It was an upset solely within the sense that going into the ceremony, it seemed as if Puerto Rican famous person Unhealthy Bunny — the most nominated artist at this yr’s occasion — was poised for a sweep. The Latin entice visionary — whose chart-topping album “Un Verano Sin Ti” is essentially the most streamed album of the yr — wasn’t on the awards present as he’s slated to perform in Medellin, Colombia, on Friday. Finally, the 28-year-old rapper, whose actual identify is Benito Martinez Ocasio, received 5 awards within the present’s rap and hip-hop classes.
It was Uraguayan musician Jorge Drexler who took essentially the most prizes on the awards present, sharing two of essentially the most coveted prizes — file and tune of the yr — with Spanish rapper C. Tangana. Drexler’s trophy haul additionally included greatest pop tune (for “La Guerrilla De La Concordia”) in a tie with Sebastián Yatra’s “Tacones Rojos,” greatest different tune, greatest singer-songwriter album and greatest Portuguese-language tune.
Performers on the ceremony, which was broadcast on Univision from Las Vegas’s Michelob Extremely Area, included Yatra, Rosalia, Angela Aguilar, Rauw Alejandro, Karol G and Romeo Santos. The telecast was hosted by Mexican singer Thalia, Brazilian pop star Anitta, Puerto Rican crooner Luis Fonsi and Italian musician Laura Pausini.
The true spotlight of the ceremony was the second 95-year-old Angela Alvarez received greatest new artist, in a tie with Mexican singer Silvana Estrada. Examine her speech and different memorable moments; a listing of the primary class winners is beneath.
The star-studded present opener
Fonsi, Pausini and Thalia, joined by Mexican duo Sin Bandera, led a tribute to the Latin Recording Academy’s “Individual of the 12 months” Marco Antonio Solis of Los Bukis fame. The tribute additionally featured Gente de Zona, the Cuban duo who appeared on the 2021 ceremony’s tune of the yr — the protest anthem “Patria y Vida.” They have been joined by Cuban singer Aymée Nuviola and Goyo, of the Colombian hip-hop trio Choquibtown.
Rauw Alejandro’s space-forward medley
The Puerto Rican singer gave top-of-the-line performances of the evening sampling from his newest album “Saturno” whereas wanting like a futuristic Sherlock Holmes in an outsized metallic trench coat and assertion sun shades.
A 95-year-old grandmother’s tie for greatest new artist.
Cuban native Angela Alvarez, 95, tied for greatest new artist alongside Mexican singer Silvana Estrada, 25, triumphing in a dynamic class whose youngest contender Yahritza Martinez of Yahrita y su Esencia is still in her teens. Alvarez gave one of many evening’s greatest speeches, thanking the Recording Academy “and all those who have helped me arrive at this second.” It’s a bunch that features Cuban American actor Andy Garcia, who produced and narrated a documentary about Alvarez’s life, and her grandson, composer Carlos José Alvarez, who first started recording the songs Alvarez had beforehand solely carried out for household.
“I need to dedicate this award to God and to my beloved nation, Cuba, which I’ll by no means be capable of neglect,” Alvarez mentioned in her poignant acceptance speech. “To those that haven’t fulfilled their dream, though life is troublesome, there’s all the time a approach out and with religion and love you’ll be able to obtain it.”
Rauw and Rosalia as energy couple
Followers of the Barcelona native have been handled to definitive proof her relationship with fellow Latin pop star Rauw Alejandro — the second-most nominated artist this yr, with eight nods — goes sturdy. If their playful grinding throughout Rosalia’s efficiency of “Despecha” didn’t affirm it, her acceptance speech shoutout to “the love of my life” definitely did.
4 folks sharing internet hosting duties may imply too many cooks within the kitchen, however the Latin Grammys favor a number of hosts, and it hardly ever appears too crowded. This yr’s group struck a steadiness with the low-key Fonsi and Pausini reverse Anitta and Thalia, who introduced upcoming acts with the keenness of Oprah Winfrey giving everybody a brand new automotive.
Sebastián Yatra and John Legend carry out “Tacones Rojos” (“Crimson Heels”)
The cabaret-inspired efficiency by Yatra, additionally nominated for eight awards at Thursday’s ceremony, was as charming because the Colombian singer and his EGOT collaborator on the “Tacones Rojos” remix.
Christina Aguilera carried out with Christian Nodal
The pop star received greatest conventional vocal album for “Aguilera,” which marked her hotly-anticipated return to Latin music (a long time after she launched her first Spanish-language album, “Mi Reflejo”). Aguilera teamed up for a powerhouse mariachi duet with Mexican singer Christian Nodal, who later took house greatest ranchero/mariachi album for “EP #1 Forajido.”
Anitta’s nod to “Vai Malandra”
The Brazilian singer took a short break from her co-hosting duties to carry out a medley that included “Vai Malandra,” the 2017 hit that put the file of the yr nominee on the worldwide map.
The “city” classes
Unhealthy Bunny wasn’t shut out of the primary classes, precisely. Rosalia (who collaborated with the rapper on the 2020 hit “La Noche de Anoche”)was a formidable contender within the album of the yr class, which additionally included Bomba Estereo’s “Deja,” Marc Anthony’s “Pa’lla Voy” and Yatra’s “Dharma.” And although Drexler, one other album of the yr nominee, appeared stunned to win each file and tune of the yr, these prestigious classes may have gone to a spread of artists together with Rosalia, Alejandro and Aguilera.
However there’s a sure dissonance in Unhealthy Bunny — whose album is the yr’s biggest by several measures — not successful in any of the ceremony’s main classes. This yr’s outcomes are consultant of an ongoing downside that prompted a number of reggaeton artists together with Daddy Yankee to boycott the ceremony in protest of its therapy of chart-topping reggaeton artists, who’ve typically been relegated to style classes. The Latin Recording Academy added new hip-hop classes lately, however what does it imply if genre-transcending artists similar to Unhealthy Bunny are regularly sidelined from the primary classes?
That mentioned, the Latin Grammys have been lightyears forward of the so-dubbed “gringo Grammys” in relation to Latin artists throughout genres (see: Anitta, who’s up for greatest new artist at a ceremony she’ll attend months after co-hosting and performing on the Latin Grammys). By the way, the opposite Grammys ceremony — which has its personal fraught history with hip-hop artists and nonetheless has a protracted solution to go when it comes to recognizing musical expertise on a worldwide scale — introduced Bad Bunny as one of the nominees for album of the yr on the ceremony, which can be held on Feb. 5.
“Tocarte,” Jorge Drexler and C. Tangana
Angela Alvarez; Silvana Estrada
“Tocarte,” Jorge Drexler and C. Tangana
“Tacones Rojos,” Sebastian Yatra; Jorge Drexler “La Guerrilla De La Concordia”
Finest reggaeton efficiency
“Lo Siento BB:/,” Unhealthy Bunny, Tainy, Julieta Venegas
Finest city fusion efficiency
“Titi Me Preguntó,” Unhealthy Bunny
“Un Verano Sin Ti,” Unhealthy Bunny
“De Museo,” Unhealthy Bunny
“Pa’alla voy,” Marc Anthony
See the total checklist of winners here.
