Grammys

Karol G won the Grammy Award for best música urbana album on Sunday (Feb. 4) for her historic Mañana Será Bonito, the first set by a female-artist in Spanish to top the Billboard 200, also crowned in November as album of the year at the Latin Grammys.

“This is my first time at the Grammys and this is my first time holding my own Grammy,” the Colombian star said after receiving her trophy from presenters Maluma and Christina Aguilera. “This is such a beautiful thing. My album has given me the best memories in my whole life. My fans that came and enjoyed my album, they get motivation and inspiration with me and heal with me. Thank you so much, I promise you to give you my best always. I hope that this is the first [Grammy] of so many.”

Karol’s award was the only one from the Latin categories announced during the televised ceremony. The rest, along with most of the night’s trophies, were presented a few hours earlier at the Grammy’s Premiere, held at the Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles and streamed on live.Grammy.com.

There, Peso Pluma — who was not nominated for the 2023 Latin Grammys — became a Grammy-winning artist when he received the award for best regional Mexican music album (including Tejano) for Génesis.

The Mexican star was not there to accept his golden gramophone for the set, which shook the music world with hits such as “Rosa Pastel” with Jasiel Núñez and “Lady Gaga” with Gabito Ballesteros and Junior H and made history on the Billboard charts. Peso won in a category that this year was dominated by female veterans such as Lila Downs and Ana Bárbara.

Gaby Moreno, who gave a sublime performance during the event accompanied by El David Aguilar, won the award for best Latin pop album for her folk-style work X Mí (Vol. 1). “I’m having an out-of-body experience,” she said, excited as she accepted her trophy. “This was an acoustic album I made last year with songs that are very dear to me from previous albums.”

In the category of best Latin rock or alternative album there was a tie, and the winners were two Grammy darlings: Colombian rocker Juanes for his raw and introspective Vida Cotidiana, and Natalia Lafourcade for her heartfelt and formidable De Todas Las Flores. “Thank you, my God. Thank you, music,” said the Mexican singer-songwriter in a mix of English and Spanish. “Music is my boss and she has taught me that … we have to take care of our inner garden. This album has healed me so much.” She ended with, “Mom, Dad, Mexico, let’s go!” Meanwhile, Juanes did not attend the ceremony.

In a somewhat surprising triumph, for the second consecutive year, Rubén Blades won a Grammy for an album that was not nominated for a Latin Grammy: Siembra: 45th Anniversary (Live at the Coliseo de Puerto Rico, May 14, 2022), with Roberto Delgado and Orquesta. The prominent Panamanian musician, who last year won best Latin pop album for Pasieros with Boca Livre, triumphed this time in the best tropical Latin album category, which included Carlos Vives, Omara Portuondo and Grupo Niche — who all won at the Latin Grammys in November.

Only one Latin American artist was nominated this year in a main category: prolific Mexican songwriter and producer Edgar Barrera, who was competing for the non-classical songwriter of the year award for his work for stars such as Don Omar, Grupo Firme, Karol G, Christian Nodal and Grupo Frontera. The award, announced during the premiere, went to Theron Thomas.

The Grammy for best Latin jazz album went to Miguel Zenón and Luis Perdomo for El Arte Del Bolero Vol. 2. The Colombian duo 123 Andrés, composed of Andrés Salguero and Cristina Sanabria, who are married, won the award for best children’s music album for We Grow Together Preschool Songs. And Venezuelan maestro Gustavo Dudamel won the award for best orchestral performance as conductor of the Los Angeles Philharmonic for “Adès: Dante.”

Several Latin American artists competed in the global music categories, including Mexico’s Silvana Estrada, Cuba’s Cimafunk and Peru’s Susana Baca.

Below, all the 2024 Grammy winners (and nominees) in the Latin music, global music and Latin jazz categories.

Best Latin Pop Album

La Cuarta Hoja, Pablo Alborán
Beautiful Humans, Vol. 1, AleMor
A Ciegas, Paula Arenas
La Neta, Pedro Capó
Don Juan, Maluma
WINNER: X Mí (Vol. 1), Gaby Moreno

Best Música Urbana Album

SATURNO, Rauw Alejandro

WINNER: MAÑANA SERÁ BONITO, Karol G

DATA, Tainy

Best Latin Rock or Alternative Album

MARTÍNEZ, Cabra
Leche De Tigre, Diamante Eléctrico
WINNER (tie): Vida Cotidiana, Juanes
WINNER (tie): De Todas Las Flores, Natalia Lafourcade
EADDA9223, Fito Paez

Best Regional Mexican Music Album (Including Tejano)

