Mars Delivers Grammy Night’s Most Memorable Performance

Posted on February 11, 2013 by Tom Castaneda

Bruno Mars is becoming the master performer of the Grammys…

Following his high-octane performance at last year’s star-studded event, the 27-year-old part-Puerto Rican singer-songwriter took the stage at the 55th Grammy Awards and, once again, delivered the best performance of the night.

Mars kicked-off his instaclassic Grammy moment with a rousing rendition of his hit single “Locked Out of Heaven,” which sat at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 for several weeks.

Shortly after launching into the first single from his sophomore album, Unorthodox Jukebox, Mars was joined by Sting, the man Mars says inspired the hit single to finish up “Locked Out of Heaven” and launch into the Sting’s Police hit “Walking on the Moon.”

Finally, Rihanna, Ziggy Marley and Damian Marley to perform Bob Marley’s “Could You Be Loved” as a tribute to the Jamaica-born reggae legend.

But Mars wasn’t the only Hispanic artist to perform at the Grammys…

Miguel, the leading Latino nominee at the Grammys with five nods, joined voices with Wiz Khalifa to perform his hit single “Adorn.”

The 27-year-old half-Mexican American singer-songwriter’s sizzling-yet-smooth performance has Kelly Clarkson calling it “the sexiest damn thing I’ve ever seen!”

Juanes paid tribute to Elton John with an acoustic, bilingual rendition of one of the singer’s early hits, “Your Song.” The 40-year-old Colombian rockero was a late-addition to the performers’ line-up, but still managed to give a memorable, heartfelt performance.

Downs Wins Her First-Ever Grammy Award

Posted on February 11, 2013 by Tom Castaneda

It’s official… Lila Downs can add “Grammy winner” to her list of accomplishments…

The 44-year-old Mexican American singer-songwriter earned her first gramophone from the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences at the 55th Grammy Awards.

Downs, who mixes indigenous Mexican roots music with contemporary sounds, picked up the award at a pre-Grammy telecast event in the Best Regional Mexican Music Album (including Tejano) category.

Downs’ Pecados y Milagros won in a category often dominated by Mexican regional genres like ranchera and norteño. Besides English and Spanish, Downs sings in indigenous Mexican languages like Mixtec, Zapotec and Nahuatl, an artistic choice that underscores her political involvement in supporting native people’s rights.

But Downs wasn’t the only Hispanic artist to win a Grammy this year…

Miguel, who led the Latino field of Grammy nominees with five nods, won the first gramophone of his career in the Best R&B Song category.

The 27-year-old half-Mexican American singer-songwriter picked up the award for his hit single “Adorn,” which dominated the Billboard charts last year.

Juanes, who performed during Sunday night’s show, won the award for Best Latin Pop Album for his most recent work, MTV Unplugged Deluxe Edition. It’s the latest award for the 40-year-old Colombian singer’s highly acclaimed project, which won the Latin Grammy for Album of the Year last November. It’s the second Grammy of Juanes’ career.

Esperanza Spalding, who beat Justin Bieber for Best New Artist at the 53rd Grammy Awards, won the Grammy for Best Jazz Vocal Album for her sophomore project Radio Music Society. She also won in the Best Instrumental Arrangement Accompanying Vocalist(s) category for “City of Roses” with Thara Memory. It’s the second and third Grammy awards for the 28-year-old part-Mexican singer, who will be starring in the remake of A Star is Born.

Other Latino winners include Quetzal’s Imaginaries for Best Latin Rock, Urban or Alternative Album and Marlow Rosado y La Riqueña’s Retro for Best Tropical Latin Album.

Mars: The Top Latino NAACP Image Award Nominee…

Posted on December 11, 2012 by Tom Castaneda

Talk about having a terrific Tuesday… Bruno Mars, who released his highly anticipated sophomore album today, is now the most-nominated Latino for the 44th annual NAACP Image Awards.

The National Association for the Advancement of Colored People which honors diversity in the arts, has just announced their nominations for their annual NAACP Image Awards; with the 27-year-old part-Puerto Rican singer picking up three nods.

Mars is nominated for Outstanding Male Artist, as well as Outstanding Music Video and Outstanding Song for his hit single “Locked Out of Heaven.”

Meanwhile, Miguel has picked up two Image Award nominations.

The 25-year-old half-Mexican American R&B singer/songwriter, who recently earned five most Grammy nods, will compete against Mars for Outstanding Male Artist and Outstanding Music Video for his hit single “Adorn.”

Former Fresh Prince of Bel–Air star Tatyana Ali has earned two nominations for her television work.

