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Pitbull performs at the 2020 Latin GRAMMYs

Pitbull performs at the 2020 Latin GRAMMYs

 

Photo: Alexander Tamargo/Getty Images for The Latin Recording Academy

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Pitbull Performs At The 2020 Latin GRAMMYs pitbull-delivers-rousing-performance-dedicated-frontline-workers-2020-latin

Pitbull Delivers Rousing Performance Dedicated To Frontline Workers | 2020 Latin GRAMMYs

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Mr. Worldwide brings the planet together in a special Latin GRAMMYs performance.
John Ochoa
Latin GRAMMYs
Nov 19, 2020 - 7:07 pm

Pitbull delivered one of the most sincere moments at the 2020 Latin GRAMMYs with a performance featuring a band composed of current frontline workers and responders.

Taking to the stage, Mr. Worldwide brought with him special guests—including Major Frank Fernandez on drums, physician’s assistant Debi Kuiper-Tomas on bass, and Captain Eddy Alarcon and Lieutenant Troy Maness on guitar—to perform his hit song "I Believe That We Will Win (World Anthem)."

The performance also featured Sergeant Liz Bremer, labor and delivery registered nurse Kim Fleurinord, firefighter Adrian Ballard, and registered nurse, firefighter, paramedic and retired U.S. Air Force Major Marlon Ferdinand.

The performance from Pitbull, a GRAMMY winner and Latin GRAMMY winner, continued the 2020 Latin GRAMMYs theme: "Music Makes Us Human."

Learn more about the Latin GRAMMYs and Latin Recording Academy, please visit latingrammy.com.  

2020 Latin GRAMMY Awards: Complete Winners & Nominees List 

Pitbull rehearses at the 2020 Latin GRAMMYs

Pitbull rehearses at the 2020 Latin GRAMMYs

 

Photo: Alexander Tamargo/Getty Images for The Latin Recording Academy

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2020 Latin GRAMMYs: Pitbull To Honor Frontliners pitbull-performance-2020-latin-grammys-frontline-workers

Pitbull To Honor Frontline Workers At The 2020 Latin GRAMMYs

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The "Timber" singer will feature frontline workers on stage for his performance during The Biggest Night in Latin Music
Latin GRAMMYs
Nov 17, 2020 - 2:42 pm

Pitbull will have frontline workers on stage as part of his band during his performance at the 2020 Latin GRAMMYs, broadcasting Thursday, Nov. 19. The performance aims to honor their efforts as the COVID-19 pandemic continues. 

Captain Eddy Alarcon and Lieutenant Troy Maness will be on guitar, Major Frank Fernandez will be on drums and physician’s assistant Debi Kuiper-Tomas will take bass. Sergeant Liz Bremer, labor and delivery registered nurse Kim Fleurinord and firefighter Adrian Ballard will join in for background vocals. Marlon Ferdinand, retired U.S. Air Force Major, registered nurse, paramedic and firefighter, will also provide backup vocals. 

https://twitter.com/LatinGRAMMYs/status/1328363626609201153

¡Este jueves desde varias ciudades alrededor del mundo 🌎! La Noche Más Importante de la Música Latina 🎶 🙌 #LatinGRAMMY 19 DE NOV. 8PM @Univision pic.twitter.com/ym73vQmi80

— The Latin Recording Academy / Latin GRAMMYs (@LatinGRAMMYs) November 16, 2020

President/CEO of the Latin Recording Academy Gabriel Abaroa Jr. said this year's awards will, above all, show appreciation.

"This year has been an extraordinary one and, as such, the 21st Annual Latin GRAMMY Awards will not be about competition, but about showing solidarity, compassion and gratitude, in addition to using the power of music as a tool to become better people,” he said in a statement. 

The 2020 Latin GRAMMYs will air on Univision on Thursday, Nov. 19, at 8 p.m. ET/PT (7 p.m. CT). The broadcast will also air on TNT (cable) at 7 p.m. (MEX)/8 p.m. (COL)/10 p.m. (ARG/CHI), and on Televisa on Channel 5. 

Learn more about the 2020 Latin GRAMMY Awards via the Latin Recording Academy's official website.

