It’s a ‘Despacito’ night at the Latin Grammys

It’s a ‘Despacito’ night at the Latin Grammys

The song that went global and Luis Fonsi called a ‘hymn to Puerto Rico’ dominated the 18th Latin Grammy Awards.

by Marisa Arbona-Ruiz

It was a ‘Despacito’ night at the Latin Grammys, as the song that Luis Fonsi called a ‘hymn to Puerto Rico’ took top awards at the 18th Annual Latin GRAMMY Awards. The viral song won Record of the Year, Song of the Year, Best Short-Form Music Video and Best Urban Fusion Performance.

Fonsi said the song united the world and broke language barriers.

Twenty five-time GRAMMY winner Residente (René Pérez Joglar), formerly of Calle 13, won two awards, including Best Urban Music Album and Best Urban Song for “Somos Anormales.” Residente received critical acclaim for his masterful self-titled album, inspired by his DNA test results and the ancestral cultural sounds he recorded around the world.

Among this year’s winners were a notable showing of alternative artists (including Residente) in top categories.

Colombian rocker Juanes took his artistry to the moon with a stunning visual sci-fi album, “Mis Planes Son Amarte,” which won for Best Pop/Rock album, a work that blended traditional Colombian sounds to rock.

Mon Laferte won Best Alternative Song, “Amárrame,” featuring Juanes. The Chilean born artist from Mexico’s eclectic musicality is off the charts on her album La Trenza, stylistically and as a singer and songwriter. She stirs in the sounds of North Andean rhythms, vals Peruano, cumbia, bolero, ska, 50s rock, pop and ballads.

Other winners included Vicente García, who won three awards, including Best New Artist. García told NBC News his music blends Afro-Caribbean rhythms to make pop and boleros, with some Haitian, Cuban and Colombian rhythms. The Dominican artist said the award, “more than anything, honors my country which I carry in my heart.”

Olga Tañón y Punto won for Best Tropical Fusion Album and the legendary Ruben Blades for Best Salsa Album.

This year saw more artists taking on socially conscious messages and humanitarian action. In one of the highlights of the evening, “Hamilton” creator Lin-Manuel Miranda was honored with The Latin Recording Academy® President’s Merit Award.

Apart from his wife and family, thanked Puerto Rico profusely – saying “Puerto Rico” seven times and referring to himself as the “weird theater kid con un acento gringito.”

“No one gets here alone,” said Miranda.

In addition, eighteen-time Latin GRAMMY® and three-time GRAMMY winner Alejandro Sanz was honored as the 2017 Latin Recording Academy Person of the Year for his artistry and substantial philanthropic contributions, in a gala preceding the event, at the Mandalay Bay Convention Center.

Among the evening’s nominees and performers were Banda El Recodo De Cruz Lizárraga, Bronco, CNCO, Lila Downs, Nicky Jam, Carlos Vives, and Sebastián Yatra. There was also a special appearance by Mexican duo Ha*Ash.

Source: NBC

Album of the Year

Salsa Big Band — Rubén Blades con Roberto Delgado & Orquesta — WINNER

Obras Son Amores — Antonio Carmona

A La Mar — Vicente García

Fénix — Nicky Jam

Mis Planes Son Amarte — Juanes

La Trenza — Mon Laferte

Musas (Un Homenaje Al Folclore Latinoamericano En Manos De Los Macorinos, Vol. 1) — Natalia Lafourcade

Residente — Residente

El Dorado — Shakira

Palabras Manuales — Danay Suarez

Record of the Year

“La Flor De La Canela” — Rubén Blades

“El Surco” — Jorge Drexler

“Quiero Que Vuelvas” — Alejandro Fernández

“Despacito” — Luis Fonsi featuring Daddy Yankee – WINNER

“El Ratico” — Juanes featuring Kali Uchis

“Amárrame” — Mon Laferte featuring Juanes

“Felices Los 4” — Maluma

“Vente Pa’ Ca” —  Ricky Martin featuring Maluma

“Guerra” — Residente

“Chantaje” — Shakira featuring Maluma

Song of the Year (A Songwriter’s Award)

“Amárrame” — Mon Laferte, songwriter (Mon Laferte featuring Juanes)

“Chantaje” — Kevin Mauricio Jiménez Londoño, Bryan Snaider Lezcano Chaverra, Joel Antonio López Castro, Maluma and Shakira, songwriters (Shakira featuring Maluma)

