Las 25 Mujeres Más Poderosas (The 25 Most Powerful Women): The Merit of Never Giving Up
Actress Genesis Rodriguez and the other 24 members of this list, including Thalía, of Powerful Women have demonstrated that a key part of success is never giving up.
Singers, entrepreneurs, presenters, athletes, executives... the women on the 2026 list of "The 25 Most Powerful Women" come from very different backgrounds, their life experiences are diverse, and the paths they have followed are quite different. However, they share virtues such as perseverance and the courage to not give up in the face of difficulties, closed doors, and, at times, the stench of discrimination.
Thalía is part of the "Mujeres con Arte" (Women With Art) category in the 2026 list.
Grab a pen and paper, ladies and gentlemen, because Thalía knows exactly what the formula is for staying relevant and, above all, succeeding in every project she's undertaken during her four-decade career. "The key has been staying true to myself," says the 54-year-old Mexican singer. "But at the same time, being open to evolving. I've never been afraid to explore new facets, whether in music or business."
And she doesn't need to explain it. From hits like A Quién Le Importa, Amor a la Mexicana, No Me Enseñaste, and No Me Acuerdo, songs that oscillate between ballad, dance, and even urban rhythms, today Thalía is once again experimenting and evolving her sound with Todo Suena Mejor En Cumbia (Sony Music Latin).
"This new album comes from a very personal place. Cumbia has always been a part of my life, in my childhood, in my family, in the moments that shaped me before I even thought about an artistic career," explains the singer and actress, who launched her album with the single Boomerang. "It's a genre with soul, that unites generations and invites you to feel and celebrate. At this point in my career, I feel like I don't have to prove anything to anyone; I'm simply enjoying life, and that feeling is what represents the joy and identity of cumbia."
Enjoying life and working incredibly hard, Thalía hasn't stopped since starting her career in the 1980s with children's projects and later with Timbiriche, all the way to immortalizing the "Marías" in the 1990s telenovelas on Televisa. Her influence has also extended to the world of fashion with the creation of her own brand, Thalía Sodi. While it may sound easy, reaching the top and standing shoulder to shoulder with figures like Serena Williams, Dee Hilfiger, Loren Ridinger, Winnie Harlow, Hannah Bronfman, and Isabela Grutman hasn't been a smooth road.
That life story was captured in the docuseries she filmed with them, The CEO Club, which premiered in February and is available on Amazon Prime Video. "It was a very special experience because you realize that, beyond the industries or the paths each of us has taken, we all share the same essence: discipline, vision, and a very deep passion for what we do."
"There were many moments in our conversations that made me reflect, but above all, I was struck by how we have all, at some point, had to reinvent ourselves and believe in ourselves again," she adds. "Understanding that growth isn't linear, that there are pauses, doubts, and changes, but that it's all part of the process, was a very powerful experience to share."
With her fellow businesswomen and always surrounded by her husband, music entrepreneur Tommy Mottola, and their two children, Sabrina Sakaë and Matthew Alejandro, it's even better. "Over time, I've learned to value quality time, real connection, and those spaces where you can simply be present so much more," she says, comforted. "Family teaches you to see life more calmly, more consciously, and to constantly remember what's truly important. In the end, they're that place you return to, where you find balance, and where everything makes sense."
Other women in the list
Powerful Women 2026: Executives In Charge
Climbing the corporate ladder is a risky sport that these female executives have learned to practice at the highest level by staying true to themselves and seizing opportunities when the wind was against them.
- Marissa Solís - SVP (Senior Vice President) Global Brand and Consumer Marketing, National Football League (NFL)
- Fabby Torres - Global CMO (Chief Marketing Officer), Gap
- Mariela Cardona - Vice President and Executive Producer, Univision
- Vanessa Pombo - SVP, Unscripted Production Planning, NBCUniversal Telemundo Enterprises
- Rita Jaramillo - Editorial Director, Penguin Random House Grupo Editorial
- Carolina Rincón Sato - Director, Segments Communications, Verizon
Powerful Women 2026: Owners of The Screen
Whether as television presenters, movie stars or soap opera actresses, these women have known how to seduce the camera and make it an accomplice of their power of attraction.
- Lourdes Stephen - Dominican journalist and television host
- Eiza González - Mexican actress and singer
- Karla Souza - Mexican actress
- Angélica María - American-born Mexican singer and actress
- Ana Patricia Gámez - Mexican beauty queen and TV host
- Ana Brenda Contreras - Mexican actress
- Carlota Vizmanos - Spanish journalist and television presenter specializing in sports
- Sofia Vergara - Colombian and American actress and television personality
Powerful Women 2026: Women With Art
Sometimes with their voice, other times with their experiences, and other times with the strength of their physique, these powerful women know how to transform reality into an artistic expression, whether on a stage, in a film script, or locked in a boxing ring.
- Thalía - Mexican singer, actress, and businesswoman
- Goyo - Afro-Colombian singer, rapper, and songwriter
- Danya Jimenez - Mexican-American screenwriter and producer
- Amanda Serrano - Puerto Rican professional boxer and mixed martial artist
- Demi Lovato - American singer, songwriter, and actress
- Jacqie Rivera - Mexican-American singer, entrepreneur, and television personality
Sources:
* Las 25 mujeres más poderosas: el mérito de nunca rendirse
* Poderosas 2026: Ejecutivas con mando
* Poderosas 2026: Dueñas de la pantalla
* Poderosas 2026: Mujeres con arte
