MIAMI (OCT. 5, 2020) — The Latin Recording Academy^® has announced that Puerto Rican fine artist Sofia Maldonado has been selected as the official artist of the 21st Annual Latin GRAMMY Awards^®. Maldonado's work will be featured prominently on collateral materials before and during the 21st Annual Latin GRAMMY Awards, which will broadcast live on Univision on Nov. 19 from 8–11 p.m. ET/PT (7 p.m. Central).

"Maldonado's art is powerful and full of effervescent colors reminiscent of Puerto Rico, the island where she was born. Her art recognizes resilience amid moments of despair while also celebrating and empowering Latin communities," said Gabriel Abaroa Jr., President/CEO of The Latin Recording Academy. "Together, these components reflect the elements of Latin music that unite us all during joyful but also difficult moments."

In the artwork created especially for the 21st Annual Latin GRAMMY Awards, Maldonado portrays through vibrant colors the importance of enjoying life even during challenging times. Adjusting to an even more virtual world, the official artwork will be rendered mainly, digitally. Inclusive of the iconic gramophone symbolizing excellence in music, this year's artwork also includes an outline of a tropical tree — a yagrumo, which symbolizes rebirth. The yagrumo is native to Puerto Rico and after a hurricane is the first tree to reemerge. Additionally, in Puerto Rico, the yagrumo is used to create music instruments such as the tiple and Puerto Rican cuatro, a traditional string instrument smaller than a guitar but larger than a mandolin.

An acclaimed painter and muralist from Old San Juan, Puerto Rico, Maldonado graduated from the Pratt Institute of Brooklyn, New York and the San Juan School of Visual Arts. She has shown her work in individual and collective exhibits in galleries, museums and public spaces in all over the world, including top specific locations such as Whitney Biennial, the Museum of Latin American Art, as well as Scope and Art Miami. Maldonado's characteristic style is recognizable for its Caribbean palette and roots in muralism (or muralist art). She deconstructs organic forms in order to explore color fields in her work.

"It is an honor to be the first Puerto Rican artist to collaborate with such an iconic organization and award show, especially during a time when we need to empower and bring joy to our communities. My art has always been in conversation with my context and during the past few months, living in the pandemic and seeing the resilience of our Latino community, inspired the creation of this piece and will continue to inspire my work in the future," said Maldonado.

Use of 21st Annual Latin GRAMMY Awards artwork requires express written permission from The Latin Recording Academy. Send requests to Communications.LatinAcademy@grammy.com.

For more information and latest news, visit the official Latin Recording Academy site at www.LatinGRAMMY.com  Follow us on Facebook (LatinGRAMMYs), Twitter (@LatinGRAMMYs) or Instagram (@LatinGRAMMYs), and use #LatinGRAMMY on popular social media platforms.

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ABOUT THE LATIN RECORDING ACADEMY:

The Latin Recording Academy is an international 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.

ABOUT SOFIA MALDONADO:

Sofía Maldonado-Suárez is a Puerto Rican artist of Cuban descent. She has dedicated her career to transforming derelict spaces, constructing a poetic experience of colorful abstractions, within uninhabited buildings. Maldonado's urban walkabouts inspired a desire to use color to impact the environment and engage the community through workshops and versatile community engagement initiatives. The artist also has a dynamic studio practice as a painter and digital illustrator. Collaborations with musicians and underground subcultures are an integral part of her artistic practice and aesthetic. She represents feminine energy in her expressive outlines and sensually themed drawings that challenge cultural myths and social constructs. Throughout her career, Maldonado’s illustrations of femininity have been defiant and present the pleasure associated with the female experience in detail. Maldonado has earned a BFA from the Escuela de Artes Plásticas y Diseño de Puerto Rico and an MFA from Pratt Institute, in Brooklyn, New York.

MEDIA CONTACTS:

The Lippin Group on behalf of The Latin Recording Academy

Elina Adut

eadut@lippingroup.com

323.965.1990

The Latin Recording Academy

Justin Tejada

justin.tejada@grammy.com

305.576.0036

Lalaboy PR on behalf of Sofia Maldonado

María & Suset Laboy

mlaboy@lalaboypr.com, slaboy@lalaboypr.com

The podcast series debuts with six episodes featuring 12 renowned artists, and is available on the listening platform of your choice

For images click here

Photos Courtesy of The Latin Recording Academy

MIAMI (MAY 13, 2025) – The Latin Recording Academy® announced the debut of their new podcast, Grammofonías. The series debuted with six episodes featuring conversations between 12 renowned artists that explore themes from artistic creativity, friendship and gender to mentorship and musical inspiration, among others.

