They are best known as the Calle 13 duo, but during the pre-telecast of the 18th annual Latin Grammy Awards, Residente and Visitante won individual awards for best urban album and producer of the year, respectively.
“This is a very special day,” Eduardo “Visitante” Cabrera said as he received his award. “I want to thank all those maestros who have taught us lessons and told us their stories. This has been an incredible year.”
“Despacito” took home early awards for best urban album fusion/performance in addition to best short form video, which director Carlos R. Perez said is a song that is putting Latin music in a major spotlight more than ever.
“Latino culture is becoming more influential globally, and in the overall culture it’s a huge accomplishment,” said Perez, who later took a more serious tone, adding that filming the video in Puerto Rico continues to shed light of the recent events around the hurricane and the response by the government.
“It’s a serious fucking issue,” Perez said. “The reaction from the U.S. government should have been more aggressive. The president is a fucking joke.”
Chilean singer/songwriter Mon Laferte took home the prize for best alternative song, which marked a major milestone for the “Amárrame” songstress whose song features Juanes.
“This is my first Latin Grammy,” Laferte said, as she clutched her trophy. “It’s okay to cry the first time, right? Thank you to the entire team … Juanes for being so generous. I am so nervous, I am happy, and thank you for voting for my song.”
Mexican singer/songwriter Natalia Lafourcade’s Musas took home two awards including best folk album and best long music video for “Musas, El Documental,” while Lila Downs’ Salón, Lágrimas y Deseo won for best traditional pop vocal album.
Downs, also an activist who recently brought awareness to disaster relief efforts in her native Mexico, singled out her husband and musical collaborator Paul Cohen in an emotional speech.
“I want to thank him for life recognition of music and also [recognize] my dear Oaxaca,” said Downs, who ended her speech by telling the audience to look out for “all the dangerous women in the world.”
Marc Anthony also took home an award for best Latin children’s album for Marc Anthony for Babies. Colombian rock band Diamante Eléctronico won for best rock album (La Gran Oscilación) in addition to best rock song for “Déjala Rodar” in the category that was also won by Andrés Calamaro for “La Noche.”
Backstage Calamaro talked about a career in music, but when asked about how he wanted to be remembered, he didn’t hesitate to lighten the mood.
“I want to be remembered for being sexually appealing until I am 100,” Calamaro joked with members of the press, but added that “it’s important to have a good attitude even when one loses because he’s lost many times before.”
He added: “I’m a good loser. This is also an important time to connect with all those people I have met through the years. We are in the company of a good team.”
For the full list of winners visit LatinGrammys.com.
BEST ROCK ALBUM
La Gran Oscilación – Diamante Eléctrico
BEST ROCK SONG (two winners)
“Déjala Rodar” – Juan Galeano, songwriter (Diamante Eléctrico)
“La Noche” – Andrés Calamaro, songwriter (Andrés Calamaro)
BEST ALTERNATIVE SONG
“Amárrame” – Mon Laferte, songwriter (Mon Laferte Featuring Juanes)
BEST TRADITIONAL POP VOCAL ALBUM
Salón, Lágrimas y Deseo – Lila Downs
BEST LONG FORM MUSIC VIDEO
“Musas, El Documental” – Natalia Lafourcade
BEST FOLK ALBUM
Musas – Natalia Lafourcade
BEST URBAN FUSION/PERFORMANCE
“Despacito (Remix)” – Luis Fonsi & Daddy Yankee feat. Justin Bieber
BEST SHORT FORM MUSIC VIDEO
“Despacito” – Luis Fonsi feat. Daddy Yankee
BEST URBAN MUSIC ALBUM
Residente – Residente
BEST LATIN CHILDREN’S ALBUM
Marc Anthony for Babies – Various Artists
BEST CLASSICAL CONTEMPORARY COMPOSITION
“Sonata Del Decamerón Negro” – Leo Brouwer, composer (Mabel Millán)
BEST RECORDING PACKAGE
El Orisha De La Rosa – Carlos Dussán, Juliana Jaramillo, Juan Felipe Martínez & Claudio Roncoli, art directors (Magín Díaz)
BEST TRADITIONAL POP VOCAL ALBUM
Salón, Lágrimas y Deseo – Lila Downs
BEST URBAN FUSION/PERFORMANCE
“Despacito (Remix)” – Luis Fonsi & Daddy Yankee feat. Justin Bieber
BEST PORTUGUESE LANGUAGE CHRISTIAN ALBUM
Acenda A Sua Luz – Aline Barros
BEST PORTUGUESE LANGUAGE ROCK OR ALTERNATIVE ALBUM
Jardim – Pomar – Nando Reis
BEST SAMBA/PAGODE ALBUM
+ Misturado – Mart’nália
BEST MPB (MUSICA POPULAR BRASILEIRA) ALBUM
Dos Navegantes – Edu Lobo, Romero Lubambo, Mauro Senise
BEST SERTANEJA MUSIC ALBUM
Daniel – Daniel
BEST BRAZILIAN ROOTS ALBUM
Ao Vivo – Melodias Do Sertão – Bruna Viola
BEST PORTUGUESE LANGUAGE SONG
“Trevo (Tu)” – Ana Caetano & Tiago Iorc, songwriters (AnaVitória feat. Tiago Iorc)
BEST PORTUGUESE LANGUAGE CONTEMPORARY POP ALBUM
Troco Likes Ao Vivo: Um Filme De Tiago Iorc – Tiago Iorc
BEST FOLK ALBUM
Musas – Natalia Lafourcade
BEST INSTRUMENTAL ALBUM
Spain Forever – Michel Camilo & Tomatito
BEST TANGO ALBUM
Solo Buenos Aires – Fernando Otero
BEST FLAMENCO ALBUM
Memoria De Los Sentidos – Vicente Amigo
BEST LATIN JAZZ/JAZZ ALBUM
Dance of Time – Eliane Elias
BEST SALSA ALBUM
Salsa Big Band – Rubén Blades Con Roberto Delgado & Orquesta
BEST CUMBIA/VALLENATO ALBUM
Ni Un Paso Atrás – Jorge Celedón y Sergio Luis Rodríguez
BEST CONTEMPORARY TROPICAL ALBUM
Bidimensional – Guaco
BEST TRADITIONAL TROPICAL ALBUM
To Beny Moré With Love – Jon Secada Featuring The Charlie Sepúlveda Big Band
BEST TROPICAL FUSION ALBUM
Olga Tañón Y Punto – Olga Tañón
BEST TROPICAL SONG
“Bachata En Kingston” – Vicente García, songwriter (Vicente García)
BEST SINGER-SONGWRITER ALBUM
A La Mar – Vicente García (SECOND WIN TODAY)
BEST BANDA ALBUM
Ayer y Hoy – Banda El Recodo De Cruz Lizárraga
BEST NORTEÑO ALBUM
Piénsalo – Los Palominos
BEST REGIONAL MEXICAN SONG
“Siempre Es Así” – Juan Treviño, songwriter (Juan Treviño Featuring AJ Castillo)
BEST CHRISTIAN ALBUM (SPANISH LANGUAGE)
Momentos – Alex Campos
BEST SHORT FORM MUSIC VIDEO
“Despacito” – Luis Fonsi feat. Daddy Yankee