Bordado A Mano, Ana Bárbara
La Sánchez, Lila Downs
Motherflower, Flor De Toloache
Amor Como En Las Películas De Antes, Lupita Infante
WINNER: GÉNESIS, Peso Pluma

Best Tropical Latin Album

Voy A Ti, Luis Figueroa
Niche Sinfónico, Grupo Niche y Orquesta Sinfónica Nacional de Colombia
VIDA, Omara Portuondo
MIMY & TONY, Tony Succar, Mimy Succar
Escalona Nunca Se Había Grabado Así, Carlos Vives
WINNER: Siembra: 45o Aniversario (En Vivo en el Coliseo de Puerto Rico, 14 de Mayo 2022), Rubén Blades con Roberto Delgado & Orquesta

Best Latin Jazz Album

Quietude, Eliane Elias
My Heart Speaks, Ivan Lins with the Tblisi Symphony Orchestra
Vox Humana, Bobby Sanabria Multiverse Big Band
Cometa, Luciana Souza & Trio Corrente
WINNER: El Arte Del Bolero Vol. 2, Miguel Zenón & Luis Perdomo

Best Global Music Performance

“Shadow Forces,” Arooj Aftab, Vijay Iyer & Shahzad Ismaily
“Alone,” Burna Boy
“FEEL,” Davido
“Milagro y Desastre,” Silvana Estrada
“Abundance in Millets,” Falu & Gaurav Shah (featuring PM Narendra Modi)
WINNER: “Pashto,” Béla Fleck, Edgar Meyer & Zakir Hussain featuring Rakesh Chaurasia
“Todo Colores,” Ibrahim Maalouf featuring Cimafunk & Tank and the Bangas

Best Global Music Album

Epifanías, Susana Baca
History, Bokanté
I Told Them…, Burna Boy
Timeless, Davido
WINNER: This Moment, Shakti

Best Children’s Music Album

Ahhhhh!, Andrew & Polly
Ancestars, Pierce Freelon & Nnenna Freelon
Hip Hope For Kids!, DJ Willy Wow!
Taste the Sky, Uncle Jumbo
WINNER: We Grow Together Preschool Songs, 123 Andrés

Best Orchestral Performance

WINNER: “Adès: Dante,” Gustavo Dudamel, conductor (Los Angeles Philharmonic)
“Bartók: Concerto for Orchestra; Four Pieces,” Karina Canellakis, conductor (Netherlands Radio Philharmonic Orchestra)
“Price: Symphony No. 4; Dawson: Negro Folk Symphony,” Yannick Nézet-Séguin, conductor (The Philadelphia Orchestra)
“Scriabin: Symphony No. 2; The Poem of Ecstasy,” JoAnn Falletta, conductor (Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra)
“Stravinsky: The Rite of Spring,” Esa-Pekka Salonen, conductor (San Francisco Symphony)

In an evening that celebrates the best in music, Gaby Moreno stood out at the 64th annual Grammy Premiere Ceremony on Sunday (Feb. 4) as a performer and winner.

The Guatemalan singer/songwriter, alongside Mexican artist El David Aguilar, offered a rendition of “Luna de Xelajú” that was nothing short of mesmerizing. The set not only showcased Moreno’s exquisite vibrato, but also paid homage to the rich heritage of Latin American folk music.

Dressed in a silky purple gown, with Aguilar in a brown suit and tie, the duo, each wielding steel-string acoustic guitars, brought to life the whimsical charm of “Luna de Xelajú.” Their performance, underscored by the gentle accompaniment of a grand piano and a symphony providing subtle background layers, left the audience in awe — most notably, the host. “Guys that’s one of the most beautiful things I have ever heard,” songwriter Justin Tranter said after the performance. “Her voice is so beautiful.”

This statement preceded a momentous occasion for Moreno, as shortly after she was announced the winner of the best Latin pop album for her folk-driven X Mí (Vol. 1) project.

Overwhelmed with emotion, Moreno described her Grammy-winning experience as surreal. “I’m having an out-of-body experience,” she said with a gigantic smile, holding her new Grammy. “Thank you so much, Recording Academy. I want to thank my family, my mom and my sister who flew from Guatemala to be here with me. I want to thank my incredible team from Cosmica Artists, Gil Gastelum, Mariana Puente, Isaac, Nana, Reese, Grecia — too many, oh my goodness.”

Moreno continued, “This was an acoustic album that I did last year with songs that are really dear to me from previous albums.” She went on to name all the behind-the-scene producers and sound engineers who contributed to the making of the album before adding in Spanish with a wispy voice, “I want to dedicate it to all my people in Guatemala, what a thrill, thank you so much!”