The featured artists are part of a diverse group that is representative of The Latin Academy’s membership body and reflect its growth and evolution over the last 25 years. Each of the six duets pair artists with long-standing music careers and younger musicians who have a mutual admiration for one another showcasing intimate and unique Latin GRAMMY® moments.

“We are excited to launch a new platform to connect music lovers with the creators who are shaping today’s sound and pushing the boundaries of Latin music,” said Manuel Abud, CEO of The Latin Recording Academy. “This series honors our musical legacy and allows us to share more widely the unique moments that unfold on the Latin GRAMMY stages.”

Grammofonías features in-depth and compelling conversations between the following artists:

• Latin GRAMMY® winner and 2003 Latin Recording Academy Person of the Year™ Gilberto Gil, and Latin GRAMMY nominee João Gomes.

• Multi-Latin GRAMMY and GRAMMY® nominee, Jorge Drexler, and Latin GRAMMY winner, C. Tangana.

• Multi-Latin GRAMMY winner and 2019 Latin Recording Academy Person of the Year, Juanes, and Latin GRAMMY nominee GALE.

• Multi-Latin GRAMMY winner and 2024 Latin Recording Academy Person of the Year, Carlos Vives, and Latin GRAMMY winner and 2020 Leading Ladies of Entertainment honoree, Goyo.

• Latin GRAMMY winner and 2018 Latin Recording Academy Lifetime Achievement Award recipient, Chucho Valdés, and Latin GRAMMY nominee Cimafunk.

• Latin GRAMMY winner and 2023 Leading Ladies honoree, Mon Laferte, and Latin GRAMMY nominee Bruses.

The project was executive produced by Laura Dergal, Head of Marketing & Content Development at The Latin Academy, in partnership with the production company Shake It Easy Media.

Grammofonías are now available to listen, click here, or visit the audio platform of your choice.

For the latest news, visit the official Latin Recording Academy site at LatinGRAMMY.com. Follow us on Facebook (LatinGRAMMYs), X (@LatinGRAMMYs), Instagram (@LatinGRAMMYs), and 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).

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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

Nathalie.Alberto@grammy.com

The Latin GRAMMYs® will air live from the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas on Univision; additional Latin GRAMMY® Week events will be held around the city

Nominations will be announced on Wednesday, Sept. 17, and streamed across The Latin Academy’s social channels

MIAMI, FL (APRIL 22, 2025) – The Latin Recording Academy® announced today that the 26th Annual Latin GRAMMY Awards® will be held on Thursday, Nov. 13, 2025, at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas. This marks the 15th time that the ceremony will be held in the city, bringing together music creators from all over the world for an unforgettable Latin GRAMMY® Week that will set the stage for The Biggest Night in Latin Music®.

“We are proud to once again bring the passion and creativity of Latin music to Las Vegas,” said Manuel Abud, CEO of The Latin Recording Academy. “The city has welcomed the Latin GRAMMYs® over the years, and we look forward to another great Latin GRAMMY Week celebrating Latin music and its creators.”

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).

“As the home of Latin music, we are excited to deliver unparalleled coverage of the 26th Annual Latin GRAMMY Awards to our audience,” said Ignacio Meyer, President of Univision Networks Group at TelevisaUnivision. “This iconic night will showcase the extraordinary talent in Latin music, while shining a spotlight on the visionary artists, creators, and stories that are shaping culture in the U.S. and around the globe.”

In addition, Latin GRAMMY Week events will take place throughout the city, including the Special Awards Ceremony, Leading Ladies of Entertainment, Latin GRAMMY In The Schools, Nominee Reception, Best New Artist Showcase, Person of the Year Gala and Premiere Ceremony, preceding the telecast. More details on the week of events will be announced in the coming months.

