Stars, newcomers dominate Latin Grammy nominations

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Juan Luis Guerra

MIAMI—Longtime stars and international newcomers divided the honors when the nominations for the 8th Annual Latin Grammy Awards were announced Wednesday at Mansion night club in Miami Beach.

Veteran merengue singer and hitmaker Juan Luis Guerra led with five nominations, including Album of the Year and Song of the Year for his latest recording, “La Llave de Mi Corazon.” Following Guerra with four nominations each, including Album of the Year, were Puerto Rican pop star Ricky Martin, for “MTV Unplugged,” and provocative reggaeton-fusion duo Calle 13, for their sophmore release, “Residente o Visitante.”

Guerra, who released his first album 23 years ago, also will be honored as the Latin Grammy Person of the Year.

“It’s like a year of splendor for my career,” said the gangly, 6-foot-4 singer and composer. “To be nominated and to be selected as Person of the Year is an honor that I accept with much happiness.”

The awards will be broadcast live on the Univision Network at 8 p.m. on Nov. 8 from the Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas.

Veterans who were recognized were largely from the less commercial end of the musical spectrum, like elegant longtime Spanish pop singer Miguel Bose, who got three nominations for “Papito,” his album of duets with other artists, and Venezuelan singer-songwriter Franco de Vita, another triple nominee.

They were outnumbered by newcomers and artists from outside the U.S. Latin pop mainstream.

Cuban rap trio Orishas, who live in Europe, got three nominations, as did innovative Argentine singer-songwriter Kevin Johansen, for “Logo,” which has not been released in the U.S. Spanish rapper Mala Rodriguez shared the Best Urban Music Album category with mega-star Daddy Yankee. Artists from Spain, Mexico, and Argentina dominated the rock categories.

Colombian singer Fanny Lu, posing happily for a ring of flashing cameras, was exultant that “No Te Pido Flores,” a hit from her debut CD that blends vallenato and pop, was nominated for Best Tropical Song. “This is how you can be the best ambassador for your country,” said the former industrial engineer. “I feel very proud and happy.”

Cuban singer Issac Delgado, who defected from Cuba last fall, seemed stunned to hear that his stateside debut, “En Primera Plana,” was nominated for Best Salsa Album (and its debut single, “La Mujer Que Mas Te Duele,” nominated for Best Tropical Song).

“It’s a dream, I can’t believe it,” the sleepy-sounding Delgado said by phone. “You can make good music anywhere, but you need confidence to go forward—this gives me a lot of confidence.”

Gabriel Abaroa, president of the Latin Recording Academy, attributed the recognition for international newcomers to what he called a “dramatic” increase in academy members from outside the United States after last year’s awards in New York City.

“You see people who went from being in a niche category to being recognized in a global way,” Abaroa said.

Reggaeton singer Ivy Queen, the only female star in her male dominated genre, whose CD “Sentimiento” earned a nod for Best Urban Music Album, advised women longing to follow her to, “Work hard and don’t worry about what people say—worry about what’s in your heart.”

Some took the honor with a grain of salt.

“I’m the Susan Lucci of this category,” said Miami producer Sebastian Krys, nominated for the fourth time for Producer of the Year, and referring to the perpetual Emmy Award losing actress. “And I hope to maintain that track record.”

Many South Florida Cuban artists were recognized, including jazz trumpeter Arturo Sandoval, nominated for Best Latin Jazz Album for “Rumba Palace”; singer Albita, for Best Contemporary Tropical Album, for “Live at the Colony Theater”; pop-rocker Alejandra Alberti, for Best New Artist; and singer-songwriter Amaury Gutierrez, for Best Singer-Songwriter Album, “Pedazos de Mi.”

Recognition was especially sweet to exile musical hero Willy Chirino, whose “35th Anniversary Live” earned him his first Latin Grammy nomination, for Best Salsa Album.

“I’m grateful to God and life that I can keep doing what I love most,” Chirino said. `Someone asked me, `Do you have the fountain of youth?’ and I said, `Yeah, I play music all day.’”