Mars: This Year’s Top Latino Grammy Nominee

It comes as little surprise that Bruno Mars is this year’s Latino Grammy darling…

Following the release of his critically acclaimed sophomore album Unorthodox Jukebox, the 28-year-old part-Puerto Rican Grammy-winning singer has received four Grammy nominations for the 56th annual awards, the most of any Latino artists this year.

Bruno Mars in GQ

Mars, a 19-time nominee who earned a Grammy in 2011 for Best Male Pop Vocal Performance for his first career smash hit “Just The Way You Are,” is nominated in two major categories. He’s up for Record of the Year and Song of the Year for his No. 1 song “Locked Out of Heaven.”

In addition, Mars’ latest studio effort is nominated for Best Pop Vocal Album and his ballad “When I Was Your Man” is up for Best Pop Solo Performance.

But Mars isn’t the only Latino artist to receive multiple nods this year…

Miguel, who won the award for Best R&B Song during the 2013 Grammys, is nominated for two awards.

The 28-year-old half-Mexican American R&B singer is up for Best R&B Performance for his duet with Kendrick Lamar, “How Many Drinks?,” as well as Best Rap/Sung Collaboration for his collaboration with J. Cole, “Power Trip.”

Paquito D’Rivera, meantime, is nominated for two awards.

The Cuban Grammy-winning alto saxophonist, clarinetist and soprano saxophonist is nominated for Best Improvised Jazz Solo for the track “Song for Maura,” as well as Best Latin Jazz Album for the album of the same name.

Other Latino nominees include Marc Anthony, Gloria Estefan, Intocable, Frankie J and Carlos Vives.

The nominations were announced during the Grammy Awards’ special on CBS on Friday night.

The National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences, the organization that awards the Grammys, used to announce the nominations through an ordinary news conference. But for the last six years, it has tried to stir excitement with a primetime TV special with the rapper and actor LL Cool J as host. Performers on Friday’s show included Lorde, Robin Thicke and, by satellite, Taylor Swift from Sydney, Australia, and Katy Perry from Toronto.

The 65th Grammy Awards, dubbed music’s biggest night, will be held on Sunday, January 26, 2014.

Here’s a look at this year’s Latino nominees:

Record of the Year
GET LUCKY
 Daft Punk & Pharrell Williams
RADIOACTIVE 
Imagine Dragons
ROYALS Lorde
LOCKED OUT OF HEAVEN Bruno Mars
BLURRED LINES
 Robin Thicke Featuring T.I. & Pharrell

Song Of The Year
JUST GIVE ME A REASON 
Jeff Bhasker, Pink & Nate Ruess, songwriters (Pink Featuring Nate Ruess)
LOCKED OUT OF HEAVEN 
Philip Lawrence, Ari Levine & Bruno Mars, songwriters (Bruno Mars)
ROAR 
Lukasz Gottwald, Max Martin, Bonnie McKee, Katy Perry & Henry Walter, songwriters (Katy Perry)
ROYALS 
Joel Little & Ella Yelich O’Connor, songwriters (Lorde)
SAME LOVE
 Ben Haggerty, Mary Lambert & Ryan Lewis, 
songwriters (Macklemore & Ryan Lewis Featuring Mary Lambert)

Best Pop Solo Performance
BRAVE Sara Bareilles
ROYALS Lorde
WHEN I WAS YOUR MAN Bruno Mars
ROAR Katy Perry
MIRRORS 
Justin Timberlake

Best Pop Vocal Album
PARADISE Lana Del Rey  
PURE HEROINE Lorde  
UNORTHODOX JUKEBOX Bruno Mars  
BLURRED LINES Robin Thicke  
THE 20/20 EXPERIENCE – THE COMPLETE EXPERIENCE
 Justin Timberlake


Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album
VIVA DUETS
 Tony Bennett & Various Artists [Featured artists include Chayanne, Thalia, Christina Aguilera, Franco De Vita, Gloria Estefan, Juan Luis Guerra, Ricardo Arjona, Romeo Santos, Vicentico and Dani Martín)
TO BE LOVED Michael Bublé
THE STANDARDS Gloria Estefan
CEE LO’S MAGIC MOMENT Cee Lo Green
NOW
 Dionne Warwick

