Young Miko was honored with the Impact Award at the 2024 Billboard Women in Music Awards on Wednesday night (March 6), where she first graced the stage with an acoustic performance of “Curita.”

Joined by three musicians (a pianist and two percussionists), the Puerto Rican rapper and singer delivered a stripped-back version of her latest single, showcasing her effortless ability to go from sugary vocals to saucy rap bars.

Soon after, dressed in an edgy, cutout white top and pant set with a slicked-back ponytail, she received the Impact Award, where she first introduced herself as “my name is Young Miko, I’m from Puerto Rico,” and then expressed her excitement to be in a room full of women she admires.

“Ever since I was little, I’ve known I wanted to make music,” she said. “I always knew that music was my passion, and I dreamt about being onstage. I dreamt about having thousands of people sing your songs and whatnot, but if I’m being honest, I never imagined standing on this stage receiving an Impact Award.”

She then gave a special shout-out to two of the women who have most impacted her life: her mom and her sister.

“My mom has always told me since I was little that life is way too short to not fall in love, but crazy in love,” she continued. “And I know she doesn’t mean it with other people. She means falling in love with yourself, with what you are, with what you do, your morals, what you believe in, and I think that’s the message I want to put out tonight, ’cause I don’t think there’s a better way to impact other people than being yourself.”