Latin AMAs: Nominees you should know
The Latin American Music Awards (AMAs) feel and sound like the best house party you’ve ever attended.
The one-night celebration of the best Latin music, as voted by fans, features artists from every corner of the industry, from regional Mexico to tropical pop and trap. And the 2019 nominees are stacked with talent.
Some have crossed over to the US charts: There’s the trailblazing J Balvin, whose hit “Mi Gente” scored a feature from Beyonce; Bad Bunny, trap star and frequent Cardi B and Drake collaborator; and Daddy Yankee, the Puerto Rican phenom responsible for the early 2000s smash “Gasolina” and widely regarded as the “King of Reggaeton.”
Many of this year’s nominees may be strangers to Latin AMAs novices — but they shouldn’t stay that way.
Several are already chart-topping stars in their respective genres and have been for years. Others are rising artists but have already left their mark. You may not know them yet, but you definitely will when the show starts Thursday at 8 p.m. on Telemundo.
Karol G, Artist of the Year nominee
The 28-year-old Colombian reggae-pop singer is the only woman nominated in the 10-artist category this year, but she’s a powerhouse all her own — she already has a Latin Grammy under her belt.
She competed on the Colombian version of the “X Factor” in 2010, where she first endeared herself to audiences, fresh out of music school.
Her star’s risen considerably since then. Her crystal-clear soprano earned her collaborations with fellow noms like Ozuna, Bad Bunny and adorably, her boyfriend and fellow nominee, the Puerto Rican rapper Anuel AA.
Banda MS, Artist of the Year nominee
The massive group from Sinaloa has been performing for more than 15 years — often with more than 15 members. They’re leaders in Mexican Banda, a regional genre that often calls for lots of brass (hence the multiple trumpet, trombone and tuba players).
Banda MS’ romantic, sweeping ballads nod to the genre’s history, though they’re firmly rooted in the present. It’s hard not to fall in love.
Sech, New Artist of the Year nominee
The Panamanian singer’s sad-reggae hit “Otro Trago” has more than 372 million views on YouTube, but he wasn’t always a smash: He told Billboard he started singing as a street vendor.
His success means a lot to his home country, too.
“If things are going great for me, then many people might begin to explore the music industry in Panama,” he told Billboard. “This is not only for me. I want the new generation of artists to see that everything is possible.”
Lunay, Best New Artist nominee
The Puerto Rican trip-pop singer just turned 19 this month(!!!) but if his rapid rise is any indication, he’s already at home in the industry.
He told Beats 1 that singing gospel with his parents in church spurred his love of music, and it’s what led him to enter a freestyle contest in 10th grade to emulate Daddy Yankee. He won and met the singer, who complimented his talent — and two years later, he’s nominated alongside his idol.
Inevitable Justin Bieber comparisons aside, the teen’s proven he can hold his own in a song stacked with powerhouse features — Ozuna invited him on a song, kickstarting his mainstream career — and solo cuts alike. He’s starting his US domination now, too — he performed on “Jimmy Kimmel Live” this month.
Natalia Lafourcade, Favorite Female Artist nominee
The 35-year-old Mexican singer-songwriter is already an indie icon: She’s won a whopping 11 Latin Grammys for her innovative fusion of pop-folk.
She released her first album at 17 and hasn’t stopped working since, be it with a band, alongside an orchestra or on her own.
In 2017, she appeared on NPR’s Tiny Desk Concert series, showcasing songs from her acoustic effort “Musas.” She said the award-winning album came about by accident, borne out of stripped-down jam sessions at home with friends.
CNCO, Favorite Pop Artist nominee
Boy band fanatics, meet your new obsession.
The five members of the aptly named boy band CNCO hail from five different Latin American countries — Erick Brian Colón from Cuba, Christopher Velez from Ecuador, Richard Camacho from the Dominican Republic, Zabdiel De Jesús from Puerto Rico and Joel Pimentel from Mexico. Somehow they manage to blend seamlessly and let their differences shine.
They got their start in 2015 on Univision’s reality show “La Banda,” not unlike another chart-topping boy band, and their fans are equally feverish: Their music has already been streamed more than 3 billion times, Spotify said.
CNCO has already won 10 Latin AMAs since the release of their debut album, “First Date,” in 2016. The group’s music has grown up since then, but it’s no less addictive.
