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Pabllo Vittar

Pabllo Vittar

Photo: Ernna Cost

News
Brazilian Pop Queen Pabllo Vittar On New Album 111 brazilian-pop-star-pabllo-vittar-talks-new-album-111-and-life-musics-premier-drag-queen

Brazilian Pop Star Pabllo Vittar Talks New Album '111' And Life As Music's Premier Drag Queen

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With the release of the biggest album of her career, Vittar discusses how she proudly represents her native Brazil and her queer identity in Latin music, plus chats Coachella and beyond
Lucas Villa
GRAMMYs
Apr 12, 2020 - 12:56 pm

On the cover of her new album 111, Brazilian pop star Pabllo Vittar is a goddess of multiplicity. The Pabllo in the center fiercely stares down the camera, suspended midair while posing in a leather-boot-legged leap. Much like Vittar's multifaceted drag persona, the surrounding Pabllos show her many sides: A playful Pabllo blows a pink bubblegum bubble, a sexy Pabllo strikes a sensual pose on her knees. In one shot, she's putting her country on the map and serving fierce runway-ready looks along the way.

Phabullo Rodrigues da Silva, who goes by her drag name Pabllo Vittar, reached music superstardom in a short period of time. After first dressing in drag for her 18th birthday in 2011, inspired by watching episodes of "RuPaul's Drag Race," she scored a viral hit in 2015 with her debut single "Open Bar," a Portuguese version of Major Lazer's and DJ Snake's "Lean On." Shortly after, she went from local celebrity to global phenomenon in 2017 when Diplo invited her to collaborate on Major Lazer's "Sua Cara," alongside fellow Brazilian pop star, Anitta.

One year later, in 2018, Vittar made history as the first drag queen to receive a Latin GRAMMY nomination when "Sua Cara" was nominated for Best Urban Fusion/Performance. "I thought to myself as a child watching TV and seeing my favorite artists being nominated for a GRAMMY and winning," she tells the Recording Academy. "Maybe it wasn't my time, but next time I hope to be a winner of the night." 

Vittar's pop culture references are diverse, and they've been important in solidifying her as a force in the industry. She's leveraged her global crossover appeal as a go-to artist for collaborations. British pop futurist Charli XCX tapped Vittar for her 2017 mixtape, Pop 2. The following year, Vittar featured on tracks with Argentine pop princess Lali Espósito, electronic duo Sofi Tukker and Australian rapper Iggy Azalea.

"I love to meet other artists and share my work with them," Vittar says. "I love to do collaborations. I love to work with different types of music and mix everything up to end up with something new."

With all eyes on Vittar, she's now basking in the spotlight with her third album, 111, released last month (March 24). The trilingual album—she sings in Portuguese, Spanish and English—sees Vittar taking on electropop, inspired by the global Pride parades at which she performs, on "Flash Pose" with Charli XCX and tackling a fully Spanish club banger alongside Mexican icon Thalía on the sensual "Tímida." Centerstage on 111 are the sounds of her native Brazil, which are often overlooked in the grand scheme of Latin pop. On "Amor De Que," Vittar gives her motherland's storied forró genre a pop edge. Elsewhere, she embraces the emerging rasteirinha music scene, which filters Brazilian baile funk through an EDM lense, on "Rajadão" and "Parabéns," the latter featuring local group Psirico. 

Fewer than 10 years after donning her first drag look, Vittar now outnumbers, in Instagram followers, one of her main inspirations and the most famous drag queen on the planet: RuPaul. "I would love to meet RuPaul because, for me, she's a big inspiration for my job and my drag," Vittar says. "I feel grateful to be living in the same moment as her." Following in the high-heeled footsteps of her idol, Vittar today lives a fabulous existence that's resistance to homophobia and those not taking the art of drag seriously. 

Vittar spoke with the Recording Academy about her incredible career in the fast lane, her new birthday-inspired album and her now-rescheduled performance at Coachella 2020.

What are some of the inspirations behind your music?

Everything inspires me: my friends, my family and my fans. I love to work with rhythms from Brazil because I'm a Brazilian and I love my country.

Speaking of Brazil, how do you feel about representing your country in the Latin music scene?

I feel so hugely honored to speak about my community. I feel honored to be one of the Brazilian voices in the Latino community with my music. I'm singing in Portuguese. In the Latin scene, I hope to sing more in Spanish and be more involved in that type of music.

Another big pop star from Brazil is Anitta. How was it to work with her on Major Lazer's "Sua Cara"?

She's a star. She's a pop star. She's a queen. I love her and her contributions to Brazilian music and to pop music. I need to do another collaboration with her. We've talked about it. I think by next year we'll have another collaboration.

Thanks to your involvement in "Sua Cara," you made history in 2018 as the first drag queen to be nominated for a Latin GRAMMY. How did that make you feel when you found out the news?

In that moment, I freaked out because it's a dream come true. I feel so blessed. I want to inspire all the girls, all the drag queens and other people in the queer community to believe in your dreams and never forget them because you can do anything.

This month, you were scheduled to perform at Coachella. The event was postponed to October due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Are you still planning to perform at Coachella this year?

For sure! Last year, I was a special guest for Major Lazer's set. I said to the world, "Next year, I'm coming here with my own show and my tour." And b**ch, boom! I'm here! For sure, I'm going. I'm super excited to do it.

Anitta is also one of the confirmed artists at Coachella this year. Will you two perform together during your set?

Maybe yes, maybe no. Right now I don't know the scheduling of the performances. I wish to do something with her at Coachella.

Read: Breaking Down The Coachella 2020 Lineup: Rage Against The Machine, Frank Ocean, Calvin Harris & More Announced

In your music videos, you serve spectacular and sexy looks. Do you see a link between music and fashion?

Yes, I do see a link, because you need to send a message. I send a message with my music. When I put on all my colors and my outfits, I'm also sending a message with that. I feel so grateful because I love fashion and I love music and I get to put them together.

Pabllo Vittar

Pabllo Vittar | Photo: Ernna Cost

What would you say is the message of your new album, 111?

The concept of this album is my birthday. I was born on November 1 [11/1]. I'm a Scorpio. Yasss, hunty! This album is like a birthday playlist. I played all these songs on my birthday. I hope, from the bottom of my heart, that when my fans listen to this album that they feel confident, sexy [and] happy and dance a lot to it at home.

One of the big collaborations on 111 is "Tímida" with Mexican pop icon Thalía. Can you tell me about how she got involved with the song and what it was like to work with her?

Thalía is a queen. Her image is amazing. Last year, I sent her a demo of "Tímida," and she loved the song, put her vocals on it and sent it back to me. I told her, "I can't believe that you did this for me and I thank you so much." This album wouldn't be the same without her. The first time I met her, she told me, "Finally, two Latina queens working together." I was like, "Oh my God!"

Who are some artists you would want to collaborate with next?

I really want to collaborate with ROSALÍA. I love her so much. She's an amazing artist. I would also like to collaborate with Bad Bunny, Maluma and Karol G, for sure. I love so many Latin music artists.

Speaking of Bad Bunny, what did you think when you saw him dressed in drag in his recent music video for "Yo Perreo Sola"?

The video was so sexy. I was feeling it. I love Bad Bunny because he always embraces the queer community. He also does everything with a lot of respect, and we embrace that. He looked stunning! The legs, the nails, the makeup. Everything! The boobs! I love to do my boobs, too. Baby, let's shake our boobs together sometime. It's my dream to work with him. I love him and his new album [YHLQMDLG].

READ: Bad Bunny's 'YHLQMDLG' Breaks Records, Is The Highest-Charting Spanish Language Album Ever

What's one of your favorite moments in your career so far?

My favorite moment, for sure, was last year at the MTV Europe Music Awards [EMAs]. I was the first Brazilian to perform at the EMAs and the first drag queen to win an award there. Yasss!

People are saying music doesn't have to be in English anymore to be successful. What do you think about that?

When you do music with your heart, with positive energy, no matter the language, everyone embraces [it], dances to it and feels your energy. I can speak in English or sing in Italian, but if I don't put love into what I do, then that doesn't matter.

You use your platform as a performer to represent the LGBTQ+ community, especially in Brazil with President Jair Bolsonaro, who has been described as anti-LGBTQ+. How important is it for you to use your platform as an activist?

It's very important for me to give some voice to the community in this country. I'm not alone. I have some friends who are embracing the rainbow flag and the community. I feel so happy because I'm here, I'm Brazilian, and we are staying in this fight together. We are not letting anyone cancel that. We are putting our heads together and fighting.

What are your plans for the rest of the year?

I will work more with my album in a deluxe version. I have some collaborations that I'm recording. I'm so excited to share them with my fans. I will start my new tour. I'm so excited to hug my fans and put on my wig again and dance on the stage. Oh my god! I'm freaking out.