Best R&B Performance
LOVE AND WAR 
Tamar Braxton
BEST OF ME Anthony Hamilton
NAKAMARRA
 Hiatus Kaiyote Featuring Q-Tip
HOW MANY DRINKS? 
Miguel Featuring Kendrick Lamar
SOMETHING 
Snarky Puppy With Lalah Hathaway

Best Rap/Sung Collaboration
POWER TRIP 
J. Cole Featuring Miguel
PART II (ON THE RUN) Jay Z Featuring Beyoncé
HOLY GRAIL
Jay Z Featuring Justin Timberlake
NOW OR NEVER 
Kendrick Lamar Featuring Mary J.
REMEMBER YOU 
Wiz Khalifa Featuring The Weeknd

Best Improvised Jazz Solo
DON’T RUN
 Terence Blanchard, soloist  
SONG FOR MAURA Paquito D’Rivera, soloist  
SONG WITHOUT WORDS #4: DUET Fred Hersch, soloist
STADIUM JAZZ Donny McCaslin, soloist
ORBITS
Wayne Shorter, soloist

Best Latin Jazz Album
LA NOCHE MÁS LARGA Buika  
SONG FOR MAURA 
Paquito D’Rivera And Trio Corrente
YO
 Roberto Fonseca
EGGŪN Omar Sosa
LATIN JAZZ-JAZZ LATIN Wayne Wallace Latin Jazz Quintet

Best Latin Pop Album
FAITH, HOPE Y AMOR Frankie J
VIAJERO FRECUENTE Ricardo Montaner
VIDA Draco Rosa
SYNTEK Aleks Syntek
12 HISTORIAS Tommy Torres

Best Latin Rock, Urban or Alternative Album
L OBJETO ANTES LLAMADO DISCO Café Tacvba 

OJO POR OJO El Tri  
CHANCES 
Illya Kuryaki And The Valderramas
TREINTA DÍAS 
La Santa Cecilia
REPEAT AFTER ME Los Amigos Invisibles

Best Regional Mexican Music Album (Including Tejano)
EL FREE
Banda Los Recoditos
EN PELIGRO DE EXTINCIÓN Intocable 

A MI MANERA
 Mariachi Divas De Cindy Shea
ROMEO Y SU NIETA Paquita La Del Barrio
13 CELEBRANDO EL 13 Joan Sebastian

Best Tropical Latin Album
3.0
 Marc Anthony
COMO TE VOY A OLVIDAR Los Angeles Azules

PACIFIC MAMBO ORCHESTRA Pacific Mambo Orchestra
SERGIO GEORGE PRESENTS SALSA GIANTS Various Artists
 (Featuring
CORAZÓN PROFUNDO Carlos Vives

Best World Music Album

SAVOR FLAMENCO Gipsy Kings
NO PLACE FOR MY DREAM Femi Kuti
LIVE: SINGING FOR PEACE AROUND THE WORLD 
Ladysmith Black Mambazo
THE LIVING ROOM SESSIONS PART 2 Ravi Shankar

 

Best Instrumental Composition
BOUND AWAY
 Chuck Owen, composer (Chuck Owen & The Jazz Surge)
CALIFORNIA PICTURES FOR STRING QUARTET Gordon Goodwin, composer (Quartet San Francisco)
KOKO ON THE BOULEVARD 
Scott Healy, composer (Scott Healy Ensemble)
PENSAMIENTOS FOR SOLO ALTO SAXOPHONE AND CHAMBER ORCHESTRA
Clare Fischer, composer (The Clare Fischer Orchestra)
STRING QUARTET NO. 1: FUNKY DIVERSION IN THREE PARTS
 Vince Mendoza, composer (Quartet San Francisco)

Miguel Notches Five Soul Train Award Nominations…

Miguel is one of the music industry’s brightest soul-diers

The 27-year-old half-Mexican singer-songwriter, who will serve as a mentor on the upcoming season of NBC’s The Voice, leads this year’s pack of Latino Soul Train Awards nominees.

Miguel

Miguel is up for five awards, one less than overall lead nominee Kendrick Lamar.

He’s nominated twice in the Best Collaboration category, for his song with J.Cole, “Power Trip,” as well as his track “How Many Drinks” with Lamar.

He’s also up for Album of the Year for his sophomore set Kaleidoscope Dream, Best Hip-Hop Song of the Year for “Power Trip” and Best R&B/Soul Male Artist.

