“If ‘El mal querer’ was a dream and ‘Motomami’ was a gamble, ‘Lux’ for me has been a leap into the void. I think it is very important to speak your truth, and this record is mine.”
The phrase, spoken by an emotional Rosalía after winning her third album of the year award for her most maximalist project, was nonetheless followed by a warning: “I know I have a lot to learn and I know I probably still haven’t done my best work, but I know I have everything it takes to be the best.”
The San Esteve Sesrovires native dominated without breaking a sweat the 27th edition of the Grammys in Spanish and Portuguese (this year, for the first time, there was an explicit recognition of Portuguese and Brazilian art with its own category, won by Anitta, and a broadcast of that segment in this language), taking five of the seven awards for which she was nominated.
On top of best album, Rosalía picked up song of the year for ‘La Perla’ and three others that had already been awarded previously: best pop song, best alternative album and best short video, clearing the way for her to secure possible new nominations within three days. It will be then that the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences of the United States decides which artists will be recognised at the 69th edition of the Grammys in English.
Argentinian art also received a good share of the awards handed out this Thursday, with the bulk going to Milo J and the urban duo CA7RIEL & Paco Amoroso. The former took home one of the most coveted prizes of the night, record of the year for the delicate ‘Niño’, the song he said he felt most proud of during his acceptance speech. “Long live Argentine folklore, long live Argentine music,” declared the rapper as he finished.
This year the gala chose to pay tribute, as it could hardly have done otherwise, to the recently deceased Willie Colón, an absolute reference point for the salsa genre, as well as to another pioneer, Daddy Yankee. The artist hailed as person of the year at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas (Nevada, US) brought colleagues such as Bad Gyal and Bizarrap, who won best urban song alongside the Puerto Rican, onto the dancefloor. “This was a music that started from the bottom,” recalled Daddy Yankee as he revisited the repression reggaeton suffered in Puerto Rican neighbourhoods.
It was no surprise that the Colombian Aria Vega, whose ‘Compa Coleto’ has been dominating since early autumn, was named best new artist. Born as Mariana Padilla in Shakira’s Barranquilla, she opts in her work for a fusion of Afro-Caribbean rhythms, with styles such as dancehall and afrobeats.
In the pop categories, alongside the win for ‘La Perla’, two Europeans also made their way in: Alejandro Sanz, who now has 24 awards after another victory for best contemporary pop album, and Italian singer Laura Pausini**.**
Karol G earned a nod to her ‘Tropicoqueta’ by winning best urban album and best reggaeton performance, while the Uruguayan Jorge Drexler was the fourth most awarded artist of the night with best singer-songwriter album (‘Taracá’), best alternative song (‘Ante la duda, baila’) and best roots song with Facundo Balta.