Daily Local News (West Chester, PA)
Reggaeton dominates Latin Grammy nods
J Balvin scores 13nominations, followed by Ozuna and Bad Bunny, who each have eight.
NEWYORK » At last year’s Latin Grammy Awards, popular reggaeton and Latin trap musicians such as J Balvin, Bad Bunny and Ozuna were dismissed in the show’s top categories. This year, they dominate. Balvin scored a whopping 13 nominations for the 2020 Latin Grammys, including two nominations for albumof the year and two for record of the year. The Latin Academy announced Tuesday that Bad Bunny andOzuna are behindBalvinwith nine and eight nominations, respectively.
Balvin has a chance to win his first album of the year prize — a category with 10 contenders — thanks to his fifth solo album “Colores” and “Oasis,” his collaborative project with Bad Bunny.
Other nominees include Bad Bunny’s sophomore release “YHLQMDLG” as well as albums from Ricky Martin, Carlos Vives, Jesse & Joy, Kany Garcia, Natalia Lafourcade, Camilo and Fito Paez.
For record of the year, which also has 10 nominees, contenders include popular hip- hop- flavored Latin songs that have dominated the Latin music charts
and earned hundreds of millions plays on streaming services, with some even reaching the billion- mark on YouTube, including Karol G and Nicki Minaj’s global hit “Tusa” and “China” by Anuel AA, Daddy Yankee, Karol G, Ozuna, Balvin and Marco Masis. Other nominees include Balvin’s “Rojo” and Bad Bunny’s “Vete.”
“Tusa” is the sole Latin trap nominee in the song of the year category, where 11 tracks are in contention.
It’s a departure for Karol G, who didn’t receive a single nomination last year and was part of the group of uber- successful Latin trap and reggaeton artistswhowere dissed in top categories like album, song and record of the year.
This year, the Colombian performer who was named best new artist in 2018 has four nominations, including two shared with Minaj. Karol G’s fiance, Puerto Rican rapper- singer Anuel AA, marked a major breakthrough this year as a first- time nominee.
He scored seven nominations, including a bid for best new artist.