- Title: USA: The 2006 Latin Grammy Awards in New York City
- Date: 9th November 2006
- Summary: SINGER RICKY MARTIN ON THE RED CARPET (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) RICKY MARTIN, WINNER OF THE 2006 LATIN RECORDING ACADEMY PERSON OF THE YEAR AWARD, SAYING: "My friends were there...they were saying congratulations, we think you are doing a good job with your foundation. Of course the Grammy is very important and the Academy is very important but this recognition for my humanitarian work, that is what I value more."
- Embargoed: 24th November 2006 12:00
- Keywords:
- Location: Usa
- Country: USA
- Topics: Entertainment
- Reuters ID: LVACI08POH20X01HZJTL1PCK1U5T
- Story Text: Colombian bombshell Shakira and reggaeton newcomers Calle 13 of Puerto Rico dominated the seventh annual Latin Grammy Awards on Thursday (November 2) in a show celebrating music from throughout the Americas and Spain.
Shakira won five of the six Latin Grammys for which she was nominated and held center stage throughout the ceremony at New York's Madison Square Garden.
Her album "Fijacion Oral Vol. 1" captured album of the year and best female pop vocal album, and the single "La Tortura" won record of the year and song of the year. "Fijacion Oral Vol. 1" also won best engineered album, with credit going to several engineers.
"I would especially like to share this award with every Latino in the world, especially here in the United States, the immigrants. All the Latinos here, just as I did back when, they have a dream. All they need, as Juan Luis Guerra says, is a visa for a dream. Waiting with all their hearts, that very soon, all these Latin Americans, every day with their strength and hard work," Shakira said upon receiving one of her trophies, citing the Dominican singer's single, "A Visa for a Dream."
Shakira later also spoke of the importance of the Latin Grammys to Latin music and said that she thought the field was going to grow.
Calle 13 symbolized the spectacular rise of reggaeton, a Latin form of hip-hop that has become enormously popular with young listeners. The duo of half brothers Rene Perez, better known as "Residente," and Eduardo Cabra, or "Visitante," captured awards for best urban music album for the debut record "Calle 13," best new artist, and best short form music video for "Atrevete Te, Te!"
Residente said he was surprised upon winning the first award, when Calle 13 beat Shakira in the category of best short form music video. The singer and songwriter said that he was going to continue to write politically motivated lyrics as he felt it was important to bring up issues like immigration.
"It's very important to talk about everything and I'm going to use the next CD that is coming out in March 13, I'm going to touch the theme about immigration and I think it's very important," he said.
The show started with a medley performed by a gyrating Shakira accompanied by Spain's Alejandro Sanz, who played guitar and sang along with her on a version of "La Tortura", more tame than that of the sizzling video.
On the red carpet, before the Awards, Sanz said that while working with Shakira was great, he found it difficult to keep up with her dance moves.
"That was amazing because Shakira is a real professional and a real woman. But it's difficult because you have to dance with her and that's very difficult for me. I am not a good dancer, so it was hard work," he said.
The crowd came alive when Mexican group Mana shared the stage with Guerra, who later said he might tour with Mana. Puerto Rican star Ricky Martin, who was honored as the Latin Grammy's person of the year for his campaign against trafficking in prostituted children, punctuated a rousing performance by warning, "To those traffickers, we are at war."
New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg was present at the awards, following a bevy of dancers in red dresses. He even tried out his beginner Spanish on the crowd, saying "I, too, love New York and Latin music."
The awards honored recordings released from April 2005 through June 2006 and featured 47 prizes this year, honoring numerous music forms including Tejano, flamenco, merengue, rock, classical and distinct Mexican and Brazilian styles. Artists stood up for their genres, fueling a debate about whether new music like reggaeton or old favorites like salsa were under-represented.
Other major winners this year included Julieta Venegas from Mexico and Gustavo Cerati from Argentina. Venegas was nominated for a total of four Grammys, including Record of The Year for "Me Voy" but she won best alternative album for "Limon y Sal". Cerati won best rock vocal album for "Ahi vamos" and best rock song for "Crimen." - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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