The Most Powerful Moments of the 2017 Latin Grammys
The Latin Grammys is a way for the Latino music community to unite and honor the achievements of our people
Photo: Unsplash/@brunocervera
The Latin Grammys is a way for the Latino music community to unite and honor the achievements of our people. After the devastation seen in Puerto Rico and Mexico, and in the midst of the current political climate, we were no doubt looking to the awards show to see how artists would respond and how. Our gente did not let us down. Check out some of the most moving, uniting, and hopeful moments witnessed at the 2017 Latin Grammys.
Juanes, Logic, and Alessia Cara Bringing Attention to Suicide and Suicide Prevention
Juanes, Logic, and Alessia Cara joined forces to perform the Spanish remix to “1-800-273-8255,” a song that speaks on suicide, and promotes reaching out for help if you need it (the song’s title is actually the National Suicide Prevention Hotline). During the segment, people held signs behind the musicians, with the hotline number for Spanish speakers, and signs that also read “No Estas Solo” (“You Are Not Alone”), and “Habla y Busca Ayuda” (“Talk and Seek Help”).
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Homages to Mexico and Puerto Rico
The shoutouts to both Mexico and Puerto Rico were in full effect. From Olga Tañon’s PR fan to Alejandro Fernandez singing “Mexico Lindo y Querido,” and Banda El Recodo de Cruz Lizárraga performing both “Mi Lindo San Juan,” and “Viva Mexico.” In fact, the show was opened and closed by Puerto Rican performers. Residente got the masses ugly crying from the gate with his Puerto Rican-tastic homage performance of “Hijos de Cañaveral.” “Puerto Ricans don’t get up, because they’ve always been standing,” he proudly stated.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D49lo1e7zi8
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Alejandro Sanz Dedicating His Award to Dreamers
https://www.instagram.com/p/BblcbKeAcH9/?taken-by=elizabethwithlove
Another incredibly powerful, bawl-your-eyes-out moment at the Latin Grammys is when Alejandro Sanz performed before accepting his Person of the Year award. He sang “Corazon Partido” with Dreamers, who wore t-shirts that said, “We Have One Dream.” After the group of young men and women embraced Sanz, he dedicated his award to them, mentioning that they were brave, that each stone that will attempt to build a wall is a Dreamer, that when one becomes a father, you become a father to the whole world.
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Fonseca, Leslie Grace, Luis Coronel Uniting for Unity
A more lighthearted moment, but with an important, feel-good message, was the Walmart and Fundación Cultural Latin Grammy-sponsored #TodosJUNTOS performance by Luis Coronel, Leslie Grace, and Fonseca. Their song was a Spanish remake of the hippie-peace-and-love classic, “Get Together.” It united Mexico, the Dominican Republic and Colombia, and regional, pop, and tropical music, to send the message that we all should be coming together as one.
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Lin-Manuel Miranda
Lin-Manuel Miranda was honored with the President Merit Award. He didn’t hesitate to thank others for his success, as he stated that “no one gets here alone.” Miranda went on to say that “Puerto Ricans are human beings, too” a well-deserved clapback to a government that has ignored the needs of the Puerto Rican people. In fact, he said “Puerto Rico” time and time again, in an impassioned dedication to his homeland.