Bad Bunny, Rosalia, Juanes & More: 5 Unforgettable Moments From The 2019 Latin GRAMMYs

Selena

Fans remember Selena during Hollywood Walk of Fame ceremony in 2017

Photo: TARA ZIEMBA/AFP via Getty Images

News
Remembering Latin Pop Icon Selena 25 Years Later selena-forever-remembering-latin-pop-icon-25-years-later

Selena Forever: Remembering The Latin Pop Icon 25 Years Later

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On the 25th anniversary of her passing, the Recording Academy honors Selena via an industry round-table tribute featuring the artists, creatives and journalists she inspired through her art
John Ochoa
GRAMMYs
Mar 31, 2020 - 7:48 pm

Few artists have transcended genres, decades, languages, cultures and borders like Selena. Born Selena Quintanilla in Lake Jackson, Texas, and reared in the state's Corpus Christi area, the iconic singer is one of the most influential and most successful artists in the wider Latin pop canon.

In her early days, she became a pioneer in the then-male-dominated Tejano music scene, a genre she helped mainstream when she won the GRAMMY for Best Mexican-American Album in 1994 for her 1993 live album, Selena Live! It marked her first, and only, career GRAMMY win and the first time a female Tejano artist won the category, earning her the undisputed title of Queen of Tejano music. It was only one of many accolades for the legendary singer. 

Remembering Selena 25 Years Later

In her short-lived solo career—she released five studio albums between 1989 and 1995—Selena would establish an ever-lasting sound that spanned languages and styles and resonated with fans across a spectrum of cultures and ethnicities. Her multiplatinum 1994 album, Amor Prohibido, gave early indications of her cross-cultural crossover appeal. In addition to topping the Top Latin Albums and the Regional Mexican Albums charts, Amor Prohibido became a top 30 hit on the all-genre Billboard 200 chart. It also received a GRAMMY nomination for Best Mexican-American Performance and spawned four chart-topping hits that conquered the Billboard Hot Latin Songs chart: "Amor Prohibido," "Bidi Bidi Bom Bom," "No Me Queda Más" and "Fotos Y Recuerdos," all considered signature Selena classics today. 

She would later go on to fully establish her mainstream crossover appeal with Dreaming Of You, her final album, released posthumously in July 1995, just three months after she was murdered by a former employee. The album would debut at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 chart in the U.S., becoming the first predominately Spanish-language album to accomplish that feat. It would ultimately prove the full potential of just how far the international star was poised to go.

Selena's reach expands far beyond music, too. A multifaceted businesswoman, she owned and operated two boutiques, called Selena Etc., across Texas, with several other locations across Latin America in the works. As a budding fashion designer, she regularly wore her own designs while performing onstage: Her iconic purple jumpsuit she wore at her final concert in 1995 remains an eternal look. In 2016, MAC Cosmetics released a makeup collection inspired by and in honor of Selena. Selling out within a day, the collection is now considered one of the best-selling MAC celeb collaborations of all time. MAC will be releasing a second Selena capsule collection this April.

The story of Selena, forever immortalized in the 1997 biopic starring a then-rookie Jennifer Lopez in the career-making titular role, is one that's continued since her untimely death in 1995. She has since inspired a new generation of artists and fans alike, who carry on her legacy through music, art and fashion, three areas in which she pushed the envelope with her unique style and vision. Much like her music lives on to this day, so too does her never-ending influence. 

On the 25th anniversary of her passing today (March 31), the Recording Academy honors Selena via an industry round-table tribute featuring the artists, creatives and journalists she's inspired throughout the decades through her music and art.

The quotes and comments used in this feature were edited for clarity and brevity.

She Was A Genuine Soul

Kacey Musgraves (GRAMMY-winning artist; in 2019, she covered Selena's "Como La Flor" at the same site of the Tejano legend's final concert in 1995): Selena had an innate talent for taking something classic and traditional and shaping it with her modern voice. I love when someone has the vision to take something that's been done a million times and knows how to freshen it up in a way that speaks to their generation and also older generations. It's a quality that truly brings people of all ages together. 

Selena was an entrepreneur and woman of business, a songwriter, an iconic vocalist, a trendsetter, and her fashion sense was way ahead of its time. But the attribute I admire most about her was her ability to be real—unabashedly genuine across the board. Being in the spotlight, especially from a young age, can bamboozle people into feeling like they have to shift into something different when the cameras are on. Without ever knowing her, I feel like I can say she never did.

https://twitter.com/KaceyMusgraves/status/1100512600062865409

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Linda Wilvang (Senior Director, Awards and Latin Genre Manager at the Recording Academy): I have always been attracted to artists who push the envelope, artists who are not conventional, and Selena was one of those artists. She elevated Tejano music to a new high. She successfully blended other musical styles with Tejano and made it her own. She proved to me that you can succeed without compromising your core values, without changing who you are. You can work in any industry and still be real.

John Dyer (photographer; in addition to photographing Selena for several magazine covers in the early '90s, he has contributed images to the Selena Forever/Siempre Selena installation on display at McNay Art Museum in San Antonio, Texas): I spent the day before the shoot setting up several backdrops in the studio so I could photograph her in a variety of situations and costumes ... She jumped out of her car with a big smile. A naturally beautiful, young Latina with jet-black hair, flawless skin, and a perfect figure. She opened the hatchback. It was crammed full of her performing costumes, many handmade, all of her own design … 

For the cover [Mas Magazine, 1992], we shot in front of a gray background. Then we moved in front of a red curtain above a black and white checked floor. We ended outside the studio against a white seamless in the warm afternoon light. Selena's quick smile, infectious laugh, and unending energy made her a pleasure to work with …

In early 1995, Texas Monthly called and wanted to do a spread on Selena. By now, she had achieved incredible fame and transcended the boundaries of the Texas music scene. 

We met at the Majestic Theater in San Antonio, a favorite place of mine. She had just finished two exhausting days of shooting TV commercials for a corporate sponsor. She was tired. I had brought a beautiful handmade jacket for her to wear. I posed her in the alcove on the mezzanine of the theater where the light is particularly nice. She was subdued and pensive. A far cry from the ebullient, excited young singer I'd photographed three years earlier. Later I thought her mood might have been an eerie harbinger of what was to come.

Between when I photographed her at the Majestic and the Texas Monthly article coming out, she was killed. The art director, my old friend DJ Stout, used one of the more somber shots I had done for his cover chronicling her death. He sent me a handwritten note not too long after the issue appeared saying the cover with my photograph of Selena was one of the strongest he'd ever done. It's a cover I would rather not have had. 

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She Represented A Different Kind Of Beauty

Patty Rodriguez (Senior Producer for On Air With Ryan Seacrest; her Los Angeles-based children's book publisher, Lil' Libros, released a bilingual picture book biography about Selena; in 2015, her online petition helped launch the Selena-inspired MAC Cosmetics makeup line): She was unapologetically Latina. She was so proud of her identity and carried it with her everywhere, and that is what resonated with us. Growing up, we had no one to look up to, so then here comes a woman … with black hair, brown skin, that sounds and looks like us. Her flamboyant onstage costumes were designed and created by her, an example of the Latina make-it-happen-with-the-limited-resources-we-have attitude. Her trademark red lipstick and hoop earrings are what you see in our neighborhoods, and she took that with her to the world stage. 

Latina women purchase beauty products three times more than any other group, and it wasn't until MAC released Selena's collection did we feel seen; it's unbelievable to me that it took this long. But I see why: The men and women who grew up with Selena are now adults. She taught us to be unapologetically Latinx, and we are no longer afraid to ask for what we deserve. Thank you Selena.

Read: Remember When? Selena Wins Big At The 36th GRAMMYs 

Leila Cobo (VP Latin Industry Lead at Billboard): I think Selena's particular brand of beauty was essential to her success. In a world (still) of telegenic, imported Latin pop stars, and a time when the standard for Latin beauty were largely white soap opera actresses, Selena was an anomaly. Selena embraced her body, her hair, her voluptuousness. She was so real. I would say that, for the first time, a new generation of U.S.-born Mexican-Americans and Latinas overall had a star that they could intimately relate to at all levels. She was their peer. She was a role model for an entire generation of Mexican-American girls who didn't have a role model before. This was key. Only Jenni Rivera, many years later, would come close.

Kate Carey (Head of Education at McNay Art Museum in San Antonio, Texas; Exhibition Curator for Selena Forever / Siempre Selena photography installation): In selecting the photographs on view in Selena Forever/Siempre Selena, I had an opportunity to look through many photos from two different shoots with photographer John Dyer. I recognize that he is a gifted photographer, but her beauty and winning personality were revealed on every frame. I can see why brands wanted to align with her image. Yes, she is beautiful, but she also came across as very real—just like me or you. 

Pabllo Vittar (Brazilian activist, artist and drag queen): Selena embraced her beauty the way it was, not trying to follow the "beauty rules." That's important and it resonates till now, as you can see more and more people feeling good with their bodies and how they look. We are all beautiful in our own way and there's nothing that can tell us otherwise. 

