Jennifer Velez covers music from the U.S., Latin America and beyond. In the past she has written/produced for NPR, Remezcla and more.
Just days after the Latin Recording Academy broadcast its 21st Latin GRAMMY Awards show on Nov. 19, it added an Emmy award to its legacy. The Latin Recording Academy's 20th Annual Latin GRAMMY Awards, broadcast in Nov. 2019, won for the International Emmy Award's Non-English Language U.S. Primetime Program category; it tied with "Reina Del Sur" Season 2. The 20th Latin GRAMMYs,…
Carlos Vives and Rubén Blades won Best Tropical Song for "Canción Para Rubén" at the 21st Latin GRAMMY Awards. file: social: https://twitter.com/rubenblades/status/1329631947879034880 The lively collab between the two GRAMMY- and Latin GRAMMY-winning legends is from Vives' joyful, cumbia-infused 2020 album, Cumbiana, which won Best Contemporary/Tropical Fusion Album during the Latin GRAMMY Premiere ceremony earlier today. The Colombian hero took home a total of three 2020 Latin…
Alejandro Fernandez has won Best Ranchero/Mariachi Album for Hecho En Mexico at the 2020 Latin GRAMMYs. file: social: https://twitter.com/LatinGRAMMYs/status/1329611318257709056 Aida Cuevas' Antologia De La Musica Ranchera, Eugenia Leon's A Los 4 Vientos Vol. 1 "Ranchero," Mariachi Sol De Mexico De Jose Hernandez' Bailando Sones Y Huapangos Con El Mariachi Sol De Mexico De Jose Hernandez, and Christian Nodal's AYAYAY! were other nominees. Earlier in the…
J Balvin has won Best Urban Music Album for Colores at the 2020 Latin GRAMMY Awards. The reggaeton singer gave a shout out to his native Colombia and sent positive vibes to all the countries being affected by hurricane Iota right now during his acceptance speech. file: social: https://twitter.com/LatinGRAMMYs/status/1329596413886521346 "What the world needs is Colores right now," he added. Anuel…
Residente's "Rene" has won Song Of The Year at the 2020 Latin GRAMMYs. The Puerto Rican rapper gave a speech about what he feels music should be. "Art is made to be a reflection... I made this song without fear of being vulnerable," he said. node: video: Residente's "Rene" Wins Song Of The Year | 2020 Latin GRAMMYs Maluma's "ADMV," Juanes and…
Natalia Lafourcade has won the 2020 Latin GRAMMY Album Of The Year Award for her album Un Canto Por Mexico, Vol. 1. file: social: https://twitter.com/LatinGRAMMYs/status/1329640696316358656 Bad Bunny's YHLQMDLG, J Balvin and Bad Bunny's Oasis, J Balvin's Colores, Camilo's Por Primera Vez, Kany Garcia's Mesa Para Dos, Jesse & Joy's Aire (Version Dia,) Ricky Martin's Pausa, Fito Paez' La Conquista Del Espacio, and Carlos Vives' Cumbiana were…
Residente is the first artist to win a Latin GRAMMY for Best Rap/Hip-Hop Song. He won for his song "Antes Que El Mundo Se Acabe." Other nominees were Anuel AA's "Narcos," Duki's "Goteo," Bad Bunny and Eladio Carrion's "Kemba Walker," and Anuel AA, J Balvin, Jhay Cortez, Josias De La Cruz, Misael De La Cruz, Sergio Roldan, and Elvin Roubert & Nydia Yera's "Medusa." file:…
There's nothing like receiving a nomination for a Latin GRAMMY. Just ask Cazzu, Guaynaa, Soy Emilia and Nathy Peluso, who each received their first nod earlier this year. Ahead of the 2020 Latin GRAMMYs this week, GRAMMY.com recently caught up with the Latin superstars to get the deets behind their reactions. Read below to meet some of this year's first-time Latin GRAMMY…
It was never in Carla Morrison’s plans to make a comeback in 2020, but the pandemic changed it all. The GRAMMY-nominated singer-songwriter from Tecate, Mexico, who rose to the spotlight with her heartbreaking Spanish-language records, stopped making music for some years after realizing she wasn’t happy. In that time, she moved to Paris where she began to spend time in…