2020 Latin GRAMMY Awards Nominees Announced: See The Complete List

J Balvin performs at the 2020 Latin GRAMMYs

J Balvin performs at the 2020 Latin GRAMMYs

 

Photo: Alexander Tamargo/Getty Images for the Latin Recording Academy

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10 Unforgettable Moments At The 2020 Latin GRAMMYs j-balvin-bad-bunny-anitta-more-10-unforgettable-moments-2020-latin-grammys

J Balvin, Bad Bunny, Anitta & More: 10 Unforgettable Moments From The 2020 Latin GRAMMYs

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GRAMMY.com relives the Biggest Night in Latin Music by revisiting the special surprises and memorable performances from the 2020 Latin GRAMMYs.
Iván Fernández
Latin GRAMMYs
Nov 20, 2020 - 9:56 pm

In the face of an ongoing pandemic, global quarantines and facemasks everywhere, the 2020 Latin GRAMMYs remained the Biggest Night in Latin Music. 

The Latin Recording Academy hosted the 21st Latin GRAMMY Awards, held Thursday (Nov. 19) in Miami, this year without a live audience or the usual red carpet due to the challenges imposed by the COVID-19 pandemic. Actress Yalitza Aparicio joined Ana Brenda Contreras and Carlos Rivera on hosting duties. One large change to the awards show was the shift to having a few of the night's performances streamed from different cities in Latin America, including Guadalajara, Madrid, Buenos Aires, San Juan and Rio de Janeiro. One thing that didn't change, however, were the surprises and memorable performances throughout the history-making night. 

GRAMMY.com relives the Biggest Night in Latin Music with 10 unforgettable moments from the 2020 Latin GRAMMYs.

The Show Opened With A Powerful Tribute To Salsa Legend Héctor Lavoe

The 2020 Latin GRAMMYs began with a bang as Sergio George led his band into the opening notes of Héctor Lavoe's "El Cantante," as singer Ricardo Montaner sang the famous first four words of the song: "Yo, soy el cantante" ("I am the singer"). Jesus Navarro and Victor Manuelle joined in to accompany him soon after. The trio of singers were clearly in their element, but the party truly began once the band reached the chorus as Best New Artist nominee Rauw Alejandro walked out with the Original Rude Girl herself, Ivy Queen. The end result was a loving and moving tribute that set the tone for the rest of the night.

Susana Baca Dedicates GRAMMY Win To Young People And Workers Fighting For Change In Peru

https://twitter.com/LatinGRAMMYs/status/1329555297753591814

¡Felicidades! Susana Baca - Mejor Álbum Folclórico 🎶👏👏👏 #LatinGRAMMY pic.twitter.com/YS1RqEDT13

— The Latin Recording Academy / Latin GRAMMYs (@LatinGRAMMYs) November 19, 2020

Susana Baca is a legend in her own right, and her name is synonymous with her homeland of Perú along with the Incas and Machu Picchu. With her homeland currently living through politically tumultuous times, it's no surprise that the folk singer, who twice moonlighted in an official political capacity, had something to say about the current events in her country. Baca, who served as Perú's Minister of Culture in 2011 and as the President of the Commission for Culture (2011 - 2013) for the Organization of American States, dedicated her Latin GRAMMY award for Best Folk Album to the youth and all working-class people fighting for change in Perú. "I dedicate this to all the young people, especially the young people and all the workers who, each day, build this country we call Perú," she said via video.

Mon Laferte Becomes The Chilean Artist With The Most Latin GRAMMY Wins



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Mon Laferte's Latin GRAMMY win this year, for Best Rock Song for her song "Biutiful," cemented her status as one of her country's leading musical artists. The award marked her third Latin GRAMMY win, making her the Chilean artist with the most Latin GRAMMY awards. That title once belonged to La Ley, who won a Latin GRAMMY for Best Rock Album in 2000 and again in 2004. Laferte previously won the Best Alternative Album award in 2019 and Best Alternative Song in 2017, when she was nominated for five different awards. 

Bad Bunny And Residente Make Latin GRAMMY History

https://twitter.com/LatinGRAMMYs/status/1329899026494451712

¡Felicidades! @Residente Mejor Canción de Rap/Hip Hop 🎶👏👏👏 #LatinGRAMMY pic.twitter.com/TzGiRnFkJS

— The Latin Recording Academy / Latin GRAMMYs (@LatinGRAMMYs) November 20, 2020

This year's awards ceremony welcomed the debut of three new categories: Best Reggaeton Performance, Best Rap/Hip Hop Song and Best Pop/Rock Song. Superstars Bad Bunny and Residente were the first to take two of these honors. El Conejito Malo took home the Best Reggaeton Performance award for his celebrated anthem, "Yo Perreo Sola." Residente, no stranger to the Latin GRAMMYS thanks to a record-breaking list of 27 awards, added his 28th Latin GRAMMY to his trophy case as the first winner in the Best Rap/Hip Hop Song category for "Antes Que El Mundo Se Acabe." Meanwhile, Argentine singer and film director Fito Páez took home the first-ever prize in the brand-new Best Pop/Rock Song category for his song, "La Canción De Las Bestias."