Honey Andrews (transgender performer, based in Corpus Christi, Texas, who's worked as a Selena impersonator for nearly 15 years; "Selena was definitely one of my inspirations and idols and someone I definitely look up to when I began my transition," she says): Selena's fashion was definitely ahead of its time, and she was always up to date on the latest trends. She was an amazing fashion designer. Her amazing onstage costumes are very recognizable, and she has definitely impacted today's women in the music industry; till this day, a lot of women credit her for the fashions they wear ontage and even for just a casual day. She definitely impacted me because she taught me that you can be sexy, even if you're not a size zero. You can still be sexy by having curves, and she definitely embraced her own beautiful body and curves.

Girl Ultra (R&B artist from Mexico City): I feel like she embraced her curves and her body shape so much. She was breaking paradigms about the female body and Latina bodies as well. As Latinas, we have big caderas [hips] and juicy thighs, and when it comes to fashion, it's hard to find the right sizes. And by her designing her own outfits and crafting them, she was breaking all this body stereotyping back in the day. 

Javiera Mena (Chilean electropop artist): She transmitted good vibes with her smile, her eyes, her body—we could feel it. We all feel it when we watch her videos, too. It makes you connect, and that's a real beauty. Also, her mouth and lips were very iconic. I understand MAC [Cosmetics] used it for a [beauty] line, with her big and thick lips, something that influenced me and all the people!

Her Fashion Was Ahead Of The Time

Kate Carey (McNay Art Museum): Selena Forever/Siempre Selena was conceived at the McNay Art Museum in tandem with the 1990s-focused exhibition, Fashion Nirvana: Runway To Everyday. Like many of the designers on view in Fashion Nirvana, Selena took fashion risks, embraced body-conscious ensembles and carefully crafted her image. That brand of fearlessness and innovation characterized the 1990s and Selena's fashion sense. The sparkly bustier tops, revealing performance ensembles and cool leather jackets cement her reputation as a style icon, but she presented an authentic and accessible image by wearing jeans, boots and white T-shirts. Personally, I'm a big fan of the accessories: the newsboy hats or big silver belts. She absorbs these elements of menswear and represents them as both tough and feminine. That, to me, is '90s fashion in a nutshell.

Javiera Mena (artist): I love her aesthetic and style. It is a great influence for me. I have been influenced by the high-cut Texan jackets with large shoulder pads and the glitter and reflective accessories. Also, her jeans and thick eyebrows. She was a pioneer. She had an elegance that brightened without limits when she was on stage.

Christian Serratos (actress; she stars as Selena in the forthcoming Netflix series, "Selena: The Series"): It's amazing to see how many artists, of all backgrounds and genders, have been inspired by Selena. It was her fearlessness and creativity that made her an icon. There are few people who have the power to be remembered by a color or a feeling, or who have become synonymous with an accessory like the hoop earring. The last time I saw what Selena did to the red lip was Marylin Monroe, another icon. I see Selena's influence when I walk down the street, and I know I'll continue seeing that influence for many more generations. 

María (Lead singer of Los Angeles-based Spanglish indie rock/indie pop band, The Marías): My first memory of being introduced to Selena was in her biopic film. Thereafter, I listened to her music and watched her music videos nonstop. I remember when I was around 5 or 6, I wanted to wear a bustier just like Selena. I wasn't even old enough to wear a bra! But my mom, being the angel she was, found some tiny training bras at the store and sewed little beads on them for me. This was my earliest memory of being directly influenced by fashion. When I was old enough to really understand, her style represented confidence in your own body. The fact that she could so freely and confidently dance around in a bustier, against her father's wishes, was inspiring. She wasn't doing it for sex appeal, in my opinion. She was doing it because she simply wanted to feel free and in control of her body.

Raquel Berrios (Puerto Rican designer and co-founder/singer of Buscabulla): Her style sense was very balanced and cool. It was sexy without being slutty, feminine but not fragile. She really created a strong yet down-to-Earth example for Latinas. I personally strive to include that balance in the way that I like to style myself and portray myself as a Latina artist. 

She Was A Multifaceted Businesswoman

Christian Serratos (actress): Selena's ability to create new avenues for herself and work hard to achieve them is inspiring and relatable. We all have the ability to design our own paths. Strong women like Selena show us the power of never giving up and handling adversities with grace. 

Jennifer D'Cunha (Global Head of Latin Music at Apple Music): Selena had an entrepreneurial spirit and extended her self-expression beyond music and into fashion, design and film, while staying true to her personal brand and identity. Her confidence, authenticity and distinctive personal style still resonate and inspire fans all over the world. She had the courage to reinvent herself and the work ethic and raw talent to be successful at anything she committed to. Selena ventured into uncharted territory by expanding her realm of influence outside of music, well before celebrity clothing lines were commonplace and brand partnerships were the norm.

Tatiana Hazel (Mexican-American, Los Angeles-based singer-songwriter, musician, producer and fashion designer): Nowadays, several musicians are starting their own makeup lines, fashion brands, etc. But Selena was definitely a pioneer for this kind of business model. She really was capable of anything she set her mind to accomplish, and I believe that is why she was able to break so many barriers through determination. Also, not only was she determined, but also talented at everything that she pursued.

She Was A Voice For Latinx People Around The World …

Adrian Quesada (GRAMMY-winning guitarist/producer and founding member of GRAMMY-nominated duo Black Pumas; he served as the music director for the Selena For Sanctuary tribute concert series in 2018 and 2019): She had a huge impact and influenced many, and still does to this day, because representation is very important for communities and cultures that haven't always had an icon that transcends boundaries to look up to. For people that looked like her, spoke like her, came from places like she did, it let them know that they could do it, too. I feel like her influence continues to grow exponentially, even for generations who weren't alive when she was. She gives hope and inspires because she was bigger than any one genre, culture, region and country, and was a positive role model at that. 

María (artist): When an artist as undeniably talented as Selena comes along, deep down it doesn't matter where she's from. I became a fan of Selena when I was really little, after watching the movie [Selena] with Jennifer Lopez. It didn't matter to me what Latin country she was from. What mattered to me was that she was Latin and that she was accomplishing so many amazing things. Of course, Latin communities take pride in their countries and flags, but what unites us all is that we're Latin, that we have similar values and morals and beliefs. I'm from Puerto Rico and my father is from Spain, but growing up, all of my friends were from different Latin countries: Venezuela, Colombia, Mexico, Brazil, Uruguay, Guatemala and more. We learned from each other's unique cultures, but deep down we were all the same. 

La Doña (Mexican-America multi-instrumentalist, producer and singer-songwriter): I think the reason her music was so successful with such a diversity of Latinos is because Tejano music and all of the music she is founded in are tremendously diasporic cultural practices. That means that when she revolutionized Tejano music and prepared it for the pop platform, she is representing and reiterating ancient practices that are not confined to the region of Texas. Similarly, when she presented her style of techno-cumbia, she was not only appealing to a young brown audience, who was excited by their contemporary synthetic sounds mixed with familiar and familial rhythms, but also representing Afro-Latinx and Afro-indigenous art forms that have informed all of the musica tipica and popular of Latin America. This commitment to tradition and bravery in transporting it into a new arena is definitely one of the reasons that Selena's music spoke to such a diversity of Latinx fans across the world. 

Isabela Raygoza (Latin Music Editor at SoundCloud): Selena's musical moxie embodied the beautiful complexities of biculturalism. With her insatiable mix of electro-cumbia, ranchera and pop-flavored R&B, Selena went on to represent the experiences and lifestyles of her compatriots: Mexicans (native, first-, second-, third-gen), Texas dwellers and beyond. She was born in the U.S. to Mexican-descendent parents, and she didn't speak fluent Spanish, similar to Chicano rock star Ritchie Valens before her and countless others of Latinx immigrant backgrounds. Brown-skinned, family-oriented, and of humble beginnings, Selena, the pop icon, became the voice of the Latinx diaspora. 

Without Selena's formidable contributions to Latin pop, J.Lo or Becky G's musical career might've not been what they are today: two U.S.-born Latinas who, too, grew up speaking predominantly English, who embrace their biculturalism with endearment and pride and who uphold the enduring legacy left behind by the Queen Of Tejano Music.  

Although Selena's tragic death cut her potential short, she nevertheless managed to leave an indelible mark on Latin pop, and she will surely continue to do so for newer pop stars to come.

Raquel Berrios (artist, Buscabulla): Selena was right there doing her Latin thing in the most unique way in a time when we really didn't get to see a lot of Latina role models on mainstream media. She set such a cool example of a super talented, down-to-Earth Latina woman. I loved how she broke language barriers. That was a huge inspiration for me as an artist.

