Luis Miguel

Luis Miguel

Photo: Omar Vega/Getty Images

News

Luis Miguel Wins The Latin GRAMMY For Album Of The Year For '¡México Por Siempre!'

Facebook Twitter Email
Legendary vocalist takes home one of the Biggest Night In Latin Music's most coveted honors
Nate Hertweck
GRAMMYs
Nov 15, 2018 - 6:06 pm

Luis Miguel won Album Of The Year for ¡México Por Siempre! at the 19th Latin GRAMMY Awards. Earlier in the night, Miguel's 20th album also took home the award for Best Ranchero/Mariachi Album.

Miguel, a Puerto Rican-born Mexican powerhouse singer burst onto the pop music scene at a very young age, releasing his debut album at age 11. He won his first GRAMMY Award for Best Mexican-American Performance for "Me Gustas Tal Como Eres" at the 27th GRAMMY Awards. An internationally acclaimed artist, Miguel went on to enjoy immense success, playing a significant role in the Latin explosion of the '90s and bringing bolero music to a wider audience.

¡México Por Siempre! marked a triumphant return for Miguel, his first new album since 2010's self-titled release. ¡México Por Siempre! climbed to No. 2 on the Billboard Top Latin Albums chart and even cracked into the Billboard 200. 

Album Of The Year is one of the most anticipated honors each year at the Latin GRAMMYs comes from the coveted category. This year's competition was especially stiff, with nine other nominees vying for the win.

Other nominees include Pablo Alborán's Prometo, the Spanish singer/songwriter's fourth studio album, J Balvin's Vibras, the Columbian reggaeton star's fifth album features an impressive list of collaborators, and Rozalén's Cuando El Rio Suena…, which also earned a Song Of The Year nomination for "La Puerta Violeta." Chico Buarque was also nominated for Caravanas, which won the award for Best MPB (Musica Popular Brasileira) Album and Best Portuguese Language Song for "As Caravanas," as was another winner earlier in the night, Jorge Drexler, who's Salvavidas De Hielo won Best Singer-Songwriter Album. El David Aguilar's Siguiente, also received a nom, as did Kany García's Soy Yo, her fifth album and only the second album to ever debut in the top five on Billboard's Top Latin Album chart.

Natalia Lafourcade was also nominated for Musas (Un Homenaje Al Folclore Latioamerican En Marcorinos), Vol. 2, which won the Mexican singer/songwriter the Latin GRAMMY for Best Folk Album earlier in the evening. Monsieur Periné's Encanto Tropical, the Columbian group who won Best New Artist just two years ago, was also nominated.

Hosts Carlos Rivera and Ana de la Reguera

Hosts Carlos Rivera and Ana de la Reguera

Photo: Ethan Miller/Getty Images

News

What Was Your Favorite Moment From The 19th Latin GRAMMY Awards?

Facebook Twitter Email
Of the night's many great performances and acceptances speeches, and the red carpet as well, what moment stands out the most?
Philip Merrill
GRAMMYs
Nov 16, 2018 - 4:59 pm

With so many magical moments to choose from, last night's 19th Latin GRAMMY Awards stays fresh in our memories. But what stands out to you the most? The performances were remarkable but so were the wins and acceptance speeches. Many winners paid tribute to traditions and to being part of today's Latin music scene keeping those traditions fresh. The wins by J Balvin and Karol G were also recognition for reggaetón, and Rosalía's acceptance speech shouted out to other great women of music. The red carpet was unforgettable, too. So what stands out for you?

Polls

What Was Your Favorite Moment From The 19th Annual Latin GRAMMY Awards?

After his Salvavidas De Hielo received Best Singer-Songwriter Album at the Premiere ceremony, Uruguayan Jorge Drexler was moved when he won Song Of The Year for "Telefonía" to thank his competition, as well as the writers Jorge Luis Borges and Fernando Pessoa. When it was announced that "Telefonía" had won Record Of The Year, Drexler was visibly surprised. At the 15th Annual Latin GRAMMY Awards Drexler's Bailar En La Cueva had won Best Singer-Songwriter Album as well, and its "Universos Paralelos" won Record Of The Year, making last night's Record Of The Year win his fifth Latin GRAMMY Award and his second time winning the category.

2018 Latin GRAMMYs Highlights From Las Vegas

Rosalía Thanks Women In Music At Latin GRAMMYs

J Balvin Latin GRAMMY Speech Honors Reggaeton

Karol G Wins Best New Artist At 2018 Latin GRAMMYs

Red Carpet Style At The 2018 Latin GRAMMYs

Let us know what makes the top of your list as your most lasting memory from the 19th Latin GRAMMY Awards.

