By Mackenzie Bruno
The 2023 Latin Grammy Awards will be held in Spain, the first time the event has ever left the United States.
Established in 1997, The Latin Recording Academy was the first international venture started by the National Academy of Recording Arts & Sciences, Inc. Members include “music industry professionals, musicians, producers, engineers and other creative and technical recording professionals who are dedicated to improving the quality of life and the cultural condition for Latin music and its makers both inside and outside the United States,” according to their official website.
The Latin Grammy Awards, headquartered in Miami, Florida, typically holds the awards in Las Vegas, Nevada, and occasionally in Miami and New York City. CEO of the Latin Recording Academy, Manuel Abud, made a statement in Sevilla alongside Spain’s Andalusía region President, Juanma Manuel Moreno, saying, “that the Latin Grammys will leave the United States for the first time is reason for special celebration, and what better place to hold them than Andalusía,” a popular tourist destination in Spain.
The Latin Recording Academy and the Latin Grammy Awards were created in the United States, but their membership has always been internationally recognized and represents music that is made in Spanish and Portuguese. When the Latin Grammys come to Spain, they will continue to be broadcasted on the Univision network.
Not only will hosting the Latin Grammys in Spain have an enormous impact on the culture and pride of the Latin community, but it will also help to boost the economy. On Twitter, Moreno estimated that having the Latin Grammy’s and other events in their region will generate “in the neighborhood of 500 million Euros.”
Headliners of last year’s Latin Grammy Awards included Spanish pop star Rosalía who took home “Album of the Year” and Jorge Drexler and C. Tangana who won several awards including “Record of the Year” and “Song of the Year.”