The Latin GRAMMY Cultural Foundation Announces Winners Of Its Research And Preservation Grant Program

Photo courtesy of the Recording Academy

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The Latin GRAMMY Cultural Foundation Announces Winners Of Its Research And Preservation Grant Program

This program provides grants to music institutions, nonprofit organizations, musicologists, and researchers around the world who are enhancing and preserving Latin music heritage.

Recording Academy/Feb 16, 2023 - 09:20 pm

The Latin Recording Academy may be most visible during the Latin GRAMMYs, but what they do during the other 364 days of the year is just as crucial — including this precious grant.

The Latin GRAMMY Cultural Foundation has announced the winners of its Research and Preservation Grant program. This program provides grants to music institutions, nonprofit organizations, musicologists, and researchers around the world who are enhancing and preserving Latin music heritage.

In 2023, an eclectic group of institutions and scholars will receive this support. The four grants, with a maximum value of $5,000 each, support diverse initiatives: The Preservation Grants fund the archiving and preservation of Latin music and its attendant customs, while the Research Grants support projects that emphasize historical and anthropological research, in addition to documenting traditions and Latin folklore.

"For the eighth consecutive year, we have the pleasure and privilege of awarding Research and Preservation Grants to deserving Latin music creators," said Raquel "Rocky" Egusquiza, the Executive Director of the Latin GRAMMY Cultural Foundation. "We are pleased to celebrate this year's honorees and their respective projects which seek to uphold the legacy of Latin music through their creative and innovative endeavors inspiring and educating future generations of creators." 

Awarded Presentation Grants:

Andrew Skinner, Clayton, GA, United States, and Daniel Zanessi, Mendoza, Argentina – Through the project "Preservation and Distribution of the Studio Zanessi Collection" (Rescate y Difusión de la Colección del Estudio Zanessi), the goal is to digitalize, promote, and distribute unpublished recordings of invaluable cultural and historical significance to Argentina's interior, archived in quarter-inch tape in Mendoza's historic music studio, Zanessi Studios. This collection has been declared of national interest by the Province of Mendoza, and as its tape nears 50 years old, it is in urgent need of being preserved. The musicians who recorded at Zanessi, from around western Argentina, were foundational in shaping the sound of contemporary Argentine folk music.

Many of these musicians formed part of the Nuevo Cancionero Movement, a social artistic movement founded in Mendoza in 1963 that sought to represent the lives and experiences of everyday Argentinians, promote Pan-Americanism, and bend traditional folk music rules. The movement, with the voice of Mercedes Sosa, the poetry of Armando Tejada Gómez, the melodies of Oscar Matus, and the compositions of virtuosic guitarist, Tito Francia, inspired and linked with other "New Song" movements around Latin America. The project to digitalize the Zanessi Collection is a collaboration between Andrew Skinner, a mastering engineer and Nuevo Cancionero researcher with the University of Cuyo, and Daniel Zanessi, the owner of Zanessi Studios, who helped record many of the sessions the team is now working to digitalize. They will work with the musicians or their descendants to publish the music alongside related photos and stories.

Gustavo Ahualli, Latin American Music Center, The Catholic University of America – For many years, the Latin American Music Center (LAMC) at the Catholic University of America has suffered from a lack of resources to devote the proper time and attention towards the process of cataloging and maintaining its specialized library of Latin American sheet music, books, and recordings. The LAMC has responded to this issue by developing a multi-phase project focused on the process of cataloging and digitizing the complete collection while preserving its fragile materials.

One of the primary goals of the LAMC is to continue to create opportunities for the broad dissemination of Latin American music and culture through the resources and multifaceted activities of the Center, which include numerous institutional collaborations, cultural exchanges and world-class musical performances. The complete cataloging of this unique collection is critical for the LAMC to move forward with its plan of digitizing and preserving the materials of the Center while making this important musical treasure available to the students and faculty and the worldwide community of musicians, researchers, and performing artists. In 2021, a Preservation Grant from the Latin GRAMMY Cultural Foundation supported the launch of Phase 1 of the LAMC's archival and preservation project.

