17th Annual Latin Grammy Awards
A Star-Studded Celebration of Latin Music
By Paulina Berkovich | Photos courtesy of the Latin Recording Academy / WireImage.com & BajaTRAVELER®
On a spectacular November night in Las Vegas, the world’s best Latin artists gathered for unforgettable performances and well-deserved recognition of their success. The 17th Latin GRAMMY® Awards continued a long tradition of honoring the achievements of Latin artists with a glamorous celebration.
The awards spanned a number of categories, from classical to urban. Big winners included Marc Anthony, the 2016 Person of the Year, and Carlos Vives and Shakira, who won Record of the Year and Song of the Year for La Bicicleta. The Record of the Year award was shared with Andrés Castro.
Jackie Cruz, Diego Luna, and Javier Baez were just a few of the celebrities who appeared at the Biggest Night in Latin Music®. Cruz stars are Marisol in the critically acclaimed show Orange is the New Black, and Diego Luna has appeared in hugely popular movies such as Rogue One: A Star Wars Story. Baez is an infielder for the World Series-winning Chicago Cubs. Other attendees included Bebe, Marilina Bertoldi, Angelique Boyer, Aroldis Chapman, Paula Fernandes, Jacob Forever, Becky G, Kany García, Enrique Iglesias, iLe, Poncho Lizarraga, Eduardo Magallanes, La Marisoul, Jesús “Chino” Miranda, Niña Pastori, Luciano Pereyra, Draco Rosa, Miguel Ángel Silvestre, Sin Bandera, Tommy Torres, Julieta Venegas, and Charlie Zaa.
Sebastián Rulli and Roselyn Sánchez hosted the awards ceremony, which took place at the T-Mobile Arena on November 17. Rulli, an Argentine actor, has had a distinguished television career across several European countries, Mexico and the U.S., most recently playing the lead role in the telenovela Tres veces Ana. Sánchez, an award-winning model has appeared in numerous movies and television shows including Devious Maids.
A big name to watch is Manuel Medrano, who was awarded Best New Artist and Best Singer-Songwriter Album. He was also a finalist for the Song of the Year award for Bajo El Agua. A Colombian singer, Medrano released his first single in 2014 and a self-titled debut album in 2015.
Juan Gabriel was also a two-time winner, for Los Dúo Vol. 2, which was both the Album of the Year and the Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album. Gabriel, a ground-breaking artist who passed away in August, wrote close to 1,800 songs over the course of his career, and one of his albums was the best-selling album of all time in his native Mexico.
The presentation of the Person of the Year award took place on November 16. This event also featured show-stopping performances by artists such as Laura Pausini, Victor Manuelle, and winner Marc Anthony himself.
The award winners were selected after a long process that began with a first-round ballot in the summer. Nominees were announced in September, and winners were chosen during a one-month final round ballot.Immediately before the GRAMMY Awards, celebrities gave live interviews from the red carpet as they arrived. Coverage of the event was presented exclusively by Univision Network, giving fans watching from home intimate access to their favorite stars.
The Latin GRAMMY Awards are just one event produced by the Latin Recording Academy as part of its mission. The Academy strives to improve the culture surrounding Latin music and boost artists’ quality of life through educational and outreach programs for the Latin music community. Its members include Spanish- and Portuguese-speaking artists, musicians, songwriters, producers and other professionals.
BajaTraveler® has been proudly covering the Latin GRAMMYs since the start.
Marc Anthony has a long track record as one of the most successful Latin artists, from the time he released his first three salsa albums, beginning in 1993. It is this long history of achievement not only as a musician but also as an actor, businessman and ambassador for Latin music and culture across three decades that led to him being honored as Person of the Year.
When he accepted his award from Ricky Martin, he joked that he would rather sing than speak.
“To all my colleagues, to all my friends, sharing a night like this with my children, I am in shock, in shock, in shock… To be able to stand here on this stage, with as many people as friends, is an honor and a pleasure. I feel more alive than ever thanks to you,” he said.
Winner of two Grammy Awards and five Latin Grammies, including “Dímelo” (I Need to Know) in 2000, Marc Anthony is the best-selling tropical salsa artist of all time. His most popular hits include “Vivir Mi Vida,” for which he won a Latin Grammy in 2013.
He was born and raised in New York and began his music career as a songwriter and vocalist. Since then, he has expanded his career as performer on Broadway and in movies and television shows. His movie credits include Big Night in 1996, Bringing out the Dead in 1999 and El Cantante in 2007.
As a philanthropist, Marc Anthony has made his mark through his Foundation Maestro Cares, formed with Henry Cárdenas in 2012. The foundation has opened orphanages to house children in the Dominican Republic, Colombia and Mexico.
Marc Anthony continues to tour, performing before sellout crowds around the world. Congratulations to the 2016 Person of the Year Winner!