The Latin GRAMMYs have always been about celebrating the diversity of Latin music. This year’s awards ceremony will recognize an even greater diversity of music with three new categories: Songwriter Of The Year, Best Singer-Songwriter Song, and Best Portuguese-Language Urban Performance.
The Best Singer-Songwriter Song must be a single or track from an album currently competing in the Best Singer-Songwriter Album category.
The five artists with songs in the running for Best Singer-Songwriter Song reflect a broad spectrum of songwriting talent from across the Spanish speaking world. The nominees are: Natalia Lafourcade ("De Todas Las Flores"), Valeria Castro ("La Raíz"), Santiago Cruz ("1.200 Kilómetros"), Silvana Estrada ("Si Me Matan"), and Juan Carlos Pérez Soto ("Tu Historia, La Mía y La Verdad").
The 24th Latin GRAMMY Awards will be held on Nov. 16 in Sevilla, Spain. Learn about the inaugural nominees for this new category, then don’t miss the broadcast on Univision at 8 p.m. ET/PT (7 p.m. CT).
"De Todas Las Flores" – Natalia Lafourcade
Nominated for both Album Of The Year and Singer-Songwriter Album Of The Year, Mexican singer/songwriter Natalia Lafourcade’s De Todas Las Flores was her first collection of original songs since 2015’s, Hasta la Raíz — a hit album that netted her multiple GRAMMY Awards.
Musically restrained and folklorically inspired, De Todas Las Flores has been hailed as a quietly triumphant return. The saudade filled title track is the brightest bloom in the flower crown. "De Todas Las Flores" seems to be blown back and forth by bossa nova and bolero breezes that cushion the song’s bittersweet sentiments.
"La Raíz" – Valeria Castro
Valeria Castro’s music is rooted in the folk songs of her native Canary Islands, but the 23 year-old Spanish singer approaches her craft with a Gen-Z independence that makes it hard to classify under a genre. The songs on her debut full-length Con Cariño y Con Cuidado feature electronic production subtly blended with acoustic instrumentation to create a moody backdrop for her soulful vocals.
Castro’s ability to translate hallowed Iberian musical traditions into the digital present invites comparisons to Rosalía, but the fairytale melody and deeply empathetic lyrics of "La Raíz" make it clear Castro has her own statements to make. Don’t underestimate her delicate vibrato. That’s the sound of a remarkable new talent arriving on the scene.
"200 Kilómetros" – Santiago Cruz
With his socially aware and always pensive songwriting, Colombian artist Santiago Cruz humbly carries forward the banner of Latin American songwriting once hoisted by Victor Jara and Silvio Rodríguez and netted several Latin GRAMMY nominations.
His nomination for the song "1.200 Kilómetros" from his latest album Nueve brings the total to five. Cruz describes his ninth full-length as "reflective, narrative and nostalgic." With its gentle acoustic percussion and finger-picked guitar "1.200 Kilómetros" sounds sweet and nostalgic as can be, but in reality the song is a thorough indictment of injustice and inequality in Colombian society.
"Si Me Matan" – Silvana Estrada
"Si Me Matan" from Silvana Estrada’s 2023 EP Abrazos is a quiet song, its theme conveyed entirely through her pure, lilting voice with minimal accompaniment from her finger plucked Venezuelan cuatro made by her father.
The hush is deceptive. It is, in fact, a fearless roar in defiance of femicide and violence against women. Her bold cry of protest has been taken up and heard echoing at 8M marches and other demonstrations for the rights of women.
The singer/songwriter from Vercruz, Mexico took home the Latin GRAMMY for Best New Artist in 2022 – an honor she shared with Angela Alvarez that year. That was the year Estrada released her debut album Marchita.
"Tu Historia, La Mía y La Verdad" – Juan Carlos Pérez Soto
Juan Carlos Pérez Soto earned this GRAMMY nomination for "Tu Historia, La Mía y La Verdad," a standout track from his album El Equilibrista.
The singer and songwriter from Venezuela was known in the 1980s as one half of the duo Fernando & Juan Carlos, with Fernando Osorio. Since, he’s been a producer and written for other musicians, including Luis Fonsi and Ricky Martin, but he neglected his own music for almost 30 years.
El Equilibrista is the result of his recent return to the studio as a solo musician to record the tender, reflective songs he wrote many years ago.