Camila Cabello, Juanes and More Revisit Latin Grammy History Ahead of Show’s Miami Homecoming: ‘It Will Be a Great Family Reunion’

On its 25th anniversary, the Latin Grammy Awards — and a week’s worth of accompanying festivities — will return to the global capital of Latin music, Miami. The Nov. 14 ceremony will honor a new generation of global superstars — Texas-bred songwriter and producer Edgar Barrera is the leading nominee for the second consecutive year, followed by reggaeton icons Bad Bunny and Karol G — and a galaxy of other stars.

It’s safe to say that the return to Miami is generating nearly as much excitement about the show as the music. For starters, the tropical city is the home base of the Latin Recording Academy, the epicenter
for thousands of voting members who meet annually. And after shows in Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Houston, New York and Spain, it’s also the first time since 2003 that the Latin Grammys will be held in the city (not counting the post-pandemic virtual show in 2020).

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Miami is also home to Latin music royalty like Shakira, the first female artist to win album of the year in 2006, and Gloria and Emilio Estefan, who were among the first to campaign for a Spanish-language awards show that could be a sister event to the Grammy Awards. Mexican pop singer Thalía was around to hear the first murmurs of a Latin Grammys ceremony (incidentally, the Estefans introduced her to her husband and former CEO of Sony Music, Tommy Mottola).

“Tommy emphasized to the Recording Academy the importance of the Hispanic market, not only in the United States but globally, and how it would be a great opportunity to support Latin artists and their music,” Thalía tells Variety.

Juanes remembers attending the second Latin Grammys as a first-time nominee in 2001. That night, the singer took home the award for best new artist, along with best rock solo vocal album and best rock song. Since then, he has gone on to win 21 more trophies.

“I went to the awards after having completed the craziest promo tour in Central America — all of my clothes were dirty, and I just had a pair of squeaky shoes that had gotten soaked in the rain,” he recalls. “I just wanted to go back home to Colombia to see my girlfriend. But I was up for seven awards — and to my surprise, I won. It was an unforgettable night.”

As Spanish and Portuguese languages continue to expand to all corners of the world, the show has empowered many emerging voices. Luis Fonsi established his instant stardom after attending his first- ever Latin Grammy Awards in 2009.

Fonsi was the undisputed champion of the night, thanks to the success of his love song “Aquí Estoy Yo,” which took home record and song of the year. “That’s one night I’ll never forget,” Fonsi says. “To see my name, my song in those categories meant so much. ‘Aquí Estoy Yo’ took years to record and to plan because of my crazy idea to make it a quartet, but we did it … and it paid off.”

In his eighth year as an executive producer for the Latin Grammys, PopGarage founder and Latin Grammy and Emmy-winning producer Jose Tillan plans to put all this history on display.

“It doesn’t get easier,” Tillan tells Variety of creating the annual show, “especially if you approach each one with a blank canvas and strive to make unique moments each year. We are building a nice story, from the very first musical to the very last one. With the show being in Miami, it will be full of layered feelings. … It will be like a great family reunion.” He adds, teasing what to expect, “The opening segment will be a good example of this.”

Camila Cabello — a Miami native of Cuban and Mexican descent — still feels the pride of winning her first Latin Grammy in 2019 alongside Alejandro Sanz for their pop duet, “Mi Persona Favorita.” She was first nominated at the awards show in the urban category in 2018. Refusing to stick to one genre, Cabello’s most recent album is described by her as a love letter to Miami and sees her exploring new sonic territories, yet again.

“I love being bilingual. I have access to so much great music and art, it makes my well of inspiration even bigger,” she says. “It was an honor being given a Latin Grammy with Alejandro, who has been a soundtrack to my life for as long as I can remember.”

Venezuelan American singer-songwriter Elena Rose — nominated across several categories including song of the year for her own “Caracas en el 2000,” featuring Danny Ocean and Jerry Di — calls Miami “the home for the ones that are away from home.”

“We have such a beautiful, diverse and extensive mix of cultures that I believe Miami is the best example of mixing sounds, languages, perspectives,” she says. “I am so happy to have the Academy celebrate in Miami this year because most of us are based here or have beautiful, meaningful memories in this city that have made our journey fun and full of life.”

But it’s not just about a party. From its inception, the Latin Grammys have brought together communities through music, offering a platform for artists to tell larger stories of back home. Oftentimes, these messages cover serious topics, from socio-political injustice to everyday struggles of the working class. This is partly why the 25th anniversary show will be a special one for Rose, who represents her Venezuelan roots with pride, and regularly advocates for the country’s democratic rights.

“It’s an honor for me to see my name [in the nominations list] because I feel my culture and where I come from is being recognized,” Rose says. “Especially in a time like this, to have the world hug my country and our genuine messages of life there, it really is a gift.”

Tillan and his crew began constructing ideas for the 2024 ceremony essentially “the day after the last [show in 2023],” he says. “I started by thinking of ideas of how to tell the story of the Academy and Latin music… how massive it has become.”

According to Miami-Dade County Mayor Daniella Levine Cava, it is estimated that the show will bring in $50 million in local spending.

“We expect thousands of visitors to fill our hotels, dine in our restaurants, use our transportation services, explore our small businesses and enjoy our entertainment venues,” she says. “There is nowhere better to celebrate this incredible milestone than Miami-Dade, a place that lives and breathes Latin music, art and heritage, as our community is proudly 70% Hispanic.”

TelevisaUnivision will again broadcast the show on multiple platforms including traditional networks and streaming, with additional coverage or promotion coming from Hispanic creators on social media.

“We aim to reflect our audience’s culture and experiences authentically and organically,” says Ignacio Meyer, president of Univision Television Networks Group. “The way we capture the attention of Latino communities through television has really changed in recent years. But the Latin Grammys’ growing influence in mainstream music is a testament to its success and cultural impact.”