On Thursday night (Oct. 25), some of the hottest Latin music artists took the Dolby Theater stage for the Latin American Music Awards and delivered memorable performances, leaving the audience wanting more.
Anitta, Gloria Trevi, Daddy Yankee, CNCO, Maluma and Prince Royce all contributed to the night’s best performances with their latest anthems. The Latin AMAs, now in their fourth year, was driven by girl power, which was an evident theme throughout. The artists embraced real life issues in the women’s lives, while also balancing it out with fun, dance-driven tunes, fitting every mood just right. Check out Billboard’s recap of the top, most captivating acts of the award show.
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Anitta
The Brazilian singer is fairly new to singing in a language other than her own. Over the past year, the Portuguese-speaking singer has risen to some commercial success with hits like “Machika,” a war-themed J Balvin track, and now with her latest single, “Medicina.” “Medicina” won her favorite video of the year, which is no surprise since it received 10 million views on its first release day. Anitta and her dancers, who were made up of young girls, brought a colorful and exciting vibe to the night – it was a performance all ages could enjoy.
Gloria Trevi
Gloria Trevi gave what was probably the most important performance of the night, as well as what will also be considered to be one of the most legendary in her nearly 30-year career. The Mexican singer showcased what every musician aspires to: vulnerability and being completely open in their art. Trevi’s song “Ellas Soy Yo,” is an anthem for all women everywhere, especially to those who have suffered at the cost of a man’s wrongdoing, like her. Her performance was soft yet powerful, and consisted of Trevi spilling her amazing vocals while also playing the piano. To emphasize the theme, women were displayed on video in the background that appeared to feature victims.
Daddy Yankee
Daddy Yankee was probably the most surprising artist of the night. The reggaetonero mixed it up in a joint performance with Puerto Rico’s orchestra and together made a powerful statement with “Yo Contra Ti.” Similar to Gloria Trevi’s effort, Daddy Yankee’s performance offered strength to women. In his case, he was honoring the strength of breast cancer survivors. The emotional and captivating delivery showed everyone how powerful a message in music can be.
CNCO
The Latin boyband who has stolen the hearts of so many, proved just how they managed it with energy and successfully combining different eras into their act. They sang “Ella Se Vuleve Loca,” which is currently No. 1 on the Latin Airplay chart. At first, their performance appeared to be Matrix-inspired, giving off a futuristic vibe. Then the group brought it back a few years with coordinated dancing, which towards the end looked like it could have been inspired by *NSYNC in the early 2000s. CNCO proved boybands could still be fresh and unpredictable, even today.
Maluma & Prince Royce
Maluma and Prince Royce had both taken the stage earlier in the night, but near the end of the show, they delivered a steamy presentation of “El Clavo,” which complemented each artist perfectly. The tropical-infused tune brought out the similarities in each artist, who unleashed their heartthrob personalities and Latin charm on stage. The two had never performed together prior to this, which added anticipation for their fans.