 

GRAMMYs

J Balvin 

Photo: Ethan Miller/Getty Images for LARAS

News

J Balvin Pays Ode to Reggaeton During Latin GRAMMY Speech: "It's Time To Create New Legends"

Facebook Twitter Email
The Colombian artist has been one of the leaders in the reemergence of reggaeton and used his acceptance speech to recognize the power of the genre
Jennifer Velez
GRAMMYs
Nov 16, 2018 - 1:59 pm

The 19th Latin GRAMMY Awards, held Nov. 15, was an exciting night for Colombian artist J Balvin, who led the night with a total of 8 nominations, the most of any other artist nominated at the show that night.

J Balvin Latin GRAMMY Speech Honors Reggaeton

The rapper has been a recognized leader for bringing reggaeton back into the mainstream and harder than ever, since English-language pop-centric U.S. and other parts of the world first heard names like Daddy Yankee, Tego Calderon and Don Omar around the early '00s (Yankee also won an award last night, for Best Urban Song for "Dura.") The success of the genre the last few years has been slowly making waves at the Latin GRAMMYs. The genre has been climbing its way outside of just the urban categories and into general sought-after categories like "Record Of The Year," which Balvin was nominated for twice this year—2011's Album Of The Year winners hip-hop/reggaeton dup Calle 13 infused reggaeton and other genres in their award-winning Entren Los Que Quieran.

Balvin—who has collaborated with artists of other Latin genres, including indie, Alt. Latino artist, Carla Morrison, who he performed with at the show—used his speech for his only win, Best Urban Music Album, to address the state of reggaeton. He brought up the success reggaeton has had the last few years, despite the challenges the music has faced as a respected genre, and spoke about the power the genre has to change lives. 

"Thank you. I want to share this GRAMMY with my colleagues. All the people from the urban genre that are nominated," he began. "To everyone that is representing this genre that we have fought so hard for, that has been sometimes a bit discriminated against, but here we are still fighting for it and showing that there are a lot of talented people, that reggaeton has saved lives, that reggaeton has motivated people to leave the streets and inspired better dreams, that shows dreaming is worth it."

READ: 2018 Latin GRAMMY Awards: Inside All The Action From Las Vegas

Balvin gave a special shout-out to Ozuna, another nominated reggaeton artist who has achieved mass success and garnered billions of views on YouTube. "Ozuna, you know I love you a lot and respect you a lot," Balvin said.

The rapper ended his speech by paying respect to Latin legendary artists that came before him, but said that was time for new legends to be made.

"Let's not kill the dreams of the new producers that are coming up, the new songwriters that are coming up. Value the young blood that is coming because we are the future of music," he said.
"Obviously with so much respect for artists who are legends and will be legends always, but it's time to create new legends, new motivations. For people on the streets to also want to be like us because we are also an example of what life can be. God Bless"

2018 Latin GRAMMY Awards Complete Winners List

Will Smith, Marc Anthony, and Bad Bunny

Will Smith, Marc Anthony, and Bad Bunny

Photo: Rodrigo Varela/Getty Images

News

2018 Latin GRAMMY Awards: Inside All The Action From Las Vegas

Facebook Twitter Email
Catch up on all the hottest performances and biggest winners from the Biggest Night In Latin Music
Ernesto Lechner
GRAMMYs
Nov 15, 2018 - 9:26 pm

An electrifying version of the torrid pop hit “Está Rico” by original performers Marc Anthony, Bad Bunny and Will Smith opened up the 19th Latin GRAMMY festivities from Las Vegas with the underlying message that the current face of Latin music is a rainbow of ethnicities - a lovingly assembled labyrinth of cultures and styles.

2018 Latin GRAMMYs Highlights From Las Vegas

From their opening remarks, hosts Ana de la Reguera and Carlos Rivera kept the procedures short and sweet, taking the time to cherish the fact that so many talented performers had gathered together to celebrate Latin music’s most important evening of the year.

Fittingly, the first series of musical numbers underscored the concepts of authenticity and collaboration. 

Uruguayan troubadour Jorge Drexler performed a lilting “Telefonía” joined by the vocal harmonies of two visionary young divas: Chile’s Mon Laferte and Mexico’s Natalia Lafourcade.  Sinaloa band Calibre 50 merged the accordion of norteño with the tuba of banda sinaloense on a soulful “Corrido de Juanito.”  And veteran singer/songwriter Carlos Vives juxtaposed the future and present of Colombian music by singing the tropical-pop scorcher “Hoy Tengo Tiempo” joined by the enchanting Catalina García and her band, the jazzy Monsieur Periné.

In terms of Latin GRAMMY winners, the first surprise of the night arrived when Mexican icon Luis Miguel won the coveted Album of the Year award for México Por Siempre!, a lush collection of traditional rancheras.  The crooner was not present to collect the statuette, but charismatic presenter Thalía demonstrated her sense of humor by promising with a wink that she would deliver the Latin GRAMMY in person.

