LAS VEGAS – Calle 13 kicked off the 2014 Latin Grammys by giving a strong performance that looked like it was inside an Irish bar – and by taking a pair of trophies.
Calle 13 won best urban album for Multiviral and best alternative song for El Aguante (To Tolerate), which they performed at the top of the awards show, airing live from the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas.
Yesterday’s Latin Grammys were delayed about 17 minutes because of President Barack Obama’s speech on immigration, which aired lived on Univision.
Calle 13 won the two honours when the Latin Recording Academy handed out awards before the show. Marc Anthony’s 3.0 won the first television award for best salsa album.
Enrique Iglesias beat Calle 13 and others for best urban performance and song for his pop hit Bailando. Despite that, the Latin Grammys could still mark Calle 13’s Independence Day.
The Puerto Rican band was the top competitor at the awards show – a success achieved with Multiviral, the first album released on its own record label, El Abismo.
Calle 13’s Eduardo Cabra was nominated for ten awards, including producer of the year, which he lost. The duo was up for nine, including album of the year for Multiviral, their fifth album. Their songs Respira El Momento and Ojos Color Sol will compete for song and record of the year.
All of those top categories – as well as best new artist – have ten nominees each.
Six-time nominee Carlos Vives, who was the big winner last year with three Latin Grammys, is also up for album of the year. Other nominees include Anthony, Camila, Ruben Blades, Paco de Lucia, Jorge Drexler, Fonseca, Jarabe De Palo and the trio of Lila Downs, Nina Pastori and Soledad.