Additional key dates for this year’s Awards Process in preparation for The Biggest Night in Latin Music include:

• July 28 - Aug. 8, 2025: First Round of Voting

• Sept. 17, 2025: Nominations Announcement

• Oct. 1 - Oct. 13, 2025: Final Round of Voting

For more information regarding the current awards calendar visit: https://www.latingrammy.com/en/awards/calendar.

For the latest news, visit the official Latin Recording Academy site at LatinGRAMMY.com. Follow us on Facebook (LatinGRAMMYs), X (@LatinGRAMMYs) or Instagram (@LatinGRAMMYs), and join the conversation using our official hashtag #LatinGRAMMY on all popular social media platforms.

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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.

ABOUT TELEVISAUNIVISION:

TelevisaUnivision is the world’s leading Spanish-language media company. Powered by the largest library of owned Spanish-language content and a prolific production capability, TelevisaUnivision is the top producer of original content in Spanish across news, sports and entertainment verticals. This original content powers all of TelevisaUnivision’s platforms, which include market-leading broadcast networks Univision, Las Estrellas, Canal 5 and UniMás, and a portfolio of 38 cable networks, which include TUDN, Galavisión, Distrito Comedia and TL Novelas. The company also operates the leading Mexican movie studio, Videocine, and owns and operates the largest Spanish-language audio platform in the U.S. across 35 terrestrial stations and the Uforia digital platform. TelevisaUnivision is also the owner of ViX, the largest Spanish-language streaming platform in the world. For more information, please visit televisaunivision.com.

ABOUT MGM GRAND GARDEN ARENA:

The MGM Grand Garden Arena is home to concerts, championship boxing and premier sporting and special events. The Arena offers comfortable seating for as many as 16,800 with excellent sightlines and state-of-the-art acoustics, lighting and sound. Prominent events to date have included world championship fights between Evander Holyfield and Mike Tyson as well as Floyd Mayweather vs. Canelo Alvarez as well as Floyd Mayweather vs. Manny Pacquiao; and concerts by The Rolling Stones, Madonna, Elton John, Bruce Springsteen, Paul McCartney, Bette Midler, George Strait, Justin Timberlake, Beyonce, U2, Lady Gaga, Bruno Mars, Coldplay, Alicia Keys, Jimmy Buffett and the Barbra Streisand Millennium Concert. The MGM Grand Garden Arena also has been home to annual events including the Academy of Country Music Awards, the Billboard Music Awards, the Latin GRAMMY Awards, iHeartRadio Music Festival, Pac-12 Men’s Basketball Championship and Frozen Fury NHL pre-season games hosted by the Los Angeles Kings.

MEDIA CONTACTS:

The Latin Recording Academy

Iveliesse Malavé

ive@grammy.com

TelevisaUnivision

Laura Páez

Lpaez@televisaunivision.com

MGM Grand

Scott Ghertner / Allyson Wadman

sghertner@mgmresorts.com / awadman@mgmresorts.com

Rocío Guerrero, Rosa Lagarrigue, Luana Pagani, Ivy Queen, Vivir Quintana, Diana Rodríguez, Janina Rosado, Maria Elena Salinas, Ana Rosa Santiago and Julieta Venegas, will be the mentors of this year’s Leading Ladies of Entertainment Connect TogetHER

MIAMI (APRIL 8, 2025) — The Latin GRAMMY Cultural Foundation® announced the fourth Leading Ladies of Entertainment Connect TogetHER mentorship program, in partnership with She Is The Music, a global nonprofit that works to increase the number of women in music.

The mentors of this year’s collaborative program, which will provide one-on-one virtual mentoring sessions with young women looking to follow a career in the music and entertainment industries include:

• Rocío Guerrero, Head of Music, Latin/Iberia, Amazon Music

• Rosa Lagarrigue, CEO of artist management company RLM

• Luana Pagani, Partner & President at Fairwinds Entertainment

• Ivy Queen, singer/songwriter Latin GRAMMY® nominee

• Vivir Quintana, singer/songwriter and social activist for women’s rights in Mexico

• Diana Rodríguez, CEO and founder of Criteria Entertainment, a music management and marketing firm, and Mercado Negro, a boutique management agency and label

