Latin Grammys
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In the past year, the Latin music industry transitioned from a singles-driven market to an albums-focused world, with both new and established artists crafting cohesive sets. The Latin Grammy for album of the year has historically prioritized daring concepts and artistry above popularity when deciding the winner, and while legacy acts have historically dominated the category, recent honorees such as Rosalía tend to return for encores. And Karol G’s triumph in 2023 with her commercial blockbuster, Mañana Será Bonito, may now allow for ultra-popular albums to take home the ultimate artistic prize.
Come Sept. 17, 10 nominees will be announced — here are five of the most likely.
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Young Miko, att. (The Wave Music Group)
In the world of reggaetón, Miko is an outlier: blonde, petite and openly gay. For a genre steeped in machismo, it’s a remarkable flip of the script. The album balances her party-girl persona with rap lyrics that aren’t afraid to put others in their place with effectively eloquent punches, having fun without ever becoming gratuitous. Plus, Miko has good taste on her side, tapping Jowell & Randy for an old-school reggaetón touch.
Fonseca, Tropicalia (Sony Latin)
Fonseca’s Tropicalia is a labor of love, designed to elevate the artistry of tropical music with its rich palette. The Colombian singer-songwriter introduced his new oeuvre with last year’s “Si Tu Me Quieres,” which won best tropical song at the Latin Grammys and features bachata star Juan Luis Guerra singing Fonseca’s pop-infused brand of vallenato. That accordion-tinged sound is the foundation of an album full of poignant moments, but Fonseca also expands: He collaborates with Gilberto Santa Rosa and Chucho Valdés on a beautiful Cuban bolero, with Alex Cuba on a contemporary song and with Colombian salsa stalwarts Grupo Niche on a jazz-tinged salsa, all united by his ability to make fans swoon with music designed for the dancefloor.
Kany García, García (5020 Records)
García has twice been nominated in this category, but the third time may be the charm with an album that expands and redefines the scope of the traditional Latin singer-songwriter. Her work has twice won her best singer-songwriter album, and her songsmith qualities shine again in her melodic lines and eloquent yet colloquial lyrics. Autobiographical opener “García,” for instance, is a master class in storytelling in under three minutes. But García also digresses, going with gusto into Mexican music territory with Eden Muñoz, Christian Nodal and Carín León on three riveting tracks. “We’re in constant evolution, and as an artist, I love that I can insert what I’m going through in each album I make,” she previously told Billboard.
Peso Pluma, Éxodo (Double P Records)
Peso Pluma continued his hit-making campaign with Éxodo, his second top five album on the Billboard 200. But unlike its predecessor, Génesis, which won the Grammy this year for best Regional Mexican music album, Éxodo is a double album highlighting the two sides of Peso. Side one is full of Mexican music featuring several collaborations with artists of his generation, including Junior H, Tito Double P and Luis R Conríquez; side two is devoted to urban and pop, featuring bilingual collaborations with Quavo and Rich the Kid. While exploration of many genres is a mainstay of Latin music today, it is rarely in these two directions, and much less with this success. And though Génesis is also eligible for this award given its release date, Billboard’s bet is on the newer, more adventurous Éxodo. It’s to be noted that Peso was not nominated in any category at the 2023 Latin Grammys, an omission that can be rectified this time around.
Shakira, Las Mujeres Ya No Lloran (Sony Latin)
At 47 years old, Shakira refused to be quietly scorned, releasing her retribution of an album, Las Mujeres Ya No Lloran, following a cheating scandal and public split from Gerard Piqué. Instead of wallowing on the full-length, Shakira gets even, famously proclaiming she makes her own money on “Shakira: Bzrp Music Sessions, Vol. 53,” which won song of the year at the 2023 Latin Grammys. The album is filled with lyrics that double as social media fodder, but it’s also clever and artistic, placing a wickedly funny song like “Puntería” with Cardi B alongside such achingly vulnerable tracks as “Acróstico” and “Ultima.” Backed by an impressive array of collaborators that also includes Karol G, Rauw Alejandro and regional Mexican groups Grupo Frontera and Fuerza Regida, Shakira has managed to stay current and return to the top on her own terms. Should she win, this would be her second album of the year trophy, following her 2006 triumph with Fijación Oral, Vol. 1.
This story will appear in the July 20, 2024, issue of Billboard.
At the Latin Grammys, there is perhaps no category as coveted as best new artist, a launching pad for future stars through the years. There’s also no category as confounding. The first winner was Ibrahim Ferrer in 2000 at the age of 72; Joaquina won it last year at 18 years old. In 2022, Angela Alvarez, 95, split the prize with 25-year-old Silvana Estrada.
