peermusic Latin Award

The peermusic Latin Award is an annual competition open to student songwriters and composers of Latin music. A scholarship is presented annually for the best original song or instrumental composition in any Latin genre. Applicants must be based in the United States or Puerto Rico. Applicants may only submit one application per BMI Foundation awards program and they may not submit the same musical work to more than one BMI Foundation awards program. Applicants may only submit works that have not been assigned to any major music publisher or major record label and they must not have had any musical work commercially recorded or distributed. Applicants may only apply if they have not previously won the peermusic Latin Music Award. Honorable mentions may apply again. If the work is co-written, it must meet the following requirements: (1) Co-written works can have no more than 3 total writers. (2) All co-writers must meet eligibility requirements. (3) One single songwriter of record must submit the application. Songwriters can only be the writer of a record on one submission. Songwriters of record and their co-writers can also be co-writers on other submissions. (4) Awards will be split evenly among co-writers for co-written works, and co-writers will each receive the award. (5) Only songwriters should be listed as co-writers for the award. No other artists should be listed (performers, producers, etc.). Please visit the scholarship's website for more information. Established in 2003 through the generosity and vision of peermusic CEO Ralph Peer II, the award carries a $5,000 scholarship for the best original song or instrumental composition in any Latin genre, along with mentorship with renowned singer-songwriter, producer, and musician Jorge Luis Chacín. All applicants must be between the ages of 17 and 24 as of June 30, 2026. Application requirements include one audio file and lyric sheet (if applicable) of an original song. The BMI Foundation does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, age, national origin or ancestry, genetic information, marital status, parental status, sexual orientation, gender identity and expression, disability, or status as a veteran in its programs and employment; people of all backgrounds are encouraged to apply.