Click here for images
Credit: Timothy Norris/Getty Images for The Latin Recording Academy
MIAMI (OCTOBER 2, 2025) — The Latin Recording Academy® announced that Leticia Maldonado has been selected as the official artist of the 26th Annual Latin GRAMMY Awards®.
Maldonado is a Mexican American multimedia sculptor who drew inspiration from the iconic neon signs of Las Vegas to create a three-dimensional luminous glass gramophone surrounded by colorful flowers.
“My personal connection to Latin music is through my grandmother who was a Mariachi singer in her youth,” said Maldonado. “I chose roses to flank the gramophone because to me they are a symbol of love and compassion, and they honor truth and beauty in art, which I believe is the spirit of the Latin GRAMMYs®.”
Having spent her formative years in the desert outskirts of Las Vegas, Maldonado found a passion for nature at an early age. Art has always served the purpose of connection in her life, both to herself through process and to strangers through the exhibitions that she has been a part of, including the She Bends collective, a traveling exhibition of all female identifying benders working in neon, and Construyendo Puentes, a show of Chicano artists from Los Angeles which travelled throughout México.
"As Latin music continues to grow and evolve, its essence remains an inspiration for creators of all backgrounds and mediums," said Manuel Abud, CEO of The Latin Recording Academy. "Leticia’s sculpture highlights the special connection between music and the visual arts, and celebrates the creativity of a new generation of artists."
Since 2001, The Latin Recording Academy has selected a visual artist to convey the importance of music in Latin culture, bridging the gap between these two art forms. Maldonado becomes the 26th visual artist to do so, joining a long-standing tradition shaped by internationally acclaimed artists.
The 26th Annual Latin GRAMMY Awards will air live from the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas on Thursday, Nov. 13. The three-hour telecast will be produced by TelevisaUnivision, the leading Spanish-language media company in the world, airing across TelevisaUnivision’s U.S. platforms, beginning at 8 p.m. ET/PT (7 p.m. Central), preceded by a one-hour pre-show starting at 7 p.m. ET/PT (6 p.m. Central).
Editor’s Note: The use of 26th Annual Latin GRAMMY Awards official artwork requires express written permission from The Latin Recording Academy. Please send requests to Communications.LatinAcademy@grammy.com.
For the latest news, visit the official Latin Recording Academy site at LatinGRAMMY.com. Follow us on Facebook (LatinGRAMMYs), X (@LatinGRAMMYs), Instagram (@LatinGRAMMYs), the Latin GRAMMYs WhatsApp Channel, and use #LatinGRAMMY on all popular social media platforms. The official Latin GRAMMY app is also available on iOS (Apple) and Android (Google Play).
###
ABOUT THE LATIN RECORDING ACADEMY:
The Latin Recording Academy® is a nonprofit dedicated to nurturing, celebrating, honoring and elevating Latin music and its creators. Established as the global authority on Latin music, the membership-based organization composed of music professionals, produces the annual Latin GRAMMY Awards®, The Biggest Night in Latin Music®, which honors excellence in the recording arts and sciences, in addition to providing educational and outreach programs for the music community through its Latin GRAMMY Cultural Foundation®. For more information, please visit LatinGRAMMY.com.
MEDIA CONTACT:
The Latin Recording Academy
Nathalie Alberto