Applications Open for the Nicky Jam Prodigy Scholarship

The Latin Grammy Cultural Foundation (LGCF) is pleased to announce that Latin Grammy winner Nicky Jam is sponsoring its prestigious Prodigy Scholarship toward a bachelor’s degree at Berklee starting in fall 2023. The scholarship announcement comes as a follow up to the artist’s performance at the 23rd annual Latin Grammy Awards, alongside other LGCF scholarship winners, where he pledged to support aspiring musicians.

The four-year Prodigy Scholarship, named the Nicky Jam Scholarship in 2023, was created eight years ago and provides up to $200,000 in financial aid. It has previously been cosponsored by 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,” said 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.”

The LGCF is now accepting applications for all 2023 scholarships, which include the following:

• 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 (the fall 2023 and spring 2024 semesters).

LGCF scholarships are available to music students between the ages of 17 and 25.

Each year, the LGCF's scholarship committee carefully evaluates applications from a highly competitive pool of aspiring musicians on a variety of skills, with rigorous requirements that are both academic and artistic in nature. To date, the LGCF has awarded over $7.6 million in scholarships, grants, and musical instrument donations through its 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.

The online application process requires students to submit two audition videos, two letters of recommendation, an acceptance letter from an accredited university, and 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. ET. For application guidelines and information, visit the LGCF's website.

About Nicky Jam

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 multiplatinum hits and sold-out world tours adding to his legacy.

At age 11, Nicky Jam broke into Puerto Rico’s reggaeton scene with his debut album, Diferente a Los Demás. 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 chart in 2014 for over 20 weeks. The following year, he scored another global hit, “El Perdón,” with Enrique Iglesias, which won the Latin Grammy for Best Urban Performance, and 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.

About the Latin Grammy Cultural Foundation

The Latin Grammy Cultural Foundation is a 501(c)(3) charitable organization established by the Latin Recording Academy in 2014 to further international awareness and appreciation of the significant contributions of Latin music and its makers to the world’s culture. The foundation provides college scholarships, educational programs, and grants for the research and preservation of its rich musical legacy and heritage. To date, the foundation has donated over $7.6 million, with the support of Latin Recording Academy members, artists, corporate sponsors, and other generous donors.