Expectations for Cuban music at the Latin Grammy 2022

The Latin Grammy nominations came with good news for Cuban music. With a total of 18 nominations for Cuba, there are many expectations in the list of possible Cuban winners.

Cuban musicians who repeat at the Grammys

Many artists and professionals of Cuban music this year have ample chances of taking home the award, either because of the number of nominations received this year or because it is not the first time they have been nominated and awarded at the Grammys.

In the category of Best Traditional Tropical Album there are no fewer than four nominations for Cubans, and although the fifth nominee should not be detracted from, Cuba has every chance of winning.

Leoni Torres is one of the artists in this nomination, and it is her second time nominated at the Grammys.

Gonzalo Rubalcava and Aimée Nuviola, as well as the Ignacio Piñeiro National Septet, are also once again nominated for these awards, in which they have been winners more than once. The Latin Grammys and the Grammy Awards are not unknown scenarios for these artists.

Finally, in the same category there is also Renesito Avich and his album coffee with lovewhich is not far behind in terms of chances of taking home the prize.

Chucho Valdés is another of those who is nominated for another year at the Latin Grammys and it would not be a surprise if he were awarded as has happened in many previous editions. In the category of Best Latin Jazz/Jazz Album is the album mirror mirror with Eliane Elias and Chick Corea.

For his part, the sound engineer Juan Mario Aracil, mayito, is another one that has a good chance of winning the Latin Grammy. It is not his first nomination and it would not be the first time that he has been awarded. This time he has four possibilities (he is the one with the most possibilities according to the quantity), since he is also a recording and mixing engineer on the album. Pa’llá I goby Marc Anthony, which is nominated for Record of the Year and Album of the Year.

Gente de Zona appears with a nomination for Best Contemporary Tropical Album, and it would not be surprising if it won the award once again at the Latin Grammys, as they did in the 2021 edition with the song “Patria y Vida”.

Other Cuban nominees who aspire for the award

There are other Cuban artists who also have many possibilities of being awarded. These artists, unlike the previous ones, have the privilege of having been nominated on a few occasions or perhaps this is their first time, and the privilege and recognition is even greater.

The Ibeyi sisters this year have two nominations in two categories. The song “This is not America” by the Ibeyi together with Residente appears as a possible award for Best Fusion Urban Performance and Best Short Form Music Video.

In Best Salsa Album we have Alexander Abreu and Havana D’ Primera, and although it is true that they have to compete with other world music greats, they could also be awarded.

Cuban Glenda del E is nominated in the Best Instrumental Album category. The disc She, together with the Venezuelan Daniela Padrón, is a tribute to Latin American women and has many possibilities of being awarded. Similarly, in Best Folk Album, Ancestors Symphonic It is the album by Síntesis, Eme and X Alfonso that receives a nomination at this year’s Latin Grammy and can win the award.

Lenier Mesa, for his part, is one of the artists who appears for the first time in his career nominated for a Latin Grammy. This year he is not alone, but appears in Best Tropical Song along with Marc Anthony for the song “Mala” that they did together. In this category there are also the Cubans Amaury Gutiérrez and Jorge Luis Piloto, so Cuba has more possibilities of having a prize here.

Last but not least, another one that arrives at the Grammys for the first time is the Cuban Angela Alvarez, 95 years old. The merit is double, because she appears nominated in the category of Best New Artist.

Cuban music for the world

Most of these artists do not live on the Island due to work commitments, or have decided to emigrate permanently, or spend most of their time on tours and presentations around the world. However, it is Cuban music and sonority that runs through his veins and comes out on stage and on records.

It is already quite a gift that this year is presented as one of the greatest for Cuba in terms of nominations in the Latin grammys. Therefore, this can make the number of awards for Cubans greater, but the truth is that being nominated for the most representative world music awards is no small thing. Cuban music will undoubtedly be the one that wins the best prizes.