Full list of nominees
Artist of the Year/Artista del Ano
Ozuna
Bad Bunny
Maluma
Romeo Santos
J Balvin
Banda Sinaloense MS de Sergio Lizárraga (Banda MS)
Christian Nodal
Anuel AA
Daddy Yankee
Karol G
New Artist of the Year/Nuevo Artisa del Ano
Sech
Rosalía
Darell
Paulo Londra
Lunay
Jhay Cortez
Song of the Year/Sencillo del Ano
“MIA” – Bad Bunny & Drake
“Taki Taki” – DJ Snake Featuring Selena Gomez, Ozuna & Cardi B
“Con Calma” – Daddy Yankee Featuring Snow
“Calma” – Pedro Capó & Farruko
“Ella Quiere Beber” – Anuel AA & Romeo Santos
Album of the Year/Album del Ano
“X 100PRE” – Bad Bunny
“Aura” – Ozuna
“Real Hasta La Muerte” – Anuel AA
“VIDA” – Luis Fonsi
“Africa Speaks” – Santana
Favorite Artist- Female/Artista Favorita – Femenina
Natti Natasha
Karol G
Becky G
Rosalía
Natalia Lafourcade
Favorite Artist- Male/Artista Favorito – Masculino
Ozuna
Bad Bunny
Anuel AA
J Balvin
Romeo Santos
Duo o Grupo Favorito/Favorite Duo or Group
Banda Sinaloense MS de Sergio Lizárraga
T3r Elemento
Los Ángeles Azules
CNCO
Wisin & Yandel
Favorite Artist – Pop/Artista Favorito – Pop
Luis Fonsi
Pedro Capó
Sebastián Yatra
CNCO
Favorite Album – Pop/Album Favorito – Pop
“VIDA” – Luis Fonsi
“Africa Speaks” – Santana
“El Mal Querer” – Rosalía
“Fantasía” – Sebastian Yatra
Favorite Song – Pop/Cancion Favorita – Pop
“Calma” – Pedro Capó x Farruko
“Lost In The Middle Of Nowhere (remix)” – Becky G & Kane Brown
“Imposible” – Luis Fonsi x Ozuna
“Amigos Con Derechos” – Reik & Maluma
“Ya No Tiene Novio” – Sebastián Yatra & Mau y Ricky
Favorite Artist – Regional Mexican/Artista Favorito – Regional Mexicano
Banda Sinaloense MS de Sergio Lizárraga
Christian Nodal
T3r Elemento
Calibre 50
Favorite Album – Regional Mexican/Album Favorito – Regional Mexicano
“The Green Trip” – T3r Elemento
“Con Todas Las Fuerzas” – Banda Sinaloense MS de Sergio Lizárraga
“Oye Mujer” – Raymix
“Bendecido” – Lenin Ramírez
Favorite Song – Regional Mexican/Cancion Favorita – Regional Mexicano
“Nunca Es Suficiente” – Los Ángeles Azules featuring Natalia LaFourcade
“A Través del Vaso” – Banda Los Sebastianes
“No Te Contaron Mal” – Christian Nodal
“Aerolínea Carrillo” – T3r Elemento featuring Gerardo Ortiz
“Mejor Me Alejo” – Banda Sinaloense MS de Sergio Lizárraga
Favorite Artist – Urban/Artista Favorito – Urbano
Bad Bunny
Ozuna
Anuel AA
J Balvin
Favorite Song – Urban/Cancion Favorita – Urbano
“MIA” – Bad Bunny & Drake
“Taki Taki” – DJ Snake Featuring Selena Gomez, Ozuna & Cardi B
“Ella Quiere Beber” – Anuel AA & Romeo Santos
“Con Calma” – Daddy Yankee Featuring Snow
“Vaina Loca” – Ozuna x Manuel Turizo
Favorite Album – Urban/Album Favorito – Urbano
“X 100PRE” – Bad Bunny
“Aura” – Ozuna
“Real Hasta La Muerte” – Anuel AA
“Gangalee” – Farruko
Favorite Artist – Tropical/Artista Favorito – Tropical
Romeo Santos
Marc Anthony
Carlos Vives
Juan Luis Guerra
Favorite Song – Tropical/Cancion Favorita – Tropical
“Centavito” – Romeo Santos
“Inmortal” – Aventura
“Aullando” – Wisin & Yandel & Romeo Santos
“Adicto” – Prince Royce + Marc Anthony
“Vivir Bailando -” Silvestre Dangond & Maluma
Favorite Album – Tropical/Album Favorito – Tropical
“Utopía” – Romeo Santos
“OPUS” – Marc Anthony
“Literal” – Juan Luis Guerra 440
“40… Y Contando En Vivo Desde Puerto Rico” – Gilberto Santa Rosa
Favorite Crossover Artist/Artista Favorito – Crossover
DJ Snake
Drake
Snow
Sean Paul
Favorite Tour/Tour Favorito
Jennifer Lopez
Luis Miguel
Bad Bunny
Chayanne
Marc Anthony
Favorite Video/Video Favorito
“Te Confieso” – Camila
“La Respuesta” – Becky G & Maluma
“Si Supieras” – Daddy Yankee & Wisin y Yandel
“R.I.P.” – Sofia Reyes Ft. Rita Ora & Anitta
“En Guerra” – Sebastian Yatra & Camilo
CNN’s Nicole Chavez contributed to this report.
