Vancouver Courier - Rosalía Wins Album of the Year at 2026 Latin Grammy Awards

Spanish singer Rosalía won album of the year at the 27th annual Latin Grammy Awards on Thursday night, capping an electrifying ceremony held at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas. The event honored a wide range of artists across genres, with Daddy Yankee named Person of the Year and composer Edgar Barrera setting a new record for most wins.

Rosalía opened the show with a live performance, launching into an emotive medley of tracks from her album "Lux," including "La Rumba Del Perdón," "La Perla," and "Dios Es Un Stalker." She was joined by dancers wearing halos on a stage designed to resemble heavenly clouds. The performance highlighted the expansiveness of "Lux," an album that embraces her classical training through orchestral movements inspired by the lives of female saints.

Through tears, Rosalía began her acceptance speech in Spanish. "This is the third time I’ve won this award, and — just as ‘El Mal Querer’ felt like a dream, or ‘Motomami’ was a gamble — ‘Lux’ has been, for me, a leap into the void," she said, referencing her 2018, 2022, and 2025 albums. "I believe it’s very important to speak your own truth and for others to be able to speak theirs; this album is my truth."

Her night continued with a win for song of the year for "La Perla." During that acceptance speech, she thanked Mexico and invited her collaborators on the track, the American urban sierreño trio Yahritza Y Su Esencia, to join her on stage.

The ceremony also marked a significant milestone for Daddy Yankee, who was named Person of the Year. The artist, known as the "King of Reggaeton," became the first Latin urbano artist to receive the honor. An hour into the show, he performed a medley of his biggest hits, including "Ella Me Levantó," "Con Calma," "BOTZ," "Despacito," "Lo Que Pasó, Pasó," "Sonríele," "Rompe," "Pokito," and "Gasolina." He was joined on stage by Bizarrap, Bad Gyal, Feid, Jay Wheeler, French Montana, LL Cool J, and Diljit Dosanjh.

Janet Jackson presented Daddy Yankee with his award, stating she did so "with admiration and respect." In his acceptance speech, he addressed his home country directly. "Puerto Rico, recuerda. … Puerto Rico no es pequeño. Pequeño el mapa," he said. In English, this translates to: "Puerto Rico, remember. … Puerto Rico is not small. The map is small."

Composer Edgar Barrera also made history during the night. His career Latin Grammy wins now total 30, making him the most awarded person in the show’s history. He surpassed the previous record of 29 wins held by René Pérez.

Other major winners included Juanes, who received the award for best pop/rock album for "Juanesteban," presented by Pablo Alboran and Howie Doughty of the Backstreet Boys. Milo J’s "Niño" was named record of the year, and Karol G took home the trophy for urban music album for "Tropicoqueta." Xavi won contemporary Mexican album for "Dosis," his first Latin Grammy, while Fonseca received the award for contemporary tropical album for "Antes Que El Tiempo Se Vaya."

The category for best new artist saw changes this year, with eligibility restricted to artists who have released fewer than three albums or 25 singles. Colombian singer Aria Vega won the award, delivering her acceptance speech through tears.

Brazilian superstar Anitta performed a medley of hits from her album "Equilibrium," including "Desgraça," "Choka Choka," and "Meia Noite." The performance featured an eclectic mix of Brazilian funk, samba, bossa nova, semba, reggae, and electronic pop, sung in Portuguese, Spanish, and English. She later returned to the stage to accept the trophy for Portuguese language contemporary pop album, using her speech to highlight the Black culture of her native Brazil.

The ceremony featured several tributes, including one to the late Mexican ranchera icon José Alfredo Jiménez, produced by Edgar Barrera. Performers included The Warning, Reik, Sofía Reyes, Yami Safdie, and Camila Fernández. Another tribute honored Willie Colón, the social activist and architect of urban salsa music, who died in February 2026. His son Miguel Colón, Nathy Peluso, and Luis Figueroa performed during the segment.

Additional notable performances included Karol G with a full orchestra and 12 Mariachis for her música mexicana ballad "Ese Hombre es Malo," Mon Laferte’s soulful rendition of "Femme Fatale," and Silvana Estrada’s "Dime," which featured her signature Venezuelan cuatro. Jorge Drexler performed "Las Palabras" in a theatrical style, while Argentine rapper Milo J performed "Solifican12" and "Gil" with folk icon Gustavo Santaolalla. Regional Mexican stars Grupo Frontera launched into "Bye" and "Ojitos Bellos," Carín León performed "Desde Que Te Tengo," and Juanes and Vivir Quintana closed the musical highlights with "Humano." Elena Rose was joined by sword-wielding dancers for "Alma," and Venezuelan band Rawayana performed "Bendito" and "Inglés En Miami."

Xavi closed the night with a performance of "Dosis" and "No Capeã." Earlier in the evening, during the pre-televised Premiere Ceremony, Bobby Pulido won the Latin Grammy for best Tejano album for "Bobby Pulido & Friends: Una Tuya y Una Mía (Vol. 2/En Vivo)." Just days prior to the awards, Pulido made history in the U.S. midterm elections by securing a seat in the House of Representatives for the Democrats, flipping a Texas district seat. In his acceptance speech, he announced his retirement from music, stating, "I want to tell you that I’m retiring from music, and I’m leaving with so much gratitude."

K.Parker--VC