Reggaeton star J Balvin had a big night at the 16th annual Latin GRAMMY Awards in 2015. Not only did he share the stage with Major Lazer, MØ and Farruko, but he also won his first Latin GRAMMY trophy.
Balvin's 2014 megahit, "Ay Vamos," won Best Urban Song. In this episode of GRAMMY Rewind, revisit the big moment when Balvin's name was called and he stepped up to the podium to express his gratitude for the recognition.
The singer was beaming as he made his way on stage to claim his award, surrounded by a posse of his collaborators. As he held his trophy, he stepped back from the mic and covered his mouth, listening to the roar from the crowd and allowing the moment to sink in.
"First, these blessings come from heaven, from the Lord, so thank you very much," he began, before turning his focus to one of his very first supporters. "This is something my mother and I have always dreamed of, and here it is, mom: This is yours. God bless you."
As he dedicated his Latin GRAMMY to his mother, Balvin also had a message for anyone pursuing a dream. "It also proves that you should never think you can't do it," he added. "Because the subconscious takes everything seriously. So you can do it, keep dreaming. Don't let anyone or anything stop you. Keep going."
Balvin wrapped up his speech with a note of gratitude to his collaborators, closing with a rallying cry for the genre he’s helped bring to the global mainstream: "Long live Reggaeton, because this is a new story of Reggaeton.”
Press play above to watch Balvin's full acceptance speech at the Latin GRAMMYs, and check back to GRAMMY.com every Friday for more new episodes of GRAMMY Rewind.
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