Nathy Peluso is days away from making her Latin GRAMMY debut, and, understandably, she's excited. On stage, the Argentine singer-songwriter is a jolt of energy—her dance moves and improvised body movements could be a show of their own. On a Zoom call from her home in Argentina, Peluso, dressed in loungewear, unveils a relaxed demeanor. At the heels of her first performance…
For a rising artist in Latin music, one of the greatest nods is a Latin GRAMMY Best New Artist Award. Past Latin GRAMMY winners have gone on to become some of the most iconic and successful music makers in the world. Juanes, Kany Garcia, Karol G, and Calle 13 are just some of the past winners. Who will be next?…
GRAMMY-nominated Colombian hip-hop group ChocQuibTown's Goyo, CBS's award-winning journalist Maria Elena Salinas, international pop star Selena Gomez and esteemed entertainment attorney Angela N. Martinez are the women impacting media who will be celebrated in this year's Leading Ladies of Entertainment event, the Latin Recording Academy has announced. The women will be recognized in a virtual ceremony hosted by GRAMMY-nominated singer-songwriter Erika Ender on Tuesday, Nov. 17.…
Alexandra Nechita hadn’t even finished middle school when she took on one of the most influential responsibilities associated with the GRAMMY Awards’ identity. At just 12 years old, the child prodigy known then as the "Petite Picasso," with at least 16 exhibitions under her belt and $1.5 million in sales, was commissioned to bring to life the art behind the 39th GRAMMY…
With Un Canto Por México, Vol. II, Natalia Lafourcade’s latest album released on May 28, the Mexican singer/songwriter closes her two-part project raising money to repair a musical cultural center preserving Afro-Mexican folk music known as son jarocho in her home state of Veracruz, Mexico. A powerful earthquake badly damaged the center in 2017. The undertaking began with Vol. I, an album…
Although Mexico City may have rebranded itself as CDMX a few years ago, the city will be forever immortalized as Distrito Federal on Camilo Lara’s latest album under his electronic music-making moniker Mexican Institute of Sound (MIS). Named after the city as it was known before the name change in 2016, Distrito Federal is Lara’s homage to the sight and…
Al Schmitt, the 20-time GRAMMY-winning producer and engineer behind music from Ray Charles, Bob Dylan, Paul McCartney, Diana Krall, and more, has died. He was 91. Schmitt's death on the afternoon of April 26 was confirmed by his family. "The world has lost a much loved and respected extraordinary individual, who led an extraordinary life," the family shared in a…
A year ago, Russian duo Dzharo & Khanza released their video for "Ty Moy Kayf," a dembow-inspired track about their love for women that has now reached over 100 million views on YouTube. Today, that track only gets more explosive with a remix featuring Latin music heavy-hitter Nicky Jam and hit-making rapper French Montana. "I was already a fan of…
Latin GRAMMY-nominated collective Rawayana's "Welcome to El Sur" is a sunny, soothing track dedicated to their native Venezuela. The song, a mix of laid-back Latin American and African sounds, takes them all back to Venezuela where currrently only one of their members resides—three members no longer live in the country due to political and economic reasons. They see the song as an optimistic, dreamy return…
Every year the GRAMMY Awards show lets us fan-out over our favorite artists. We can't wait to see what they wear, what they'll perform, and we hope that they'll take home the big prize of the night: a golden gramophone. Although notably different this year (sorry that you felt a little cold sitting in the socially-distanced space outside, Jacob Collier!),…
Most of the GRAMMY nominees and our esteemed music community may be tuning in to the 2021 GRAMMY from home this year, but there’s still plenty of great fashion to look back on after Music’s Biggest Night. GRAMMY winners Brandi Carlile, Lizzo, Bruno Mars, Anderson .Paak, and Noah Cyrus were among those who took to the socially distant red carpet live…
