Beats that bend borders

Bad Bunny anchors a transformative Latin Grammys night as new voices rise beside established giants

LAS VEGAS:

Bad Bunny dominated the spotlight in Las Vegas as the Latin Grammys returned to the MGM Grand Garden Arena, delivering a night that showcased some of the biggest names in Spanish and Portuguese-language music while highlighting the rapid global rise of Latin genres.

The Puerto Rican superstar enjoyed a sweeping victory, winning five awards from his 12 nominations and claiming the coveted album of the year prize for 'Debí Tirar Más Fotos', which blended Afro-Caribbean influences with salsa to create a genre-spanning tour de force recognised by the academy.

His wins also included best urban or urban fusion performance, best reggaeton performance, best urban music album and best urban song, reinforcing a year in which the 31-year-old artist continued his ascent as one of the most influential performers in contemporary music.

Bad Bunny, whose real name is Benito Antonio Martinez Ocasio, accepted his awards before a packed audience and described the moment as special, saying the experience still made him nervous because it showed that the work remained meaningful to him.

The victory arrives during a defining period for the artist, who recently completed a barnstorming residency in Puerto Rico and is preparing to launch a world tour beginning this month in the Dominican Republic, excluding the United States over concerns linked to President Donald Trump's immigration enforcement.

His self-imposed decision to avoid performing on the US mainland gained widespread attention, although he made one notable exception by agreeing to headline the Super Bowl halftime show on February 8 in Santa Clara, California, one of the most-watched broadcast events in the United States.

The upcoming halftime show marks a historic moment, as Bad Bunny is likely to become the first act to perform entirely or mostly in Spanish on the Super Bowl stage, following his guest appearance alongside Jennifer Lopez and Shakira in 2020.

The announcement sparked mixed reactions, with the National Football League embracing the genre's commercial appeal while some fans, including Trump, criticised the decision, with the former president calling the choice "absolutely ridiculous" and claiming he had never heard of the performer.

Bad Bunny, who has openly criticised Trump's immigration policies and supported Kamala Harris in the 2024 election, remained unfazed by the backlash as he continues to expand his global reach through performances, recordings and award recognition.

His growing recognition extends into the general Grammy Awards scheduled for February 2, where he has earned six nominations in major categories including record, song and album of the year, marking the first time a Latin artist achieved nominations in all three top fields in the same year.

Other nominees in the album of the year category included industry luminaries such as Spaniard Alejandro Sanz and Cuban-born Gloria Estefan, respected figures within Latin music whose contributions have shaped the genre and maintained strong influence over audiences worldwide.

Sanz, although surpassed by Bad Bunny for the album award, secured two notable wins for record of the year with 'Palmeras En El Jardín' and best contemporary pop album for 'Y Ahora Que?' which increased his career total to 24 Latin Grammy awards.

Estefan also added to her accolades by winning best traditional tropical album for 'Raices', continuing her legacy as one of the most recognisable voices in Latin music, with a career spanning decades of influence and cross-cultural recognition. Karol G captured song of the year with 'Si Antes Te Hubiera Conocido', winning over the title track from Bad Bunny's album, while also earning a nomination for best tropical song through her single 'Tropicoqueta', expanding her already prominent presence in the awards season.

Argentine hip-hop duo Ca7riel & Paco Amoroso emerged as another major success story of the evening, matching Bad Bunny's total of five awards and earning recognition that brought the fast-rising performers into the broader Latin music spotlight.

The pair had received 10 nominations and collected awards for best pop song, best alternative music album, best alternative song, best short-form music video and best long-form music video, reflecting their expanding creative influence across multiple categories.

Their achievements followed a breakthrough year in which they opened several concerts in Latin America for Kendrick Lamar, positioning the duo as emerging favourites in the run-up to the 2026 Grammy Awards, where anticipation around their work is expected to grow.

The evening also recognised Brazilian artist Liniker, who received seven nominations for her album 'Caju', marking continued momentum after becoming the first transgender artist to win a Latin Grammy in 2022, a milestone widely noted across the music industry.

Other major contenders for album of the year included Carin Leon, Joaquina, Vicente Garcia, Rauw Alejandro and Natalia Lafourcade, the latter holding a total of eight nominations that underscored her ongoing role as one of Latin music's most acclaimed contemporary voices.

Beyond individual wins, the ceremony unfolded against the backdrop of a booming Latin music market, which generated a record $1.4 billion in 2024 and accounted for 8.1% of total US music revenue, according to the Recording Industry Association of America.

The industry's rapid expansion has been driven by streaming, global consumption and cross-genre experimentation, with analysts noting that Latin music is shaping cultural trends at a faster pace than any other category within the American music landscape.

The show itself featured performances by several leading artists including Bad Bunny, Karol G, Ca7riel & Paco Amoroso, Alejandro Sanz, Carlos Santana, Rauw Alejandro, Kacey Musgraves, Edgar Barrera, Joaquina, Christian Nodal, Nathy Peluso, Elena Rose and Grupo Frontera.

Barrera, already a fixture at the Latin Grammys with more than 70 nominations as a producer and songwriter, competed for both song and record of the year for his collaboration with Karol G on 'Si Antes Te Hubiera Conocido', a track that dominated charts across the region.

The ceremony concluded with recognition for new talent, including 25-year-old Mexican artist Paloma Morphy, who won best new artist following the release of her debut album 'Au', which connected with listeners through its melodic compositions and distinctive sound.

The return of the Latin Grammys to Las Vegas after previous editions in Spain and Miami brought renewed attention to the awards' evolving global reach, reflecting the cultural and commercial impact of Latin music as it continues to expand its presence across international markets.