Meanwhile, Bruno Mars has earned two nods…

The 27-year-old part-Puerto Rican singer follows up his two MTV Europe Music Award nominations with two Soul Train Award nominations.

Mars, confirmed to perform at next year’s Super Bowl halftime show, will face off against Miguel in the Best R&B/Soul Male Artist category. He’s also up for Best Dance Performance for his sizzling single “Treasure.”

Other Latino nominees include Marc Anthony, Ashanti and Maxwell.

The Soul Train Awards will be presented November 8 at the Orleans Arena in Las Vegas. The awards will air December 1 on BET and Centric.

Actor-comedian Anthony Anderson will host the show.

See a complete list of nominees below.

Best New Artist
Bridget Kelly
K. Michelle
Kendrick Lamar
Tamar Braxton
TGT

Centric Certified Award
Joss Stone
Luke James
Lyfe Jennings
Solange
Stacy Barthe
Talib Kweli

Best Gospel/Inspirational Performance
Break Every Chain – Tasha Cobbs
Confessions- Lecrae
Every Praise – Hezekiah Walker
God Will Make Away – Shirley Caesar
If He Did It Before…Same God – Tye Tribbett
Life & Favor – John P. Kee & New Life

Best Hip-Hop Song of the Year

Bad – Wale feat. Tiara Thomas
High School – Nicki Minaj feat. Lil Wayne
Holy Grail – Jay Z feat. Justin Timberlake
Poetic Justice – Kendrick Lamar feat. Drake
Power Trip – J. Cole feat. Miguel
Started From the Bottom – Drake

The Chaka Khan Best R&B/Soul Female Artist

Alicia Keys
Chrisette Michele
Fantasia
Janelle Monáe
Kelly Rowland
Tamar Braxton

Best R&B/Soul Male Artist

Bruno Mars
Charlie Wilson
Chris Brown
John Legend
Miguel
Robin Thicke

Album of the Year

20/20 Experience, The – Justin Timberlake
Good Kid, m.A.A.d City – Kendrick Lamar
Kaleidoscope Dream – Miguel
Magna Carta… Holy Grail – Jay Z
The Side Effects of You – Fantasia
Unapologetic – Rihanna

Song of the Year

Blurred Lines – Robin Thicke feat. Pharrell & T.I.
Diamonds -Rihanna
Fine China – Chris Brown
Love and War – Tamar Braxton
Poetic Justice – Kendrick Lamar feat. Drake
Suit & Tie – Justin Timberlake feat. Jay Z

The Ashford and Simpson Songwriter’s Award

Crooked Smile – J.Cole (Jermaine Cole, Meleni Smith)
Fire We Make – Alicia Keys feat. Maxwell (Gary Clark Jr., Warren Felder, Alicia Keys, Andrew Wansel)
Lose to Win – Fantasia (Francine Golde, Dennis Lambert, Andrea Martin, Walter Orange, Harmony Samuels)
Love & War – Tamar Braxton (Tamar Braxton, Darhyl Camper Jr., LaShawn Daniels, Makeba Riddick)
Mirrors – Justin Timberlake (James Fauntleroy, Jerome Harmon, Timothy Mosley, Justin Timberlake)
Q.U.E.E.N. – Janelle Monae feat. Erykah Badu (Roman GianArthur Irvin , Dr. Nathaniel Irvin III, Charles Joseph II, Janelle Monáe Robinson, Kellis Parker Jr.)

Best Dance Performance

Blurred Lines – Robin Thicke
Body Party – Ciara
Fine China – Chris Brown
Q.U.E.E.N. – Janelle Monáe feat. Erykah Badu
Suit & Tie – Justin Timberlake feat. Jay Z
Treasure – Bruno Mars

Video of the Year

Blurred Lines – Robin Thicke feat. Pharrell & T.I. (Diane Martel)
Fine China – Chris Brown (Chris Brown, Sylvain White)
Love & War – Tamar Braxton (Walid Azami)
Poetic Justice – Kendrick Lamar feat. Drake (The Lil Homie, Dave Free, and Dangeroo Kipawaa)
Q.U.E.E.N. – Janelle Monae feat. Erykah Badu (Alan Ferguson)
Started from the Bottom – Drake (Director X)