In recent years, the almighty reggaetón genre has mutated.  It has grown, diversified, expanded in scope and sensibility.  A poignant reminder of these intriguing new directions arrived in the guise of Colombian singer J Balvin performing “Ambiente.”  Enriched by a moody intro featuring Mexican chanteuse Carla Morrison, Balvin’s singing sounded open and vulnerable against the smoldering reggaetón rhythmic pattern.

One of the evening’s most hotly anticipated appearances was Rosalía’s, the 25 year-old singer from Catalonia who this year stirred the status quo of Latin music with an innovative blend of flamenco passion and hip-hop sensibility.  Rosalía did not disappoint, adding an earthy flamenco interlude to her volatile interpretation of global hit “Malamente.”

Rosalía Thanks Women In Music At Latin GRAMMYs

Returning to more traditional territory, Puerto Rican singer Víctor Manuelle delivered a spectacular version of “Quiero Tiempo.”  In typical Manuelle fashion—he is a pioneer of the slick salsa romántica wave—the song started as a velvety tropical pop confection, then intensified as the spidery piano tumbao and fiery brass riffs veered into hardcore salsa territory.

From authentic salsa soundscapes, the show transitioned into the roots of Mexican folk, as 15 year-old Ángela Aguilar – daughter of Pepe Aguilar, and granddaughter of golden era icons Antonio Aguilar and Flor Silvestre—moved the audience with a stunning version of the classic “La Llorona.”  Aguilar navigated the lyrics as if it was a torch-song, with a bluesy growl that showcased her remarkable vocal abilities.

Jorge Drexler appeared surprised when announced as winner of Song of the Year for the wispy “Telefonía.”  He expressed his admiration for his fellow nominees, ending with a message of inclusiveness by mentioning intellectual writers Jorge Luis Borges and Fernando Pessoa in the same sentence as populist song formats like cumbia and reggaetón.  They all should be admired and celebrated, he emphasized.

A stirring video presented the accomplishments of Maná, winner of the Person of the Year award.  More than the biggest rock band ever to emerge from Mexico, Maná has also made history for its commitment to championing social justice and protecting the environment.  With lead singer Fher Olvera sounding at the peak of his powers, the group launched into a medley that included timeless Latin rockers “En El Muelle de San Blas,” “Labios Compartidos” and “Clavado En Un Bar.”

Part of the reason why the show flowed so smoothly this year was that the chosen performers kept things varied by painting a wide canvass of moods.  Spanish pop star Pablo Alborán chose restraint over bombast with his exquisite rendition of “No Vaya A Ser,” an anthemic tune marked by delicate echoes of Spanish folk and an irresistible chorus anchored on hand clapping, layers of guitars and Alborán’s gentle voice.

Best New Artist winner Karol G. provided a raucous take on her sensuous radio hit “Mi Cama.”  The Colombian singer added a touch of rock’n’roll bravado to the procedures by having the track’s prerequisite reggaetón beat performed by a live drummer.

Karol G Wins Best New Artist At 2018 Latin GRAMMYs

The night ended with another surprise, as Drexler looked downright shocked when receiving a Latin Grammy for Record of the Year. 

It was time to say goodbye, but Ana de la Reguera decided to part with a timely message.  She reminded us that next year will mark the Latin GRAMMYs’ 20th anniversary.  Most importantly, she wished that Latin music will continue to inspire, promoting a world where we can learn to be more tolerant and supportive.

It was, in a way, the perfect summation of the all-encompassing musical offerings heard during a most memorable evening.

GRAMMYs

Rosalía

Photo: Ethan Miller/Getty Images for LARAS

News

Rosalía Shouts-Out Lauryn Hill, Kate Bush And More Women During Latin GRAMMY Speech

Facebook Twitter Email
The Spanish singer used her first-ever GRAMMY acceptance speech to thank the women who paved the way for her
THE GRAMMYs
GRAMMYs
Nov 15, 2018 - 8:55 pm

The 19th Latin GRAMMY Awards were a big night for Spanish rising star Rosalía. The singer, who is recognized for bringing Spain's flamenco music to the world stage, won her first-ever GRAMMY awards and used her acceptance speech for the Best Fusion/ Urban Interpretation category to thank the women who blazed a trail for her own career.  

Rosalía Thanks Women In Music At Latin GRAMMYs

"This is incredible. It's a dream. Thank you so much for all the love, thanks all of you for the recognition, I am proud to lead my project and make always the music that represents me, despite the risk, and to be able to share it with the world and be here," she said." I want to thank women like Lauryn Hill ...Bjork, Kate Bush ... shout out to all the women in the industry that have taught me that I could do this because thanks to them I am here."

She also thanked her family, team and Spanish artist El Guincho who worked on her album. Earlier in the night, she also won a Latin GRAMMY for Best Alternative Song.