The Latin Recording Academy has announced that celebrated Latin GRAMMY and GRAMMY-winning artist Carlos Vives will be honored as the 2024 Latin Recording Academy Person of the Year. This prestigious accolade recognizes Vives’s extraordinary three-decade career as a multifaceted singer and composer and his dedication to environmental and social causes.
Expressing his gratitude, Vives remarked, “I am honored and moved to have been chosen as the 2024 Latin Recording Academy Person of the Year. It is the reward for an authentic journey, for a wonderful team and, above all, it is the recognition of the musical spirits of our Latin American diversity. These spirits taught us to love and enrich our language, to take care of it and to respect it in order to exalt humanity with it.”
Carlos Vives, a luminary in Spanish-language music, has crafted a unique musical style over his 30-year career. As a pioneer of a new Latin American sound, he has revolutionized traditional Colombian vallenato by infusing it with pop and rock elements. This innovative approach has earned him 18 Latin GRAMMY wins and two GRAMMY wins, making him the first Colombian to achieve this distinction.
His influence is further underscored by over 10 billion streams on digital platforms and 20 million albums sold, featuring timeless hits such as “La Gota Fría,” “Pa‘ Mayte,” “La Tierra Del Olvido,” “Fruta Fresca,” and “Volví A Nacer.”
Carlos Vives’s commitment to Colombian and Latin American culture extends beyond his music
In 2015, Vives launched the Tras La Perla initiative, a global effort to promote the sustainable development of Santa Marta and its ecosystem. He also established the Escuela de Música Río Grande, which provides artistic opportunities to children and young people, and the record label Gaira Música Local, which nurtures new Colombian talent. His dedication to music education is evident through his robust support of the Latin GRAMMY Cultural Foundation, where he sponsored the annual Prodigy Scholarship in 2018.
The celebration of Carlos Vives’s recognition as the 2024 Latin Recording Academy Person of the Year will be a star-studded gala during the 25th anniversary of the Latin Grammys. The tribute concert, a highlight of the event, will feature a diverse lineup of notable artists and friends performing renditions of his renowned repertoire.
The Latin Recording Academy Person of the Year award honors musicians for their artistic achievements and humanitarian efforts in the Latin music industry. Past honorees include Laura Pausini (2023), Marco Antonio Solís (2022), Rubén Blades (2021), and Juanes (2019), among others, highlighting the profound impact of these artists on Latin music and culture.