meta-script2022 Latin GRAMMYs: Reggaeton Trailblazer Karol G Goes Three For Three With "Gatúbela," "Provenza" And "Cairo" | GRAMMY.com
2022 Latin GRAMMYs: Reggaeton Trailblazer Karol G Goes Three For Three With "Gatúbela," "Provenza" And "Cairo"
Karol G performs onstage during 2022 Latin GRAMMY Awards at Michelob ULTRA Arena on November 17, 2022, in Las Vegas, Nevada

Photo: Kevin Winter/Getty Images for The Latin Recording Academy

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2022 Latin GRAMMYs: Reggaeton Trailblazer Karol G Goes Three For Three With "Gatúbela," "Provenza" And "Cairo"

Nominated at the 2022 Latin GRAMMYs in three categories for solo tracks and a collaboration with Becky G, Karol G brought "Gatúbela," "Provenza" and "Cairo" to the stage.

GRAMMYs/Nov 18, 2022 - 03:18 am

In the ever-burgeoning world of reggaeton, Karol G is helping lead the way for women. At the 2022 Latin Grammy Awards, she performed her biggest hits this year, including “Provenza” and her latest single “Cairo.”

Karol G opened her performance with a sultry performance of “Gatúbela” that was reminiscent of the post-apocalyptic music video. She then danced through the audience while singing her feel-good anthem “Provenza” — bringing the Egyptian-themed visuals behind the “Cairo” video to life onstage, thereby turning the show into a full-bore pop spectacle.

The Colombian superstar scored two of the year's biggest hits with "Provenza" and the girl power anthem "Mamiii" with Becky G. And this year, she's been bestowed with three Latin GRAMMY nominations — and as such, went three for three with performances of "Gatúbela," "Provenza" and "Cairo."

"Provenza" is nominated for Latin GRAMMYs in the Song Of The Year and Record Of The Year categories. A feel-good anthem that embraced elements of Afrobeats, the track has amassed more than 557 million streams on Spotify.

Karol G is also nominated for Best Urban Song for "Mamiii" alongside Becky G — in 2022, their fiery collaborative track soared to No. 15 on the Billboard Hot 100.

Karol G is no stranger to the Latin GRAMMYs. In 2018, she won her first Latin GRAMMY for Best New Artist. In 2020, she was once again nominated for Song Of The Year and Record Of The Year for her breakthrough hit "Tusa" alongside Nicki Minaj. Karol G also performed the song solo at the Latin GRAMMYs that year.

She recently followed up "Provenza" with "Gatúbela," featuring ex-Plan B singer Maldy, and "Cairo" with her longtime producer Ovy on the Drums. Those songs tease her next album that she's working on — to follow up 2021's KG0516 LP.

Stay tuned for a clip of this thrilling performance, and check out the complete list of winners and nominees at the 2022 Latin GRAMMYs.

2023 GRAMMY Nominations: See The Complete Nominees List

Producer Ovy On The Drums Talks New EP With Myke Towers & The Indescribable Chemistry Of Working With Karol G
Ovy on the Drums poses at the 2023 Latin GRAMMYs

Photo: Patricia J. Garcinuno/WireImage/GettyImages

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Producer Ovy On The Drums Talks New EP With Myke Towers & The Indescribable Chemistry Of Working With Karol G

"I just wanted to make some good music with a well chosen set of guest artists, and let the beats speak for themselves," Ovy on the Drums says of his new EP with Myke Towers.

GRAMMYs/Mar 15, 2024 - 05:23 pm

When Mañana Será Bonito, the fourth studio album by Karol G, came out in February 2023, its release had been preceded by two momentous hit singles that changed the face of Latin music. 

Panoramic in scope, slick and airy, but also imbued with an intense and lyrical emotional depth, the songs "Provenza" and "Cairo" combined pop, reggaetón and an alternative edge with panache, and confirmed the Colombian singer/songwriter as one of the biggest pop stars in the planet. Mañana Será Bonito would go on to win Latin GRAMMYs for Album Of The Year and Best Urban Music Album, as well as her first-ever GRAMMY for Best Música Urbana Album in 2024.

Karol G wasn’t alone in these accomplishments. Most of the songs on the album were helmed by her longtime producer, Ovy on the Drums. Like Karol herself, 33 year-old Daniel Echavarría Oviedo hails from Medellín. The pair started working together at the very beginning of their careers, and Ovy was behind the haute couture sonics of "Tusa," the 2019 collaboration with Nicki Minaj that first established Karol as a major contender in Latin pop.

