When I heard that Jennifer Lopez will pay homage to the iconic Celia Cruz at the upcoming American Music Awards, it got me thinking. Because of the Latin tribute at this all-American event, many more Latinos are bound to tune in to the awards show. Should American audiences turn around and tune into this year’s Latin Grammys?
The answer is yes and for more than one reason. The most obvious involves Natalie Cole. Just in case you didn’t know, the American singer recently released Natalie Cole en Español, a collection of romantic songs by some of the best Spanish language composers.
The album reached No. 1 on Billboard’s Top Latin Albums chart. For this hit, she has garnered three 2013 Latin Grammy Awards nominations for Album of the Year, Record of the Year, and Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album. Cole is also set to perform during the event.
I know that Latinos will watch the AMAs to see if Lopez will succeed with her performance. Americans should tune into the 2013 Latin Grammy Awards to see if Cole’s performance will do the same. At the very least, you can watch the virtual duet she will do with her legendary late father.
If that is not enough to attract English-speaking viewers, consider the live performances by Carlos Santana, Enrique Iglesias, and Marc Anthony. Pitbull, Juanes, and Ricky Martin are also scheduled to appear. These are all artists that are quite popular in the mainstream music market.
The last reason the American public needs to watch this year’s awards is because it is known as Los Latin Grammys, not Los Grammys Latinos. Furthermore, on both the official Spanish and English web pages, the symbol says: The 14th Annual Latin Grammy Awards. This event extends a welcome to all audiences who love music.
The show is televised in Spanish, but what it comes down to is that music is a universal language. If the performances sound good, that is all that should matter. As the Hispanic population in the United States grows, both cultures seamlessly mix.
If American audiences are already consuming Latino foods, then music should be the next step. If you are inclined to tune into the 2013 Latin Grammy Awards, the show airs Thursday, Nov. 21 on Univision. Tell us what you think in the comments below.