“Desde Que Estamos Juntos” — Descemer Bueno and Melendi, songwriters (Melendi)

“Despacito” — Daddy Yankee, Erika Ender and Luis Fonsi, songwriters (Luis Fonsi featuring Daddy Yankee) — WINNER

“Ella” — Ricardo Arjona, songwriter (Ricardo Arjona)

“Felices Los 4” — Mario Cáceres, Kevin Mauricio Jiménez Londoño, Maluma, Servando Primera, Stiven Rojas and Bryan Snaider Lezcano Chaverra, songwriters (Maluma)

“Guerra” — Residente and Jeff Trooko, songwriters (Residente)

“La Fortuna” — Diana Fuentes and Tommy Torres, songwriters (Diana Fuentes featuring Tommy Torres)

“Tú Sí Sabes Quererme” — Natalia Lafourcade, songwriter (Natalia Lafourcade featuring Los Macorinos)

“Vente Pa’ Ca ” — Nermin Harambasic, Maluma, Ricky Martin, Mauricio Montaner, Ricky Montaner, Lars Pedersen, Carl Ryden, Justin Stein, Ronny Vidar Svendsen and Anne Judith Stokke Wik, songwriters (Ricky Martin featuring Maluma)

Best New Artist

Paula Arenas

CNCO

Vicente García — WINNER

Martina La Peligrosa

Mau y Ricky

Rawayana

Sofía Reyes

Rosalía

Danay Suarez

Sebastián Yatra

Best Contemporary Pop Vocal Album

Hijos Del Mar — David Bisbal

Rompiendo Fronteras — Alejandro Fernández

Flora Y Faῦna — Camila Luna

El Dorado — Shakira — WINNER

Extended Play Yatra — Sebastián Yatra

Best Urban Fusion / Performance

“Si Tu Novio Te Deja Sola” — J. Balvin featuring Bad Bunny

“Despacito” (Remix) — Luis Fonsi and Daddy Yankee featuring Justin Bieber — WINNER

“El Amante” — Nicky Jam

“Dagombas En Tamale” — Residente

“Chantaje” — Shakira featuring Maluma

Best Alternative Music Album

Jei Beibi — Café Tacvba — WINNER

Apocalipsis Zombi — El Cuarteto de Nos

La Trenza — Mon Laferte

La Promesa De Thamar — Sig Ragga

Palabras Manuales — Danay Suarez

Best Contemporary Tropical Album

Teatro – Lucas Arnau

La Parranda De Gaitanes – Gaitanes

Bidimensional – Guaco — WINNER

Devuélveme Mi Libertad – Frank Reyes

Five – Prince Royce

Best Tropical Song

“Bachata En Kingston” — Vicente García, songwriter (Vicente García) — WINNER

“Cuando Beso Tu Boca” — Raul Del Sol & Jorge Luis Piloto, songwriters (Mojito Lite)

“Déjà vu” — Chan El Genio (The Rude Boyz), Manny Cruz, Kevin ADG (The Rude Boyz), Prince Royce, Daniel Santacruz & Shakira, songwriters (Prince Royce With Shakira)

“Deje De Amar” — Medardo Rovayo, songwriter (Felipe Muñiz Featuring Marc Anthony)

“Hijos Del Cañaveral” — Residente, songwriter (Residente)

Best Regional Song (A Songwriter’s Award)

“Compromiso Descartado” — Espinoza Paz, songwriter (Leonardo Aguilar)

“Ganas De Volver” — Horacio Palencia, songwriter (Horacio Palencia)

“Sentimiento Emborrachado” — Raúl Jiménez E. and Chucho Rincón, songwriters (Santiago Arroyo)

“Siempre Es Así” — Juan Treviño, songwriter (Juan Treviño featuring AJ Castillo) — WINNER

“Vale La Pena” — Edgar Barrera, Martín Castro Ortega and Alfonso Lizárraga, songwriters (Banda El Recodo de Cruz Lizárraga)

Best MPB (Música Popular Brasileira) Album

Dos Navegantes — Edu Lobo, Romero Lubambo, and Mauro Senise — WINNER

DNA Musical — Alexandre Pires

Silva Canta Marisa — Silva

Até Pensei Que Fosse Minha — António Zambujo

Zanna — Zanna