Beverly Bryan is a GRAMMY.com contributor.
How does someone follow up an album like Mañana Será Bonito, an album that set records and destroyed precedents for Spanish-language music made by a woman? For KAROL G, the answer was simple: make the album you always wanted to make. The Colombian reggaeton superstar described her latest release Tropicoqueta as "the album of my dreams." In an Instagram post…
Multiple songs on Cuco's new album Ridin' mention cars or driving. In some cases, it's an extended metaphor, as on "My 45," featuring Jean Carter, where the singer/songwriter's girl is depicted as a "ride or die" through a series of vehicular references. Sometimes, it's in passing, as on "ICNBYH," which opens with the lines, "Go grab a coat and let's…
"Bad Bunny makes a salsa-inspired album" was not on our 2025 bingo card — at least not before the GRAMMY winner released the album singles "EL CLúB" and "PIToRRO DE COCO," in December. The distorted strains of música jíbara on the former and the plena-inspired guitar on the latter were a tip-off that a new chapter was opening. Debí Tirar…
Those who follow underground Spanish music have known the name Nathy Peluso for a while, but in 2020 the Argentine-Spanish artist came to the attention of a broader audience. That year, the rapper and singer released her official debut album Calambre, which won a Latin GRAMMY for Best Alternative Album and received a GRAMMY nomination for Best Latin Rock or…
When Shakira’s "Bzrp Music Sessions, Vol. 53" was released in January of 2023; its success seemed like a freak incident, explainable as a perfect but isolated storm. Their virulently catchy track — which happens to spill scalding tea on her breakup with retired Spanish soccer player Gerard Piqué — set streaming records and took home a Latin GRAMMY for Song…
Ana Tijoux’s first album in almost a decade is titled Vida, but it began as a meditation on death. The French Chilean rapper began writing the songs for her fifth album following a series of personal losses, including a beloved sister. "I wanted to talk about the fragility of life. What I didn’t know when we began was that the…
For Karol G, 2023 was a watershed year. Her fourth album, Mañana Será Bonito, peaked at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 200 and took home the golden gramophone for Album Of The Year at the Latin GRAMMYs. Her many milestones also included a Rolling Stone cover, and signing with Interscope. At the 2024 GRAMMYs, Mañana Será Bonito is nominated…
New York City has long been one of the best locations to hear international music — whether it’s buzzing talent from overseas or local bands paying homage to the music of faraway places. It’s a city where talent and messages have the power to transcend borders, genres and languages, to connect with many different audiences. This year, 10 such artists…
The Latin GRAMMYs have introduced three new categories to the awards this year in order to recognize an ever broader spectrum of Latin culture: Songwriter Of The Year, Best Singer-Songwriter Song, and Best Portuguese-Language Urban Performance. The new category for urban music in Portuguese nods to the force that Brazilian music has become on the world stage. Portuguese urban music…
Bad Bunny can do whatever he wants. On 2022’s Album Of The Year-nominated Un Verano Sin Ti, the iconoclastic Puerto Rican reggaetonero dabbled ably in dream pop, dembow, dub reggae, merengue and whatever other genre came to hand. His creative abandon reflected that of a bedroom producer, rather than one of the biggest stars in the world with everyone watching…
The Latin GRAMMYs have always been about celebrating the diversity of Latin music. This year’s awards ceremony will recognize an even greater diversity of music with three new categories: Songwriter Of The Year, Best Singer-Songwriter Song, and Best Portuguese-Language Urban Performance. The Best Singer-Songwriter Song must be a single or track from an album currently competing in the Best Singer-Songwriter…
The Latin GRAMMYs Album Of The Year category honors the work of both the established leaders and hottest rising stars in Latin music. The 2023 Latin GRAMMYs nominees for Album Of The Year include recordings by reggaeton and pop artists who are breaking down barriers in the music industry, alongside some of the most well-known and beloved singer/songwriters in Spanish.…
