Latin music had a historic exhibiting on the Grammys in 2022: For the primary time, an all-Spanish-language album — Unhealthy Bunny’s “Un Verano Sin Ti” — was nominated for album of the 12 months.
After all, it was a protracted shot: It was up towards Adele, Beyoncé, Kendrick Lamar, Lizzo, final winner Harry Types and others, and never least as a result of the awards present solely not too long ago dedicated to diversifying its voter pool. However extra to the purpose, “Perhaps [the Grammys] weren’t prepared for a Spanish-language album to win the large prize,” Bunny imagined to Vainness Honest earlier this 12 months. A reasonably correct conclusion contemplating one nameless voter instructed Selection in 2022, “Unhealthy Bunny had by far probably the most commercially profitable album of the 12 months, however I feel lots of people don’t know who Unhealthy Bunny is.”
Whereas the thriving Latin music business has not had fairly the Bunny-scale blockbuster up to now 12 months — few artists in any style strategy his stage of recognition — the requires illustration proceed: Will Latin artists have large nominations on the 2024 Grammys? Or will they be confined to the awards’ 5 Latin-focused classes: pop, urbana, Latin rock or different, música Mexicana and tropical? (The Latin Grammy Awards are separate from the principle awards and present.)
Colombian famous person Karol G appears to be the perfect guess: Her “Mañana Sera Bonito” was the primary Spanish-language album by a feminine artist to prime the Billboard 200 (and solely the third Spanish-language album ever to achieve No. 1). The Grammys famously don’t take business efficiency into consideration, but it surely’s secure to say that feat, coupled with Karol’s current North American stadium tour, caught their consideration. Karol additionally had an enormous have a look at the Latin Grammys, scoring seven nominations like her fellow Colombiana, Shakira because the most-nominated feminine acts of the ceremony. Collectively, the 2 hitmakers scored noms for his or her joint radio hit “TQG,” which is able to possible be submitted for document of the 12 months. Shakira has quite a few singles in attain of a normal discipline tune or document nomination, most notably her and Argentine producer Bizarrap’s hit “Shakira: Bzrp Music Periods, Vol. 53.”
But maybe, probably the most compelling query is which Latin artists may obtain a finest new artist nod — solely three have appeared on this class within the final 5 years (Brazil’s Anitta and Mexican-American Omar Apollo have been each nominated for the 2022 awards, and earlier than that, Rosalía was the primary in 2020). Many breakout stars have ascended within the música Mexicana discipline, with 24-year-old Peso Pluma main the pack. His third studio album “Génesis” is the highest-charting regional Mexican album to this point (No. 3) on the Billboard 200 and remains to be within the prime 10 after being launched earlier this July. It’s additionally a great signal that he scored an MTV Video Music Award nomination for finest new artist this 12 months (though the award went to breakout drill rapper Ice Spice).
Nonetheless, the current Latin Grammy nominations excluded a number of acts like Pluma and Fuerza Regida, whose songs typically reference the narco life-style and push the boundaries of regional Mexican with their trap-infused sounds (though Pluma was a visitor on a nominated tune, Eslabon Armado’s “Ella Baila Sola”). However that will not matter for the “Anglo Grammys,” as one Latin business veteran says.
“Seeing that that is the primary 12 months Mexican subgenres made developments globally, it’s doable that its key gamers may have a good shot at being honored for the innovation,” says the insider. “I’d wish to consider that with just a little extra schooling, their inventive contributions will likely be extra well known.”
Different eligible newbies embody Tejano hitmakers Grupo Frontera, who scored a prime 10 hit within the U.S. with Unhealthy Bunny for “Un X100to,” and Myke Towers, whose “Lala” was ubiquitous this summer time. Elsewhere, Edgar Barrera is a robust candidate for the brand new songwriter of the 12 months, non-classical award, which made its debut as a class final 12 months. He’s probably the most nominated individual at this 12 months’s Latin Grammys (with 13) for producing and writing most of Frontera’s catalog and songs for Camilo, Karol G, Shakira and numerous others.
Will any of the above sway the decision-makers? Time will inform.