• Janina Rosado, Latin GRAMMY winning pianist, arranger and director

• Maria Elena Salinas, award winning journalist

• Ana Rosa Santiago, Senior Vice President of Latin Music & LatAm for Universal Music Publishing Group

• Julieta Venegas, singer/songwriter Latin GRAMMY and GRAMMY® winner

Paying-it-forward and forging opportunities for future generations is a core pillar of the program and the Leading Ladies of Entertainment Connect TogetHER Panel will expand access to these Leading Ladies expertise. The panel moderated by mentees, Anabella Paolucci and Maria Esperanza features’ conversations with Rocío Guerrero, Luana Pagani, Maria Elena Salinas and Ana Rosa Santiago. To tune in visit: m.youtube.com/watch?v=YiNWxvlR4LE.

“We are proud to support the next generation of women in the Latin music industry with the Leading Ladies who generously share their time and expertise, and She is the Music”, said Raquel “Rocky” Egusquiza, Executive Director, Latin GRAMMY Cultural Foundation. “Together, the impact of community is made visible as we work towards closing the gender gap within the Latin music industry.”

The Leading Ladies of Entertainment initiative was created by The Latin Recording Academy in 2016 to honor and recognize professional and socially conscious women within the arts and entertainment fields who have made significant contributions and inspired the next generation of female leaders.

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ABOUT THE LATIN GRAMMY CULTURAL FOUNDATION:

The Latin GRAMMY Cultural Foundation® is a 501(c)(3) charitable organization established by The Latin Recording Academy® with the vision of becoming a global champion of music education and empowering communities through Latin music and culture. In 2024, the Foundation celebrated its 10-year anniversary, and during the last decade it has fostered the next generation of Latin music creators through scholarships, education programs and grants that advance Latin music and celebrate its rich cultural heritage. To date, the Foundation has donated more than $12 million with the support of The Latin Recording Academy’s members, artists, corporate sponsors and other generous donors. For additional information or to donate, please visit latingrammyculturalfoundation.org or our Facebook page. And follow us @latingrammyfdn on X and Instagram, and at Latin GRAMMY Cultural Foundation on Facebook and LinkedIn.

ABOUT SHE IS THE MUSIC:

She Is The Music (SITM) is a global nonprofit with the mission to increase the number of women working in music – songwriters, artists, producers, engineers, and executives. Their programs include the largest global database of women in music, mentorship and education programs and all-women songwriting camps hosted around the world. Operating as a unifying network for the music business and beyond, SITM provides resources and support for female-focused initiatives, both through its own programs as well as external efforts worldwide. A first-of-its-kind collaboration, SITM is powered by industrywide representation: creators, publishers, record labels, talent agencies, management companies, industry groups, think tanks, media companies, streaming services and more. Entertainment Industry Foundation serves as a partner. For more information, visit sheisthemusic.org.

MEDIA CONTACT:

The Latin Recording Academy

Nathalie Alberto

Nathalie.Alberto@grammy.com

A new Field and two Categories added, and changes to requirements for existing categories also made

MIAMI (MARCH 19, 2025) — As part of The Latin Recording Academy®’s commitment to evolve with the ever-changing musical landscape, and to best serve its membership body of music creators and professionals, we are pleased to announce that several changes, including a new field and two categories, have been added to the 26th Annual Latin GRAMMY Awards® Process.

NEW FIELD & CATEGORY

FIELD: VISUAL MEDIA

CATEGORY: BEST MUSIC FOR VISUAL MEDIA

The category of Music for Visual Media recognizes original music created to accompany and enrich the storyline of movies, television series, video games and other visual media.

This includes music that, through its creativity and originality, significantly enriches the narrative and atmosphere of movies, series, documentaries, video games, and other visual media, elevating the viewer's experience. For a project to participate in this category, it must: A) feature Latin rhythms recognized as genres participating in the annual Latin GRAMMY awards; or B) be composed by someone of Ibero-American descent. A fundamental condition is that the music be original and created specifically for the visual media project. To qualify, the total duration of the production must be at least 15 minutes of the original music and not different versions of it, and it can include songs with lyrics and vocals in Spanish, Portuguese, and/or regional dialects, or it can be instrumental. The statuette is presented to: Composer(s) and Artist(s) with significant contributions, Producer(s), Arranger(s), Recording Engineer(s) and Mixing Engineer(s) for 51% or more of the total recording time of the album.