"There is a chemistry when we work together that I cannot quite describe with words,"  Ovy says over Zoom from his home in Florida. It’s a weekday morning, and he sits by his keyboard producing station; from time to time, he will play imaginary chords as he searches for the right words for an answer. His attitude remains humble throughout the conversation — even after significant success and a triumphant world tour, where he accompanied Karol on most concert dates.

"I still remember the specific moment when I asked her if she would let me do production work with her," he tells GRAMMY.com. "We keep talking whenever we’re in the studio. She is very clear in her direction; ‘I want this song to sound like that,’ or, ‘Give it another spin and see if we can make it better.’"

Ovy has since been inspired to branch out into different challenges. The latest one is Cassette 01,  a six-song EP with Puerto Rican A-list rapper Myke Towers. The EP is the first in a series of cassette-themed mixtapes that will include a different collaborator on each new installment. "The concept of releasing cassette-themed EPs in the year 2024 is really exciting to me," Ovy says. "It’s linked to the history of pop music, and the way we consume songs."

Known for high-voltage, sexed-up urbano anthems like "La Playa" (2020) and "LALA" (2023), Towers adds his imprint to the songs, but Ovy’s futuristic aesthetic is all over the EP. "It’s true that the loop in the beginning has my personal touch," Ovy says with a laugh when I point out that the intro to "AMOR NARCÓTICO" is trademark Ovy. "Sometimes people tell me that a song has that unique touch of mine, and it really seems unbelievable to me when I hear it."

On "BELLAQUERÍA," he mixes synth patches with real riffs performed by his longtime guitar player; the contrast between organic and digitized is prevalent in his stylistic panoply. And his trademark battle call — the almost dub-like cry of "O-O-O-vy on the Drumsss" is the seal of distinction that pops up in every single production.

Ovy On The Drums

Ovy on the Drums and Myke Towers┃SEBA

Musically speaking, Colombia sits on a highly strategic place: next door to the fertile Caribbean islands where reggae, salsa, merengue and calypso originated — but also close enough to the airwaves of mainstream American pop. Growing up, Ovy listened to a bit of everything, and gravitated naturally to lush records with majestic grooves.

"I loved Bob Marley as a kid," he says. "At home, of course, they would play a lot of salsa at parties, and hits of the time like 'Mayonesa' [a tropi-pop smash by Uruguayan band Chocolate.] I was also crazy about Modern Talking’s ‘Brother Louie’ and the Pet Shop Boys’ ‘Go West.’ Those are the songs that defined my childhood."

In the meantime, he continues employing FL Studio — the same producing software that he used at the very beginning of his journey.

"I’ll never stop using it," he promises. "I just can’t see myself on another platform. I used to dream about meeting the software creators, and now they follow me on Instagram and gave me every available plug-in. I’ve been producing music for the past 11 years, and I think I only know a good half of everything there is to learn on FL."

Collaborating with other high-profile artists and finishing up a promised solo album are high on Ovy's priority list.

"At the beginning, I was trying to turn my solo project into a conceptual work — but that’s easier said than done," he admits. "In the end, I realized that I just wanted to make some good music with a well chosen set of guest artists, and let the beats speak for themselves. I’d say my solo album is about 50 percent done at this point."

Karol G recently released "CONTIGO," a Euro-leaning, pop-EDM single with Tiësto. It remains to be seen if the diva will rely as tightly on her usual partner in crime as she begins work on her upcoming fifth album.

"When she had some free time off touring, I happened to be busy with the CASSETTE project," Ovy says. "Since then, we connected again and have been recording a bunch of songs. But I can’t really tell what will happen on the next album. And I think it’s good that Karol is collaborating with other producers and composers, searching for different avenues and sounds. We’re definitely on the same page in allowing things to happen the way they are supposed to."

He pauses for a moment, then adds with an extra wave of enthusiasm:

"I will always be there for her. Our common objective hasn’t really changed. We must always work hard, and come up with cool new songs." 

Mañana Y Siempre: How Karol G Has Made The World Mas Bonito

2024 Oscars: Watch Becky G Perform "The Fire Inside" From The 2023 Comedy-Drama ‘Flamin’ Hot’
Becky G performs 'The Fire Inside' from "Flamin' Hot" onstage during the 2024 Oscars

Photo: Kevin Winter/Getty Images

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2024 Oscars: Watch Becky G Perform "The Fire Inside" From The 2023 Comedy-Drama ‘Flamin’ Hot’

At the 2024 Academy Awards, rapper/singer Becky G performed a combustible version of "The Fire Inside" from the 2023 comedy drama "Flamin’ Hot,’ directed by Eva Longoria.

