by Mayté Rodríguez Cedillo
photos Courtesy of the Latin Recording Academy/  Josh Norton_ Getty Images ©️2025

The 26th Annual LatinGrammy® Awards celebrated excellence in Latin music on November 13, 2025, at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, with Bad Bunny and Argentine duo CA7RIEL & Paco Amoroso emerging as the night’s biggest winners, each taking home five awards. Hosted by Colombian superstar Maluma and our cover girl, Puerto Rican actress Roselyn Sánchez, the ceremony honored recordings released between June 2024 and May 2025.

Bad Bunny’s triumph centered on his critically acclaimed album “Debí Tirar Más Fotos,” which captured the prestigious Album of the Year award—marking his first win in any of the ceremony’s general categories despite entering the night with 12 nominations. The album represented a deeply personal journey for the Puerto Rican artist, celebrating his island heritage and traditional Puerto Rican sounds. In his acceptance speech, Bad Bunny emphasized cultural pride, stating that there are many ways to honor and defend one’s homeland, but he and his collaborators chose music as their vehicle 

The album’s success extended beyond the top honor, with tracks earning recognition in multiple categories. His song “DtMF” won Best Urban/Urban Fusion Performance and Best Urban Song, while “Voy A Llevarte Pa PR” claimed Best Reggaeton Performance. The complete project also secured Best Urban Music Album, cementing Bad Bunny’s dominance in the urban music categories and his evolution as an artist willing to explore his roots while pushing genre boundaries.

However, the ceremony’s three major general categories were divided among different artists, creating a compelling narrative of shared recognition. While Bad Bunny secured Album of the Year, our cover man, Spanish superstar Alejandro Sanz won Record of the Year for his elegant ballad “Palmeras En El Jardín.” In a gracious acceptance speech, Sanz acknowledged the competition, playfully saying “Benito, I stole it from you, forgive me,” referencing Bad Bunny’s birth name and the strong competition they faced. 

The third major category, Song of the Year, went to Colombian sensation Karol G for her infectious hit “Si Antes Te Hubiera Conocido,” co-written by Edgar Barrera. In an emotional acceptance speech, Karol G requested not to be cut off because she had something important to share about authenticity and staying true to oneself in the music industry. The win highlighted the song’s massive commercial success and cultural impact, resonating with audiences across Latin America and beyond. Barrera himself earned Songwriter of the Year for an unprecedented third consecutive time, further solidifying his position as one of Latin music’s most prolific creators.

The ceremony also celebrated CA7RIEL & Paco Amoroso, the Argentine iconoclasts who matched Bad Bunny’s five-award haul with wins spanning multiple categories. Their experimental album “Papota” earned Best Alternative Music Album, while their provocative track “#Tetas” won Best Alternative Song and Best Short Form Music Video. Additionally, they secured Best Pop Song for “El Día Del Amigo” and Best Long Form Music Video for “Papota.” The duo’s success represented a validation of artistic risk-taking and genre-defying creativity within Latin music’s evolving landscape.

Other notable winners included Brazilian singer Liniker with three wins, Spanish singer Raphael receiving the prestigious Person of the Year honor at age 82, and Paloma Morphy claiming the coveted Best New Artist award. The ceremony featured memorable performances, including Santana playing “Oye Como Va” alongside Maluma, Cristian Nodal, Barrera, and Grupo Frontera, Gloria Estefan and Nathy Peluso performing “La Vecina,” and Karol G collaborating with Marco Antonio Solís on “Coleccionando Heridas.”

The 2025 ceremony also introduced two new categories: Best Music for Visual Media, won by Camilo Sanabria, and Best Roots Song, claimed by Luis Enrique, Fernando Osorio, and Rodner Padilla. These additions reflected the Latin Recording Academy’s commitment to recognizing the expanding scope and diversity of Latin music creation.

With over 3,500 submissions from 85 countries and representation across genres from reggaeton and urban music to traditional folk and alternative rock, the 2025 LatinGrammy® Awards underscored Latin music’s global dominance and cultural significance. The ceremony returned to Las Vegas for the 14th time, following previous editions in Spain and Miami, reaffirming Sin City as a premier destination for celebrating Latin music’s brightest stars and emerging talents.  BajaTraveler® was present covering the event as we’ve been doing since the start. For more information on the upcoming LatinGrammy® please visit LatinGrammy.com.