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 Releases Video for His “How Many Drinks?” Remix

It’s a (Kaleidoscope) Dream come true for Miguel’s fans…

The 27-year-old half-Mexican R&B singer-songwriter has released the official video for the Kendrick Lamar-assisted remix to his hit single “How Many Drinks?.”

Miguel

Directed by Clark Jackson, the clip for the latest single from Miguel’s Grammy-nominated Kaleidoscope Dream album features the singer and Lamar performing the song in sleek and stylish black and white ensembles.

Miguel dances in and out of the shadows, with his full band backing him, while the rapper comes in with a quick toss of the mic then cues Miguel’s return to the stage when dropping it.

“I’m super excited about this video because I haven’t seen a live performance like we’ve done, in a really long time,” Miguel told Vibe. “It was really important to capture the artistry and the performance, and almost elevate the integrity and the artistry of the song because it’s a pretty straightforward record.”

Miguel, who recently toured with Alicia Keys, is currently working on three new EPs for this summer, similar to his Art Dealer Chic series.

Miguel to Release “Art Dealer Chic” EPs This Summer

Miguel is giving his fans a chic series of gifts…

The 26-year-old half-Mexican singer-songwriter will be releasing three new EPs this summer, entitled the Art Dealer Chic series.

Miguel

“This time it’ll be bigger and better,” Miguel told VIBE. “I intend on having limited-edition apparel with them, so it’ll be really dope.”

Similar to Miguel’s first series, the upcoming EPs will feature three tracks each.

There aren’t any details as to whether the second series will lead into his third album, just as his smash-hit single “Adorn” segued into his critically acclaimed sophomore album, Kaleidoscope Dream.

Miguel is also working on the remix and video for the Kaleidoscope Dream track, “How Many Drinks,” which will feature Kendrick Lamar.

“Kendrick is poised to be the next staple in hip-hop [and] I certainly intend on becoming that for R&B. I don’t get that vibe that he’s putting on… I just feel like he’s just being honest in his music. Newer, younger artists, that’s what we’re all striving to do. Just be ourselves. Kendrick is one of the best examples of that,” he said.

He added that his collaboration with Lamar will  “sound like a breath of fresh air.” The track is set to debut this month.

Aside from working on new music, Miguel is currently on tour with Alicia Keys and will be performing at the 2013 Billboard Music Awards, airing live on ABC from the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas on May 19.