaeton music.
Nicky Jam's songs have achieved more than 14.5 billion views on YouTube and 1.1 billion streams on Spotify. Among his recent hits are the 35-times platinum "X," with J Balvin, and his collaborative single "Te Boté," featuring
Casper Mágico, Nio García, Darell, Bad Bunny, and Ozuna. In 2019,
Nicky Jam turned his inspiring life story into the hit series El Ganador, which he also starred in. He made his big screen debut in Bad Boys For Life alongside
Will Smith and
Martin Lawrence.