Carla Morrison Shares Stage With Ricky Martin For "Recuerdo" Duet

Carla Morrison told GRAMMY.com about her excitement about dueting with Ricky Martin during the Latin GRAMMYs broadcast. As promised, the duo delivered a moving rendition of their duet, "Recuerdo," which is featured on Martin's latest EP, Pausa. Martin, dressed in black, sat next to Morrison, clad in a white dress, as the duo crooned their way through a shorter, though no less emotionally heart-wrenching, version of the song. Martin won the Latin GRAMMY for Best Pop Album that night.

J Balvin's Bleeding Heart

J Balvin really took the show's theme, "Music makes us human," to heart during his performance of his hit song, "Rojo." Balvin took to the stage in a white three-piece suit and stepped out under a large prop designed to look like a pair of arms and hands clasped together in a prayer position. The Colombian artist opened the song by wearing his heart on his sleeve and proclaiming to the world how his "heart breaks and I pray for the world." 

The video screens around him flashed scenes of protestors marching for equal rights when, halfway through the song, Balvin spoke to viewers again. This time, the bleeding heart wasn't just metaphorical as fake blood poured out from the left side of his suit's chest into the shape of a heart and ran down his coat. "Even though the world feels bleak," he said during the performance breakdown, "and our fears can overtake us, this is the moment that our hearts, which are bleeding, can feel again, that we can come together and fight for our dreams and a better future."

Bad Bunny Reminds Us Why He's One Of The Best Performers Today

Bad Bunny went above and beyond with his performance at the Latin GRAMMYs as he unveiled what felt like more of a short music video production of a live show. El Conejito Malo started his set behind the wheel of a white Bugatti. He stops to perform "Bichiyal" while flanked by women on motorcycles and four-wheel ATVs. The scene shifts to Bad Bunny on a small stage where an all-woman band with guitars, violins and a drum kit perform a stripped-down version of "Si Veo a Tu Mamá." It all ended with a fireworks show as the cameras pulled back to reveal that the stage he was on was set on top of the second base diamond of Hiram Bithorn Stadium in his native Puerto Rico. Can anyone do it better?!

Anitta's Medley Of Skills



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Anitta's rise to stardom was quick, but certainly not a fluke, and she proved why during her two-song performance of "Mas Que Nada" and "Me Gusta," all while making it all look easy. In under three minutes, the Lapa Arches of Rio de Janeiro bore witness as Anitta danced, sung in Portuguese, Spanish and English, and even played a bit of percussion to boot. She was nominated for a Latin GRAMMY in the Best Urban Song category for "Rave De Favela," a banger that features Major Lazer, BEAM and MC Lan.

Lupita Infante's Moving Tribute To Her Grandfather

Like grandfather, like granddaughter. Lupita Infante was one of a few singers at this year's Latin GRAMMYs who carries a family history of legacy. One wouldn't know it, however, from watching her perform a song made classic by her grandfather, Pedro Infante. Lupita paid tribute to her late grandfather, a man who set many benchmarks in Mexican music and film, by performing his classic song, "Amorcito Corazón," backed by the Mariachi Sol de México de José Hernández.

Alejandro Fernández, Calibre 50 And Christian Nodal Unite For A Generation-Spanning Performance Of Regional Mexican Music

https://twitter.com/LatinGRAMMYs/status/1329611318257709056

🎶 "Decepciones" "AYAYAY!" & "Más No Puedo" 🎶 @alexoficial @Calibre50 @elnodal 🙌 #LatinGRAMMY pic.twitter.com/f6oYx8CHH6

— The Latin Recording Academy / Latin GRAMMYs (@LatinGRAMMYs) November 20, 2020

The past, present and future of regional Mexican music came together under the light of fireworks in the skies of Guadalajara. With Vicente Fernández formally retired (though that didn't keep him from performing at last year's Latin GRAMMYs), his son, Alejandro "El Potrillo" Fernández, has continued his father's tradition of keeping the charro alive. A grand mariachi singer in his own right, Alejandro joined two artists leading the new generation in norteño, banda, ranchera and mariachi music. He and Calibre 50 performed their song, "Decepciones," backed by a mariachi group. Christian Nodal then appeared with his own backing band to perform his mariacheño hit, "AYAYAY!" It all came together when Fernández joined forces with Nodal for a duet performance of their track, "Más No Puedo." 