GRAMMYs/Mar 11, 2024 - 01:32 am

At the 2024 Oscars on March 10, rapping and singing firebrand Becky G performed a blazing version of "The Fire Inside," from the 2023 comedy drama "Flamin’ Hot,’ the directorial debut of Eva Longoria. The song was written by GRAMMY winner and 15-time nominee Diane Warren. (A clip of the song will be added to this article shortly.)

At the ceremony, G didn’t disappoint, turning in a scorching rendition of the song, with apt digital flames billowing behind her and her accompanists.

“Nothing can hold you back/ No one can kill your vibe/ When you got the fire inside,“ G sang with authority and aplomb. “And oh, you're gonna own this life/ Cause you got the fire inside/ 'Cause you got the fire, you got the fire.“

At song’s end, Warren hollered her approval. What it must have been like to see your creation transpire on the 2024 Oscars stage, whether for the first time or after many.

2024 Oscars: Watch Performances & Highlights

Billie Eilish and FINNEAS won the Oscar for Original Song for "What Was I Made For?" [From The Motion Picture *Barbie*] at the 2024 Academy Awards.

Keep checking this space for more updates on the 2024 Oscars — including GRAMMY winners and nominees who are featured during the big night!

Becky G's 'Esquemas' Is A Celebration Of Biculturalism And The Woman She Is Today: "I'm Actually Living Life For The First Time"

How The Latin GRAMMYs Brought Latin Music Excellence To The 2024 GRAMMYs
Peso Pluma attends the 2024 GRAMMYs

Photo:  Lester Cohen/Getty Images for The Recording Academy

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How The Latin GRAMMYs Brought Latin Music Excellence To The 2024 GRAMMYs

Latin music was celebrated throughout GRAMMY Week and on Music's Biggest Night. Read on for the many ways Latin music excellence was showcased at the 204 GRAMMYs.

GRAMMYs/Feb 9, 2024 - 09:56 pm

The 2023 Latin GRAMMYs may have occurred months ago and thousands of miles away, but the leading lights in Latin music also shined at the 66th GRAMMY Awards. From historic wins and meaningful nominations, to electric performances and interesting installations, Latin music excellence was everywhere. 

In anticipation of the 25th anniversary of the Latin GRAMMYs in 2024, the exclusive GRAMMY House — the site of multiple GRAMMY Week events — included a significant installation dedicated to the Biggest Night In Latin Music.

The cylindrical display showcased some of the biggest moments in Latin GRAMMY history, including images, facts, and even a real Latin GRAMMY award. 

The celebration of Latin music continued throughout GRAMMY Week, with several Latin GRAMMY-winning artists also winning on the GRAMMY stage. Among the major moments at the 2024 GRAMMYs, Karol G won her first golden gramophone for her 2023 LP Mañana Será Bonito. "This is my first time at GRAMMYs, and this is my first time holding my own GRAMMY," the Colombian songstress exclaimed during her acceptance speech. 

Música Mexicana star Peso Pluma also took home his first GRAMMY; his album GÉNESIS won in the Best Música Mexicana Album (Including Tejano) Category.

Premiere Ceremony presenter Natalia Lafourcade — whose Todas Las Flores won big at the 2023 Latin GRAMMYs — also took home the GRAMMY Award for Best Latin Rock or Alternative Album. She tied in the Category with Juanes

Premiere Ceremony performer Gabby Moreno also took home a GRAMMY Award for Best Latin Pop Album for her album X Mí (Vol. 1)

Beyond the stage, Latin artists graced the red carpet and the nominations list. For example, producer and songwriter Edgar Barrera was the only Latino nominated in the Songwriter Of The Year, Non-Classical Category.

10 Must-See Moments From The 2024 GRAMMYs: Taylor Swift Makes History, Billy Joel & Tracy Chapman Return, Boygenius Manifest Childhood Dreams

How The 2024 GRAMMYs Saw The Return Of Music Heroes & Birthed New Icons
Victoria Monét backstage at the 2024 GRAMMYs.

Photo: Matt Winkelmeyer/Getty Images for The Recording Academy

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How The 2024 GRAMMYs Saw The Return Of Music Heroes & Birthed New Icons

Between an emotional first-time performance from Joni Mitchell and a slew of major first-time winners like Karol G and Victoria Monét, the 2024 GRAMMYs were unforgettably special. Revisit all of the ways both legends and rising stars were honored.

GRAMMYs/Feb 9, 2024 - 09:02 pm

After Dua Lipa kicked off the 2024 GRAMMYs with an awe-inspiring medley of her two new songs, country star Luke Combs followed with a performance that spawned one of the most memorable moments of the night — and one that exemplified the magic of the 66th GRAMMY Awards.