Awarded Research Grants:

Gabriela Gómez Estévez, Louisiana State University – "Dicotomía: Contextualizing the Symphonic Works of Margarita Luna García" is a project that analyzes the life of Dominican composer and pedagogue Margarita Luna García, who was one of the most notable figures of avant-garde music in the Dominican Republic in the 20th century. Her works synthesize vernacular musical material and modernist techniques. The lack of availability of published materials restricts the performance of Luna's symphonic works. The study aims to produce performance and audiovisual materials to improve access to her music and promote its study and performance. This project is partially funded by the Dominican Studies Institute of the City University of New York through their Research Fellowship program in the amount of $10,000 which covers two thirds of the $15,000 total needed for the project.

Dr. Sang Woo Kang, Seoul, South Korea – Musical borrowing is a pervasive aspect of musical creation in all genres and periods. Musicologists use several terms to describe composers' uses of existing works, including borrowing, self-borrowing, transformative imitation, quotation, modeling, emulation, decomposition, influence and indebtedness. The goal of the project "Appropriation and Multiculturalism of Latin Influence in early American Music" will be to show Latin American influence on early American music through explanatory text and recordings while also highlighting the composer Louis M. Gottschalk, one of the founding fathers of classical music in the United States, including his influences and use of folk tunes, and the Latin composers who inspired him.

This project will provide a basis for discography and teaching resources for those interested in the study of diverse influences in early American music. Gottschalk was important to the development of American musical history during a time when many people were emigrating from Latin American countries. Scholars have discussed the importance of race and racialization especially in understanding popular music of the American south.

A committee of experts from Latin America, the Iberian Peninsula, and the United States selected the recipients among numerous qualified candidates. Since its inception in 2015, the program has awarded more than $175,000 in grants to support projects, one of which received a Latin GRAMMY and GRAMMY.

Keep checking RecordingAcademy.com for more information on how the Latin Recording Academy does important work to elevate all music people worldwide!

Latin GRAMMY Cultural Foundation Launches The Nicky Jam Scholarship For Music Students In Need

Latin GRAMMY Cultural Foundation Awards Nicky Jam Scholarship To Pianist Leomar Cordero
(L-R) Luis Cobos, Chairman of the Board, Latin GRAMMY Cultural Foundation; Nicky Jam, Latin GRAMMY winner and 2023 Prodigy Scholarship sponsor; Raquel “Rocky” Egusquiza, Executive Director of the Latin GRAMMY Cultural Foudnation; and Leomar Cordero, recipient of the 2023 Nicky Jam Scholarship from the Latin GRAMMY Cultural Foundation

Photo: Latin GRAMMY Cultural Foundation/John Parra/Getty Images

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Latin GRAMMY Cultural Foundation Awards Nicky Jam Scholarship To Pianist Leomar Cordero

The foundation also bestowed an additional 43 scholarships to music students the world over and announced the institution of its Scholarship Alumni Network.

Recording Academy/Aug 24, 2023 - 08:24 pm

The Latin Recording Academy is about much more than the Latin GRAMMYs; the organization enriches and sustains the entire Latin music community. And the Latin GRAMMY Cultural Foundation is a major component of that mission.

The Latin GRAMMY Cultural Foundation just awarded a Nicky Jam Scholarship to Dominican pianist Leomar Cordero during a special presentation with the artist in Miami. There, Jam — a Latin GRAMMY winner — performed alongside Cordero and additional scholarship recipients.

Sponsored annually by a Latin music icon, the Nicky Jam Scholarship — also known as the Prodigy Scholarship — was created nine years ago to support music education and Latin music genres. It holds a maximum value of $200,000 and allows Cordero to pursue a bachelor's degree at Berklee College of Music in Boston, starting this fall.

Previous sponsors include: Sofia Carson (2022), Juanes (2021), Julio Iglesias (2020), Emilio and Gloria Estefan (2019), Carlos Vives (2018), Miguel Bosé (2017), Juan Luis Guerra (2016) and Enrique Iglesias (2015).