The 33-year-old part-Panamanian actress/singer, who will be starring in BET’s Second Generation Wayans, has been nominated for Outstanding Actress in a Comedy Series for her starring role on TV One’s Love That Girl.

Ali is also up for Outstanding Actress in a Daytime Drama Series, an award she won earlier this year, for her role on CBS’ The Young and the Restless.

Other Latino nominees include Hosea Chanchez for his role on BET’s The Game and Erik Valdez for his role on ABC’s General Hospital.

Winners will be announced at the 44th annual NAACP Image Awards on February 1 on NBC.

Here’s a look at the categories featuring Latino/as:

TELEVISION

Outstanding Actor in a Comedy Series
• Anthony Anderson – “Guys with Kids” (NBC)
• Damon Wayans, Jr. – “Happy Endings” (ABC)
• Don Cheadle – “House Of Lies” (Showtime)
• Donald Faison – “The Exes” (TV Land)
• Hosea Chanchez – “The Game” (BET)

Outstanding Actress in a Comedy Series
• Amber Riley – “Glee” (FOX)
• Cassi Davis – “Tyler Perry’s House of Payne” (TBS)
• Kellita Smith – “The First Family” (Syndicated)
• Tatyana Ali – “Love That Girl” (TV One)
• Wendy Raquel Robinson – “The Game” (BET)

Outstanding Actor in a Daytime Drama Series
• Aaron D. Spears – “The Bold and the Beautiful” (CBS)
• Erik Valdez – “General Hospital” (ABC)
• James Reynolds – “Days of Our Lives” (NBC)
• Kristoff St. John – “The Young and the Restless” (CBS)
• Rodney Saulsberry – “The Bold and the Beautiful” (CBS)

Outstanding Actress in a Daytime Drama Series
• Angell Conwell – “The Young and the Restless” (CBS)
• Julia Pace Mitchell – “The Young and the Restless” (CBS)
• Kristolyn Lloyd – “The Bold and the Beautiful” (CBS)
• Shenell Edmonds – “One Life to Live” (ABC)
• Tatyana Ali – “The Young and the Restless” (CBS)

MUSIC

Outstanding Male Artist
• Bruno Mars
• Lupe Fiasco
• Miguel
• Trey Songz
• Usher

Outstanding Music Video
• “Adorn,” Miguel
• “Girl On Fire,” Alicia Keys
• “Locked Out Of Heaven,” Bruno Mars
• “This Christmas,” CeeLo Green
• “You’re On My Mind,” KEM

Outstanding Song
• “Be Mine for Christmas,” KEM
• “Glorify the King,” KEM
• “I Look To You,” Whitney Houston and R. Kelly
• “Locked Out Of Heaven,” Bruno Mars
• “You’re On My Mind,” KEM

Miguel: This Year’s Leading Latino Grammy Nominee

Posted on December 6, 2012 by Tom Castaneda

Move over Bruno Mars… There’s a new Grammy darling this awards season, and his name is Miguel.

The 27-year-old half-Mexican American R&B singer/songwriter is this year’s most-nominated Latino artist, picking up five Grammy nods during The Grammy Nominations Concert Live!! — Countdown to Music’s Biggest Night.

Miguel – a previous nominee in 2011 for Best R&B Single – is up for one of the biggest prizes atthe 55th Annual Grammy Awards, Song of the Year for his smash single “Adorn,” which has dominated the Billboard charts. He’s up against Ed Sheeran’s “The A Team,” Carly Rae Jepsen’s “Call Me Maybe,” Kelly Clarkson’s “Stronger (What Doesn’t Kill You)” and Fun.’s “We Are Young.”

Miguel’s other nominations include Best R&B Song and Best R&B Performance for “Adorn,” Best Urban Contemporary Album for “Kaleidoscope Dream” and Best Rap Song for his collaboration with Wale on “Lotus Flower Bomb.”

Meanwhile, the Latina who beat Justin Bieber for Best New Artist in 2011, Esperanza Spalding, is the other Hispanic artist to receive a whole lotta Grammy love this year.

The 28-year-old part-Hispanic singer is nominated for three awards for her music related to her latest album Radio Music Society: Best Jazz Vocal Album, Best Long Form Video, Best Instrumental Arrangement Accompanying Vocalist(s).

The 55th Annual Grammy Awards will be held Sunday, February 10, at the Staples Center in Los Angeles and air live on CBS from 8:00-11:30 pm ET.

