By Jon Pareles
The 25th Latin Grammy Awards, aired live on Univision from the Kaseya Center in Miami last Thursday, intentionally aimed for nostalgia. Frequent honorees garnered more top honors. Highlights from previous ceremonies framed live segments, delivering heartfelt tributes to late icons and acknowledging musical lineages.
At a time when numerous Latin artists are innovating and playfully blending genres, the Latin Grammys showcased the conventional. This might be expected for an organization celebrating a significant anniversary. However, that earnestness diminished the traditional Latin Grammy celebratory vibe. The broadcast maintained some visual appeal — notably through the surreal, asymmetrical garments worn by female presenters and attendees. Yet, the musical performances felt restrained.
Dominican artist Juan Luis Guerra and his ensemble 4.40 triumphed with awards for album of the year for “Radio Güira,” a six-track EP, and record of the year for the song “Mambo 23.” “Radio Güira” also received the bachata/merengue album award while “Mambo 23” clinched the tropical song accolade. Guerra has now claimed 28 Latin Grammys since his two wins at the inaugural event in 2000.
Uruguayan artist Jorge Drexler’s “Derrumbe” (“Collapse”) — a brief, lyrical ballad with tumultuous studio textures — was honored as song of the year. It also shared the cantautor (singer-songwriter) song award with Kany García’s “García.” Drexler’s total Latin Grammy count now stands at 15.
Similar to the Grammy Awards, the Latin Grammy broadcast prioritizes performances over presentations. Only nine out of 58 award categories were honored live; the remainder were awarded earlier in the day via a webcast. Edgar Barrera was recognized as both songwriter and producer of the year, while Argentine artist Nathy Peluso secured three awards. The Portuguese-language segments featured two accolades for Brazilian artist Jota.Pê and another for the engineers behind his album “Se o Meu Peito Fosse o Mundo” (“If My Chest Were the World”).
During the live show, the performances felt oddly distributed. Numerous songs were crammed into medleys. Carlos Vives, who has incorporated traditional Colombian sounds like vallenato into mainstream hits, was awarded person of the year — a sort of lifetime achievement recognition — by the Latin Grammys; he initiated the broadcast with a six-minute medley of snippets from six songs. Luis Fonsi, who received an award for pop vocal album, was allotted four minutes for segments of three songs, including his groundbreaking crossover hit, “Despacito.”
In contrast, Miami-based rapper and producer Pitbull was given ample time to perform his latest single, “Now or Never” — an EDM reinterpretation of Bon Jovi’s classic “It’s My Life” — with Jon Bon Jovi himself joining in on the performance.
Less renowned performers ended up sharing short segments, although a few managed to make a notable impression. Latin trap artist Eladio Carrión was accompanied by a gospel choir for his heartfelt “Mama’s Boy,” culminating in a moment where he embraced his mother in the audience at the conclusion.
More seasoned or better-connected artists had the opportunity to develop the narrative arcs of complete songs. Guerra’s hit “Mambo 23” oscillates between mellow bachata and lively merengue, and he allowed both styles to be showcased. Carín León, blending the energizing essence of Mexican performances with American influences, delivered an extended rendition — leaning toward balladry — of “Despídase Bien” (“Say Goodbye Well”) from “Boca Chueca Vol. 1,” which was titled best contemporary Mexican music album. Ela Taubert, a straightforward pop-rock artist from Colombia, passionately performed her breakup track, “Cómo Pasó?” (“How Did It Happen?”) in a duet with Joe Jonas, incorporating English lyrics. She earned the new artist accolade.
Anitta, a multilingual Brazilian pop sensation, took a serene moment to make a graceful expression of her ties to Brazil’s musical heritage. Accompanied by Brazilian artist Tiago Iorc on acoustic guitar, she transformed her flirtatious track “Mil Veces” into a sophisticated bossa nova, then paid tribute to Sergio Mendes, the Brazilian fusion legend who passed away this year, by singing his iconic hit (written by Jorge Ben Jor), “Mas Que Nada.”
Marc Anthony, possessing a supple, remarkable voice, orchestrated a tribute to salsa that concluded with a duet with singer La India for the first time in 29 years. It was a battle of breath and pitch mastery; while he prevailed, La India was formidable. A mariachi homage to three giant figures of Mexican music — Juan Gabriel, José José, and Vicente Fernández — allowed various singers to showcase their melismatic abilities and wide vibratos, culminating in a powerful performance by Alejandro Fernández, Vicente’s son.
In the realm of Latin music, subtleties hold significant weight, not solely catchy hooks. The Latin Grammys have the potential to embody one of music’s most vibrant, untamed, intensive, yet open-minded frontiers. Perhaps next year’s ceremony can highlight the genre’s future as much as its historical lineage.