… But She Was A Role Model For All People

Kali Uchis (GRAMMY-nominated artist): Selena will forever be iconic because that's what she was. Her being taken from us is one of the greatest tragedies known to man, but Selena's raw star power, persistence and dedicated fan base are the reason her legacy will be immortal. As a Latin-American woman, she made me proud to be multicultural when at times it never felt I could be American enough or Colombian enough. I've always listed her as one of my greatest inspirations, because she was the first multicultural global sensation on Earth.  

Honey Andrews (performer/Selena impersonator): Selena's music and art influenced me in so many different ways. Her music is timeless. Selena was a piece of art herself. She was very diverse with her wardrobe as well as her music. She means so much to me as a person because she taught me that the impossible is always possible. She was a one-of-a-kind artist and she was such a great cultural figure for the Hispanic and Latino and Mexican-American community.

Marissa Gastelum (Latin Music Artist Relations at Apple Music): Selena is the only Latin artist to have broken cultural barriers the way she has passed the grave. When you have artists like Beyoncé and Kacey Musgraves performing covers of Selena or Drake wearing a shirt with Selena, you know she has transcended culture. Her spirit lives on through her music, and the Selena movie helps new generations get to know her story and connect to her music. Her album Dreaming Of You is a gem, and those songs are timeless. I think these artists connect to Selena because of her music and her sense of style. She was the epitome of cool and an incredible performer. Selena showed that a woman can be strong and graceful and can command a stage and be sexy at the same time.   

iLe (GRAMMY-winning Puerto Rican singer/artist; member of Calle 13): I think that when you start something that's so good there is no reason to stop. Selena was that dreamer that we all are when we were young. Listening to her songs today is revitalizing. She and her music reminds us about the importance of being alive, enjoying every moment and to keep dreaming. 

Suzy Exposito (Latin Music Editor at Rolling Stone; her former punk band, Shady Hawkins, covered Selena's "Como La Flor" in the past): I was always a sucker for a forbidden romance like that of [Selena's hit song] "Amor Prohibido." Inspired by love letters Selena discovered from her grandmother to her grandfather—a young maid who fell in love with the wealthy son of her employers—it's a heartrending tale of two young sweethearts, who against the conventions of society, flout their class disparity with love. Selena told it with such verve and conviction that even as a 5-year-old, it just rocked me to my core. Yet the context changed as I grew older, and I began to understand that the love I so desired would probably look very different from that of my parents or most of my peers. So when I came out as a bisexual woman 10 years ago, I braced myself to go through it alone; but the biggest surprise and reward of coming out was that, in fact, I was far from it! In being more present in New York City's LGBTQ community, whether by attending protests, drag nights and punk shows, I was able to find a beautiful community of Latinx people who grew up just like me: bilingual children of immigrants, whose resilience and great capacity for love transcends all kinds of borders.

Suzy Exposito (center) performs with her band, Shady Hawkins

Suzy Exposito (center) performs with her band, Shady Hawkins

Adrian Quesada (artist/producer): Being from a South Texas border town, cross-cultural and bilingual feels pretty normal and felt so at the time of her music. But I think it gave hope that it could be bigger than that and reach the masses through multiple avenues. They updated the Tejano sound a bit with modern, at the time, R&B influences, which helped it cross over and resonate with people who weren't familiar with regional Tex-Mex music and did so in a way that was seamless and natural. I do believe she was well on her way to even bigger crossover territory, with collaborations with people like David Byrne, and would have continued to push the envelope musically and culturally to this day. She was just beginning to really branch out before her life was tragically taken. 

She Broke Barriers And Opened Doors For Next-Gen Artists

Angie Romero (Senior Editor, U.S. Latin Music Culture and Editorial at Spotify): Back in the day, artists like Selena had to fight hard against systemic barriers, many of which still exist today. But because of artists like Selena, Gloria Estefan and others, the door for the next generation has been cracked open, and it will forever stay open. Young Latinas can dream of doing anything they want to do in the world, and they don't ever have to stay inside a box, either — they can do it all, just like Selena did.

iLe (artist): Society makes us get used to the same things so much that we don't notice what we're seeking until it suddenly appears. We as women have a voice that should be heard and acknowledged. Selena became a female figure that Tejano and Latin pop music needed and I think she succeeded by not being afraid of being herself. 

Selena Wins Best Mexican-American Album

Jennifer D'Cunha (Apple Music): Selena broke barriers for women in Latin music. She created her own lane in the male-dominated Tejano music scene, and successfully took the genre to new heights. Whether it was cumbias, traditional Tejano or pop, she made her unique sound mainstream in Latin music. She thrived not by trying to conform, but by pushing the boundaries, following her intuition and playing by her own rules. Her spirit lives on and continues to inspire.

Pabllo Vittar (artist): For me, she was the first Latin diva going global! She was gorgeous and unique! I was born a year before she passed away, but I remember my mom listening to her music and I could watch her videos some years later. She was an icon that comes to mind when we talk about letting the uniqueness of your culture shine through you, and she was an example of how you can take a specific and regional rhythm and work your way into the industry. 

Jesse Baez (Guatemalan contemporary urban/R&B artist): I think the most important thing people should know is that you can live forever through music. You know, Selena passed away when she was 23, so she was incredibly young, and in spite of that, she's still relevant in 2020, maybe more than before. I think people should know that you can live forever if you do something with passion and enjoy what you do—that's what I would take from her. 

Girl Ultra (artist): She had such a big female strength that still empowers upcoming generations. She embraced her roots and her femininity in ways that Mexican culture was not very used to. She also gave Mexican weddings and parties many anthems.

La Doña (artist): Selena was able to supersede systemic barriers for many different reasons; one of those is her raw talent and passion. It is impossible to ignore the sheer amount of energy she put behind not only every song and every performance, but also all of her other creative ventures. Unfortunately, however, we have seen that that is rarely enough for a young star such as Selena to achieve success in the way that she did. 

I think that a huge contributor to this success was the support and contributions of her family. Though working with one's family is never simple or easy—speaking from the perspective of someone who grew up playing Tejano music in a family band—it is also grounding and supportive in a way that you won't experience from a different type of team. 

The last element of this perfect storm that vaulted Selena into super stardom is that the music industry needed her. The huge Latinx population within the United States needed her; the market existed but it was largely ignored until Selena revealed it, and then there was no going back. She opened a door to a market and created an entire Latinx enclave within the pop industry that would always exist as her legacy.

Her Music Still Strikes A Chord Today

Kate Carey (McNay Art Museum): "Como La Flor" is one of the greatest songs ever, and if I have done anything right as a parent, it is that my kids know this song by heart. 

Kali Uchis (artist): My favorite songs are "No Me Queda Más" and "Como La Flor"—because I like to dance and cry.

Angie Romero (Spotify): It's so hard to choose a favorite! But "Como La Flor" is just a perfect song, with the perfect metaphor, and it was also special to her and the band because it was their breakthrough hit in the U.S. and Mexico, reaching No. 6 on Billboard's Hot Latin Songs chart [in 1992]. When she sings the opening notes of that song, live at the Astrodome, and drags out the word "flooor," then moves her hand beautifully like a flamenco dancer, it gives me chills and makes me teary-eyed every time! I also just love that line about "me marcho hoy, yo se perder" ["I'm leaving today, I know how to lose"]. It's a different take on a broken heart in the sense that you aren't just wallowing in sadness, but you accept it and move on, similarly to other iconic songs that I love that also take the high road, like "I Can't Make You Love Me" by Bonnie Raitt. 

iLe (artist): I have many Selena classics that I love, but I would have to say "Techno Cumbia" [is my favorite] because it reminds me of a little dance that I used to do with my cousin, Beatriz, when we were kids.

Jesse Baez (artist): I feel like "No Me Queda Mas" is the only ballad that I can go back to and not feel weird about liking. It just became a permanent song in connection to my childhood. Even though it's sad, and there are a bunch of other Selena songs that I also love, I like how this song goes against everything else I tend to like, so I will pick that song forever.

Jennifer D'Cunha (Apple Music): Selena's [2003] Live: The Last Concert is one of my favorite concert films of all time. Selena's charisma onstage, her vocals, the energy from her fans and that fierce purple jumpsuit make this one of the most iconic live performances ever.

Leila Cobo (Billboard): "Amor Prohibido" is my favorite Selena song. It's a beautiful story, a timeless song, timeless lyrics. It's a song that will forever be relevant.

A New Generation Of Artists And Fans Continues Her Legacy

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Leila Cobo (Billboard): While Selena's music traveled internationally, her real influence lies in her impact within the United States. Because she was a homegrown star, she was widely recognized both by Latin and non-Latin fans. Selena was an anomaly: Bilingual and bicultural, she not only looked like her fans, she was like them. That relatability was transformative for Latin pop culture.

