Gloria Trevi, one of Latin music’s most iconic, controversial, and influential figures, will be honored with the Music Trajectory award at Billboard’s 2026 Latin Women in Music ceremony. Known for her diva-meets-punk attitude and larger-than-life stage presence, Trevi has captivated audiences for nearly four decades with her fearless, unrestrained artistry. From the rebellious stomp of “Pelo Suelto” to vulnerable ballads like “El Favor de la Soledad,” her music brims with raw honesty, sharp social commentary and unapologetic intensity. Her signature vocal rasp and “sin pelos en la lengua” mindset — as noted by artist Chiquis Rivera — have cemented Trevi’s status as a singular force in Latin music.
With three top 10 hits on Hot Latin Songs (“Cinco Minutos,” “Con Los Ojos Cerrados,” “Me Siento Tan Sola”) and countless other milestones, the Mexican superstar’s legacy extends far beyond the charts. A master of reinvention, Trevi has fearlessly navigated personal and professional hurdles, consistently rewriting the rules while amplifying themes of empowerment and resilience.
Chiquis — honored with the Impact Award at last year’s Latin Women in Music and host of the 2026 gala — reflects on the influence of her colleague and close friend.
Watch Billboard’s Mujeres Latinas en la Música live April 23, beginning at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT on Telemundo, and stream live on Peacock and the Telemundo app. Watch Billboard’s red carpet livestream on the Billboard.com and the Billboard Latin YouTube channel. For more coverage on Latin Women In Music click here.
My first introduction to Gloria Trevi as an artist was with “Pelo Suelto” (1991) where I was like, “This woman is awesome.” Then I got to know more about her with “La Papa Sin Catsup” (1994) because my mom (Jenni Rivera) covered that song [in 2003]. That’s when the relationship between her and my mom started developing because that’s when Gloria was incarcerated (2000-2004). Gloria was very grateful that my mom did that. My mom was a fan. They became really good friends.
Gloria presented my mom’s [posthumous] Hollywood Walk of Fame Star in 2024. We asked her to speak because my mom didn’t have many friends in the industry, she had acquaintances. She really considered Gloria a friend. Gloria has been so great with us since the day my mom passed.
I know they would talk all the time, and if they were in the same city, they would see each other. If my mom went to McAllen [where Gloria is based], she would go to their house — she was also very good friends with Armando, Gloria’s husband. When my mom needed advice, she would talk to Gloria and vice versa. They had a very beautiful bond.
Gloria and Armando were some of the first people to call us when my mom passed away (in a plane crash in 2012). She said, “Whatever you guys need, I am here. See me like a second mother, like a friend, like a sister.” I’ll never forget that. When Johnny, my brother, was about 11, she felt responsible for looking after us. Johnny and her eldest son are very close.
A few years later, at an award show, I asked Gloria’s permission to sing “Pelo Suelto,” and she said, “Oh my God, absolutely.” And we got to perform it together! To this day, that is one of my favorite performances. I’ll never forget that Gloria said to me backstage, “You got this! I’m not going to shrink myself for you because I would be doing a disservice to you.” I was like, “Wow, I’m going to step it up because I’m with freaking Gloria Trevi!” It was such an amazing experience.
There’s another [anecdote] with my song “La Malquerida,” [which] was actually her song. She told me, “I wrote this for a telenovela, but I want you to have it. Take it, record it.” It was a single [from 2025] that did pretty well.
She’s invited me to her house to have dinner, and whenever she’s in LA we try to see each other.
I love that Gloria has a very distinct voice. It didn’t matter where you heard her, you knew that’s Gloria. She’s always been very outspoken in her music. She speaks about real things and sings things about female empowerment, like in “Cinco Minutos.” No tiene pelos en la lengua (she doesn’t mince words), and I love that about her. She writes her own music. She pays attention to every detail in her show. I’ve seen her draw out what she wants on stage, what she wants her costumes to look like. When she goes up on stage, she’s a completely different person. And when you speak to her offstage, she’s very soft-spoken and gentle.
She says that’s where she’s the happiest, that she gets to play and be herself [on stage]. I asked her, “How do you jump and do all these splits?” She’s like, “I feel something takes over me. I’m so happy and I don’t feel anything. It’s not until I get off stage that I’m like, ‘Okay, my back hurts.’ ”
She loves what she does and she’s so passionate about it. Her whole life is about her music and her career, and she’s super involved in every aspect. To me as an artist, that’s a beautiful thing because I’ve learned from her. In the beginning of my career, I wasn’t like [I am today]. We had a few conversations, and she gave me a little kick. She became my music mentor.
She said, “As your [second] mother on this earth — because I know what your mom would have wanted — I’ll be there to guide you through any questions you have.” And she did. She helped me a lot, especially in the third and fourth years of my career. I think she did it out of the love she had for my mom and the love she began to feel for me.
But I also know what she’s been through and how hard it’s been for her. She helped me so much and told me, “Just as your mom helped me, I’m going to help you.” It was like paying it forward. Gloria has a big place in my heart.
