Last Friday, on November 17th, a global audience of music enthusiasts eagerly tuned in to witness the 25th annual Latin Grammy Awards—a prestigious event reverently celebrating outstanding recordings released between June 1, 2022, and May 31, 2023. The Grammy Awards, widely recognized as the apex of musical recognition worldwide, were conceived by industry luminaries Michael Greene, Rudy Pérez, and Mauricio Abaroa.
Rudy Pérez, a pivotal figure in the Latin music scene, held the distinction of being the first President of the Board for the Grammy Florida chapter. The inception of a separate Grammy Awards ceremony for Latin music in 1989 marked a pivotal moment in the industry's history. This dedicated platform emerged in response to the burgeoning prominence and diversity of Latin music, underscoring the need for visibility and a focused spotlight on the extraordinary talent within the Latin music community.
Controversies often surface when debating the definition of Latin ethnicity, particularly as perceived by American authorities who, at times, have been prone to categorizing foreigners broadly. This tendency to include Europeans as part of the Latin community has sparked considerable debate and raised questions about such classifications.
Acknowledging the definition of Latinxs in the United States adds a layer of complexity to this discourse. In 1976, a law approved by the American Congress defined the group as 'Americans who identify as Spanish-speaking and trace their origins or ancestry to Mexico, Puerto Rico, Cuba, Central and South America, and other Spanish-speaking countries.' Moreover, Hispanic was considered an ethnicity, not a race. Race pertains to physical characteristics inherited between generations, while ethnicity was more about cultural and linguistic identity in this classification. Notably, in 1997, the Latinxs category expanded to include Hispanics from twenty hispanophone countries in Latin America but excluded others, such as Brazil (lusophone), French Guiana, and Haiti (French-speaking), Guyana (English-speaking), Suriname (Dutch-speaking), and the Caribbean with unofficial languages.
The Latin Grammy usually takes place in Las Vegas, famously known as the epicenter of American nightlife entertainment. However, this year, the event was held in Seville, Spain, the capital of the Andalusia region. This change not only provided practicality for the artists but also held cultural significance as the birthplace of flamenco music—a cultural patrimony and postcard of Spain.
This year, standout artists include Gaby Amarantos and Xênia França.
Gaby Amarantos was awarded for the Best Portuguese Language Roots Album. Amarantos, adorned in a dress honoring Sumaúma, the queen of the Amazon rainforest, used her acceptance speech to address environmental issues resonating with the climate crisis and heatwave Brazil is facing. Amarantos gained national recognition after releasing "Hoje Eu Tô Solteira," a version of Beyoncé's "Single Ladies," written by the Pará band Os Brothers. The success of the song earned her the nickname "Beyoncé do Pará." Her second national hit, "Xirley," has amassed over one million hits on YouTube. The awarded album was a throwback to her origins as an artist in a band of techno brega. This Brazilian musical genre emerged in the city of Belém (state of Pará) in the 2000s, blending elements of internationally commercial music, such as electronic and pop, with regional genres from Pará, including calypso, brega, and carimbó—emphasizing synthesizer and drum machine use. These Pará music genres amalgamate rhythms from the Caribbean and Afro-Indigenous cultures with international commercial music, even incorporating low-quality popular romantic music from the 1940s/1950s. It's noteworthy that her music faced resistance at home; despite having 245,052 monthly listeners in the streaming and radio program interviews, her songs were denied airplay on Brazilian commercial radios, reflecting a marginalization of the North and Northeastern regions of Brazil—crucial cribs of Brazilian culture. According to the radios, “your music is not up to the level of our listeners.”
Gaby Amarantos stands as a powerful innovator in the burgeoning tropical pop scene, showcasing her versatility through recent collaborations with a diverse array of artists, spanning generations from Duda Beat to Elza Soares, Jaloo to Ney Matogrosso. Renowned for her significant role in popularizing tecnobrega, the music genre originating from Pará, Brazil, she has gained international acclaim, becoming a notable representative of Amazonian culture and advocating for the often-overlooked northern region of Brazil.
Identifying herself as a "multi-artist from the Amazon," Gaby seamlessly transitions between roles as a singer, songwriter, and actress. Her presence in the cast of the TV Globo telenovela "Além da Ilusão," where she portrays the character Emília and contributes her voice to the opening theme "Tic Tac do Meu Coração" (a reinterpretation of Carmen Miranda's classic), further underscores her diverse talents and artistic contributions.
Gaby Amarantos has left an indelible mark on prestigious national events like Rock in Rio and has been a host on nationally relevant shows such as Saia Justa (2018) and The Voice Kids (2021). Her involvement in the 2014 World Cup yielded a hit song "Todo Mundo", and in 2012, her music was chosen as the opening theme for the telenovela "Cheias de Charme." Beyond her national endeavors, she is poised to take her talents to an international stage with tour of her show "Purakê" in the second half of 2022. In 2017, she was the star in the big screen with Serial Kelly (René Guerra,2017). Not limited to her artistic pursuits, Gaby actively champions social causes, advocating for black movements, LGBTQI+ rights, and women's rights. This multifaceted profile solidifies Gaby Amarantos' position as a dynamic force in the entertainment industry, both in Brazil and on the global stage.
Xênia França from Bahia was honoured for the Best Portuguese Language Contemporary Pop Album. Her album, "Em Nome da Estrela," with contemporary beats, gained attention for its fusion of genres, reflecting a blend of regional Brazilian, Nigerian R&B, Afropop, Pop, and "MPB" (contemporary middle-class popular music). França's work reflects a commitment to the rescue of Afro-Brazilian culture and serves as a reference for female empowerment. She honoured the Afro-Brazilian religions orixás in her speech. She has 240.4K monthly listeners in the streaming, another case of refusion in the repertoire of Brazilian commercial radios. Her album featured contributions from none other than Gilberto Gil and Djavan—reputable names in the Brazilian music industry. It's worth noting that Brazil was the last country in Latin America to abolish slavery in 1888, and the lack of historical reparation has led to ongoing injustices faced in the present day. Paradoxically, the country outside Africa with the most Black population. França's cultural amalgamation and acknowledgment of Afro-Brazilian roots contribute to the ongoing dialogue surrounding these historical and cultural complexities.
Over the past three years, Xênia has graced the Rock In Rio stage, sharing the Sunset Stage with pop icon Seal and touring through some of the country's most prominent festivals: Recbeat, Coala, Coma, Queremos, Psicodália, Virada Paulista, among others. She has also embarked on three tours in the United States, performing at renowned festivals in New York, including Summerstage in Central Park and Globalfest, earning her coverage in The New York Times. Her performances have extended to prestigious venues like the Kennedy Cultural Center of Performance Arts in Washington and SXSW in Austin. Xênia has taken her music to international stages, including shows in Colombia at the Pablo Toblón Theater in Medellín and the Cultural Center of the Andes in Bogotá, as well as in Berlin.
Xênia boasts a string of successes with her well-received debut album, XÊNIA, which earned her two nominations at the 2018 Latin Grammy Awards in the Best Contemporary Pop Album category. Furthermore, her composition "Para que me chamas?" in collaboration with Lucas Ciriillo received a Grammy nomination in the Best Portuguese Language Song category. Her flourishing international career has also brought her to COLORS, one of the most significant contemporary music programs on YouTube.
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