Bad Bunny wins first award at the 2025 Latin Grammys, which open with Maluma and Santana

By Canadian Press on November 13, 2025.

How else could the 2026 Latin Grammy Awards open, live from Sin City, but with Maluma singing Santana’s 1970 hit “Oye Como Va” with the guitar legend himself?

It was just the beginning of an energetic medley, talents of today celebrating Santana — Christian Nodal joining in for “Corazón Espinoza” and Grupo Frontera for their 2025 collaboration with the virtuosic musician, “Me Retiro.”

The first award of the night was given out shortly thereafter: Música urbana album went to Puerto Rican superstar Bad Bunny for his landmark album “Debí Tirar Más Fotos.”

Performances hit hard and fast: Aitana brought her dreamy electro-pop, Alejandro Sanz delivered a medley of “El Vino De Tu Boca” and “Las Guapas,” Rauw Alejandro brought Puerto Rico to Vegas with “Khé?,” the bachata “Silencio,” “Falsedad” and “Carita Linda.” Then: Danny Lux, Kakalo and Ivan Cornejo brought contemporary Mexicana sounds. Pepe Aguilar followed, with his life-affirming mariachi — “El Cihualteco” into “El Fuereño.”

Elena Rose slowed things down with “Me Lo Merezco.” Karol G and the legendary Mexican singer Marco Antonio Solís brought their duet, the romantic ballad “Coleccionando Heridas” to the Latin Grammys stage.

Traditional tropical album went to Gloria Estefan for “Raíces.” Not long afterward, she hit the stage for “La Vecina” and “Chirriqui Chirri,” joined by Nathy Peluso for the latter.

Then ranchero/mariachi album went to Christian Nodal for “¿Quién + Como Yo?”

Most of the evening’s awards were handed out during a pre-televised Premiere Ceremony. That included: Bad Bunny’s “Voy A Llevarte Pa Pr” winning for reggaeton performance. Argentinian duo Ca7riel and Paco Amoroso cleaned house, too: taking home their first Latin Grammys for short and long form music video as well as pop song for “El Día Del Amigo,” and pop album for “Papota.”

There’s a lot to celebrate this year. The three-hour award show is taking place live from Las Vegas’ MGM Grand Garden Arena. It is currently being aired live on Univision, UniMás, Galavisión and ViX and hosted by the dynamic duo of Maluma and actor, producer and musician Roselyn Sánchez.

It’s gearing up to be Bad Bunny’s night. He leads the nominations with 12, dethroning producer and songwriter Édgar Barrera — known for his work with Bad Bunny as well as Madonna, Karol G, Peso Pluma, Shakira, Grupo Frontera and beyond — who previously topped the list in 2023 and 2024 with 13 and 9 nominations, respectively.

Barrera is tied with Argentinian hip-hop duo CA7RIEL & Paco Amoroso for the second most nominations. They have 10 each.

Other performers at this year’s bash will include Bad Bunny, CA7RIEL & Paco Amoroso, Chuwi, Fuerza Regida and its singer Jesús Ortiz Paz, Carín León, Liniker, Morat and Los Tigres del Norte, as well as the Latin Grammy’s 2025 Person of the Year, Raphael.

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This story has been updated to correct that Maluma helped open the Latin Grammys, not Miguel.

Maria Sherman, The Associated Press

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