All Latin Grammy 2024 performances ranked

Is rock making a comeback? Somehow it happened on the Latin Grammy stage. There was Pitbull and Bon Jovi with their rock/dance anthem. And then there was the Mexican rock trio The Warning, made up of sisters Daniela, Paulina and Alejandra, who performed the high-powered rock song 'Qué Más Quieres' in a traditional rock trio of guitar, drums and bass. It's an unusual sound in Latin music and certainly an unusual sight at a Latin Grammy or any Latin awards stage. A refreshing change from a band full of attitude and chops.

Fonsi celebrated his 25th birthday^u anniversary and the lasting legacy of “Despacito” with a medley of songs, starting with his early mega-hit and power ballad “No me doy por vencido”, reminding us what a fantastic singer he is. Seeing everyone in the front row, including Karol G, singing along was a reminder of just how embedded his songs are in our souls. But of course 'Despacito', accompanied by a platoon of dancers, continues to please the crowd.

Newcomer Ela Taubert (who won best new artist) sang alongside veteran Joe Jonas on “Cómo Pasó?”, a catchy, uptempo pop dance track. While not surprising, it was an impressive debut.

The eclectic funk trio is powerful live. With “Francotirador”, their debut on the Latin Grammy stage (after being nominated for Best New Artist) they showed significant performances and attitude, especially for their first award.

The 2024 Latin Grammys kicked off with a nod to the future of urban Latin music with DJ Khaled introducing mini-performances from Eladio Carrión, Quevedo and Myke Towers. They were three very different musical and aesthetic approaches: Quevedo, dressed in white (with a small black ribbon in solidarity with the Spanish flood victims) performed his most pop-friendly hits with attitude and mood. Towers was backed by dancers for his worldwide hit “LaLa,” and Carrión pulled out all the stops with an ambitious rendition of “Mama's Boy,” even bringing Mama onstage for a tearful hug.

Venezuela's Ocean, Puerto Rico's Díaz and Argentina's Trueno present three very different musicals in this mix of ups and comers. But unlike their female counterparts (from Elena Rose, Kali Uchis and Emilia), the boys' set felt a little disjointed. Still, it was a solid trio of hits, with Trueno breaking out into a new market with “TrankyFunky.”

Barrera, who won producer and songwriter of the year, produced and co-wrote this modern mariachi ballad, performed with a full mariachi plus a (mostly female) string orchestra, with Aguilar and Becky G decked out in red for maximum impact . It was soulful and beautiful.

The Texas group performed a no-nonsense version of their hit “El amor de su vida,” but it didn't take much to make an impact. Lead singer Payo has one of those voices that compels you to listen, and this group is tight and locked in, combining traditional sounds with modern edge.

Did someone once say that there couldn't be a party without Pitbull? On Thursday, the Miami icon turned the Kaseya Center into his own nightclub, with Bon Jovi at his side singing the chorus of “It's My Life,” now mixed into the pair's recently released “Now Or Never” . Dressed in black and accompanied by Pitbull's battalion of dancers, they performed with an unimaginable 2000's vibe that closed the night. We all need about 2000 spirits in our lives!

Anitta presented a very different artistic side with a bossa nova version of “Mil Veces” and a tribute to Sérgio Mendes with “Mas Que Nada”, performing both together with the wonderful Tiago Iorc on guitar. With the two sitting side by side on stools, they brought rare intimacy – and a beautiful touch of Brazil – to a big stage, with elegance and quality.

Vives, this year's Person of the Year, opened the award ceremony by singing one of his most beloved songs, 'Fruta Fresca', and then continued with a medley of favorites such as 'La bicicleta' and 'La Tierra del Olvido'. Overjoyed, he introduced the members of his band, La Provincia. At over seven minutes, it was a long mix. But when the roster of hits runs this deep, it was worth it and Vives seized the moment, leaping into the audience and culminating with his Colombian compass – Juanes, Silvestre Dangond, Camilo, Sebastian Yatra and Kapo – jumping on stage with him. Hard to match the excitement.

The night's big winner delivered a high-energy rendition of “Mambo 23” that required some tongue-twisting on his part and some virtuoso playing from his band, moving quickly through a series of successive rhythmic changes. It was absolutely fun and exciting. Too bad we couldn't all get up and dance.

The Mexican stars, together with the Spaniard David Bisbal, paid tribute to three great Mexican voices: Juan Gabriel (Hasta que te conocí, performed by Rake and García), Jose José (El Triste, performed by Rivera and Bisbal ) and as the grand finale, Fernández performs “No me se rajar”, one of the his dad's greatest hits. It was a medley that crescendoed: Bisbal and Rivera were masterful, but Fernandez, looking especially hot with his new beard, brought the house down with his swagger, big voice and big presence.

Feel free to call these three future female Latin music stars. All three feature very different styles: Uchis is atmospheric alt, Rose is soulful funk with a message and Emilia is straight forward dance pop. But all three are stars on stage. From Uchis' 'Te Mata', to Rose's emotioanl 'Caracas en el 2000' and Emilia's 'No_Se_Ve.mp3', this show gives us hope.

Wow, Carín León. The Mexican singer's star continues to rise with each passing month. León, who has been a pioneer in country collaborations, has enlisted a full gospel choir to back this cover of his hit 'Despídase Bien'. A rock ballad set in 6/8 time (Rhodes' organ was a lovely touch) turned contemporary Mexican with León's impressive voice. The result was wow. This is the future of the species.

This marriage of tradition and new generation was the perfect balance. A rejuvenated Tito Nieves started with Christian Alicea before Grupo Niche took over, followed by Oscar D'León (excellent at 81) and rising star Luis Figueroa. The grand finale was courtesy of two powerhouses, La India and Marc Anthony, who performed their hit 'Vivir lo Nuestro' together for the first time in 25 years. Backed by a band led by Sergio George playing on the second floor of the stage, this medley was a tour de force.