Cordero, a 19-year-old musician from La Romana, was selected by the Foundation's Scholarship Committee from a highly competitive, global group of hundreds of applicants.

Since its establishment, the Latin GRAMMY Cultural Foundation has committed an extraordinary sum of more than $9.3 million in scholarships, grants, musical instruments, and educational programs throughout the United States and Ibero America.

"Since our inception nearly a decade ago, the Foundation's unwavering mission has been to support and cultivate the next generation of Latin music creators. I am humbled to announce our ninth Prodigy Scholarship winner and continue this mission," Raquel "Rocky" Egusquiza, Executive Director of the Latin GRAMMY Cultural Foundation, said in a statement.

"With the extraordinary generosity of respected artists such as Nicky Jam, we have the unique privilege of fostering the education of future generations," Egusquiza continued, "paving the way for their dreams to flourish and carry forward the rich legacy of Latin music."

"My heart swells with joy as I join the Latin GRAMMY Cultural Foundation in awarding the Nicky Jam Scholarship to the extraordinary pianist Leomar Cordero," offered Nicky Jam. "This is more than a scholarship; it's a symphony of dreams harmonizing with dedication. To witness the power of music uniting us all, to be a part of Leomar's journey, is an honor beyond words.

"Through education, we nurture the melodies of tomorrow and keep the soul of Latin music alive," Jam continued. "Congratulations, Leomar — let your music paint the world with colors only your heart can imagine."

"I am beyond thankful to the Latin GRAMMY Cultural Foundation and Nicky Jam for rewarding my efforts and motivating not just me, but also a large number of passionate young musicians who share an infinite love for music and our rich culture," said Cordero. "I am committed to making the most out of this incredible opportunity and leaving a lasting impact in the world of music."

The Foundation also announced the recipients of its annual Gifted Tuition Scholarships and Tuition Assistance Scholarships, which award 43 talented students from diverse backgrounds the opportunity to pursue an education at some of the most prestigious music institutions in the world.

In addition, upon completing their studies, Cordero and all the Gifted Tuition and Tuition Assistance scholarship recipients listed below will have the opportunity to join the newly formed Latin GRAMMY Cultural Foundation Scholarship Alumni Network.

This network formalizes the Foundation's ongoing commitment to serve beyond scholarships by providing graduates opportunities to mentor current scholarship recipients, network with industry professionals, access exclusive events and resources as well as give back to the community.

The following three students will each receive the Gifted Tuition Scholarship, with a maximum value of $100,000, which will support the tuition costs of four years of study at the university, college or music institution of their choice are:

  • Gabriel Américo, guitarist from Brazil 

  • Camilo Astiazarán, guitarist from Uruguay

  • Olivia Soler Espinosa, tres cubano from Cuba 

Tuition Assistance Scholarship Recipients:

In addition, the following 40 students will each receive the Tuition Assistance Scholarship, a one-time scholarship with a maximum value of $10,000 toward the tuition costs for the university or college of their choice:

Name Country Instrument College / University
Sofía Almeida Portugal Voice Berklee College Of Music
Juan Diego Alván Madueño Peru Piano Los Angeles College
Cobe Isai Banda Salcido Mexico Guitar Tecnológico de Monterrey
Gabriel Braga Brazil Trombone Faculdade de Música Souza Lima
Sebastián Castillo Panama Piano Boston Conservatory
Pedro Henrique Cheik Costantin Brazil Guitar Faculdade de Música Souza Lima
Lorenzo Argentina Drum Set Berklee College of Music
Abner Felipe Dos Santos Martins Brazil Electric Guitar Faculdade de Música Souza Lima
Juan Pablo Faundez Chile Drum set Berklee College of Music
Marien Femerling García Mexico Piano Manhattan School of Music
Rodrigo García Vargas Mexico Piano Manhattan School of Music
Yandy García-Palacio Cuba Drums Berklee College of Music
Francisco Garrido Venezuela Guitar Conservatorium van Amsterdam, Netherlands
Luis González Venezuela Cello Chicago College of Performing Arts
Andres Guerra Venezuela Guitar Mannes School of Music at The New School
Sebastián Guerrero Colombia Electric Bass Longy School of Music
María Insuasti Colombia Voice Concordia University Irvine
Julieta Iricibar Argentina Voice The New School
Pau Jorba Bonastre Spain Saxophone The New School
Marina Marchi Silveira Brazil Voice Faculdade de Música Souza Lima
Simon Martínez Ecuador Piano Berklee College of Music
Laia Martínez Gelabert Spain Electric Bass Berklee College of Music
John Maruri United States Drums Jacobs School of Music, Indiana University Bloomington
María Medina Almaguer Cuba Piano Berklee College of Music
Pedro Mujica Venezuela Flute Jacobs School of Music, Indiana University Bloomington
Rafael Ernesto Cuba Piano Berklee College of Music
Daniel Olivero Venezuela Voice Berklee College of Music
Estevan Olmos United States Percussion University of Southern California
Andrés Felipe Palacios Rodas Colombia Guitar Peabody Institute of the Johns Hopkins University
Andy Popescu Australia Electric Bass Berklee College of Music
Murilo Reis Teixeira Brazil Piano Faculdade de Música Souza Lima
Kalebe Requena Brazil Trumpet Faculdade de Música Souza Lima
Oscar Rojas Mexico Piano Berklee College of Music
Juan Sebastián Sánchez Colombia Percussion Berklee College of Music
Arthur Scarpini Brazil Guitar Faculdade de Música Souza Lima
Kristalis Sotomayor Matos Puerto Rico Flute Boston Conservatory
Cristian Tamblay Chile Drum Set NYU Steinhardt
Gustavo Tenes de Oliveira Brazil Bass Faculdade de Música Souza Lima
Guillermo Wan Ecuador Electric Bass Berklee College of Music
Tianxiang Ni  China Piano Bard College

Congratulations to all involved, and keep watching this space for more news and information about the Latin Recording Academy!

Latin GRAMMY In The Schools & El Fantasma Team Up To Support Music Education In San Antonio

4 Ways To Maximize Your Recording Academy Membership
Recording Academy Membership

Graphic Courtesy of the Recording Academy

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4 Ways To Maximize Your Recording Academy Membership

Here is a thorough guide to the primary ways all Recording Academy members can use their platform, maximize their membership, and get involved with the Academy's various divisions and initiatives.

Recording Academy/Aug 9, 2023 - 07:29 pm

If you're reading this, chances are you've decided to become a member of the Recording Academy. You are to be commended for this decision!

As part of the world's leading society of music people, you are in a unique position to make your voice heard — and effect change that not only manifests during the GRAMMYs show, but ripples throughout the music industry and world at large.

As such, becoming a member is merely the first step: it's time to use your platform to the fullest and get involved with the Academy's various divisions and initiatives. Below is a handy guide to the primary ways you can maximize your Recording Academy membership.

Fight For Music Creator's Rights

One of the most crucial divisions of the Recording Academy is Advocacy, which fights to protect the rights of music makers and advance their interests in the realms of /ocal, state and federal policy.

Additionally, Advocacy works to educate the public about key legislation and policy issues that affect everyone in the music community.

As an Academy member, you can get involved with Advocacy in a number of ways. One is by familiarizing yourself with GRAMMYs On The Hill, a two-day event consisting of the GRAMMYs on the Hill Awards and subsequent Advocacy Day.

Over the course of these events, music creators come together with Members of Congress to celebrate those who have been exceptional in their support of creator's rights and to advocate for the passage of legislation that will further improve those rights.

Read More: Everything You Need To Know About GRAMMYs On The Hill 2023: What It Is, Who It Benefits & What It Has Accomplished

Another important component of Advocacy is District Advocate, the largest grassroots advocacy movement for music and its makers.

This manifests every year in District Advocate Day, where Recording Academy members across the U.S. met virtually with their Senators and Congressional Representatives to fight for change for the music community.