And while the award has gone to talents who are relatively unknown, as well as those who have more public-facing major-label support, the rules are clear: Contenders must release a minimum of three singles/tracks or one album during the eligibility period. An artist who has previously released more than three albums and/or more than 15 singles is not eligible. Here are five contenders with a strong shot at scoring a nomination this year.
DARUMAS
What do you get when an Argentine bassist, a Cuban singer-guitarist and a Haitian vocalist unite? DARUMAS — an all-women U.S.-based trio comprising Aldana Aguirre, Ceci León and Vedala Vilmond — defies every stereotype of what Latin girl groups sound like. The three expert musicians play a tight mix of old-school funk, R&B and Motown, with Spanish lyrics and plenty of attitude. Named for the traditional Japanese daruma doll, DARUMAS are not cutting corners when it comes to honing their sound, resulting in an act that puts musicianship at the forefront.
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Iván Cornejo
Though Cornejo and Xavi espouse a new Mexican sound, Cornejo uses traditional Mexican instrumentation as his foundation and also leans into electric guitar for some rock’n’roll angst. The result is a sound that’s weary — his biggest hit is titled “Está Dañada” (“She’s Damaged”) — but relatable. (Cornejo writes all of his material.) He has placed 15 entries on Billboard’s Hot Latin Songs chart, and his second album, Dañado, ruled Regional Mexican Albums for 37 nonconsecutive weeks. In 2022, Cornejo became the youngest act to win new artist of the year at the Billboard Latin Music Awards.
Xavi
At 20 years old, Xavi has been making noise in the new Mexican music scene since last year. In January, “La Diabla” topped Hot Latin Songs for 14 weeks, setting a record so far this year. In May, he scored another No. 1, on Regional Mexican Airplay, with “Corazón de Piedra.” Both songs were co-written by Xavi (real name: Joshua Xavier Gutiérrez), who calls his sound tumbados románticos, a hybrid of corridos tumbados with a twist of romance and heartache. His music has a young, avid fan base that straddles both sides of the border but has the potential to expand much further.
Ela Taubert
Like labelmate (and 2023 Latin Grammy best new artist winner) Joaquina, Colombian singer-songwriter Taubert is a graduate of producer Julio Reyes Copello’s Art House Academy, signaling just how seriously she takes her craft. The 23-year-old writes convincingly about love and loss with immediately relatable lyrics set to catchy, midtempo pop arrangements reminiscent of Miley Cyrus. Following the release of her debut EP last year, Taubert is slowly but steadily gaining steam, as her new single, “Cómo Pasó?,” has reached a No. 12 high on the Latin Pop Airplay chart.
Latin Mafia
Freshly signed to Rimas Entertainment (home to Bad Bunny), Latin Mafia balances fun — with its childlike single covers — and moodiness with R&B and touches of reggaetón. Made up of twin brothers Milton and Emilio de la Rosa and their older brother Mike, the trio grew organically in Mexico as a fully independent act, amassing 6 million monthly listeners on Spotify, playing Coachella and catching the ear of Rimas vp Junior Carabaño. “I can’t wait to write their next chapter together and make history,” he previously told Billboard.
This story will appear in the July 20, 2024, issue of Billboard.
Twenty-five years after leading the list of nominees to the first edition of the Latin Grammys, Carlos Vives will receive the highest honor from the Latin Recording Academy: the Colombian artist has been named the 2024 Person of the Year.
Vives — winner of 18 Latin Grammy Awards, two Grammy Awards and a Billboard Latin Music Awards Hall of Fame inductee — “will be honored for his more than three-decade career as a multifaceted singer and composer, as well as for his continued commitment to environmental and social initiatives,” according to an official statement released Wednesday (May 22) morning.
“Carlos Vives is one of the most prolific and beloved artists of our time, whose commitment to Latin music and support for the new generations truly personifies the values of our Academy,” said Manuel Abud, CEO of The Latin Recording Academy. “We honor him as our Person of the Year for his vast contributions to our musical heritage and for his many philanthropic initiatives.”
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“It’s still surprising to me,” Vives told Billboard Español this week in an exclusive interview. “It’s like a message that the Academy gives at the end, because 32 years ago I chose a path [that was unconventional]. To be successful, to be commercial, there was one way. This other path that’s cultural or has to do with your identity, that doesn’t work, [they would say].”