Thanks to Selena, for the first time, perhaps ever, U.S.-born Latinas had a role model they could aspire to be. Two generations later, Selena's impact is tangible. Dozens of prominent figures—from Becky G to Jennifer Lopez to Leslie Grace to Selena Gomez—point to Selena as their direct influence. Selena's legacy has been fundamental in creating a new movement of U.S.-born Latin artists who today, 25 years after her death, are collectively reaping success and still naming her as the precursor of their achievements.

Girl Ultra (artist): I feel like any Latina making music since then is part of her legacy. We're fighting for the same cause: breaking paradigms about how ''Latino music'' should sound or look like and breaking with the objectification and the so-called "fetish" of Latinas all over the world.

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Linda Wilvang (the Recording Academy): Selena made Tejano music cool! Moreover, she was able to fiercely and creatively convey her passion for the genre, and this you can attest by watching any of her performances. She truly loved her craft, her fans—she loved life. Selena's legacy has endured to this day and will continue, thanks to her family and fans who lovingly have kept her music and spirit alive for 25 years and beyond. 

Marisol "La Marisoul" Hernandez (Lead vocalist of GRAMMY-winning Los Angeles band La Santa Cecilia): When I first witnessed Selena, I was blown away by her amazing vocal skills. It was so inspiring to see a brown, curvaceous woman be so confident and commanding onstage. I could see myself in her, and that was so empowering! At that time, as a teenager, I, too, had dreams of one day becoming a singer myself. Her beautiful music introduced me to the Tejano music genre, which I began to follow. I admired her presence in a mostly male-dominated music scene and soon became a loyal fan. 

Watching her interpret regional Mexican music in Spanish really moved me to continue my personal journey. When I saw an interview with her and [saw] the way she spoke Spanish with her Mexican-American accent, that's what really got me. She spoke the way I spoke. She was a Mexican-American female musician dominating the Tejano, regional Mexican music scene, and at the same time, you could hear in her voice that American R&B style that I would hear later in the [1995 album], Dreaming Of You. That's what made her so special to me and such an inspiration.

Kate Carey (McNay Art Museum): I love visiting the McNay on weekends when I'm not really working. The first weekend of the Selena Forever/Siempre Selena exhibition at the McNay, my parents were visiting; I wanted to show them what I was working on. We saw visitors throughout the museum wearing Selena fan memorabilia. One older gentleman wore a T-shirt that read, Selena es mi reina [Selena is my queen]. Similarly, a young mother encouraged her daughter to pose like Selena in the photos. I don't know why her music is so timeless, but I know that it is, and it's very obvious to me the reverence Selena fans have for her music and her image. 

The Enduring Beauty Of Selena's Legacy

Kendrick Lamar - Grammys 2018

Kendrick Lamar performs at the GRAMMYs in 2018

Photo: Theo Wargo/Getty Images

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From Social Media To Streaming: 10 Moments That Changed The Landscape Of Music In The 2010s

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From the rise of streaming services to the globalization of pop, the 2010s were a revolutionary decade that disrupted the music industry and forever changed the game
John Ochoa
GRAMMYs
Dec 27, 2019 - 9:32 am

With the final days of 2019 comes the finale to a revolutionary decade that disrupted the music industry.

A bit of cultural context: The decade kicked off in January 2010 with a rising Lady Gaga dominating the global charts with her breakout track, "Bad Romance," Taylor Swift taking home the GRAMMY for Album Of The Year for Fearless and a (very) young Justin Bieber breaking into the mainstream with early single, "Baby." Later in the year, Apple would release its first-ever iPad and Instagram would debut in the world. Other major developments would follow later in the decade: Spotify launches in the U.S. in 2011; and Apple Music and YouTube Music hit the scene, while Jay-Z acquires and rebrands Tidal, the latter three milestones all happening in 2015.

As music and technology evolved in parallel at lightning speed, the music industry paradigm of yesteryear began to shift. Social media, which would soon allow a direct line of communication between artist and fan, broke down walls. Music fans, once fed a top-down stream of culture and content, became the tastemakers. And the music industry as a whole largely pivoted from a sales-based business model to a streaming-heavy consumption model.

As the decade comes to a close and enters a new era, The Recording Academy reflects on 10 moments and developments that forever changed the music landscape for the listener, the artist and the biz itself in the 2010s.

The Rise Of Streaming Services

Spotify on tablet

Nowadays, music fans are accustomed to having complete on-demand access to millions of songs at the convenient touch of a button. That's all thanks to major streaming services like Spotify, Apple Music, YouTube Music, Tidal and Amazon Music, which have collectively helped shift the consumption of music from ownership-focused to access-based via subscription models.

Read: Who Ruled Music Streaming In 2019?

Today, streaming accounts for approximately 80 percent of the music industry's revenue. Culturally, playlists are now a primary source for new-music discovery, becoming powerful launch pads for artists and labels and largely replacing traditional tastemakers and gatekeepers like radio and music blogs. As well, major streaming services have helped discover and proliferate niche genres and global sounds. Chances are you'll still discover your next favorite artist, album and song on a streaming service 10 years from now.

Hip-Hop Reigns Supreme

The 2010s saw hip-hop reach a new level. Trap, a rap subgenre popularized in the early 2000s and rooted in the American South, reached mainstream crossover success when artists like Beyoncé, Lady Gaga and Katy Perry integrated the sound into their pop-centric music. The genre also birthed today's leading rap stars and producers, including Future, Migos, Gucci Mane, Sonny Digital, Metro Boomin and Mike WiLL Made-It.

Most recently, the so-called "SoundCloud rap" explosion has launched the careers of bona fide stars like Post Malone, Lil Pump, Trippie Redd, Lil Tecca and Rico Nasty. By 2018, the scene achieved its first chart-topping album via the late South Florida rapper XXXTentacion, who's second artist album, ?, debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 chart in the U.S. last March. Chicago SoundCloud rapper Juice WRLD, who died earlier this month, continued the streak when his second album, Death Race For Love, topped the Billboard 200 chart this past March.

Read: Find Out Who's Nominated For Best Rap Album | 2020 GRAMMY Awards

Bolstered by the rise of streaming—Chance The Rapper's 2016 mixtape, Coloring Book, became the first streaming-only album to reach the Billboard 200 charts and win a GRAMMY—hip-hop and R&B surpassed rock as the most popular genre in the U.S. for the first time ever in 2017. What lies ahead for the genre is both a mystery and a wide-open opportunity.

The Latin Music Explosion

Where the 2000s popularized regional and niche sounds like bachata and banda, the 2010s saw Latin music skew toward urban and contemporary styles, setting the stage for urbano, the umbrella term encompassing genres like reggaeton, Latin trap, dembow and more, to reach critical mass.

The decade's Latin music victor is the undeniably catchy, omnipresent international breakout hit "Despacito" from Luis Fonsi featuring Daddy Yankee. Released in January 2017, the track, which claims the top spot for the most-streamed music video of all time, set off the so-called "Despacito effect," a music industry phenomenon that consequently ushered in an avalanche of Spanish-language hits and mainstream pop crossovers. The international success of the Spanish-language track ultimately helped break down cultural and language barriers across the global pop spectrum.

Read: Los Angeles' First Permanent Latin Music Gallery Launches At GRAMMY Museum

With Latin music ranking as the fifth-most popular genre in America, in terms of album consumption, the future burns bright for the sound.

K-pop, Afrobeats And The Globalization Of Pop

One of the most notable changes in the pop landscape this decade comes in a rainbow array of languages and cultures: the globalization of pop, led by the international sounds of K-pop from Korea and Afrobeats from West Africa and the wider diaspora.

While modern K-pop dates back to the '90s, the genre reached true international scale in 2012 with the arrival of Psy's breakthrough viral hit, "Gangnam Style." The track's official music video would eventually become the first video ever to reach 1 billion views on YouTube, once standing as the most-viewed clip on the video-sharing platform.

Psy and "Gangnam Style" set the stage for the K-Pop explosion in the U.S. and across the globe: BLACKPINK became the first K-pop girl group to perform at Coachella in 2019 and BTS became the first K-pop act to top the Billboard 200 chart via their 2018 album, Love Yourself: Tear.

Read: Why is K-pop's popularity exploding in the United States?

Currently, Afrobeats is the next international sound sweeping pop music. Major stars like Kanye West and Rick Ross have all collaborated with Afrobeats acts. Drake's 2016 international hit "One Dance," once the most-streamed song on Spotify, featured Nigerian Afrobeats artist Wizkid, who would go on to sign with RCA Records in what became the biggest record deal ever for an African artist. This past July, Beyoncé released The Lion King: The Gift, the soundtrack album to the 2019 Lion King remake, which featured African and Afrobeats artists like Wizkid, Burna Boy, Mr Eazi and many others. With major labels like Warner Music Group and Universal Music Group betting on Afrobeats, all eyes are now on Africa.

