Latin music acts Albita, Los Ángeles Azules, Draco Rosa and others will be honored in Miami this November at the 2024 Latin Grammys with special awards for their musical contributions.
“This award reflects not only my work but also the unwavering support of my fans and colleagues throughout my career,” Rosa told The Times. “I accept this recognition with profound gratitude and love.”
Lolita Flores, Alejandro Lerner and Lulu Santos will also get special recognition, while Puerto Rican composer Ángel “Cucco” Peña and Mexican guitarist Chucho Rincón will receive the 2024 Trustees Award.
The Latin Recording Academy honors six acts at the special-awards presentation, announced on Thursday, ahead of the official Latin Grammys ceremony on Nov. 14.
“It is with great pride that we honor these musical legends—who continue redefining our Latin music and heritage,” said Manuel Abud, chief executive of the Latin Recording Academy, in a statement.
According to the Latin Grammy organization, the lifetime achievement award is “presented to performers who have made creative contributions of outstanding artistic significance to Latin music and its communities.” The Trustees Award highlights those who have contributed to the genre “in ways other than performance.”
From his beginnings in Menudo to his explorations in rock en español, Draco Rosa has seen success as a performer, songwriter and producer. With solo albums such as “Frío” and “Vagabundo” and having written hits like Ricky Martin’s “Livin’ La Vida Loca,” the Puerto Rican singer is “deeply honored and humbly grateful” for the recognition.
Similarly, Cuban singer Albita finds herself “excited, very humbled and grateful.” Known for her original twist on traditional Cuban music and work on Broadway, she says she never thinks about awards but always appreciates being recognized.
“I deeply love music, and since I was 7 years old, I have been singing and composing songs from the most authentic climate of my soul, always displaying the most authentic traditional roots of Cuban music,” said Albita. “Life is a dance, and may the music to this dance never stop.”
Mexican band of siblings Los Ángeles Azules has been contributing to the cumbia scene since the late ’70s. In their music, they bridge the gap between classic cumbia and other genres like alternative and classical — infusing electronic sounds and orchestra instruments.
“We are very honored to be taken into account for the work we have done for more than 40 years,” said band member Elías Mejía Avante, who previously was nominated for three Latin Grammys. “We have had the fortune of taking our music to many places. It’s easy to say, but it has been a titanic task and we feel very happy and proud.”
Each of the six lifetime achievement recipients is notorious for an individual legacy left on Latin music including Lolita Flores’ Spanish lineage of musical talents, Alejandro Lerner’s mark on 1970s Argentine rock and Lulu Santos’ romance-driven career in Brazilian music.
This year also marks the Latin Grammys’ silver jubilee milestones. This year’s ceremony in Miami will feature two new categories: Latin electronic music performance and contemporary Mexican music album. In addition to the lifetime achievement awards, Colombian singer-songwriter Carlos Vives will be recognized as the person of the year.
The entire list of nominations for the Latin Grammys will be released on Sept 17.