21st Latin GRAMMY Awards
Learn More About This Year's Song Of The Year Nominees | 2020 Latin GRAMMY Awards
We are only days away from knowing who will take the coveted Song Of The Year award at the 2020 Latin GRAMMYs. The contenders for this category, which notably celebrates the songwriters, this year include some of the biggest artists in Latin music today, including Maluma, Juanes & Sebastián Yatra, Jorge Drexler, Camilo, Kany García & Nahuel Pennisi, and many others.
While we anxiously await the 21st Latin GRAMMY Awards, which will air Thursday, Nov. 19, GRAMMY.com takes a closer look at this year's Song Of The Year nominees.
"ADMV" (Performed by Maluma)
Maluma kicked off his Papi Juancho album era in April with one of the most romantic love songs of his career. The Colombian superstar wrote "ADMV" ("Amor de Mi Vida," or "Love of My Life") with Vicente Barco, Stiven Rojas and hitmaker Édgar Barrera. In the song, Maluma lets his loved one know that he's in it for the long-run: Until their final breaths together when they're old and gray, he will still be there. In 2017, Maluma became the first songwriter in Latin GRAMMYs history to have three songs nominated for Song Of The Year in the same year. His 2020 nod marks his fourth overall nomination in this category.
"Bonita" (Performed by Juanes & Sebastián Yatra)
Juanes is no stranger to the Song Of The Year category at the Latin GRAMMYs, having previously won the award twice. (He has a few GRAMMYs to his name as well.) The Colombian rock star teamed up with his compatriot, Sebastián Yatra, for their collaboration, "Bonita" (or "Beautiful"). The pair wrote the song with Mauricio Rengifo and Andrés Torres, the duo behind the game-changing Latin hit, "Despacito," which won the Song Of The Year award at the 2017 Latin GRAMMYs. On "Bonita," Juanes and Yatra shower the ladies of their lives with the most affectionate words. They're a dreamy team here.
"Codo Con Codo" (Performed by Jorge Drexler)
After winning the Song Of The Year award at the 2018 Latin GRAMMYs for "Telefonía," Uruguayan singer-songwriter Jorge Drexler is nominated for the category again this year for "Codo Con Codo" (or "Elbow to Elbow"), a song he notably wrote by himself. The song's title is a play on the elbow-bumping that health officials are encouraging instead of handshaking during the COVID-19 pandemic. When things were especially scary and uncertain as the start of the pandemic, Drexler gave listeners reassurance and hope with the warmth of his lyrics.
"El Mismo Aire" (Performed by Camilo)
Camilo was first nominated for Song Of The Year at the 2019 Latin GRAMMYs for his work on the Juanes and Alessia Cara collaboration, "Querer Mejor." This year, the Colombian singer-songwriter is nominated twice in the Song Of The Year category for music he's written for himself. First up is "El Mismo Aire" (or "The Same Air"), which he wrote with his frequent collaborators Jon Leone, Richi López, Juan Morelli and Édgar Barrera, the latter of whom is nominated twice in this category this year. Featured on Camilo's bubbly Por Primera Vez, this song is one of the album's darker moments where he sings about a relationship that's gone cold.
Read: Get To Know The 2020 Latin GRAMMYs Album Of The Year Nominees | 2020 Latin GRAMMY Awards
"For Sale" (Performed by Alejandro Sanz & Carlos Vives)
GRAMMYs and Latin GRAMMYs legends Alejandro Sanz and Carlos Vives teamed up on "For Sale," a featured track on the latter's 2020 album, Cumbiana. Vives, who's taken home the Song Of The Year award at the Latin GRAMMYs twice before, wrote this bustling track with Sanz. In trying to salvage a relationship on the rocks, the two artists give up everything like a yard sale. "For Sale" is a precious and priceless Latin pop moment.
"#ELMUNDOFUERA (Improvisación)" (Performed by Alejandro Sanz)
"#ELMUNDOFUERA (Improvisación)" (or "The World Outside (Improvisation)") marks Alejandro Sanz's second nomination for Song Of The Year this year. The Spanish singer-songwriter holds the record for the most wins in this category, with four total wins. Sanz wrote "#ELMUNDOFUERA" while he was in quarantine during the COVID-19 pandemic. He offers words of hope that someday we'll be able to embrace our loved ones again.
"Lo Que En Ti Veo" (Performed by Kany García & Nahuel Pennisi)
"Lo Que En Ti Veo" (or "What I See In You") marks Kany García's fourth career nomination in the Latin GRAMMYs' Song Of The Year category. The Puerto Rican singer-songwriter wrote this delicate love song for her wife, Jocelyn Troche, who co-stars with her in the song's music video. Argentine musician Nahuel Pennisi's soft guitar and background vocals soundtrack García's beautiful admission of love. The song is featured on García's 2020 duets album, Mesa Para Dos. With five overall nominations, including Record Of The Year and Album Of The Year, García is the most-nominated female artist at the Latin GRAMMYs this year.
Read: Final Round Of Performers Announced For 2020 Latin GRAMMYs
"René" (Performed by Residente)
Including his work with the hip-hop group Calle 13, Residente holds the record for the most Latin GRAMMY wins, counting a whopping 25 awards. When the Puerto Rican rapper was experiencing a depressive and suicidal episode in 2018, he called his mom who comforted him over the phone. The following day, Residente wrote his emotions into "René," a nearly 8-minute song, titled after his first name, in which he reflects on all the highs and lows of his life and career. What must've been a therapeutic release for him became one of the most powerful moments in Latin music this past year.
"Tiburones" (Performed by Ricky Martin)
While Puerto Rican superstar Ricky Martin sings this Latin GRAMMY-nominated song, he didn't write it. As such, the Song Of The Year nomination goes to Mexican singer-songwriter Pablo Preciado, who is a member of the band Matisse, and his Venezuelan co-writer, Oscar Hernández. In a turbulent world, both artists write about a call for unity and peace. Martin breathed life into their lyrics in a powerful moment from his 2020 Pausa EP.
"Tusa" (Performed by Karol G & Nicki Minaj)
Previous Latin GRAMMYs Best New Artist winner Karol G teamed up with 10-time GRAMMY nominee Nicki Minaj for the knockout collaboration, "Tusa" (or "Heartbreak"). For her first-ever Latin GRAMMY nomination, Minaj wrote her braggadocious lyrics in both Spanish and English. There are no language barriers on this universal girl-power anthem, which is written by Karol G, Minaj, producer Daniel "Ovy on the Drums" Oviedo, Juan Camilo Vargas and rising hitmaker Kevyn "Keityn" Moreno. Karol G and Minaj make it known that they are ready to party and perrear ("twerk") the heartache away.
"Tutu" (Performed by Camilo & Pedro Capó)
"Tutu" marks Camilo's second nomination in the Song Of The Year category at the 2020 Latin GRAMMYs; it also marks the second nomination for his co-writers, Jon Leone and Richi López. Camilo wrote the adorable Latin pop bop as an ode to his wife, Evaluna Montaner, who he affectionately calls "Tutu." Featured guest Pedro Capó, who won the Song Of The Year category at the 2019 Latin GRAMMYs, gives Camilo and co.'s heartfelt lyrics some extra punch. At this year's Latin GRAMMYs, Camilo is also nominated for Record Of The Year for "Tutu" and Album Of The Year for Por Primera Vez.
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
