By: Jennifer Velez
In 2000, the Latin GRAMMY Awards were televised for the first time ever. Nineteen years later, the show has seen iconic performances and acceptance speeches and continues to bring out an amazing lineup of artists and DJs. Last year the awards reached eight million viewers and put its broadcast host Univision as the No. 1 Spanish-Language Network for the whole night. Days away from this year’s celebration, we want to remind you why this spectacular show is the Biggest Night in Latin Music.
1. Maná Is The First Ever Group To Be Person Of The Year
Every year before the Latin GRAMMY Awards, the recognizes a musical artist or musician of Ibero-American background for their musical achievements and humanitarian work. This year pop-rock group Maná is the first group ever to receive the honor. “It is a grand and unexpected recognition to an extensive career, a beautiful and passionate one that we continue to enjoy as if it were the first day,” said Fher Olvera on behalf of the band.
2. The Latin GRAMMYs Will Continue To Air On Univision For The Next 10 Years
Earlier this year the Latin Recording Academy that it would continue to partner with Univision to televise the show through 2028. The partnership first began in 2005, after the Latin GRAMMYs moved from its original broadcast station CBS.
3. Acclaimed Artist Paula Designed This Year’s Artwork
Ecuador’s Paula is the of the 19th Annual Latin GRAMMY Awards. The talented artist has illustrated five children’s books and several book covers. Her artwork will be shown on tickets, program books, posters and other show material. “For me, music is as much an essential part of life as blood,” Barragán said in a statement. “I’ve lived surrounded by musicians and dancers—their vibrations, their choreographies, and their creative madness. In creating the art for the 19th Annual Latin GRAMMY Awards, it was as if the power of music had been just waiting to come out.”
4. Leading Ladies Of Entertainment Will Occur For The Second Year In A Row
There is much to do the week leading up to the Latin GRAMMYs and this year, the event that honors and celebrates women succeeding in the music industry will once again be one of the many celebrations happening. The inaugural event took place last year and honored female engineers, singers, label leaders and more that included General Manager Warner Music Latina & SVP Marketing Warner Music Latin Gabriela Martinez and singer/songwriter Erika Ender.
5. Angela Aguilar Is One Of The Youngest Artists To Be Nominated
At just 15-years-old singer Angela Aguilar is one of the youngest artists to be nominated. With a powerful voice, Aguilar is a new generation of Regional Mexican singers and is nominated for Best New Artist and Best Ranchero/Mariachi Album. She follows the footsteps of her father, Pepe Aguilar, and grandfather, Antonio Aguilar, who are also Mexican regional singers. Watch the show on Nov. 15 to watch her take the stage at the 19th Annual Latin GRAMMYs with a live performance.
6. J Balvin Has This Year’s Most Nominations
Is there any surprise here? J Balvin, who has been leading the new wave of reggaeton, has been a name constantly floating around in Latin music this year. With his own project and hot collaborations with artists like Cardi B and Bad Bunny, he is this year’s top nominee. The rapper/singer from Colombia has eight nominations, including Best Urban Music Album and Album Of The Year. Will he take home all eight? Tune in to find out.
7. 5 Cities Have Hosted The Latin GRAMMYs
The Latin GRAMMY Awards telecast has taken place in five cities in the United States: Los Angeles, Miami, New York, Houston and Las Vegas. The inaugural Latin GRAMMY Awards kicked off at Staples Center in Los Angeles in 2000; the upcoming 18th Latin GRAMMYs will mark the tenth show in Las Vegas.
8. The Telecast Launched In English
The Latin GRAMMY Awards started on CBS, the longtime home of the GRAMMY Awards, in 2000 and was broadcast in English. In 2005 the Latin Recording Academy secured a deal to televise the show on Univision in Spanish, which has been the home for the show in the United States ever since.
9. Juan Gabriel’s Unforgettable Performance
The fabled Mexican composer and showman Juan Gabriel turned in the longest performance in Latin GRAMMY history in 2009. Gabriel, who was set for a seven-minute performance, kept going for nearly 40 minutes, thrilling the audience and viewers alike. That same year, he was honored as the Latin Recording Academy Person of the Year.
