The Latin music community came together to celebrate the 25th Latin Grammys at the Kaseya Center in Miami, Florida, on Thursday. The award show recognized legendary performers who have paved the way for Latin music, highlighted rising stars, and featured some American crossovers with appearances from DJ Khaled and Joe Jonas.
Colombian singer and songwriter Carlos Vives, who opened the show, was previously chosen as Person of the Year in May for his monumental musical contributions and philanthropic efforts throughout his career. Vives’ performance at the Grammys featured timeless hits like “Fruta Fresca” from his 1999 album “El Amor De Mi Tierra,” which reflects his deep love for Colombia, along with a medley of classics such as “La Bicicleta.”
The red carpet and audience were full of music moguls excited to attend one of the most important nights of Latin music and eager to see the winners across the 58 categories. Iconic stars like Becky G, Shakira, Grupo Frontera, Pitbull and Kali Uchis gave memorable performances, blending reggaeton, pop and Latin rhythms for an evening of musical creativity.
Carín León, Mexican singer-songwriter, won the first award of the night for best contemporary music album for his latest release, “Boca Chueca, Vol. 1.” León has helped bring regional Mexican music to the international stage, and his powerful performance of “Despídase Bien,” supported by a choir and guitar, showcased his vocal talent.
Vives also presented the award for album of the year to Juan Luis Guerra for his extended play titled “Radio Güira.” The project’s impressive blend of blues, jazz, rock, merengue and more makes the award well deserved.
Rising musicians from across Latin America and Spain were recognized in the best new artist nominations featuring Agris, Kevin Aguilar, Darumas, Nicolle Horbath, Latin Mafia, Cacá Magalhães, Os Garotin, Iñigo Quintero, Sofi Saar and Ela Taubert.
Taubert performed a bilingual version of her song “¿Cómo Pasó?” with Jonas. Her breakthrough as a Latin indie pop star came from her creativity with lyrics that connect to her Colombian roots, alternative sounds and relatable storytelling in her songs.
Karol G won best urban music album for the second year in a row for her album titled “Mañana Será Bonito (Bichota Season),” making history as the only woman to win the category consecutively.
The album has elements of reggaeton and trap, with famous features like Peso Pluma, Young Miko, Kali Uchis and more. She has gained a lot of recognition beyond the Latin community, including an appearance in the video game Fortnite where new fans could hear songs such as “Cairo” and “Oki Doki.”
Other categories included best traditional pop vocal album, awarded to Kany García for her new album, titled “GARCÍA,” which she describes as a letter to her younger self. Khaled made an appearance to introduce Puerto Rican rapper Myke Towers and Spanish singer-songwriter Quevedo.
The show came to an end with a passionate performance from Marc Anthony with La India in tribute to influential figures in salsa music like Oscar D’León and Gilberto Santa Rosa, and a powerful Grammy debut from Spanish rock band The Warning.