In Wednesday’s press release, he added: “I am honored and moved to have been chosen as the 2024 Latin Recording Academy Person of the Year. It is the reward for an authentic journey, for a wonderful team and, above all, it is the recognition of the musical spirits of our Latin American diversity. These spirits taught us to love and enrich our language, to take care of it and to respect it in order to exalt humanity with it.”
Born in Santa Marta, Colombia, Carlos Vives is one of the most respected artists in Spanish-language music and a pioneer of a new Latin American sound, redefining traditional Colombian vallenato by incorporating to it pop and rock sounds. With No. 1 hits on the Billboard charts such as “Volví a Nacer,” “Fruta Fresca” and “La Bicicleta” with Shakira, among others, has become an ambassador of Colombian and Latin American culture around the world.
His commitment to good causes transcend the musical realm. In 2015, he created the Tras La Perla initiative to promote the sustainable development of Santa Marta and its ecosystem. In addition, he created the Escuela de Música Río Grande to offer artistic experiences to children and young people, and founded the record label Gaira Música Local to promote new Colombian talent. He’s also been a strong advocate and generous supporter of the Latin Grammy Cultural Foundation since its inception, the Latin Recording Academy highlights, and sponsored its annual Prodigy Scholarship in 2018.
His latest album, Escalona: Nunca Se Había Grabado Así, earned him his 18th Latin Grammy when it was crowned best cumbia/vallenato album in 2023. This year he was also recognized with the ASCAP Founders Award from the American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers (ASCAP).
Vives will be feted as Person of the Year at a special star-studded gala and tribute concert where an array of artist and friends will perform renditions of his renowned repertoire. Details of the event, to be presented in November during the 2024 Latin Grammy week in Miami, will be announced at a later date.
The Latin Recording Academy Person of the Year honors musicians and their artistic achievements in the Latin music industry as well as their humanitarian efforts. Past honorees are Laura Pausini (2023), Marco Antonio Solís (2022), Rubén Blades (2021), Juanes (2019), Maná (2018), Alejandro Sanz (2017), Marc Anthony (2016), Roberto Carlos (2015), Joan Manuel Serrat (2014), Miguel Bosé (2013), Caetano Veloso (2012), Shakira (2011), Plácido Domingo (2010), Juan Gabriel (2009), Gloria Estefan (2008), Juan Luis Guerra (2007), Ricky Martin (2006), José José (2005), Carlos Santana (2004), Gilberto Gil (2003), Vicente Fernández (2002), Julio Iglesias (2001) and Emilio Estefan (2000).
The 2024 Latin Grammys are set to take place in Miami on Nov. 14, the Latin Recording Academy announced on Wednesday (April 17) during a press conference. The 25th Annual Latin Grammy Awards will be held in Miami at the Kaseya Center, in partnership with Miami-Dade County and the Greater Miami Convention & Visitors Bureau […]
The Latin Grammy Cultural Foundation announced on Thursday (Dec. 14) that Sebastián Yatra will sponsor the next four-year Prodigy Scholarship that will fully fund a student’s bachelor’s degree in music at Berklee School of Music starting in the fall 2024.
“Joining the Latin Grammy Cultural Foundation for their annual Prodigy Scholarship is beautiful because I’m part of something that I would’ve wished for as a young kid. One of my big dreams was to study music at Berklee and although my career took a different path which I’m super grateful for, I would’ve loved to have that kind of preparation and knowledge,” said Sebastián Yatra in a statement. “I hope that the person who gets this opportunity takes full advantage of the scholarship and enjoys it to the max. I’ll be looking out for applicants that share a lot of heart and sincerity in their art.”
The foundation’s scholarship, created nine years ago, holds a maximum value of $200,000 in financial aid for music students in need. The scholarship is traditionally awarded to “exceptionally talented music students, with financial needs, to support their educational and musical aspirations,” according to the Latin Grammy Cultural Foundation.
The news of the scholarship follows the singer-songwriter’s stint as a host at the 24th Annual Latin Grammys, during which he performed and expressed his passion for the Foundation on-air, encouraging global support for Latin music education. The Colombian superstar initially partnered with the Foundation in 2019 for the Latin Grammy In The Schools program in Miami.
“Our scholarships provide more than just funds for college tuition,” said Raquel “Rocky” Egusquiza, executive director of the Latin Grammy Cultural Foundation. “The ongoing support we receive from artists such as Sebastián Yatra and our generous sponsors allows us to take it a step further and create meaningful educational and mentoring opportunities for the next generation of Latin music creators.”