Here’s a look at all the categories featuring a Latino/a artist:

Song of the Year

Ed Sheeran, “The A Team”
Carly Rae Jepsen, “Call Me Maybe”
Miguel, “Adorn”
Kelly Clarkson, “Stronger (What Doesn’t Kill You”)
Fun., “We Are Young

Best R&B Performance

Estelle, “Thank You”
Robert Glasper Experiment Featuring Ledisi, “Gonna Be Alright (F.T.B.)”
Luke James,” I Want You”
Miguel, “Adorn”
Usher, “Climax”

Best R&B Song

Miguel Pimentel, songwriter, “Adorn” (Miguel)
Tamia Hill, Claude Kelly & Salaam Remi, songwriters, “Beautiful Surprise” (Tamia)
Benjamin Levin, Rico Love & Tremaine Neverson, songwriters, “Heart Attack” (Trey Songz)
Antonio Dixon, Kenny Edmonds, Anthony Hamilton & Patrick “jQue” Smith, songwriters, “Pray For Me” (Anthony Hamilton)
Darhyl “DJ” Camper, Elle Varner & Andrew “Pop” Wansel, songwriters, “Refill” (Elle Varner)

Best Urban Contemporary Album

Chris Brown, Fortune
Miguel, Kaleidoscope Dream
Frank Ocean, Channel Orange

Best Rap Song

Nasir Jones & Ernest Wilson, songwriters (Patrick Adams, Gary DeCarlo, Dale Frashuer & Paul Leka, songwriters), “Daughters” (Nas)
Olubowale Akintimehin, S. Joseph Dew, Jerrin Howard, Walker Johnson & Miguel Jontel Pimentel, songwriters, “Lotus Flower Bomb” (Wale Featuring Miguel)
Sean Anderson, Tauheed Epps, Stephan Taft, James Thomas, Terrence Thornton & Kanye West, songwriters (Denzie Beagle, Winston Riley & Reggie Williams, songwriters), “Mercy” (Kanye West Featuring Big Sean, Pusha T & 2 Chainz)
Dwayne Carter, Aubrey Graham & Tyler Williams, songwriters, “The Motto” (Drake Featuring Lil’ Wayne)
Shawn Carter, Mike Dean, Chauncey Hollis & Kanye West, songwriters (W.A. Donaldson, songwriter), “N****s In Paris” (Jay-Z & Kanye West)
Calvin Broadus, Chris Brody Brown, Philip Lawrence, Ari Levine, Peter Hernandez & Cameron Thomaz, songwriters (T. Bluechel, M. Borrow, T. Griffin, K. Jackson, N. Lee & M. Newman, songwriters), “Young, Wild & Free” (Snoop Dogg & Wiz Khalifa Featuring Bruno Mars)

Best Jazz Vocal Album

Denise Donatelli, Soul Shadows
Kurt Elling, 1619 Broadway: The Brill Building Project
Al Jarreau (And The Metropole Orkest), Live
Luciana Souza, The Book Of Chet
Esperanza Spalding, Radio Music Society

Best Large Jazz Ensemble Album

Gil Evans Project, Centennial: Newly Discovered Works Of Gil Evans
Bob Mintzer Big Band, For The Moment
Arturo Sandoval, Dear Diz (Every Day I Think Of You)

Best Latin Jazz Album

Chano Domínguez, Flamenco Sketches
The Clare Fischer Latin Jazz Big Band, ¡Ritmo!
Bobby Sanabria Big Band, Multiverse
Luciana Souza, Duos III
Manuel Valera New Cuban Express, New Cuban Express

Best Latin Pop Album

Ricardo Arjona, Independiente
Fonseca, Ilusión
Kany Garcia, Kany Garcia
Jesse Y Joy, ¿Con Quién Se Queda El Perro?
Juanes, MTV Unplugged Deluxe Edition

Best Latin Rock, Urban or Alternative Album

Campo, Campo
Carla Morrison, Déjenme Llorar
Quetzal, Imaginaries
Sistema Bomb, Electro-Jarocho
Ana Tijoux, La Bala

Best Regional Mexican Music Album (Including Tejano)

Lila Downs, Pecados Y Milagros
Los Cojolites, Sembrando Flores
Los Tucanes De Tijuana, 365 Días
Mariachi Divas De Cindy Shea, Oye
Gerardo Ortiz, El Primer Ministro

Best Tropical Latin Album

Raúl Lara Y Sus Soneros, Cubano Soy
Eddie Montalvo, Desde Nueva York A Puerto Rico
Marlow Rosado Y La Riqueña, Retro
Romeo Santos, Formula Vol. 1