2020 Latin GRAMMY Awards: Complete Winners & Nominees List

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Cazzu

 

Photo: Jason Koerner/Getty Images

 
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Artists Talk First-Time Latin GRAMMY Nominations 2020-latin-grammys-cazzu-guaynaa-nathy-peluso-soy-emilia

Meet Some Of This Year's First-Time Latin GRAMMY Nominees: Cazzu, Guaynaa, Nathy Peluso And Soy Emilia | 2020 Latin GRAMMY Awards

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The artists tell GRAMMY.com all the deets behind their reactions as we wait to see who takes home their first Latin GRAMMY win on Thursday, Nov. 19
Jennifer Velez
Latin GRAMMYs
Nov 18, 2020 - 8:24 pm

There's nothing like receiving a nomination for a Latin GRAMMY. Just ask Cazzu, Guaynaa, Soy Emilia and Nathy Peluso, who each received their first nod earlier this year.

Ahead of the 2020 Latin GRAMMYs this week, GRAMMY.com recently caught up with the Latin superstars to get the deets behind their reactions. Read below to meet some of this year's first-time Latin GRAMMY nominees.

Tune into the 2020 Latin GRAMMYs on Thursday, Nov. 19, at 8 p.m. ET/PT to see who will potentially take home their first-ever golden gramophone. 

Guaynaa

GRAMMYs

Where were you when you found out you were nominated for a Latin GRAMMY?

In a hotel in Miami just getting up.

How did you feel?

I was very excited, happy and incredulous at the same time. I had just realized one of my biggest dreams as an artist.

Who did you tell first about your nomination?

My parents.

What does this nomination mean to you?

It means a lot of things, but it definitely represents a reward for sacrificing days and nights in the recording studios and endless hours flying to bring our talent to the world.

Who are you most excited to see at this year's Latin GRAMMYs?

I don't have anyone in particular, but it's always exciting to be reunited with my colleagues at any kind of awards, and I imagine it will be even more exciting at the Latin GRAMMYs.

Cazzu

GRAMMYs

Where were you when you found out you were nominated for a Latin GRAMMY?

When I found out about the nomination, I was on my bed having a session with my therapist via Skype when a message dropped down about my nomination [lLughs] and I told my therapist.

How did you feel?

What I felt when I found out I was nominated was, obviously, very surprised and a lot of gratitude. Happiness, happiness. It's enough of an achievement for me. A nomination, no matter who wins, the recognition is always a compliment. 

Who did you tell first about your nomination?

[Laughs] The first person I was able to tell was my therapist because he was there when I got the message, so he was the first to know. 

Who are you most excited to see at this year's Latin GRAMMYs?

I get very excited about seeing my colleagues and my friends. They're the people I like to bump into on the red carpet. I think it is really gratifying knowing I'll be around friends and compatriots. 

More Nominees: Meet This Year's Best New Artist Nominees | 2020 Latin GRAMMY Awards

Soy Emilia

GRAMMYs

Where were you when you found out you were nominated for a Latin GRAMMY?

I was at home making acoustic videos for a Mexican channel called "El Sofa." 

How did you feel?

I was surprised, I did not expect this nomination and then I felt very excited and happy for the recognition.

Who did you tell first about your nomination?

I told my sister, who began to cry, first, and then my mother who also cried of emotion.

What does this nomination mean to you?

This nomination means recognition for the constant work as an independent and alternative artist.

Who are you most excited to see at this year's Latin GRAMMYs?

I want to see Debi Nova's presentation. I love her.

Nathy Peluso

GRAMMYs

Where were you when you found out you were nominated for a Latin GRAMMY?

I was out. They called me on the phone and it took me by surprise. I started running around on the street. I called my mom. I did not expect it, really. It was like a very unexpected call for me. I wasn't waiting to see if they would tell me something; I did not expect it at all.

Who did you tell first about your nomination? Was it your mom?