Other facets of Advocacy to get acquainted with include the GRAMMY Fund For Music Creators and the quarterly advocacy newsletter and annual magazine. Furthermore, click here for a helpful landing page that features practical routes to support Advocacy initiatives.

Support The Next Generation of Music

The GRAMMY Museum's education initiatives aim to keep music in our schools and introduce music as a profession to young people.

Here are four ways they do this:

Education

The GRAMMY Museum's K-12 educational outreach and funding efforts ensure the future of music is only as strong as the next generation of creators. Last year alone, the Museum reached more than 700,000+ students through their free virtual education programming by way of GRAMMY Museum At Home and online streaming service, COLLECTION:live

Community Engagement

Their many public programs range from panels on the state of the music industry to intimate performances.

On-Site Exhibits

The Museum's Los Angeles location offers a variety of interactive and educational experiences that provide insights into artists who have shaped music history — as well as the creative process itself.

COLLECTION:live

Re:live Music Moments on COLLECTION:live, the official streaming service from the GRAMMY Museum featuring artist interviews, performances, and livestreams.

Support Music Makers

As a freshly minted member of the Recording Academy, you can help spread awareness of resources that aid all music makers in need.

Founded by the Recording Academy in 1989, MusiCares is an independent 501(c)(3) non-profit dedicated to supporting the health and welfare of the music community through preventative care, crisis relief and recovery support.

Here are just some of the ways MusiCares is here to support you and your peers in the music community:

Mental Health & Addiction Recovery Services

Support, referrals, and emergency financial assistance for counseling, psychiatric care, inpatient treatment, coaching, intensive outpatient care, group therapy, sober living and more.

Health Services

Financial assistance during medical crises and preventive services such as dental and medical screenings, hearing clinics, vocal health workshops, and assistance obtaining low-cost health insurance.

Human Services

MusiCares provides humanitarian disaster relief, and emergency financial assistance for basic living expenses like rent, utilities, car payments and insurance premiums. 

They can also assist with funeral costs, or instrument replacement/repair if stolen or damaged in a natural disaster — excluding wear and tear. 

The human services team also offers preventive programs addressing financial literacy, affordable housing, career development, legal issues, and senior services.

Support The Academy's Future & Evolution

As a member, you have the ability to make big moves at the Academy by:

  • Recommending fellow music peers to become members

  • Submitting projects for GRAMMY Awards consideration

  • Proposing amendments to GRAMMY Awards rules

  • Voting in the GRAMMY Awards process (if you're a voting member; key dates here)

  • Getting involved in the Academy's DEI efforts

  • Running for a Recording Academy board and/or participating on advisory committees

  • Joining local chapters and voting in chapter elections

  • Participating in members-only programs

  • Supporting the Producers & Engineers (P&E) and Songwriters & Composers (S&C) wings

Additionally, you can become eligible to purchase GRAMMYs tickets and join the Latin Recording Academy as a dual member.

The Recording Academy is thrilled to have you as a member — whether you've already joined, or plan to join in the future! Watch this space for further news about Recording Academy membership and all other goings-on with the world's leading society of music people.

The Online Entry Process For The 2024 GRAMMYs Explained: How To Submit, Upcoming Deadlines & Webinars, GRAMMY Nominations & Voting Process, And More

Latin GRAMMY In The Schools & El Fantasma Team Up To Support Music Education In San Antonio
El Fantasma (C) poses with students at the Latin GRAMMY In The Schools educational program

Photo: Rick Kern/Getty Images for The Latin Recording Academy

interview

Latin GRAMMY In The Schools & El Fantasma Team Up To Support Music Education In San Antonio

The latest partnership with Latin GRAMMY Cultural Foundation and Ford Motor Company Fund featured Regional Mexican star El Fantasma, who helped bring a massive donation to Sidney Lanier High School in San Antonio, Texas in May.