Best Instrumental Arrangement Accompanying Vocalist(s)

Thara Memory & Esperanza Spalding, arrangers, “City Of Roses” (Esperanza Spalding)
Gil Evans, arranger, “Look To The Rainbow” (Gil Evans Project and Luciana Souza)
Shelly Berg, arranger, “Out There” (Lorraine Feather)
Vince Mendoza, arranger, “Spain (I Can Recall)” (Al Jarreau And The Metropole Orkest)
Nan Schwartz, arranger, “Wild Is The Wind” (Whitney Claire Kaufman And Andrew Playfoot)

Best Classical Instrumental Solo

András Schiff, Bach: Das Wohltemperierte Clavier
Jory Vinikour, The Complete Harpsichord Works Of Rameau
Claudio Cruz, conductor; Antonio Meneses (Northern Sinfonia), Gál & Elgar: Cello Concertos
Hansjörg Albrecht, Holst: The Planets
Kim Kashkashian, Kurtág & Ligeti: Music For Viola

Best Contemporary Classical Composition

Stephen Hartke, composer, Hartke, Stephen: Meanwhile – Incidental Music To Imaginary Puppet Plays (Eighth Blackbird)
Tania León, composer, León, Tania: Inura For Voices, Strings & Percussion (Tania León, Son Sonora Voices, DanceBrazil Percussion & Son Sonora Ensemble)
Ugis Praulins, composer, Nightingale (Stephen Layton, Michala Petri & Danish National Vocal Ensemble)
Einojuhani Rautavaara, composer, Rautavaara, Einojuhani: Cello Concerto No. 2 ‘Towards The Horizon’ (Truls Mørk, John Storgårds & Helsinki Philharmonic Orchestra)
Steven Stucky, composer; Gene Scheer, librettist, Stucky, Steven: August 4, 1964 (Jaap Van Zweden, Dallas Symphony Chorus & Orchestra)

Best Long Form Music Video

Big Easy Express; Mumford & Sons, Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeros & Old Crow Medicine Show
Emmett Malloy, video director; Bryan Ling, Mike Luba & Tim Lynch, video producers
Bring Me Home – Live 2011; Sade
Sophie Muller, video director; Roger Davies, Grant Jue & Sophie Muller, video producers
Radio Music Society, Esperanza Spalding
Pilar Sanz, video director; Esperanza Spalding, video producer
Get Along, Tegan & Sara
Salazar, video director; Nick Blasko, Piers Henwood, Sara Quin & Tegan Quin, video producers
From The Sky Down, U2
Davis Guggenheim, video director; Belisa Balaban, Brian Celler, Davis Guggenheim& Ted Skillman, video producers

Miguel’s “Adorn” Continues Billboard Chart Dominance

Posted on November 23, 2012 by Tom Castaneda

Miguel is thisclose to making Billboard history…

This week the 26-year-old half-Mexican R&B singer/songwriter’s latest single “Adorn” topped the Billboard R&B/Hip-Hop Airplay chart for an 11th week.

With his stronghold on the No. 1 spot, Miguel – who will be touring with Alicia Keys next spring – ties Usher‘s single “Climax” for the list’s longest reign this year.

In addition, “Adorn” concurrently becomes Miguel’s first entry on Billboard’s Pop Songs chart, where it arrives at No. 40.

Miguel’s “Kaleidoscope Dream” Debuts at No. 1

Posted on October 12, 2012 by Tom Castaneda

Miguel is living a kaleidoscope dream like no other…

The 25-year-old half-Mexican singer/songwriter’s sophomore album, Kaleidoscope Dream, has debuted in the No. 1 spot on Billboard’s R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart this week, selling 71,000 copies, according to Nielsen SoundScan.

Miguel, who saw his critically acclaimed debut album All I Want Is You reach No. 9 on the chart, could possibly credit his recent sales success to lead single “Adorn,” which spent four weeks at No. 1 on Billboard’s R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart.

This week “Adorn” slips from No. 1 down to No. 4 on that chart.

Miguel Releases Video for Latest Single, “Adorn”

Posted on February 7, 2012 by Tom Castaneda

It’s no wonder he was named the Best New Artist at the Soul Train Awards… Miguel can sing his heart out, as evidenced in his latest video.

The 25-year-old half-Mexican R&B singer/songwriter has released the music video for his latest single “Adorn.”

It’s a simple video with the California-native singing his heart out to the camera, which captures the action with very tight shots of Miguel’s face.

“Adorn” is the first single from Miguel’s next album Art Dealer Chic, Vol. 1, which will be released on February 27.

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