Combs was joined by Tracy Chapman, whose return to the stage marked her first public performance in 15 years. The two teamed up for her GRAMMY-winning hit "Fast Car," which earned another GRAMMY nomination this year thanks to Combs' true-to-form cover that was up for Best Country Solo Performance. The audience went wild upon seeing a resplendent, smiling Chapman strum her guitar, and it was evident that Combs felt the same excitement singing along beside her.

Chapman and Combs' duet was a powerful display of what the 2024 GRAMMYs offered: veteran musicians being honored and new stars being born.

Another celebrated musician who made a triumphant return was Joni Mitchell. Though the folk icon had won 10 GRAMMYs to date — including one for Best Folk Album at this year's Premiere Ceremony — she had never performed on the GRAMMYs stage until the 2024 GRAMMYs. Backed by a band that included Brandi Carlile, Allison Russell, Blake Mills, Jacob Collier, and other accomplished musicians, the 80-year-old singer/songwriter delivered a stirring (and tear-inducing) rendition of her classic song "Both Sides Now," singing from an ornate chair that added an element of regality.

Later in the show, Billy Joel, the legendary rock star who began his GRAMMY career in 1979 when "Just the Way You Are" won Record and Song Of The Year, used the evening to publicly debut his first single in 17 years, "Turn the Lights Back On." (He also closed out the show with his 1980 classic, "You May Be Right.") It was the latest event in Joel's long history at the show; past performances range from a 1994 rendition of "River of Dreams" to a 2022 duet of "New York State of Mind" with Tony Bennett. The crooner, who died in 2023, was featured in the telecast's In Memoriam section, where Stevie Wonder dueted with archival footage of Bennett. And Annie Lennox, currently in semi-retirement, paid tribute to Sinéad O'Connor, singing "Nothing Compares 2 You" and calling for peace.

Career-peak stars also furthered their own legends, none more so than Taylor Swift. The pop star made history at the 2024 GRAMMYs, claiming the record for most Album Of The Year wins by a single artist. The historic moment also marked another icon's return, as Celine Dion made an ovation-prompting surprise appearance to present the award. (Earlier in the night, Swift also won Best Pop Vocal Album for Midnights, announcing a new album in her acceptance speech. To date, Swift has 14 GRAMMYs and 52 nominations.)

24-time GRAMMY winner Jay-Z expanded his dominance by taking home the Dr. Dre Global Impact Award, which he accepted alongside daughter Blue Ivy. And just before Miley Cyrus took the stage to perform "Flowers," the smash single helped the pop star earn her first-ever GRAMMY, which also later nabbed Record Of The Year.

Alongside the longtime and current legends, brand-new talents emerged as well. Victoria Monét took home two GRAMMYs before triumphing in the Best New Artist category, delivering a tearful speech in which she looked back on 15 years working her way up through the industry. Last year's Best New Artist winner, Samara Joy, continued to show her promise in the jazz world, as she won Best Jazz Performance for "Tight"; she's now 3 for 3, after also taking home Best Jazz Vocal Album for Linger Awhile last year.

First-time nominee Tyla became a first-time winner — and surprised everyone, including herself — when the South African starlet won the first-ever Best African Music Performance GRAMMY for her hit "Water." boygenius, Karol G and Lainey Wilson were among the many other first-time GRAMMY winners that capped off major years with a golden gramophone (or three, in boygenius' case).

All throughout GRAMMY Week 2024, rising and emerging artists were even more of a theme in the lead-up to the show. GRAMMY House 2024 hosted performances from future stars, including Teezo Touchdown and Tiana Major9 at the Beats and Blooms Emerging Artist Showcase and Blaqbonez and Romy at the #GRAMMYsNextGen Party.

Gatherings such as A Celebration of Women in the Mix, Academy Proud: Celebrating LGBTQIA+ Voices, and the Growing Wild Independent Music Community Panel showcased traditionally marginalized voices and communities, while Halle Bailey delivered a GRAMMY U Masterclass for aspiring artists. And Clive Davis hosted his Pre-2024 GRAMMYs Gala, where stars new and old mingled ahead of the main event. 

From established, veteran artists to aspiring up-and-comers, the 2024 GRAMMYs were a night of gold and glory that honored the breadth of talent and creativity throughout the music industry, perfectly exemplifying the Recording Academy's goal to "honor music's past while investing in its future." If this year's proceedings were any indication, the future of the music industry is bright indeed. 

10 Must-See Moments From The 2024 GRAMMYs: Taylor Swift Makes History, Billy Joel & Tracy Chapman Return, Boygenius Manifest Childhood Dreams