Social Media Makes Impact

With nine out of 10 regular social media users partaking in music- or artist-related activities on social apps and 63 percent of users employing social media technology to discover new artists, social media's massive impact on the music industry is virtually immeasurable.

Most notably, social media has broken down the walls once separating artists from listeners. Musicians can now use multiple social media avenues to directly communicate with fans, and vice versa, creating a "bond" between the two parties like never before. On a business front, social media has changed the A&R and music discovery game forever: Shawn Mendes blew up on Vine, Tori Kelly built her career off YouTube videos and Cardi B was an Instagram star before she was a chart-topping rapper.

Read: Lil Nas X's No. 1 Run Began With TikTok, Now The Music Industry Is Taking Notice

Social media marketing, led by memes, social media challenges, viral songs and dance challenges, is the next wave for the music industry. Today, the video-sharing social network TikTok, which introduced Lil Nas X and his viral hit, "Old Town Road," to the world is being touted as the future of the biz. 

Beyoncé And The "Surprise Album" Formula

Nine Inch Nails' immersive marketing campaign for Year Zero and Radiohead's pay-what-you-want model for In Rainbows may have shocked the music industry, but Beyoncé completely subverted the system when she surprise-dropped her self-titled album in December 2013. The 23-time GRAMMY champ dropped Beyoncé, marketed as a "visual album" comprising 17 videos to coincide with the project's 14 tracks, with zero advance notice, skipping the months-long marketing and promotional campaigns that have become the industry standard for artists of pop-star stature.

Read: J Balvin & Bad Bunny Drop Surprise Album 'Oasis,' Release Sensual Single "Que Pretendes

The unconventional formula worked: Beyoncé debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 chart in the U.S. and once stood as the fastest-selling album ever on the iTunes Store. The success behind the album's surprise-drop approach sparked an industry trend, and newfound marketing tactic, that saw everyone from J Balvin and Bad Bunny to little sister Solange following in Beyoncé's gold-dusted footsteps.

Music Festival Inc.

Music festivals have been a part of American music history since the days of Woodstock and Monterey Pop Festival in the late '60s. Over the past decade, however, the culture and business of music festivals have developed from a DIY approach to a fully fledged industry. In 2017, Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival, which celebrated its 20-year anniversary this past April, became the first reoccurring festival franchise to gross more than $100 million, with a total gross of $114.6 million that year. Goldenvoice, the organizers behind Coachella, also holds the overall record for all-time top festival gross for its 2016 event Desert Trip, which brought in a record-breaking $160 million in 2016.

In addition to big payouts for festival producers and headlining artists alike, festivals have also become a creative playground for ambitious acts. Coachella alone has been the home to many milestone moments and industry-wide trends and developments over the past decade, including multiple band reunions (OutKast, Guns N' Roses, N.W.A); the genesis of the booming hologram concert industry; and Beyoncé's game-changing Homecoming headlining performance in 2018. Today, festivals worldwide serve as a breeding ground for artistic ambition and a launch pad for the new, now and next in music technology.

"Hamilton" And The Mainstreaming of Jukebox Musicals

On paper, "Hamilton" reads like an unlikely premise: a hip-hop Broadway musical based on the life of American Founding Father Alexander Hamilton. What unfolded was an even unlikelier run: 11 Tony Awards, a Broadway box office record and a Pulitzer Prize(!). Since its original off-Broadway debut in New York City in 2015, "Hamilton" has been unstoppable. The show's multiplatinum-certified original Broadway cast recording, released by Atlantic Records in September 2015, went on to peak at No. 3 on the Billboard 200 chart and topped the Top Rap Albums chart. It also took home a GRAMMY for Best Musical Theater Album for 2015, while the show's creator, Lin-Manuel Miranda, received the President's Merit Award from the Latin Recording Academy in 2017. Elsewhere, The Hamilton Mixtape, a 2016 follow-up mixtape album featuring original and deleted songs from the musical, debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 chart.

Read: How Hip-Hop & "Hamilton" Are Transforming An 8th Grade History Class

The breakout success of "Hamilton" has since launched Broadway culture and musicals into the global mainstream unlike any other production before it, shining a new light on the art form and introducing a younger generation to the medium. Its lasting legacy has also initiated a wave of jukebox musicals, pop-music-inspired shows and productions, with everyone from The Temptations ("Ain't Too Proud") to Tina Turner ("Tina: The Musical") receiving the Broadway treatment.

EDM Conquers The Global Dance Floor

In the 2010s, EDM went mainstream. Beloved pop icons crossed onto the dance floor via full-on dance-pop collaborations: Rihanna featuring Calvin Harris, Jack Ü (Diplo x Skrillex) with Justin Bieber, Steve Aoki and One Direction's Louis Tomlinson. Even Britney Spears dabbled in dubstep on her 2011 No. 1 pop hit "Hold It Against Me."

This decade also saw EDM fully infiltrating the GRAMMYs. In the same year dubstep wunderkind Skrillex swept the dance/electronic category in 2012, Canadian electronic artist/producer deadmau5 and French dance legend David Guetta joined Chris Brown, Lil Wayne and Foo Fighters onstage for a televised cross-genre performance. Two years later, in 2014, French electronic icons Daft Punk would win big at the GRAMMYs for their 2013 album Random Access Memories, which took home major awards, including Album Of The Year and Record Of The Year for lead single "Get Lucky."

Watch: Daft Punk, Pharrell Williams win Album Of The Year

Today, EDM artists are among the highest-paid musicians across the board—Calvin Harris ($38.5 million), Marshmello ($40 million) and The Chainsmokers ($46 million) raked in big bucks in 2019 alone—and continue to headline international festivals like Coachella, Lollapalooza and Glastonbury. What was once an underground subculture is now the soundtrack to the future.

The Convergence Of Gaming And Music

Counting more than 2 billion gamers around the world and with the potential to become a $300 billion industry by 2025, today's video game market is thriving. It's no surprise, then, that the music industry wants in on the action. While video games and music have gone hand in hand since the days of "Super Mario Bros." in the mid-'80s, the convergence of the two worlds hit its peak in the 2010s. These days, the music biz is leaning heavily into the gaming industry to unlock new revenue streams, reach new listeners and bolster marketing campaigns.

Video games have always provided a healthy income for major artists via licensing deals: Famously, Aerosmith made more money from their 2008 video game, "Guitar Hero: Aerosmith," than from any of their albums. Still, the current wave of video game and music crossovers takes the approach to the next level via virtual concerts. This past February, superstar producer/DJ Marshmello performed an exclusive in-game "concert" in "Fortnite," a massively popular online video game, that attracted more than 10.7 million people. A clip of the performance has since garnered +45 million views on YouTube. Following the concert, Marshmello released Marshmello Fortnite Extended Set, a DJ mix album based on the virtual performance, which topped Billboard's Top Dance/Electronic Albums chart in the U.S. With video games and music now at the forefront of pop culture, the two industries will continue to push into the future together.

2020 GRAMMY Awards: Complete Nominees List

GRAMMYs

Nathy Peluso

 

Photo: Leo Adef

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Nathy Peluso Talks 'Calambre' & 2020 Latin GRAMMYs nathy-peluso-interview-calambre-2020-latin-grammys

Nathy Peluso Talks 'Calambre' & 2020 Latin GRAMMYs Debut

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Just days away from her Latin GRAMMY debut, the Argentine singer talks to GRAMMY.com about her eclectic album, establishing her sound and more
Jennifer Velez
Latin GRAMMYs
Nov 17, 2020 - 7:06 pm

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 at the 2020 Latin GRAMMYs, where she is set to share the stage with Argentine icon Fito Paez and is also nominated for the first time—she's up for the Best New Artist and Best Alternative Song categories—she is eager, even if circumstances will be different. This year, due to COVID-19, the Latin GRAMMYs will not return to their usual broadcast home, Las Vegas, and will instead be based in Miami with performances based all over the world. 

"It is something that I did not expect at all. It is an experience that I want to take care of and that I want to pamper with my heart because I know that it will be something to remember," she says. 

The singer, who moved to Spain as a child and went on to study physical theatre, has placed that same kind of thoughtful care into her first full-length album, Calambre, meaning electric shock. On it, Peluso, a fan of Dr. Dre, Missy Elliott, Earth, Wind & Fire, jazz, and bossa nova, among other genres, shows a dislike for genre boxes; The album features salsa, R&B, hip-hop and classic Argentine pop sounds. The singer researched every genre she featured to make them "sound organic and genuine," she says. If she's going to take on a genre, she has to do it right, she feels. 

But Peluso makes it clear—she does not define her music, she lets the music define her. She talks with GRAMMY.com more on how she lets the music speak for itself, growing up an immigrant in Spain, her debut album, being nominated for a Latin GRAMMY for the first time, and her performance at the show. 

First of all, congrats on your nomination. Where were you when you got the news?