In addition, Gibson Gives, the charitable division of Gibson, will provide sponsorship for three Tuition Assistance Scholarships. Each scholarship could be worth up to $10,000 and is intended for students who aim to study music, with the electric or acoustic guitar as their main instrument. Applications for all 44 scholarships available in 2024 are now open and available to music students between the ages of 17 and 25.
For more details and/or to apply, visit www.latingrammyculturalfoundation.org.
In previous years, the Prodigy Scholarship has been co-sponsored by Latin stars including Nicky Jam (2023), 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).
At 8 years old, Joaquina wrote her first song. She can’t remember the name, only that it was in English and that she felt so embarrassed at the thought that her parents could see it, that she tore the page out of the notebook, crumpled it and threw it away. “I would love to go back in time and not have done that,” she admits today. This month, at 19, she won the coveted Latin Grammy Award for best new artist. She was also nominated for best singer-songwriter album for her debut EP, Los Mejores Años.
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Joaquina was part of the first class of graduates from producer Julio Reyes Copello’s Art House Academy before signing a record deal with Universal Music Latin. A well-rounded artist who writes her own music, she sings primarily about teenage angst in indie pop/rock songs like “Rabia,” “Niñas de Instagram,” “Los Mejores Años” and her most recent single, “Quise Quererte.” She has already opened for well-known stars such as Alejandro Sanz and Fonseca, and Juanes included a song written by her (“La Versión En Mi Cabeza”) on his latest album, Un Día Normal.
Born in Caracas, Venezuela and raised from the age of 6 in Miami, Joaquina Blavia Canabal (her full name) grew up between music, theater and ballet lessons. There were no instrumentalists or singers in her family, but they were all lovers of the arts in general. “I also always loved reading and reciting poetry,” she tells Billboard Español. “I was always very studious — I always loved school, really. I was always very nerdy.”
A nerd with a rock soul, inspired by singer-songwriters like Avril Lavigne, she began posting Instagram videos of herself singing covers of others at 11. At 13, she began writing her own music while playing in bands with school friends. “I did it very much for fun, but I knew I wanted to do this [professionally] one day. I always knew,” she says.
At the age of 15 she looked for a producer to help her record her first songs, and in El Doral she found the small studio of Eduardo Stambury. “He was very nice to me. I didn’t know anything about recording, I didn’t know anything about the music industry,” Joaquina recalls. In 2020, in the middle of the pandemic, she released “Primer Amor,” a song with which she admits she does not relate to today, but which served as a starting point.
The pandemic was a defining moment for Joaquina’s budding career. In times of quarantine, while she was studying high school remotely from home (or even from the recording studio), she dedicated most of her time to writing songs and continued posting on social media, where others began to notice her work. “That’s how I got my first opportunity to go to a session in Miami to write for another artist, [a 12-year-old girl in Venezuela who I don’t know if she ended up recording the song], but I got many more opportunities from there,” she explains. She was only 16 at the time.
When the time to apply to college arrived, she thought she would study music at an institution like Berklee, UM or USC. But then a friend told her about Julio Reyes Copello, and the new program that the renowned Colombian producer was creating in Miami at the time. “It was like, ‘Obviously,’” she says. “My mom, like a mother hen, wrote to Julio — we sent him some demos and some music links — and Julio replied, saying ‘Hey, how nice, I loved it, come to the studio.’”
Joaquina got the last available spot at Reyes Copello’s academy, and took its two programs simultaneously (for sound production and engineering, and as a music artist), while finishing her last year of high school online. At the end of a very intense year, she signed with Universal and made her debut.
Learn more about our November Latin Artist on the Rise below.
Name: Joaquina
Age: 19
Recommended Song: “Los Mejores Años” — “It’s a song I wrote when I was 17, when I was about to graduate from high school. Although I am very extroverted and I love to socialize, I am also very private and it’s difficult for me to talk about my fears, my thoughts, and ‘Los Mejores Años’ was a big relief song for me. It helped me a lot to understand many things I was feeling in a time of normal transition in everyone’s life. It’s a bit that concept of feeling the fear of growing up for the first time in your life. The title has a double meaning: Everyone tells you to enjoy your teenage years, that they are the best years in life, but the truth is I didn’t have such a good time at school 100% of the time — I had many doubts and I would wonder, ‘But why are these the best years of my life?’ This is what the song is about.”
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Major Accomplishment: “The Latin Grammy. It was one of those moments when time stops and you are in front of so much, and you feel like your head is pounding and everything is like in slow motion. Out of nowhere I started seeing everything in slow motion. I felt like I entered an alternate reality (laughs). The truth is that I didn’t expect it. Seriously, honestly, I didn’t expect it.”
