Tag Archives: latin grammys

Latin Grammy winner Sergio George on success, loyalty and the rebirth of Salsa

Posted in Celebrity Interviews, Culture, Music by
george_s-770x437

Once upon a time, salsa reigned supreme. Great singers from Cuba, Venezuela, Panama, Puerto Rico, Colombia and Dominican Republic introduced this vibrant genre to the world and we collectively moved to the clave, connecting with its universal message. As legendary BMI-affiliated salsa producer Sergio George puts it, “Not only was salsa the dance of dances, but it gave people hope, something to relate to, something to dream of, the possibility of romanticism during the toughest of times, a respite for the poor.” Somewhere along the way, though, the movement lost momentum and was overshadowed by other genres.

Continue reading →

Salud! Tequila tasting with Sensato in Vegas for Latin Grammys

Posted in Food & Drink, Music, Videos by

sensato

What happens in Vegas…well, you know the rest. While in town for the Latin Grammys this week, artists were celebrating their nominations and wins up and down the Strip. One of them, Sensato, was in Vegas on double duty: to perform his monster club hit “Crazy People” with Pitbull during the show, the same song that was nominated in the Best Urban Song category.

If you’ve heard the song – and unless you live under a rock, you have – then you know this 27-year-old Dominican rapper with the hyper, caricature-like flow knows a thing or two about having a good time. So I took him tequila tasting earlier in the week to the hottest new resto on the Strip, Javier’s, which has a vast selection of the agave-based drink.

Sensato, who is signed to Pitbull’s label Mr. 305 Inc., has a bright future ahead of him beyond the Latin Grammy nod (the award went to Don Omar for “Hasta Que Salga El Sol”). His new, Pitbull-assisted single “La Confesion,” which namedrops J.Lo, Sofia Vegara, Eva Longoria, Selena Gomez, Shakira, and other hot Latinas is out now, and the two bad boys are working on a full joint album, due some time next year.

Watch here as we learn a thing or two about “fine” tequila and talk about what it means to be Pitbull’s protege. Sensato played it coy when we asked for crazy stories while on tour with Pit, but we can only imagine what that’s like…

Also, check out what Sensato and other celebs told us on the Latin Grammy green carpet about their End of the World playlists, because if we’re going down this year, we’re making it count with some good company, good music, and, why not a nice adult beverage?

#espanYOLO!

Juan Luis Guerra will save us from the end of the world!

Posted in Music, Videos by

juanluisguerra

This year at the Latin Grammys green carpet, aside from who will win which award, we couldn’t help but wonder: if the world really does come to an end in December as the Mayans predicted, will this be the last time these celebs walk the carpet?

We certainly hope not, but if it is, then we needed to know one thing: what would be on their End of The World playlists – which artists would they turn to for the ultimate and final party?

One trend we saw: Juan Luis Guerra! As Univision’s Lourdes Stephen put it: “He always carries this message of peace, of hope, of salvation.” And he delivered that very message during his performance of “En El Cielo No Hay Hospital.”

Watch all the celebs’ responses in this video, and check out more celebrity End of the World playlists below.

Continue reading →

What’s in your suitcase: ChocQuibTown’s Goyo

Posted in Celebrity Interviews, Fashion, Music by

goyo1

Latin Grammys are just as much about the music as they are about the fashion, so we snuck into one of our favorite band’s room to see which looks they’re going to be rocking this week in Las Vegas.

Colombian hip-hop group ChocQuibTown, beloved at home in Choco and all around Latin America, is nominated in three categories this year – Album of the Year (Eso Es Lo Que Hay), Record of the Year (“Calentura,” featuring Tego Calderon and Zully Murillo), and Best Alternative Music Album.

But they’re not exactly new at this Latin Grammy thing. In 2009, they were up for Best New Artist, and they won Best Alternative Song in 2010 for “De Donde Vengo Yo.”

The band’s Colombian pride manifests itself strongly in the fashion choices of its lead singer Gloria Martinez (a.k.a. Goyo), as we were able to see firsthand during our visit to her hotel room in Vegas. “It’s really important for me to support local designers,” Goyo told me yesterday, right before our Twitcam with the group. If you missed it, check out the full, unedited video here.

The trio of Goyo, her brother Slow, and her hubby Tostao, had so much fun answering fan questions on Twitter, and shared everything from their favorite foods to their dreams of a possible collaboration with Calle 13, and even breaking into an awesome acapella of “Hasta El Techo” (fast foward to minute 14:00 of the Twitcam video)!

But first, I got an exclusive look at Goyo’s wardrobe for the rest of the week. She makes the best dressed list in my book for all of her originality and support of local designers.

Check out the pics on Fusion (ABC/Univision), where this story was originally published. 

Get to know Latin Grammy darling Pablo Alboran

Posted in Celebrity Interviews, Music, Videos by

You may not readily recognize the name Pablo Alborán, but after the 12th Annual Latin Grammy Awards, that is all set to change. At only 22, the Spanish singer (who was born and raised in Malaga and is half French on his mother’s side) has accomplished what can take many people years to do—he’s earned both the hearts of listeners and the acclaim of critics.

Check out my interview with him for Fusion (ABC/Univision) from the rooftop of the Mandalay Bay Hotel the day before the awards show!

Watch: Romeo and Usher talk about their magic formula

Posted in Celebrity Interviews, Music, Videos by

I caught up with Ursh and bachata king Romeo Santos on the green carpet at the 12th Annual Latin Grammy Awards to talk about their chemistry, their plans to collaborate in the future, and whether or not Romeo is leaving us for Hollywood, now that he’s set to star in his very own comedy series for ABC.