I was out. They called me on the phone and it took me by surprise. I started running around on the street. I called my mom. I did not expect it, really. It was like a very unexpected call for me. I wasn't waiting to see if they would tell me something, I did not expect it at all.

Was your mom the first person you called? What did you tell her?

Yes. I thought she would be very excited. I told her the news. I said, "Mami, mami, I'm nominated for a Latin GRAMMY." And she said, "Wow. Nathy, that doesn't surprise me, because you deserve it." She said very nice things. It was an exciting moment.

You’re nominated for Best New Artist. That’s big. What does the nomination mean to you?

For me, it means [a lot coming] from the music industry, from the academy, from my peers. Like very important inspiration for me to push forward and continue to represent Latin music with a lot of love. For me, it gives me a sense of pride and honor to be able to be there representing so many musicians, our culture, our music. It’s incredible.

What was the process like creating your debut album Calambre?

It was a very organic process. Songs started coming out melodies I was recording and I was sketching them out until I figured out how to evolve all of them. I knew I wanted it to be called Calambre from the beginning because I came onto a very inspiring, energetic point. It was interesting because it was very powerful learning that I did professionally and personally. I learned a lot and had to face several new situations, I worked with artists and musicians that I admired a lot. It was artisanal work because there was deep research around each musical genre in which I embarked in on the album because there are many. It was a very delicate and interesting process that I came out of very enriched.

What did you do to learn more about each genre?

The truth is, I embarked on research that also included finding the people who represent the genre, arrangers, musicians, or producers, to also give credibility to that sound from someone who has a lot of experience working on it. The wind arrangements or the salsa arrangements, for example in “Puro Veneno.” If I was going to do a salsa track, I wanted to do it for real. The whole band behind it, the arrangers, the choristers, all are from Puerto Rico. The song is played live in Puerto Rico. That was a learning experience, getting information about the roots of each genre and also being able to do the artisanal work which can be challenging because the truth is, I felt it as a challenge to do all those genres that are not normally heard in Spanish, like hip-hop or the neo-soul or certain ballads. Making them sound organic and genuine in Spanish, in Castilian, that was a task I learned a lot from as well.

You've talked a lot about your love for different genres. You wanted your debut to be something that really shows who Nathy Peluso is?

With Calambre, it was no more than just intention. My intention was not to do something homogeneous, to represent me as only me and my persona because, really, I organically improvise my persona. The music is what guides and represents me, I don’t represent it. I found it interesting letting myself go through music, and then have that represent me as Nathy Peluso and my sound.

I was never afraid of it not sounding homogeneous between all the songs or how can I make people know me with this album? No, I just flowed, I did everything I felt I had to do musically speaking. I wrote all the lyrics with what I felt I had to write them, regardless of respecting a rule or something, I just wanted to flow.

In the root of that as well, I let go, I trusted, I put confidence in the music and in my fans so that it accommodates and settles as it has to settle. The search was not so much as towards my ego or towards my persona, but towards making good music that represents music, that pays respect and worships music and I contributed a grain of sand so that many people enjoy musical quality.

Read: Meet This Year's Best New Artist Nominees | 2020 Latin GRAMMY Awards

You’re an animated performer. You studied physical theatre. Do your studies influence you as a performer?

Yes, without a doubt. I believe everything we learn throughout life influences us, be it in our studies or in life experiences. It’s obvious, it makes me a better version of myself because it is something I learned and it helps me access —obviously, we can all get to that point, but certain doors have to be unlocked, certain doors [have to] open to access all that. Above all, to me, to my career, it taught me the incalculable power of improvisation and the power of movement, of body expression, of what we can say at the root of a persona; It nurtured me a lot and gave me tools to be able to defend certain things on stage.

You were born in Argentina, but as a child, you moved to Spain with your family, how did that affect you musically?

I do not know. I feel that I got to know many cultures. Being an immigrant, I linked up with many [other] immigrants who brought me closer to salsa, for example, Colombians. Many Colombian friends taught me to dance salsa. I had the opportunity to be in a Cuban choir for many years, learning from Cubans. Then my schooling was at Alicia Alonso's high school, who was a well-known Cuban dancer, and all my teachers were Cuban too. It gave me the rare opportunity, because I was in Spain, to connect with a deeply rooted Latin world because the people who had left their [countries, had] roots and had to promote them elsewhere. I learned a lot about the Latin culture and it made me look for a great friend, a great partner in music. Perhaps for a girl emigrating, it is something a bit difficult. Having music always accompanying me made me like having a faithful friend who never left me.

In the album you have a song dedicated to Buenos Aires, was it important for you to include the song honoring your homeland?

Yes, the truth is that it was a name that came up after making the song. It was not on purpose, but it sounded so much to me like the city, it sounded so much like the sound of nostalgia that it reminds me of my roots, that I decided to give it this name. Because I felt that many people, by closing their eyes and listening to that song, could travel wherever they wanted, because the sound is like a time machine, like the sound of beautiful nostalgia, the sound of feeling part of something. Obviously for me, when I closed my eyes, I listened to my city, it was something special, a special ritual.

You’ll appear at the Latin GRAMMY Awards, and I know they’ll be different because of COVID-19, but is there something your most excited about?

I am very excited because I am going to perform. It is something that I did not expect at all. It is an experience that I want to take care of and that I want to pamper with my heart because I know that it will be something to remember. It is my first time performing at the Latin GRAMMYs and it is such an immense opportunity that I am very grateful and very eager for.

What can you tell us about your performance?

They won’t let me, I can only say that I am preparing it with a lot of love and that I promise to do my best.

The 2020 Latin GRAMMYs will air on Univision on Thursday, Nov. 19, at 8 p.m. ET/PT (7 p.m. CT). The broadcast will also air on TNT (cable) at 7 p.m. (MEX)/8 p.m. (COL)/10 p.m. (ARG/CHI), and on Televisa on Channel 5. 

Learn more about the 2020 Latin GRAMMY Awards via the Latin Recording Academy's official website.

2020 Latin GRAMMY Awards Nominees Announced: See The Complete List

GRAMMYs

La Oreja de Van Gogh

News
La Oreja De Van Gogh Talks New Album, Growth un-susurro-en-la-tormenta-has-veteran-spanish-band-la-oreja-de-van-gogh-looking-inward

'Un Susurro En La Tormenta' Has Veteran Spanish Band La Oreja De Van Gogh Looking Inward For Stories To Tell

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The Latin GRAMMY-winning band's eighth album is their most personal yet
Jennifer Velez
GRAMMYs
Oct 23, 2020 - 5:04 pm

With more than 20 years in the game and through a number of albums, La Oreja de Van Gogh's romantic pop songs and masterful storytelling have evoked tears, laughter and smiles. Four years after their last release, 2016's El Planeta Imaginario, the veteran band who formed in 1996 in Donostia-San Sebastian, Spain (vocalist Leire Martínez Ochoa joined the band in the late '00s) return with what they call their most autobiographical album yet.

Past albums have featured a mixture of personal songs and songs inspired by others, but this time around, Un Susurro en la Tormenta (a whisper in the storm) has the Latin GRAMMY-winning and GRAMMY-nominated band digging deep and looking to each other for lyrical inspiration. "All the songs on this album are ones that we have lived, all those songs are born from looking not around us but inward," Martínez Ochoa tells GRAMMY.com in a recent interview. 

Back on the album promotional cycle during the pandemic for their eighth album, the band finds themselves hungry to be back on stage—their tour was postponed due to COVID-19. Despite the chaos, the commercially successful band doesn't worry too much about success these days. 

"I think we have lost that kind of obsession with figures, data, survival. It is like we are calm, we have arrived, we are already in our zone," keyboardist Xabi San Martín says. 

The charismatic San Martin and Martinez Ochoa recently spoke to GRAMMY.com about just how personal this album is, what role instruments play in amplifying their feeling, their growth as a band, what they want to do next, and more. 

How’s life now that the world is so different?

Xabi: I live in 2008, so I have 12 years left to get [to 2020]. It's been quite a year—It's been a very strange year. We finished recording our new album in January and instead of going out to do interviews, promotion and concerts for it all over the world, we had to keep it in a drawer and we had to wait at home due to all the circumstances. This has been a really weird year. Let's hope the worst is over. The album has finally hit the streets. We are already preparing a tour for 2021 as if there was no virus. We are going to give it our all, give everything on stage. Our reality will be to play dumb and act as no virus exists and prepare the best possible show.

Beyond not being able to promote the album like usual, was any other aspect of the album affected by COVID?

Leire: Actually, not much. As Xavi said, the album was recorded before the state of alarm and confinement. We finished recording everything in the recording studio in January. The only thing that was affected, of course, is the tour. We should have been traveling and touring all over the United States and doing the entire summer tour in Spain since May. All that has been postponed, of course, but fortunately the only thing that affected us a little more initially was that we could not get together to shoot music videos. We had planned a music video the same weekend there was the state of alarm and all that had to be postponed. Fortunately now technology allows us to work from home, get projects done. The "Abrazame" music video was made from home and we believe it has ended up being that much more incredible. Sometimes you never know where opportunities will come from.