Recording Academy/Jun 5, 2023 - 09:47 pm

El Fantasma is the newest partner of the Latin GRAMMY In The Schools educational program. The Mexican superstar recently joined forces with the Latin GRAMMY Cultural Foundation, the Latin Recording Academy’s charitable organization amplifying the contributions of Latin music and its creators through educational initiatives, and Ford Motor Company Fund, the philanthropic arm of Ford Motor Company, to invest $40,000 in an educational experience for Sidney Lanier High School in San Antonio, Texas.

Last month, El Fantasma visited the school to perform for students and chat with them about his experience in the Latin music industry and his journey to becoming one of the most-streamed Regional Mexican artists in the world. The school also received a donation of musical instruments, courtesy of Ford Motor Company. This most recent investment in music education marks the 27th time that Ford Motor Company Fund has supported a Latin GRAMMY In The Schools educational program.

Growing up in Mexico, El Fantasma didn't have the opportunity at a music education. Through his involvement with the Latin GRAMMY In The Schools educational program, which informs and connects music students with professionals in the Latin music industry and supports educational music departments that have financial limitations, he hopes to inspire the next generation to pursue their musical dreams.

In an interview with the Recording Academy, El Fantasma discussed his participation in the Latin GRAMMY In The Schools educational program, the importance of music education, and his future plans.

Learn more about the Latin GRAMMY Cultural Foundation’s mission and how to donate to and support this groundbreaking organization.

Why did you want to participate with the Latin GRAMMY In The Schools educational program?

For me, it is very important to support the new generations, and this program is promoting and encouraging the education and training for these future musicians.

Why is a program like this one important for music education in schools?

It is important because this program helps our community and provides an opportunity for all those young people who want to venture into music.

What does music education mean to you? Did you have a teacher or mentor that showed you about music when you were growing up?

Music education in schools is very important because it reinforces the art for students from an early age. Since I was a child, I liked music, but I never had the opportunity to have a musical education at school. I only did music informally with friends and family. My family was my mentor. Music has been entwined in my family for generations. We carry it in our blood, as they say in Mexico.

When I was little, the only entertainment came from family members who had taught themselves to play various old instruments. The sounds were rough, but it came from the need to live together and forge moments of unity and family entertainment.

You worked as a landscaper in the U.S. before becoming one of Regional Mexican music's biggest stars. What do you think now looking back on that journey and how far you have come?

It was a journey of many challenges and a lot of work, but it was all worth it. It is important to fight for your dreams until you achieve them. It is nice to be at this point in my career and look back on the path I took to get here.

How do you feel to see Regional Mexican music becoming one of the biggest genres in the world now?

As an exponent of this genre, I feel proud that all this is happening with our Mexican music worldwide. I believe that each and every one of us contributed our grain of sand so that this explosion could finally happen.

You're going to tour the U.S. with La Séptima Vuelta Tour and you recently released your Xperimental EP. What do you want to accomplish next with your career?

I want my name to be part of the history of Mexican music, and I want the genre to continue conquering new frontiers.

Meet The Gen Z Women Claiming Space In The Regional Mexican Music Movement

Latin Recording Academy CEO Manuel Abud On The Global Expansion Of The Latin GRAMMYs: "It Is Our Responsibility To Support Our Artists In Their Quest To Go Global"
Latin Recording Academy CEO Manuel Abud leading a press conference announcing the 2023 Latin GRAMMYs

Photo: Carlos Alvarez / Getty Images for The Latin Recording Academy

interview

Latin Recording Academy CEO Manuel Abud On The Global Expansion Of The Latin GRAMMYs: "It Is Our Responsibility To Support Our Artists In Their Quest To Go Global"

Broadcasting from Spain, the 2023 Latin GRAMMYs mark the award show's first-ever international telecast. Latin Recording Academy CEO Manuel Abud explains how it all came together and outlines its impact on the global Latin music industry.

Recording Academy/May 4, 2023 - 05:12 pm

Since its foundation in 1997, the Latin Recording Academy has single-handedly stood as the global authority in Latin music. Now, its mission to celebrate, honor and elevate Latin music and its creators on a worldwide scale is about to reach new international heights. 