Best Collaboration

Alicia Keys feat. Maxwell – Fire We Make
Brandy feat. Chris Brown – Put It Down
J.Cole feat. Miguel – Power Trip
Janelle Monae feat. Erykah Badu – Q.U.E.E.N.
Miguel feat. Kendrick Lamar – How Many Drinks
Robin Thicke feat. Pharrell & T.I. – Blurred Lines
Wale feat. Sam Dew – LoveHate Thing

Best International Performance (CENTRICTV.com)

Differentology – Bunji Garlin
The Fog – Machel Montano
Next To Me – Emeli Sande
Personally – P-Square
Ur Waist – Iyanya

Best Traditional Jazz Performance (CENTRICTV.com)

George Benson feat. Wynton Marsalis – Unforgettable
Jeffrey Osborne feat. Chaka Khan – Baby it’s Cold Outside
Tony Bennett feat. Marc Anthony – For Once In My Life
Nicole Henry – Waiting In Vain
Terence Blanchard – Pet Step Sister’s Theme Song

Best Contemporary Jazz Performance (CENTRICTV.com)

Jose James – Trouble
Boney James feat. Rick Braun – Batucada (The Beat)
Michael Bublé – It’s A Beautiful Day
Dave Koz – Got To Get You Into My Life
George Duke – Missing You

Best Independent R&B/Soul Performance (CENTRICTV.com)

Ashanti – Never Should Have
Brian McKnight – Sweeter
Kenny Lattimore – Find A Way
Maysa – Love Me Good
Raheem DeVaughn – Love Connection
Ronald Isley – Dinner And A Movie

Miguel Nominated for Four BET Hip-Hop Awards

Miguel is on a power trip… At least when it comes to registering award nominations in the music industry.

The 27-year-old half-Mexican American has received four nominations for the eighth annual BET Hip-Hop Awards.

Miguel

Miguel is nominated in the Best Hip Hop Video, Perfect Combo Award (Best Collabo, Duo or Group), Track of the Year and the People’s Champ Award categories for “Power Trip,” the singer-songwriter’s collaboration with J. Cole.

For the first time, rap legend Snoop Dogg will host the show, which will be taped on September 28 at the Boisfeuillet Jones Atlanta Civic Center and will air on October 15.

The awards show will also be broadcast on October18 across BET‘s international network in the U.K. and Africa.

Here’s a look at Miguel’s competition:

Best Hip Hop Video:

A$AP Rocky Feat. Drake, 2 Chainz & Kendrick Lamar – ‘Problems’
B.o.B Feat. T.I. & Juicy J – ‘We Still in This’
J. Cole Feat. Miguel – ‘Power Trip’
Drake – ‘Started From the Bottom’
Kendrick Lamar – ‘Don’t Kill My Vibe’

Reese’s Perfect Combo Award (Best Collabo, Duo or Group):
Ace Hood Feat. Rick Ross & Future – ‘Bugatti’
A$AP Rocky Feat. Drake, 2 Chainz & Kendrick Lamar – ‘Problems’
J. Cole Feat. Miguel – ‘Power Trip’
French Montana Feat. Rick Ross, Drake & Lil Wayne – ‘Pop That’
Kendrick Lamar f/ Drake – ‘Poetic Justice’
Wale Feat. Tiara Thomas – ‘Bad’

Track of the Year:
‘Power Trip’ – Produced by J. Cole (J. Cole Feat. Miguel)
‘Problems’ – Produced by Noah “40″ Shebib (A$AP Rocky Feat. Drake, 2 Chainz & Kendrick Lamar)
‘Don’t Kill My Vibe’ – Produced by Sounwave (Kendrick Lamar)
‘Bugatti’ – Produced by Mike WiLL Made It (Ace Hood Feat. Rick Ross & Future)
‘Started From The Bottom’ – Produced by Mike Zombie & Noah “40″ Shebib (Drake)

People’s Champ Award:
A$AP Rocky Feat. Drake, 2 Chainz & Kendrick Lamar – ‘Problems’
J. Cole Feat. Miguel – ‘Power Trip’
Drake – ‘Started From the Bottom’
Kendrick Lamar – ‘Don’t Kill My Vibe’
Macklemore & Ryan Lewis Feat. Ray Dalton – ‘Can’t Hold Us’

The event’s Twitter hashtag is #hiphopawards and its Facebook page can be found at facebook.com/HipHopAwards.