The Latin Grammys returned to Las Vegas on November 17 with no shortage of energy, excitement and first-time winners. Among artists bringing home their first awards were Los Fabulosos Cadillacs for Best Rock Album and Best Rock Song; Ian Ramil for Best Portuguese Language Rock Album; and Manual Medrano for Best New Artist and Best Singer-Songwriter Album.
But Thursday night’s 17th-annual awards show, which featured more than 20 performances from some of the biggest names in the Spanish and Portuguese-speaking music scene in front of more than 17,000 screaming fans at T-Mobile Arena, belonged to the stars. Here are our five best moments:
1. Marc Anthony performs live with Jennifer Lopez, then they kiss. By far the biggest surprise of the night, salsa legend Marc Anthony appeared onstage with his ex-wife for an emphatic cover of Pimpinela’s “Olvidame y Pega La Vuela” (Forget About Me and Turn Around).
“Forget my name, my face, my home and turn around,” Anthony sang in Spanish, wearing a dark tuxedo with a white shirt and sunglasses. “Forget my eyes, my hands, my lips,” responded Lopez, wearing a shiny silver dress. Anthony, who on Wednesday night was awarded the Latin Recording Academy’s 2016 Person of the Year award, and Lopez were married from 2004 to 2014 and have two children together.
Anthony’s performance was arguably the most anticipated of the night, even before the J. Lo surprise. A five-time Latin Grammy winner, he opened with a medley of “I Need to Know, “Tu Amor Me Hace Bien” and “Vivir Mi Vida” before Lopez walked down a makeshift staircase onto the stage for their final song. After wowing the crowd with their performance, Lopez symbolically handed Anthony a trophy for the Person of the Year award, and in response to the crowd, the two kissed onstage.
“It’s like a novella,” a Colombian journalist said from the press room.
2. “La Bicicleta” by Shakira, Carlos Vives and Andres Castro wins Song of the Year and Recording of the Year. The most anticipated award of this year’s Latin Grammys went to Colombia, as native singers Carlos Vives, Shakira and producer Andres Castro edged out Enrique Iglesias and Wisin’s hit “Duele el Corazón” and Jesse & Joy’s “Ecos de Amor” for Song of the Year—to the shouts and shrieks of both tickets holders and working press. The trio also took home a Latin Grammy for Recording of the Year for the same song.
How big of a deal were the awards to Vives? The actor-turned-singer was all smiles when thanking the crowd and his fans at the microphone. “This is for all of Colombia, and our humble culture of bicyclists,” he said.
Though Shakira skipped this year’s event, citing personal matters, Vives performed the song with the help of 10 T-shirt and gold-skirt-clad dancers later in the show.
3. Banda winners respond to the Trump presidency. An inevitable topic of conversation during the show, President-elect Donald Trump was on the mind of multiple journalists from Mexico. One writer, Mexico native Javier Tovar of Agence France Presse, wasted no time grilling members of Banda El Recodo de Don Cruz Lizárraga, who won their first-ever Latin Grammy award for Best Banda Album for Raíces.
“As fellow Mexicans, I have to ask you the question,” Tovar said in Spanish. “What are your feelings about a Trump presidency?” Band leader Alfonzo Lizárraga responded elegantly as he held the group’s award. “As Mexicans, we give our best effort with everything, including making positive change,” Lizárraga said in Spanish. “We think because God put Mr. Trump in this place, it’s for a reason, and we hope Mr. Trump can also make positive change.”
4. Jesse & Joy perform “Me Soltaste.” The Mexico City-based pop duo delivered a soothing performance of its yet-to-launch radio single “Me Soltaste” from most recent album Un Besito Mas, winner of the Latin Grammy for Best Contemporary Pop Vocal Album.
The brother and sister duo sang under a single spotlight in the center of the stage, extended into the middle of the T-Mobile Arena crowd. The performance was a highlight of the night for Jesse & Joy, who had won five Latin Grammys heading into Thursday’s awards. Nominated for a show-leading four Latin Grammys this year, they took home just one.
5. Aroldis Chapman praises Las Vegas native Kris Bryant. One of the best moments came outside T-Mobile, on the red carpet, hwere Chicago Cubs closer Aroldis Chapman reacted to teammate and Las Vegas native Kris Bryant winning the National League’s Most Valuable Player award.
“Kris has a one-of-a-kind work ethic,” Chapman said, beaming, when told that Bryant had won the award. “He’s a great teammate and he’s still young.”
Chapman was one of two Spanish-speaking Chicago Cubs in attendance at Thursday’s Latin Grammys. He joined second baseman Javier Báez onstage to present Gente De Zona with a Latin Grammy for the Best Tropical Fusion Album for Visualízate.