This fall, the Latin Recording Academy will host the 2023 Latin GRAMMYs, officially known as the 24th Latin GRAMMY Awards, in Sevilla, Spain; this marks the first-ever international Latin GRAMMYs telecast in the history of the awards and organization. Airing on Thursday, Nov. 16, from the Conference and Exhibition Centre (FIBES), the 2023 Latin GRAMMYs telecast will be produced by TelevisaUnivision in collaboration with Radio Televisión Española (RTVE). Nominations for the 2023 Latin GRAMMYs will be announced Tuesday, Sept. 19.

For the Latin Recording Academy, this international expansion is the next step in the organization's growing global vision, which has evolved across its membership and awards process throughout the years. In March, the Latin Recording Academy announced the addition of several new fields and categories to the Latin GRAMMY Awards process to be introduced at the upcoming 2023 Latin GRAMMY Awards; this includes the addition of the Best Portuguese-Language Urban Performance category, a move that will bolster and celebrate the groundbreaking music being created in countries like Brazil and Portugal.

"International growth is consistent with our mission. The Latin Academy, our membership, and the music we honor have always been global," Latin Recording Academy CEO Manuel Abud said in an exclusive interview by phone from Sevilla, Spain. "We have members from more than 40 countries, and we've always celebrated music in the Spanish language and the Portuguese language. Now, the only thing that is changing is that we're taking the celebration to another place, which will ultimately expand our global reach even further."

The news of the international expansion of the Latin GRAMMYs comes during an era when Latin music continues to dominate the music industry worldwide. Major artists like Bad Bunny and Karol G are making GRAMMY history and topping charts with Spanish-language music, while Latin music revenue exceeded $1 billion for the first time ever in 2022.

"We are at a time in which Latin music is really living a great moment," Abud said. "It's a global phenomenon, and as such, it is our responsibility as an Academy to really support our artists and our creators in their quest to go global. That's why we're going international, and that's why we're doing it now."

In an exclusive interview, Latin Recording Academy CEO Manuel Abud discussed the international growth of the Latin GRAMMYs, the future of the awards show, and the organization's "essential role" in the ongoing evolution of the global Latin music industry.

This interview has been edited for clarity. 

2023 marks the first year that the Latin GRAMMYs will broadcast from an international location. Why is now the perfect time for this change?

There's never a perfect time. We've been trying to go international for quite a few years now. We've explored different avenues in the past with different cities, so this is not the first time we've tried to host an international show.

In this case, the planets aligned. We got this proposal from the Junta de Andalucía, which offered a great city that had all the right infrastructure and support that was available to us.

Also, we are at a time in which Latin music is really living a great moment. It's a global phenomenon, and as such, it is our responsibility as an Academy to really support our artists and our creators in their quest to go global. That's why we're going international, and that's why we're doing it now.

How did you decide on Spain as the host country for this momentous event?

To be able to do something as big as the Latin GRAMMY Awards and Latin GRAMMY Week outside of the U.S., you really need a few factors to come together. First, our broadcast partners: TelevisaUnivision and Radio Televisión Española. They're a very important part of our ecosystem, and as such, they needed to be fully on board. We also need the right city with the right infrastructure and the availability of the different venues. We had all of this available in Sevilla, Spain. Our partners at TelevisaUnivision were also looking forward to bringing new elements to the show. So we took this great opportunity.

How do you plan to integrate local music and the sounds of Spain into the upcoming 24th Annual Latin GRAMMY Awards and the coinciding Latin GRAMMY Week?

The host city of Sevilla needs to be a major character in this story that we're going to be telling. I truly believe that now that we're moving outside of Las Vegas, where we've hosted the Latin GRAMMYs for several years, we shouldn't just move from one box to another. We should have our Latin GRAMMY Awards and Latin GRAMMY Week fully reflect the energy and the spirit and the culture of Sevilla.

