Uruguay鈥檚 Jorge Drexler was nominated for seven Latin Grammys and on Thursday he took home six, surprising those who took Bad Bunny鈥檚 triumph for granted. The second surprise was Rosal铆a winning album of the year for 鈥淢otomami (Digital Album).鈥�
鈥淵ou have no idea how unexpected all this is for me,鈥� said Drexler as he received the song of the year award for 鈥淭ocarte鈥� (Touch you) from his album 鈥淭inta y tiempo鈥� (Ink and Time) that he performs with Spanish urban musician C. Tangana.
The Uruguayan musician performed 鈥淭ocarte鈥� live with British singer Elvis Costello during the ceremony at the Mandalay Bay Michelob Ultra Arena in Las Vegas. Drexler dedicated his award 鈥渢o all those who make urban music in Spanish.鈥�
Bad Bunny, who was not present at the ceremony, was the biggest nominee with 10 mentions.
In the end, he won all the prizes in the urban music section: best fusion/urban performance for 鈥淭iti me pregunt贸鈥� (Titi asked me); best reggaeton performance for 鈥淟o siento BB:/鈥� (I鈥檓 sorry BB:/) which he sings with Tainy and Julieta Venegas; best rap/hip hop song for 鈥淒e museo鈥� (Of museum), best urban song for 鈥淭iti me pregunt贸鈥� (Titi asked me); and best urban music album for 鈥淯n verano sin ti鈥� (A summer without you), which was also nominated for a Grammy in the album of the year category, the first album sung in Spanish to achieve this.
Visibly surprised at winning album of the year at the Latin Grammys, Rosal铆a said 鈥濃�楳otomami鈥� was the album that she had to fight the most to make, but which 鈥渉as given me the most joy.鈥�
Rosal铆a thanked Latin America, Spain, her team and 鈥渢he love of my life,鈥� she said looking at the Puerto Rican urban artist Rauw Alejandro, who was in the front row.
Rosal铆a, who also won the Latin Grammy for best alternative music album for 鈥淢otomami,鈥� performed 鈥淗entai鈥�, 鈥淟a Fama鈥� and her summer hit 鈥淒espech谩.鈥�
Drexler also won Latin Grammys for best pop song for 鈥淟a guerrilla de la concordia鈥� (Guerrilla of harmony), best alternative song for 鈥淓l d铆a que estrenaste el mundo鈥� (The day you premiered the world), best singer-songwriter album for 鈥淭inta y tiempo鈥� (Ink and Time) and best song in the Portuguese language for 鈥淰ento sardo鈥� with Marisa Monte.
鈥淭his is insane, this is a wonderful exaggeration,鈥� Drexler said.
For the first in the history of the Latin Grammys a tie was announced in the category of best new artist, with 95-year-old Cuban singer-songwriter 脕ngela 脕lvarez sharing the award with 25-year-old Mexican singer-songwriter Silvana Estrada.
In an emotional moment, the young Mexican singer said the award for best new artist 鈥渨as already ours鈥� because most of the candidates this year were women and 鈥渆ven more so because I have here this wonderful woman who has brought tears to my eyes ever since I saw her.鈥�
鈥淲hat exists is to represent for the girls to come for the generations to know that it is worthwhile dreaming, fighting and working,鈥� she said.
脕lvarez took the stage accompanied by her grandson Carlos 脕lvarez, who produced her self-titled debut album.
Christina Aguilera joined Mexico鈥檚 Christian Nodal in a powerful interpretation their ranchera song 鈥淐uando me d茅 la gana鈥� (When I want to) from her album 鈥淎guilera鈥�, which took the award for best traditional pop vocal album.
The American singer of Ecuadorian origins, whose previous album in Spanish was 鈥淢i reflejo鈥� in 2000, said she had longed to make another album in Spanish since then.
After tying Drexler for best pop song, Colombian star Sebasti谩n Yatra won the second Latin Grammy of his career for 鈥淒harma鈥� in the category of best pop vocal album.
鈥淚 want to continue inviting composers, young people, all the people who make music to make the music that is always a reflection of their heart,鈥� said Yatra.
Yatra was recognized in the pop song category for his anthem 鈥淭acones rojo鈥� (Red Heels) whose Spanish and English version he performed with John Legend.
Mexican singer Angela Aguilar performed 鈥淓n realidad鈥� (In Reality) while Chiquis won the Latin Grammy for best band music album for 鈥淎beja Reina鈥� (Queen Bee).
Berenice Bautista, The Associated Press