Yes. I thought she would be very excited. I told her the news. I said, "Mami, mami, I'm nominated for a Latin GRAMMY." And she said, "Wow. Nathy, that doesn't surprise me, because you deserve it." She said very nice things. It was an exciting moment.

What does this nomination mean to you?

For me, it means [a lot coming] from the music industry, from the Academy, from my peers. Like very important inspiration for me to push forward and continue to represent Latin music with a lot of love. For me, it gives me a sense of pride and honor to be able to be there representing so many musicians, our culture, our music. It’s incredible.

The 2020 Latin GRAMMYs will air on Univision on Thursday, Nov. 19, at 8 p.m. ET/PT (7 p.m. CT). The broadcast will also air on TNT (cable) at 7 p.m. (MEX)/8 p.m. (COL)/10 p.m. (ARG/CHI), and on Televisa on Channel 5. 

Learn more about the 2020 Latin GRAMMY Awards via the Latin Recording Academy's official website.

2020 Latin GRAMMY Awards Nominees Announced: See The Complete List

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Carla Morrison

Photo: Esteban Calderon

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Carla Morrison Talks Comeback & 2020 Latin GRAMMYs carla-morrison-interview-renacimineto-2020-latin-grammys

Carla Morrison Talks 'Renacimineto,' Her Comeback, Performing At The 2020 Latin GRAMMYs & More

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The "Te Regalo" singer-songwriter details her journey inward and discusses how she hopes her new project is a mirror for people
Jennifer Velez
Latin GRAMMYs
Nov 18, 2020 - 5:26 pm

It was never in Carla Morrison’s plans to make a comeback in 2020, but the pandemic changed it all. The GRAMMY-nominated singer-songwriter from Tecate, Mexico, who rose to the spotlight with her heartbreaking Spanish-language records, stopped making music for some years after realizing she wasn’t happy. In that time, she moved to Paris where she began to spend time in museums and learned a lot about herself—both as an artist and as a woman. She also thought of new music inspired by her newfound empowerment and new home, but didn’t see herself releasing it this year.

"When COVID hit, I thought, 'Oh, my God, I have this song called "Ansiedad" and I think it would be good for people to listen to this and I think it would be good to put music out now,''" she recently told GRAMMY.com via Zoom. "It was something that I already had in mind, but then it came to life because I wanted people to use my story as a mirror for the times that we're living right now."

"Ansiedad," or "anxiety," is one single off her new four-part project, which also features her latest track, "No Me Llames," or "don’t call me." The project touches on mental health, self-love, well-being and empowerment. Musically speaking, her revival leaves behind the sad, slow-tempo love songs she’s known for and experiments with upbeat pop sounds. The songs—together called Renacimineto, or "rebirth," a name inspired by the renaissance paintings she spent time learning about during museum visits—tell "the story of how, when I went through a very dark time, I still came out in a better way," she said.

She hopes the project is able to "give something to people," too.

"This time, it's been a very hard time for everybody. For me, it's been a very hard time, even though I was already in a pause in my life, it's still ... It paused me even more than some,” she shared. "So I do feel like we can take that narrative back and be like, 'OK, what do I want to do with this?' Because it's hard to imagine yourself in a rebirth when it's all very sad, but I do feel like this is teaching us a lesson, and we just have to get the best of it."

Through her performance alongside Puerto Rican icon Ricky Martin at the 2020 Latin GRAMMYs this Thursday (Nov. 19), she hopes she will inspire people as well: "I do believe that anything that I do becomes full of purpose when it can mean something to somebody else."

Morrison spoke to GRAMMY.com about working with Martin on their song, “Recuerdo,” the ways her time away from the music industry helped her grow, the importance of mental health conversations in the biz and more.

You took some time off from music-making. What did that time away from the industry do for you?

Oh, well, it did wonders. I feel like I was always constantly on the road and just working a lot. I was just on tour a lot, and making albums, doing interviews, and music. And so for a couple of years—I'd probably say like a year, a year and a half, I started to feel very depressed and just sad. I was afraid of making that decision of taking some time off, but I did feel like it was important. It was something that had to happen. And so when I went into my break, and just took time for myself, I discovered a lot of things that I hadn't discovered of myself before. I think before an artist, I'm a human, and I do have to say that because I do feel like a lot of us artists do devote our lives to just our art, and that's our way of living, and that's beautiful, obviously, and it's very healing.

