LAS VEGAS — Undeterred by a torrential rainstorm that shut down the green carpet, the stars of Latin music gathered to award Carlos Vives three Latin Grammys including song of the year for “Volvi a Nacer.”
The telenovela star turned vallenato revivalist performed the song while dancers in traditional Colombian “pollera colora” dresses waved their skirts to the delight of the audience at the 14th annual awards show Thursday night.
Vives dedicated the award “to all the children of Latin America because they have made this song even bigger. And of course, to my country, Colombia.”
He also racked up awards for best tropical fusion album and best tropical song by the midpoint of the show.
Marc Anthony’s “Vivir Mi Vida” took recording of the year.
When Sergio George, won for both producer of the year and best salsa album for Salsa Giant, he brought his fellow nominees on to the stage with him for an impromptu chorus, the public went wild and clapped along to the clave beat.
George also won for producer of the year and for best salsa song with Vives for “Volvi a Nacer.”
The audience also screamed for superstar Marc Anthony and the Mexican acts: Banda los Recoditos and Paquita la del Barrio’s tongue-in-cheek mariachi serenade of Don Francisco from Sabado Gigante.
Guatemalan-American singer-songwriter Gaby Moreno won best new artist.
“What an honour, my first Grammy!” she said in Spanish. “This award — I want to dedicate it to all my people in Guatemala. For Guate!”
Moreno’s first two bluesy albums featured both English and Spanish songs, but her third, Postales, is entirely in Spanish.
The Argentine funk-rock duo Illya Kuryaki and the Valderramas won their first golden gramophone for best urban song for “Ula Ula,” while Mala Rodriguez’s Bruja won best urban album.
Natalia Lafourcade’s Mujer Divina – Homenaje a Agustin Lara won best alternative album.
Pitbull and Enrique Iglesias rocked with a medley of “I Like It,” ”Echa Pa’lla (Manos Pa’rriba)” and “Cotorra y Voli.”
Pitbull’s “Echa Pa’lla (Manos Pa’rriba)” won for best urban performance.
“This is for all the Latinos in all the world,” he said, brandishing his statuette.
The show also paired Ricky Martin and fellow Menudo alumnus, Draco Rosa, who is touring again after being cleared of cancer earlier this year.
Rosa’s Mas y Mas won album of the year.
Last year’s big winner, the Mexican duo Jesse & Joy, sang “Llorar” with Camila’s Mario Domm.
Two new acts, Colombia’s Maluma and Inglewood, California’s Becky G also paired up for “La Temperatura,” while Calibre 50 and Banda Carnaval collaborated to bring some northern Mexican flavour to the party.
Singer/songwriter Pablo Alboran, who is popular in his native Spain, but not well-known in the United States, performed “Tanto,” but did not win any awards.
Miguel Bose was honoured as the Latin Recording Academy’s Person of the Year. Ricky Martin, Juanes and Laura Pausini paid tribute to the Spanish singer for his music and his charitable work with duets.
“This award is important. It’s big,” Bose said when Martin presented him with the award. “I don’t think all these award both first and last name. To Bose for his career, to Miguel who dedicated himself to social causes.”
The show was hosted by Mexican talents Lucero, Blanca Soto and Omar Chaparro.
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