NEW CATEGORY

BEST ROOTS SONG – SINGLES OR TRACKS ONLY (TRADITIONAL FIELD)

This award is given to the songwriters of new, unpublished recordings, both vocal and instrumental, that reflect the traditions and roots of various communities, cultures, or social groups, especially those of Hispanic American origin, whether in Spanish, Portuguese or in indigenous languages or dialects. Eligible genres include tango, folk, flamenco, and other traditional subgenres, excluding tropical music and its derivatives, and must be in Spanish, Portuguese or in indigenous languages or dialects. If another language is included, the recording must contain at least 60% of its lyrics in Spanish, Portuguese or in an indigenous language, be completely original, and have been released during the current eligibility period. The recording can be part of an album (tracks) or presented as a single. Covers, remixes, and recordings that use interpolation or samples from other previously released recordings will not be considered. The award is given to the songwriter(s), and Special Certificates (Publisher’s Certificates) are awarded to the music publishers.

ADDITIONAL CATEGORY AMENDMENTS

1. CATEGORY NAME CHANGES:

• Best Pop Vocal Album category will now be named Best Contemporary Pop Album (Pop Field).

• Best Urban Fusion/Performance category will now be named Best Urban/Urban Fusion Performance (Urban Field).

• Best Latin Children’s Album category will now be named Best Children’s Album (Children’s Field).

2. AMENDMENT TO CATEGORY NAMES WITHIN THE POP FIELD:

The Pop Field is eliminating the word “Vocal” from the categories within its field, therefore, the album categories names will be as follows:

• Best Contemporary Pop Album

• Best Traditional Pop Album

3. AMENDMENT TO ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA:

Eligibility criteria was updated in the Best Urban/Urban Fusion Performance category (Urban Field):

• Remixes are eligible only if the original version of the song was released within the same eligibility year.

• The required percentage of urban elements is increasing from 51% to 60% to qualify in this category.

4. NEW SONGWRITER OF THE YEAR ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA:

The Songwriter of the Year category reduced the minimum song threshold from six (6) songs to four (4). Songwriters with a minimum of four (4) newly written songs will be credited as a songwriter or co-writer, provided they are not also the performer, producer or engineer.

5. NEW VIDEO ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA:

Best Long Form Music Video Category (Music Video Field)

Eligible videos in the Best Long Form Music Video category must have a minimum duration of 12 minutes. Additional eligibility criteria: the duration of the credits will not be counted as part of the video's length unless they contribute to the creative process.

6. AMENDMENT TO THE SCREENING AND VOTING PROCESS FOR THE PRODUCER OF THE YEAR CATEGORY:

The Producer of the Year category (Production Field), recognized as a craft category, will now be screened and voted on by a specialized committee in addition to the membership screening and voting process.

ONLINE ENTRY PROCESS

NEW GUIDELINES FOR SUBMISSIONS:

1. REQUIRED INFORMATION

For each entry in the Online Entry Process, the entrant is required to provide the recording date, the UPC or the ISRC number for the recording being submitted for Latin GRAMMY consideration.

2. STREAMING LINKS

The entrant must provide at least two (2) streaming links, ensuring that the links direct to the specific recording and not to the artist's page.

3. ENTRY FEES

The Latin Recording Academy has decided to implement the following fee structure:

MEMBERS - The Per-entry fee structure encourages submitters to carefully evaluate the value of each entry and prioritize work, they truly believe is worthy of recognition. Under this model, all Associate and Voting Members receive five (5) complimentary entries annually. Starting with the 6th entry members will pay $20 USD per additional entry.

RECORD LABELS - Record labels are currently required to pay a $500 fee to submit entries, with such fee varying based on the timing of the submission, as outlined below:

THE LATIN RECORDING ACADEMY FEE SCHEDULE

All updates go into effect immediately for the upcoming 26th Annual Latin GRAMMY Awards taking place in November 2025. To view this year’s Awards calendar, visit https://www.latingrammy.com/en/awards/calendar.

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ABOUT THE LATIN RECORDING ACADEMY:

The Latin Recording Academy® is an international 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

Nathalie.Alberto@grammy.com