Hordes of fans wait anxiously along fenced barriers clutching their phones, itching to catch a shot of some of the world’s most famous musicians. Some scream in excitement as cars with blacked-out windows roll up outside the glitzy venues, eagerly anticipating the arrival of artists such as Shakira, Maluma, Camilo and Karol G in the run up to the ceremony on Thursday night (16 November). This is the Latin Grammys, the most prominent event recognising artists in the Latin music world – but this year, it’s far from its usual lavish Las Vegas home. Instead, the awards are taking place in the Spanish city of Seville, the first time outside the United States in its 24-year history.
The move is the result of a three-year sponsorship deal with Andalucía’s regional government, which has allocated €22,748,000 to the ceremony and its satellite concerts. The president of the regional government, Juan Manuel Moreno, has said that the Latin Grammys in Seville presents a “landmark moment for Spain, and for Europe”.
However, the Latin Grammys’ relocation has proven controversial given ongoing criticism surrounding the ceremony for its lack of representation. While the event celebrates music sung in Spanish and Portuguese, regardless of country, many Latin American artists feel excluded, despite continental superstars such as Bad Bunny and upstarts such as Peso Pluma and the regional Mexican music scene driving global pop innovation today. Some critics have also questioned whether Spanish artists should be classified as “Latin” in the context of Spain’s controversial colonial history.
“The Latin Grammys are from the US, they’re gringo,” said Francisco Solís Monroy, a Chilean pop culture critic from music podcast Clase Básica who accuses the event of promoting a limited conception of Latin music. “They associate Latinidad with one that is Caribbean, Mexican, or a condensed version of South America.” He said artists from countries such as Chile, Ecuador and Peru are given little visibility at the awards ceremony, pointing out the dominance of artists from Spain.
Barcelona-born artist Rosalía has recently swept the awards, claiming a total of 14 Latin Grammys for 2018’s El Mal Querer and 2022’s Motomami. Last year, she became the first female artist to win the coveted Latin Grammy album of the year twice.
“That Rosalía wins Latin Grammys, and no disrespect to her, just feels a bit disconnected,” said Solís Monroy, who believes that the move to Seville further demonstrates this. “The ceremony doesn’t have to always be in Latin America, but maybe the correct step would have been to come here before going to Europe.”
Music historian Katelina “La Gata” Eccleston is an American of Panamanian-Jamaican descent, whose work offers a decolonised perspective on reggaeton music. While she doesn’t “advocate” for the ceremony being in Spain, she says it “makes sense”, since “Spain is pouring a lot of money into the industry”. She says critics would be better off channelling their efforts toward “fully supporting artists they want to see succeed in these spaces”, to foster authentic representation at mainstream levels.
The Grammys have said that the move comes as part of an ambition “to support and elevate Latin music on a global scale”. The ceremony will be broadcast in more than 80 countries, attracting over five million viewers, predominantly based in the Americas. Produced by Mexican-American TelevisaUnivision and Spain’s Radio Televisión Española (RTVE), this year will be the ceremony’s first ever international telecast.
The Andalucían government, meanwhile, expect the partnership to generate over $530 million over the three years. The event is expected to boost Seville’s economy by €50m this year, as part of Spain’s ambition to encourage music tourism. The country already hosts over 900 music festivals, accounting for around 300,000 jobs before pandemic lockdowns.
Latin Recording Academy CEO Manuel Abud has defended the move, stating that it is the academy’s responsibility to actively support artists in their “quest to go global”: “That’s why we’re going international, and that’s why we’re doing it now,” he said in an interview.
In Seville, the Grammy buzz is palpable; from the crowds on the streets to the artists flocking into Spain’s fourth largest city. Puerto Rican musician Gale, who is nominated for best new artist and will perform at Thursday night’s ceremony, said this European debut “opens a door to attract audiences”, adding: “We’re closer to other places. It’s exciting.”
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Meanwhile, Colombian singer Sebastián Yatra, who is co-hosting this year’s event, remarked that Seville was “culturally rich” and “musically the perfect city” to host the ceremony.
“I really hope this is the beginning of the Latin Grammys being hosted in many different places,” said Yatra, a two-time Latin Grammy winner and 15-time nominee. “Latin music is going through an incredible moment.”
“I definitely think Latin American musical hubs like Colombia should have the chance to host the ceremony,” he said, reflecting on Colombia’s rich legacy at the Latin Grammys.
This year, his fellow Colombians Camilo, Shakira and Karol G lead nominations with seven each. Meanwhile Juanes, who is also Colombian, holds the most nominations in the award’s history (49).
Contemporary flamenco singer María José Llergo hails from the Andalucían town Pozoblanco and performs flamenco pulsated by electronic beats, lending to a lush contemporary soundscape steeped in heritage. She believes Seville deserves to wear the crown as the next hub of Latin music.
“Flamenco is the classical music of Andalucía, the sound of feet on cobblestones, a reflection of our story, our people,” she said, walking through the city’s narrow streets, shaded by orange trees. “Andalucía is so welcoming, and if Seville can host it, it is because it has a big heart.”
Llergo said she felt far from pursuing her dreams as a musician, which she thought was only available to people on the television, or from big cities, “I was in the countryside, everything felt far”.
On Tuesday night, she helmed a pivotal moment at the festival as she performs a warm-up event in the Setas (“Mushrooms”) of Seville, an expansive wooden landmark whose umbrella-like structure was inspired by the city’s iconic 16th-century vaulted cathedral. “I’ve learned to sing crying, I’ve learned to cry singing,” she sang in Spanish, clutching an arm to her chest as she passionately swooped to the floor.
She hoped the Latin Grammys would give young people in Andalucía, one of Spain’s poorest regions, the courage to pursue their dreams. “This is a great push for the young people here to know it’s not too far, and I think that’s beautiful.”