The most recent works of Juanes and Natalia Lafourcade tied in the eyes of the Recording Academy, which awarded each of them a Grammy for Latin Rock Album this Sunday in Los Angeles, where Peso Pluma also won the first gramophone of his career.
“Daily Life”, by the Colombian singer, and “De Todos Las Flores”, by the Mexican performer, won in the Latin category, one of the dozens that are announced during the Premiere, the prelude to the Grammy gala.
“This album was a return to my inner garden,” said Lafourcade, visibly moved. “Music is power,” she added.
In this first part of the biggest festival in music, “X Mí (Vol. 1)”, by Guatemalan singer-songwriter Gaby Moreno, triumphed as a Latin pop album, and Peso Pluma, the regional Mexican phenomenon, bagged its first gramophone with “Génesis” which won as the best Mexican music album.
The 27-year-old singer has conquered the international market with his lyrics and aesthetics, sweeping Billboard charts and filling stadiums in Latin America and the United States.
His absence in the category for best new artist raised eyebrows among industry specialists and analysts who saw it as a sign that the Recording Academy’s lack of consideration for Latin artists is a tradition that is difficult to break.
Unlike last year, when Bad Bunny made history by being nominated for Album of the Year with his blockbuster “Un Verano Sin Ti,” at the 66th edition of the awards that celebrate the best of music, Latin artists were relegated to their categories. specific.
The Grammy Premiere awards 85 awards, leaving nine awards for the gala.
One afternoon Barbie
The soundtrack of “Barbie”, the film directed by Greta Gerwig and which swept theaters last year, began the afternoon with two awards, one of them for Billie Eilish and her brother Finneas O’Connell, with “What I Was Made For?”, which emerged as the best song written for visual media.
“Thank you Greta for making the most incredible, most beautiful and most empowering film,” Eilish said when accepting the award with her brother.
The reflective ballad is also nominated for best song of the year.
Another who started the afternoon on a good foot was Atlanta rapper and activist Killer Mike, who took the gramophones for best rap song, best rap performance and best rap album.
The indie music supergroup boygenius also took home three awards, one after the other, leaving its members Phoebe Bridgers, Lucy Dacus and Julien Baker almost breathless from so much emotion.
“Music saved my life. Anyone can be in a band,” Baker said.
Phoebe Bridgers also won the Grammy for best pop duo performance with SZA for their collaboration on “Ghost in the Machine.”
“With Your Own Light,” by former first lady Michelle Obama, won the award for best audiobook.
Women in front
The Grammy Awards will take place next in downtown Los Angeles.
Hosted by comedian Trevor Noah, it will feature performances by Billie Eilish, Olivia Rodrigo, SZA as well as country singer Luke Combs, who is expected to perform his hit cover “Fast Car” in the company of singer Tracy Chapman.
With nine nominations, SZA (who won her first gramophone at the Premiere) arrives at the Recording Academy gala as the great favorite of the night, like pop superstar Taylor Swift, with six chances to accumulate gold to his collection of accolades.
Regardless of who wins, the night is significant for the women and gender-fluid people who dominate the nominations for best album and record of the year.
Jazz prodigy Jon Batiste is the only man nominated in these categories.
Harvey Mason Jr., CEO of the Recording Academy, stressed that this is not an exceptional year, but a sign of a broader institutional change within the institution highlighted by a lack of diversity.
“We are always going to be open to change in voting, we will always try to improve it and see what is happening in music, and in the percentages of what is being created and consumed. We want to make sure that we align with this,” he said to AFP at a previous event within the framework of Grammy week.
Source: AFP