Joaquina poses with the award for Best New Artist in the media center for The 24th Annual Latin Grammy Awards at FIBES Conference and Exhibition Centre on Nov. 16, 2023 in Seville, Spain.
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What’s Next: “Right now I’m working on my album, an upcoming project that will be released around mid-next year. There will be new music in about two months.”
You’ve probably heard that women swept the Big Four awards at the 2023 Latin Grammys for the first time in the show’s 24-year history. The show was held on Nov. 16 in Seville, Spain. Colombian singer Karol G won album of the year for Mañana Será Bonito, which made history as the first all-Spanish language album by a […]
The 2023 Latin Grammys are a wrap. This year, there was no one big winner. Karol G, Shakira and Natalia Lafourcade tied with three major awards each. Venezuelan singer-songwriter Joaquina won best new artist. So you could say that women were the big winners of the night. Karol won album of the year and best urban […]
The 2023 Latin Grammys took place for the first time internationally in Seville, Spain, on Thursday (Nov. 16) — and to celebrate, Latin music’s hottest artists of yesterday and today were present.
Among the star-studded guests was Feid, who in the midst of his European tour traveled to Spain to put colleagues and viewers alike on their feet with the Latin Grammys closing performance.
Moving away from his signature green outfits, the Colombian artist was decked out in an all-white ensemble, including his famed “Ferxxo” sunglasses.
He began his performance with an acoustic version of his song “Prohibidox,” backed by a romantic piano melody. Shortly after, he invited DJ Premier onstage to perform their hit “Le Pido a Dios.” Not only did Feid shine with his strong, live vocals, but he also had the entire room dancing — including his Medallo squad, Karol G, Ovy on the Drums and Keityn.
Feid was a five-time nominee at the 2023 Latin Grammys, including best rap/hip hop song, best urban/fusion performance, best urban music album and two songs in best reggaeton performance.
The 2023 Latin Grammys, led by top nominee Edgar Barrera, featured performances from Andrea Bocelli, Alejandro Sanz, Bizarrap, Borja, Camilo, Carin León, Christian Nodal, David Guetta, DJ Premier, Édgar Barrera, Eslabón Armado, Feid, GALE, Iza, Joaquina, Juanes, Kany García, Laura Pausini, Leon Leiden, Maluma, Manuel Carrasco, Maria Becerra, Milo J, Natascha Falcão, Ozuna, Pablo Alborán, Paola Guanche, Peso Pluma, Rauw Alejandro, Rosalía, Sebastián Yatra, and Shakira.
For the first time airing internationally, the 24th annual awards show took place on Thursday (Nov. 16) at the Conference and Exhibition Centre (FIBES) in Seville, Spain. It aired on Univision, UniMás and Galavisión. It was broadcasted on Radiotelevisión Española (RTVE) in Spain.
On Thursday (Nov. 16), the 24th annual Latin Grammys witnessed a soul-stirring collaboration as Kany García and Christian Nodal took the stage in Seville, Spain, to perform their heartfelt ranchera ballad, “La Siguiente.”
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Kany, adorned in a beautiful off-white lace ensemble and matching pointy boots, her long hair flowing, transitioned impressively from her usual playful pop persona to belt out a poignant norteña song with plenty of gusto. Backed by numerous acoustic and electric guitars, the performance painted a beautiful backdrop for the lovelorn narrative of a toxic relationship.
In a black silk shirt, with a tattooed chest adorned with gold chains, the mariacheño pioneer Christian Nodal entered the picture to match hearts with the Puerto Rican singer. Straying from elaborate choreography or flashy effects, the duo relied solely on their robust vocals to captivate the audience.
“Gracias por hacerme bohemio, México” (“Thank you for making me bohemian, Mexico”), Christian Nodal said earlier during the telecast when the sleek vaquero won a Latin Grammy for best ranchero/mariachi album for Forajido EP2.
The 2023 Latin Grammys featured performances from Andrea Bocelli, Alejandro Sanz, Bizarrap, Borja, Camilo, Carin León, David Guetta, DJ Premier, Édgar Barrera, Eslabón Armado, Feid, GALE, Iza, Joaquina, Juanes, Laura Pausini, Leon Leiden, Maluma, Manuel Carrasco, Maria Becerra, Milo J, Natascha Falcão, Ozuna, Pablo Alborán, Paola Guanche, Peso Pluma, Rauw Alejandro, Rosalía, Sebastián Yatra and Shakira.
Check back to Billboard.com throughout the night for the latest news on performances, special awards and more.