It’s true. It makes me wonder, how has this moment affected your creativity?

Xabi: I suppose that when we continue writing new songs we will be able to see how much of the virus [has affected the way we make] music. We just finished the album, it was practically in the mastering phase when the state of alarm started, so we’ve [used very little] creativity. We can tell you many colleagues have taken advantage of the confinements and the lockdown to write new music but there are more than 10 children that we have in total [among us] and they are small children, that is, our house was more like a battlefield in Syria, quite incompatible with creation of any kind [possible]. We were closer to needing psychiatric and pharmacological help than putting two notes together. I believe that all of this is an experience that, like all others, will sooner or later become a song possibly.

The title of the album, Un Susurro en la Tormenta is attention-grabbing. What inspired the name?

Leire: We believe the space created by the album title allows you to keep sharing things [and keep conversations going]. We believe that we live in somewhat crazy times, we live very fast, everything is done fast at breakneck speed. I believe that sometimes we spend little time looking at day-to-day things a lot but that they really are the things that matter. Sometimes, like the title says, it’s those whispers in the middle of the storm, especially that noise that sometimes takes over us and accompanies us on a daily basis, that are precisely what gives meaning to life and what we like. In this case, we believe that this album and these 11 stories are something between whispers and conversations, a bit with the idea that they are a whisper in the middle of the storms that each of us live.

This is your first album since 2016, when did you begin making it?

Xabi: Good question. I think we started—

Leire: We finished the last album’s tour in early 2018, more or less around summer. I think more or less around that time we started with the composition.

Xabi: Yes. Two years for a 40-minute album, which comes out to like 45 seconds a day. [Laughs.] The last person to live like this, has now left the country, his name is Juan Carlos I, who was the king of Spain. He worked just like us, what happens is that now he has escaped...

But anyway, we have lived very well, it has been two years of—We wanted to do things slowly because, thank God, after so many years we no longer have to follow trends or what the record companies say about, "You have to take advantage the moment." It's been more than 20 years of making music for us and we can allow ourselves the luxury of waiting for inspiration calmly and enjoying the process, without stress and without having to meet stressful deadlines because, "What if sales, what if--." In that sense, we’ve relaxed and we have cooked this album over very low heat.

When you're making a song, what’s your goal?

Xabi: I think that actually before there is a song, there is usually a story, something that has happened to us or something that has happened to someone close to us and for whatever reason, it has impacted us. It happens to any human being, we are all moved by situations, stories, experiences. What happens is, I suppose we try, with greater or lesser success, is to turn it into a song. Trying to tell a story that provokes the same sensation as the one we have experienced is our great ambition. I suppose that sometimes we have succeeded and sometimes not. That is the great ambition, to move and transmit what has inspired us for the song. That being said, this is very abstract, it’s like explaining the joke but when your heart is broken and you want to share that, you write a song, and if you succeed, it will break the heart of the listener for three minutes. That is the ambition of anyone who writes music, in our case, it is like that. That's our greatest goal.

You’re known as a band for your romantic songs. Where do you find new inspiration for those? Are they personal or from people you know?

Leire: They are all close. I also think that in this album, perhaps more than in others, we’ve gotten a lot of inspiration from within, we have searched a lot in ourselves. I think this is the most autobiographical album of all. As you said, we tend to always to talk about the day to day, everyday stories, situations in the world around us, things that disturb us, things that we live or that people close to us live. But I think this one is more autobiographical in particular. Perhaps it is the one that says the most about ourselves in the first person.

Can you share more on why is this album the most autobiographical?

Xabi: In general, in other albums we have told stories that have surrounded us but for the first time all the songs on this album are ones that we have lived, all those songs are born from looking not around us but inward. They are very intimate experiences, they are ours and they are things as dramatic as losing a loved one, nostalgia for impossible loves, for other times or experiences with our children. It is very personal, we have shared a lot of ourselves in these stories. In that sense, it is more autobiographical.

https://twitter.com/laorejadevgogh/status/1319163293538410496

Como cada día, nos vamos a ensayar y a preparar los próximos conciertos. Daremos todo lo que tenemos sobre el escenario, como si no pasara nada en el mundo al menos durante lo que dure el show. pic.twitter.com/KvKimDx3kL

— La Oreja de Van Gogh (@laorejadevgogh) October 22, 2020

There are songs on this album that are sad and others that are more energetic, is that balance on purpose or is it something that comes naturally to you?

Leire: We don’t count and go, "We've done three upbeat songs—." There's no count at that level. The stories come out and if the song turns out a way that satisfies us all, that is the song that we keep. Only if what we felt wasn’t on the level of the rest of the album we discard it as we felt that it didn’t belong there, but not because the balance leaned more sad or—No. If we liked the song and it moved us, as Xabi said, we kept it, regardless of the style.

There are acoustic songs and there are songs with more instrumentals. Does each one to help you bring out a certain feeling more?

Xabi: Not necessarily. I think that as long as the voice more or less has the feeling, in the sense that it is covered by more or fewer instruments, I think it makes—I don't know, I'm improvising. I think it makes the story more intimate or closer. Suddenly if Leire sings alone with a piano, she is almost whispering to the listener. Whereas if you sing with everyone, drums and all, it can be more epic but not necessarily more exciting.

I don't think there is a direct relationship between the number of instruments and the state of mind. I think that the number of instruments, what it does is get the story closer to the listener or further away, but this is nonsense I am improvising. [laughs]

You're from Donostia but in your career, including on this album, you have songs that reference Madrid. I’ve lived there, I know it’s beautiful. What does Madrid mean to you?

Leire: It is a city that always welcomes us. It is a city we always go to, Madrid is a part of all our records, it is the capital of our country and where most of the media is. Of course, all the promotional plans and tours include Madrid. We have a lot of friends, people who love us [there]. As I told you, throughout the group's career, Madrid has always been very present for us. From recordings, mastering, producers, other artists, festivals. We go there a lot. I also think we have all have a certain personal relationship having spent time in Madrid or spent seasons there, as you have. It is a city that loves us and that we love a lot.

You have released eight albums, is there something about the recording process that was important to you before that no longer is?

Xabi: That is interesting. The truth is that recording techniques keep changing. Before, to record a piano you had to do so over and over the same way 35 times until it came out perfect. There were takes that were perfect, they had soul but suddenly something went wrong so you had to repeat it. Now technology allows a good shot to be corrected or taken from another one. I suppose, in exchange for losing that total honesty we had before in the studio, we have gained more creativity, those digital editing tools that we did not have on the first albums. We have lost that, the romance of the first takes or of playing all at the same time but in return, we have gained many more creative tools that allow [us to expand ourselves.] There are five of us in the studio and yet we recorded 90 different music tracks to get what we wanted. We have lost a bit of sincerity recording, in exchange for making the fantasy better.

How have you grown as a group on this album?

Leire: I think a lot. I think that, precisely what we talked about before, having looked inside to talk about certain issues. Having taken that step in such a clear way seems very brave to me. I think that makes us grow personally and probably also professionally. I believe that in each process of making an album many things are learned from all the people who collaborate on them. To start off, there are five of us who we are contributing things during the entire composition process, recording, on the day to day of the group's experience. Later, when an external factor enters, like the producer, in this case, Paco Salazar, in the end, it is people who always contribute, who teach you things about yourself even that you did not know. It allows you to work in a way that makes you leave your comfort zone and makes you face certain discomforts, so to speak, that make you empower yourself or grow. I think that, in the end, as a band, it’s very good because we all grow and the band grows.

Thinking ahead a bit, is there something musically that you haven't done that you want to do?

Xabi: Good question. The truth is we have done a lot of things that we did not expect, almost none [we expected]. From a record point of view, in the sense of success, we have met all the goals and those anxieties for success, that hunger for number one, I think we have left that behind. Maybe it's easy to say because this album that just came out weeks ago has been at number one in several countries, that's why I say it's easy to say it like that when it still happens to you. I think we have lost that kind of obsession with figures, data, survival. It is like we are calm, we have arrived, we are already in our zone. In that sense, we are quite calm. Artistically, I think whenever we’ve wanted to try something crazy, we've ended up doing it.

Leire: I think the craziest thing we want to do right now is being able to go on tour.

Xabi: So true.

Leire: Artistically it is what we are looking forward to.

Xabi: Get us out of the house, please. Let them put us on stage today. We must also bear in mind that we have to go collect a GRAMMY in 2021. We have to make room—we can take advantage of the tour in Mexico and the United States, and there we can pick it up—

Leire: Yes, please, I have never been [to the GRAMMYs] and I really want to go.

Andrekza Wants To Connect With People Who Think Differently

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