But many times, we do put our personal life on the side. And when you do that, you start to feel unhappy. And so taking a step back from the industry really helped me to appreciate what the industry gives me, what the music gives me, what my fans gave me, what my music gives me because I wasn't seeing clearly. And so everything was ... I was just annoyed all the time. I was just mad. I was like a baby that hasn't slept. I was just mad and anxious, and depressed and tired. Taking a step back gave me the opportunity to recollect myself and just know who I was. And also, I was 32 at the time, and my crisis started around 31. So I do feel like it also [was because of] my 30-year-old crisis where it's like, "Who am I now?" There's a switch that goes off, and then there's another switch that goes on that you start worrying about things that you've never worried about before. I feel like [my break] gave me a lot of depth as to who I was and what I wanted to stand for.

You've been on a few panels revolving around mental health. Do you want to make mental health conversations more normalized in the music community?

Yeah ... I like this part of thinking that your artists are perfect and mysterious, and they have their shit together. I think that's always very, just like, "Oh, wow. How awesome?" You admire your artists in so many other ways, but at the same time, I do feel like it's not real. And so it's not that I want a pity party for me. I don't want people to think like, "Oh pobrecita. [Laughs.] She's trying so hard." No, I don't want that.

I want people to just know that even though you reach goals in your life, if you don't have yourself, you've got nothing. If you don't find yourself ... You can have everything that you've dreamed of: you can have the best boyfriend or girlfriend, the best career and be doing the greatest things. But if you don't have yourself, if you don't have a relationship with yourself, you don't have anything. You go home and you feel empty. And when you feel empty, it's because you haven't had those connections with yourself, those moments, times where you're spending time with yourself.

I think in the world we live in now, where a lot of things are being talked about and being discussed, I do feel like mental health is something that in Latin America, for example, is something that is not normally discussed. When you talk about your feelings or your anxieties, it's taken as a fragile, negative thing, and I don't think being fragile means ... It's not something negative. I think it's something positive when you accept that you need help, or that you're just not having a good time. So yeah, it's like, for people to know, even though I've done many great things in my life, and I'm grateful, there are still hard times, and it gets easier ... Life is hard for everybody and it's just good to talk about it.

So when you decided to come back, you came back with this amazing four-part project. We've been able to see two parts of it. What are you addressing through it?

Well, really, this was actually thought of before COVID and before everything. It was something that I wanted to bring back because when I moved to Paris, I started to do a lot of local things in the city. One of the things that I really liked was taking time to go to museums and really study—not only the culture, but art in itself. I saw myself a lot in a lot of paintings in the Renaissance era and [in how] when the Renaissance era happened, it was because a lot of people wanted to take their time to see life from a different perspective. I thought, "Oh, my God. I want to call my new album, "El Renacimiento." And then when COVID hit, I thought, "Oh, my God, I have this song called 'Ansiedad' and I think it would be good for people to listen to this and I think it would be good to put music out now." It was something that I already had in mind, but then it came to life because I wanted people to use my story as a mirror for the times that we're living right now.

I do feel like a lot of us feel sad and very uncertain about the future, but I do feel like this time is allowing us to have an opportunity to really re-evaluate our life and our priorities and our goals, and we can come out on the other side in a more positive light, and so I wanted to present it that way. So "Ansiedad" is me accepting my issues and what I have to work on, and "No Me Llames" is taking charge of the toxic sh*t that was in my life that I wanted to get away from.

The third and the fourth follow the Renacimineto era in a way where I'm coming back to myself and allowing myself to be happy again. On this album, I'm talking about a lot of mental health ... Not a lot of mental health, but a lot of realizations that I had, that I was like, "I don't just want to talk about heartbreak. I want to talk about other things that a woman my age lives and goes through." I don't only get heartbroken. I doubt myself, I feel depressed, I fall in love, I feel sexy, I feel all sorts of different ways. And not only as a woman, but as Carla. I feel like a lot of people think that I'm home crying to a boyfriend, and I'm not just that. I've been in an eight-year, beautiful relationship. I'm in a good place. It's just that I do tend to be very passionate and I like to sing about love. So it was more being motivated about the times that we're living.

I've always felt like if my music has a purpose, that's the only way it can exist. I love it when my music can give something to people. Ever since day one, when I decided to make music, it was always to give voice to the voiceless. It was always for people to feel like, "Oh, my God. She just said what I've been wanting to say and I didn't know how to articulate"—kind of like that. And so Renacimiento comes from that and also from telling the story of how, when I went through a very dark time, I still came out in a better way.