10. Calle 13, Juanes, Juan Luis Guerra Are Among Top Winners Of All Time
There is some major competition at the Latin GRAMMYs, but Calle 13, Juanes and Juan Luis Guerra are some of the most victorious. Tropical/merengue influenced singer Guerra has won the esteemed Album Of The Year award four times to date, the most in the category’s history to date. Pop singer Juanes has earned Latin GRAMMY Album Of The Year honors three times, for Un Día Normal (2003), La Vida … Es Un Ratico (2008) and MTV Unplugged (2012). At the 18th Latin GRAMMYs, he also earned Best Pop/Rock Album honors for Mis Planes Son Amarte. Former reggaeton duo Calle 13 made history at the 12th Latin GRAMMY Awards when they hauled in a total of nine awards, including Album, Record and Song Of The Year.
11. The Latin Recording Academy Has How Many Members?
A member-based organization, the Latin Recording Academy has grown to approximately 4,000 members as of 2017, representing diverse fields such as pop, urban, rock, tropical, classical, singer-songwriter, Brazilian, Regional Mexican, traditional and more.
12. Millions In Scholarships Raised For The Next Generation Of Latin Music Makers
As the educational arm of the Latin Recording Academy, the Latin GRAMMY Cultural Foundation’s mission is anchored by a scholarship program for students of Latin music with financial needs. Since 2015 the Foundation has given more than $2.5 million in scholarships. The Prodigy Scholarship program counts artist support from Enrique Iglesias, Juan Luis Guerra and Miguel Bosé.
13. The Latin Person Of The Year Represents 10 Countries
A flagship Latin GRAMMY Week event, the honors a Latin artist for their significant music and philanthropic contributions. A portion of the proceeds from the event benefit the Latin GRAMMY Cultural Foundation. A diverse roster of recipients spanning 10 countries have received the award: Emilio Estefan Jr. (Cuba), Julio Iglesias (Spain), Vicente Fernández (Mexico), Gilberto Gil (Brazil), (U.S.), José José (Mexico), Ricky Martin (Puerto Rico), Juan Luis Guerra (Dominican Republic), Gloria Estefan (Cuba), Juan Gabriel (Mexico), Plácido Domingo (Spain), Shakira (Colombia), Caetano Veloso (Brazil), Miguel Bosé (Panama), Joan Manuel Serrat (Spain), Roberto Carlos (Brazil) and Marc Anthony (United States).
14. And The First Latin GRAMMY Went To …
Who did the first ever Latin GRAMMY Award go to? Juan Luis Guerra took home Best Merengue Performance for “Ni Es Lo Mismo Ni Es Igual.”
15. Most Performances On The Latin GRAMMYs
Ricky Martin has performed the most on the Latin GRAMMY telecast to date, with 11 performances. Martin was among the performers on the first-ever telecast performance. He’s since teamed up with the likes of Blue Man Group, Draco Rosa, Miguel Bosé, and Camila for a series of unforgettable on-stage duets. At the 16th telecast Martin performed twice: a solo medley of “Disparo Al Corazón” and “La Mordidita” and a duet with Wisin on “Que Se Sienta El Deseo.”
16. The General Four Categories Feature 10 Nominees Each
In 2012 the Latin Recording Academy announced an expansion to 10 nominees each for the General Four categories: Record Of The Year, Album Of The Year, Song Of The Year and Best New Artist. The move, which was ratified by the Latin Academy Board of Trustees, was due in part to the fact that the Latin GRAMMY Awards process receives nominations from multiple countries around the world.
17. The Latin Academy Membership Represents Nearly 40 Countries
A true reflection of the variety of Latin music subgenres that spans the globe, Latin Recording Academy members represent nearly 40 different countries worldwide, including Spain, Portugal, Puerto Rico and the U.S., Brazil, Argentina, Colombia, Mexico, Dominican Republic, Cuba and Panama.
18. The Latin GRAMMY Awards Receives How Many Entries?
The Latin GRAMMY Awards currently honor recipients in 49 categories, from Record Of The Year to Best Long Form Music Video, with this year’s newest addition being Best Arrangement. In 2017 the Latin Academy received almost 10,000 entries for the Awards process for the 18th Latin GRAMMY Awards.
19. Special Awards For Extraordinary Latin Icons
Instituted in 2004, the Latin Recording Academy bestows annually to performers and other music professionals who have made creative contributions of outstanding artistic significance to the field of recording during their careers. Lifetime Achievement Award recipients include icons such as Armando Manzanero, Mocedades, José Feliciano, Rita Moreno, Los Lobos, Djavan, Angélica María and Piero; Trustees Awards recipients include notables Rafael Escalona, Yomo Toro, Simón Díaz, and Humberto Gatica. The , among others, include João Bosco, Ilan Chester, Víctor Heredia, and Los Del Río.
Source: Grammy.com