Now, the show will have the same essential elements as always: At the end of the day, you have to be nominated to be on the show, and we have to give awards. So that remains the same. Still, I truly believe that Sevilla is so rich in heritage, in culture, in the energy of its people, the change in the host city presents a great opportunity to refresh the show and to showcase a culture that has been so welcoming to us.

The Latin Recording Academy, the organization behind the annual Latin GRAMMY Awards, is the global authority on Latin music. Now that you are going global with the show, how do you see this international growth and expansion further elevating this mission?

International growth is consistent with our mission. The Latin Academy, our membership, and the music we honor have always been global. We have members from more than 40 countries, and we've always celebrated music in the Spanish language and the Portuguese language. Now, the only thing that is changing is that we're taking the celebration to another place, which will ultimately expand our global reach even further.

This also aligns with our sister organization, the Recording Academy, and Harvey Mason jr.'s [Recording Academy CEO] vision of taking the Academy and the GRAMMY brand global.

What benefits do you think the move of the Latin GRAMMYs will bring to Sevilla and Spain?

We hope that this is going to bring great benefits to the local city — financially and culturally. The money and tourism that will result from this show will greatly support the local economy as well as the local music community.

There will also be a grand opportunity for impactful cultural exchange between many countries and artist communities. The show will bring our artists to the city of Sevilla to celebrate their music together. We're giving the city of Sevilla, and Spain to a larger degree, the opportunity to explore new music and to meet new artists that they probably wouldn't have met in a traditional way.

It's a cultural movement combined with business opportunities. That's precisely why we're doing this.

You're absolutely right. The opportunities for cultural exchange between artists and between nations will be priceless.

For us, it's the same thing. We're taking our artists and their music to other latitudes. We're making Sevilla the epicenter of Latin music during Latin GRAMMY Week, and also the gateway to Europe for Latin artists and Latin music.

Latin music continues to grow globally on a consistent basis. How do you see the Latin music industry growing over the next few years? And what role do the Latin Recording Academy and Latin GRAMMYs play in this evolution?

I see our organization as a catalyst for and a supporter of the Latin music industry. I'm very optimistic about the future of Latin music. And as such, the Latin Academy is committed to supporting that growth and playing an essential role in that evolution.

I'm sure you're hyper-focused on the first international show in Spain. But do you have any thoughts on other countries or locations where you would like to see the Latin GRAMMYs go next?

Let me take that question apart. First, we know the Latin GRAMMYs show in 2024, which will mark our 25th anniversary, is going back to the U.S. We're in final negotiations with three potential cities. I'm not going to tell you which ones they are, but I can tell you that all three cities have hosted the Latin GRAMMYs in the past.

Fair enough.

We're not going to go anywhere too new — we had a lot of innovation this year already. [Laughs.] So for our 25th anniversary next year, we want to bring the show back home. And then in 2025, we might go back to an international location; that still has not been determined.

Sounds like a lot of work to produce multiple Latin GRAMMY Award shows at once.

It is! Now, this is still not set in stone, but we want to be able to alternate. In an ideal world, we'd alternate between U.S. cities and international locations with no specific regularity. We want to stay flexible and be able to take the show around the world in alternate years. We truly believe that this is the future of the Latin Academy and Latin music as a whole. This is how we, as the Latin Academy, continue to support, celebrate, honor, and elevate Latin music and its creators on a global scale.

I know we are six months away from the show, but can you give us any teasers, previews or sneak peeks at what we can expect at the 24th Annual Latin GRAMMY Awards this November?

Yes I can! The host city of Sevilla will be a big part of the story that we're going to be telling. A lot of big announcements are coming, too, including the nominees for the upcoming Latin GRAMMYs. Soon, we'll also announce this year's Person of the Year honoree, which will give you a small taste of the show. And then when we start announcing our Special Awards honorees, you're going to start having a better idea about the show.

It's way, way too early to even think about who's going to get nominated. But I can tell you that there's going to be great music, fantastic energy, and as always, amazing talent.

Awesome. I'm excited.

I'm excited too!

2023 Latin GRAMMYs Explained: 4 Reasons To Be Excited About The New Categories & Changes