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How does it feel to have the two parts out now?

Well, the first two acts [being out], it feels good. To be honest, I was a little worried, but not in a worried way as in, "Oh, my God." Worried as in, "Oh, [I'm] interested in how people were going to react." Because, in the past, I've been bullied for so many reasons, for my weight, for my tats, for speaking my mind, for just so many things. When I came out in the scene back in 2009, I was such a different artist from all the other ones—my weight, so many things. A lot of people loved me and a lot of people hated me. That was something that years later, it really broke my heart, and it really fucked up ... It fucked with my soul in a way. I don't want to have fuck and soul in the same sentence, but I do feel like it did really break me. [It] made me really doubt who I was as an artist and as a person.

So I was a little scared, but not in a way that it was going to hurt me anymore, because I had already done the soul-searching, but it was more like, "Hmm, what's going to happen?", because I've always been bullied for any f*****g reason. And when I came out with the two acts, I felt like ... First of all, I felt like people were very happy, like I was missed, and I was very loved and celebrated. I felt a lot of love. It feels very exciting to be in a place where I feel like, not that I'm more accepted, but that there's a place where I can exist. Because before, I don't want to sound like, "Oh, I was the first one," because I don't think I was the first one, but I do feel like as an independent artist, I was one of the first ones that had mainstream success, but I wasn't signed. Also, my tattoos, the way I was writing, the way I was singing, a lot of things that were very different.

Now, there's a space where that is more normal. So it feels exciting to be like, "Oh, it feels good to feel celebrated because this is who I've been all this time, but, OK." And then on the music side, I also feel like people were very accepting and very excited about the new change. At the same time, I don't give a f**k anymore. If they like it, que bueno. I'm all about people liking my music. That's why I do it. But if people are like, "No, I really liked it when you were sadder or you did guitar," and whatever, then I guess we'll meet again at some point, but I'm not doing it for that. I'm just doing it for people who need to listen to this kind of music. And it feels refreshing, it feels healing, it feels like, como un circle.

You've released some awesome videos along with the songs. How much of your vision is a part of the music videos and the visual component?

To be honest, first, we were just going to release the songs, but then I wanted to release the videos because, to me, it was important for it to have this visual form. And so I contacted Colin Solal who is a French videographer. And this guy, I showed him "Ansiedad" [and] he showed me the treatment for "Ansiedad" and then I showed him the other songs, and so he made this idea about a film. And he got it based on the story I told him, like, "OK, this is my story. This is why I live in Paris. This is why I left the music and this is why I'm coming back."

And so I feel like I wasn't part of ... I was part of it, but what I'm saying is that, when he came with the concept to me, I didn't even feel like I had to be like, "Hey," because he got it so clear from the start. It was like, "Oh my God, I love it. Yes, let's do it." I was just so happy. And so I just trusted the whole process to him, but it was him getting my story. What I told him, he made it into a musical film, and so that was super exciting. And I love his taste. I love everything.  I've always been very engaged in everything that I do with my music, but this time, I feel like I've been very detailed, and very into it, even on image-wise, or just the concept and the message.

It goes beyond the Renacimiento. I want to speak to women that look like me, that are like me—Mexicanas, Latinas that feel like, "No, I could never look like a million bucks," and [then they] see me and be like, "I can f*****g look like a million bucks if I try and if I really do my research ... " I'm not saying I'm worth a million bucks, but what I'm saying is that, you put so much detail into what you do that it can look like that. And you can look as valuable and as beautiful as you want to look. And I feel like it's something that sometimes us Latinos, we've been looked down sometimes so much for so many generations that we don't feel like we could do that. And I'm not saying everybody. I'm just saying many of us, and I'm one of those included. And so when I actually took the time and I said, "No, I want this to be right. I want it to be done in the right way. I wanted to have my concept better," I do feel like with the videos, with the pictures, with everything, it's amazing for it to be more profound than just cualquier cosita.

You're going to release two more parts of the project. Are they also something that you came about before COVID? Or are you getting inspired also by the moment?

They were before COVID, but they're definitely being inspired by the moment because they do this, like, story, as in you go through bad times and then you start to gain your love back and then you take the power back, and you say, "OK, this is who I am now, and I'm ready to go back into the world and be myself again, and just a better version of myself." And I do feel like this time, it's been a very hard time for everybody. For me, it's been a very hard time, even though I was already in a pause in my life, it's still ... It paused me even more than some. So I do feel like we can take that narrative back and be like, "OK, what do I want to do with this?" Because it's hard to imagine yourself in a rebirth when it's all very sad, but I do feel like this is teaching us a lesson, and we just have to get the best of it.

Has it been hard for you to be creative? Or how has this experience affected your creativity?

It has been hard. I feel like, in some ways, it focuses me a lot because ... I can't do many things, so I have to really focus and study and do different things for me to accomplish certain goals. But at the same time, sometimes it's just hard to focus. It's hard to focus because you're at home and you're just like, "Ah." And you're worried about not getting the virus, you're worried about other people, you're worried about your future, you're worried about, "How the fuck am I going to do this?" You're just worried, and it just feels very gray, and it can be very, like "f***, man." I want to write a love song, but I feel stupid writing a love song right now. And then, I want to write a sad song, but why would I make anybody even sadder? And so you're just like, "Ah." So it's been hard, but I do feel like it's normal. I just have to accept it. 

Have you been spending most of your time during the pandemic in Paris?

Yeah, I've been living in Paris for two years

What's something that you love about Paris? 

Oh, I love everything about Paris. Paris changed my life completely. I feel like one of the things that I like about Paris and France is just the culture. They do value a lot of, like, going out and hanging out with your friends, having picnics and having some wine and just enjoy life, sit down at coffee places and people-watch and really go and have a coffee and just have a coffee. Not your laptop, not your phone, just be there and enjoy the moment ... 

Also, one of the things that I really like about Paris is that they do value arts. If you're a writer, it's like, "Oh, OK." Nobody says like, "Oh no, but what's your real job?" Nobody says that. It's like, "Oh, you're a singer. Oh, OK," and that's it. They take it seriously. Or, "You're a painter. Oh wow, OK." It just feels so nice to feel seen and to feel valued, and to be taken seriously ... So I love so many things about Paris. The food, just the city ... It's a big city, and it could be dirty and whatever and people can be rude and cold, but honestly, Paris is a dream. It's a dream.

That's awesome. I also wanted to touch on the Latin GRAMMYs where you're going to perform alongside the legend, Ricky Martin. What will the performance mean to you?

It means a lot. It means a lot because I'm from Tecate [, Mexico.] And Tecate's a small town and I would have never in my life dreamt even about being a un lado de Ricky, not even standing-wise, like, "Hey." So to be there singing a song that we wrote together and that we collaborated on that's on his album is, to me, the most beautiful message I can give to anybody that wants to dream and to wants to dream big. I do believe that anything that I do becomes full of purpose when it can mean something to somebody else.

And to me, it just means a lot, because I remember when I was very, very young, and I would see Julieta Venegas on TV, on MTV, and I knew she was from Tijuana, and I remember thinking to myself, "Oh my God. She's from Tijuana. I can be a star, too, if I wanted to." I could see myself in her shoes, and she was from Tijuana and now I'm from Tecate. Tecate's so small. It's beautiful, and I love my little Tecate, but it's small. And so to me, it means a lot to be there and to also be reminded how an iconic legend from the Latin music industry believes in my music and believes in my voice and likes my writing and, I don't know, trusts me with his talent. To be honest, it's like a GRAMMY to me.

Did you come together and come up with the theme? Or was Ricky like, "I have this idea. Can you add to it?" 

Yeah, it was like that.  "I have this idea, I love your voice, I love your music, I would love for us to collaborate." And I was like, "OK, what do you want to write about?" And we kept going back and forth and I would send him ideas and he was like, "Yes. Yes, exactly." And it was so easy because he's also just a very kind person. At first, I was like, "Oh my God. Ricky." And I forgot about it because he was just so nice. I was like, "Oh my God. Es super buena onda" ... It was really, really cool. It was all through Zoom, so I actually just met him two hours ago and it was beautiful. He was just amazing. He's like a dream.

Is there anything you can tell us about the performance?

The only thing I can tell you is that it's super special and it's beautiful, and even though it's in the middle of the pandemic, it's really special and he looks amazing and the song is beautiful. I think something very special is coming out of it. Even though, like I said, there's no audience or anything, it's beautiful.

2020 Latin GRAMMY Awards Nominees Announced: See The Complete List

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