• Full list of nominees at LatinGRAMMY.com  »
  

The next decade in The Latin Recording Academy's continued evolution began today when nominations for the 11th Annual Latin GRAMMY Awards were announced at a press conference attended by national and international media at the Avalon in Hollywood, Calif.

Artists reading nominations this morning included pop/rock trio Camila, singer/songwriter Alex Cuba, two-time Latin GRAMMY winner Kany García, pop/rock group JotDog, band leader Mario Quintero Lara of Los Tucanes De Tijuana, bachata artist Prince Royce, Latin GRAMMY- and three-time GRAMMY-winning jazz instrumentalist Arturo Sandoval, two-time Latin GRAMMY and GRAMMY winner Gilberto Santa Rosa, and singer/songwriter/producer Aleks Syntek. In a year that recognized a diverse group of music makers across numerous genres, the nominations highlight an eclectic mix of established and emerging performers and creative professionals. The 11th Annual Latin GRAMMY Awards, set for Nov. 11 at the Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas, will be broadcast live on the Univision Network from 8–11 p.m. ET/PT (7 p.m. Central).

The leaders with four nominations each are:

Mario Domm: Album Of The Year and Best Pop Album By A Duo Or Group With Vocal for Dejarte De Amar (as a member of Camila); Record Of The Year for "Mientes" (as a member of Camila); and Song Of The Year for "Mientes" (with Mónica Vélez).

Jorge Drexler: Record Of The Year and Song Of The Year for "Una Canción Me Trajo Hasta Aquí"; Best Singer-Songwriter Album for Amar La Trama; and Best Long Form Music Video for La Trama Circular.

Juan Luis Guerra: Album Of The Year and Best Contemporary Tropical Album for A Son De Guerra; and Best Tropical Song and Best Short Form Music Video for "Bachata En Fukuoka."

Alejandro Sánz: Album Of The Year and Best Male Pop Vocal Album for Paraíso Express; and Record Of The Year and Song Of The Year for "Desde Cuando."

Earning three nods each are:

Camila: Album Of The Year and Best Pop Album By A Duo or Group With Vocal for Dejarte De Amar; and Record Of The Year for "Mientes."

Daddy Yankee: Best Urban Music Album for Mundial; and two nods for Best Urban Song — "Descontrol" and "Grito Mundial."

Lee Levin: Album Of The Year for Alejandro Sánz's Paraíso Express; Record Of The Year for Sánz's "Desde Cuando"; and Best Engineered Album for Diego Torres' Distinto (with Paul Acedo, Rafa Arcaute, Sebastian Krys, Daniel Ovie, Sebastian Perkal, Tom Russo, Esteban Varela, Dan Warner, and Lurssen Inc.).

Tommy Torres: Album Of The Year for Alejandro Sánz's Paraíso Express; and Record Of The Year and Song Of The Year (with Sánz) for Sánz's "Desde Cuando."

Dan Warner: Album Of The Year for Alejandro Sánz's Paraíso Express; Record Of The Year for Sánz's "Desde Cuando"; and Best Engineered Album for Diego Torres' Distinto (with Paul Acedo, Rafa Arcaute, Sebastian Krys, Lee Levin, Daniel Ovie, Sebastian Perkal, Tom Russo, Esteban Varela, and Lurssen Inc.).

Bebe, Rubén Blades, Buika, Andrés Calamaro, Dori Caymmi, Gustavo Cerati, Alex Cuba, El Cuarteto De Nos, Estrella, Maria Gadú, Gilberto Gil, Jotdog, Mala Rodríguez, and Vico C. are among those with two nominations. And a wide array of established music makers and rising artists — including Pepe Aguilar, Marc Anthony, Maria Bethânia, Miguel Bosé, Céu, Chino Y Nacho, Willie Colón, Don Omar, Alejandro Fernández, Pedro Fernández, Vicente Fernández, Fonseca, Nelly Furtado, Juan Gabriel, Kany García, Enrique Iglesias, India, Intocable, Los Tigres Del Norte, Los Tucanes De Tijuana, Sergio Mendes, Laura Pausini, Prince Royce, Jenni Rivera, Poncho Sanchez, Arturo Sandoval, Gilberto Santa Rosa, Lalo Schifrin, Joan Sebastian, Aleks Syntek, Thalia, Tito "El Bambino," Diego Torres, and Julieta Venegas — also earned nominations.

"After 10 years of recognizing the best and brightest in Latin music, the Latin GRAMMY nominations continue to bring together the worldwide Latin music community and spotlight a remarkably varied and wide-ranging group of Latin music makers that reflects emerging talent as well as established artists," said Gabriel Abaroa Jr., President/CEO of The Latin Recording Academy. "This year, it is especially encouraging to see the highest number of creative professionals to date participating in the awards process and recognizing their peers as The Latin Academy enters its next decade. We look forward to celebrating another year of excellence in recorded Latin music on Nov. 11 in Las Vegas."

This year's Album Of The Year category features a diverse array of worldwide artists and musical styles: Bebe for Y.; Miguel Bosé for Cardio; Camila for Dejarte De Amar; Juan Luis Guerra for A Son De Guerra; and Alejandro Sánz for Paraíso Express.

The race for Song Of The Year features some of the most prominent names in Latin music: Descemer Bueno & Enrique Iglesias for "Cuando Me Enamoro" (Enrique Iglesias Featuring Juan Luis Guerra); Alejandro Sánz & Tomas Torres for "Desde Cuando" (Alejandro Sánz); Rubén Blades for "Las Calles" (Rubén Blades); Mario Domm & Mónica Vélez for "Mientes" (Camila); and Jorge Drexler for "Una Canción Me Trajo Hasta Aquí" (Jorge Drexler).

This year's Latin GRAMMY Awards process registered the highest number of submissions ever. However, due to low entries in Categories 22 and 39 — Best Grupero Album and Best Tropical Brazilian Roots Album — submissions in those categories were combined within other categories for consideration. Additionally, Categories 10 and 11 — Best Rock Solo Vocal Album and Best Rock Album By A Duo Or Group With Vocal — have been combined into Best Rock Album. As a result of these changes, the 11th Annual Latin GRAMMY Awards will feature 46 out of 48 categories.

The 11th Latin GRAMMY Awards will be supported on radio via Univision Radio (the official Spanish-language radio network of the Latin GRAMMY Awards), and highlighted on the Internet at www.latingrammy.com and www.latingrammy.univision.com, featuring video interviews and behind-the-scenes footage from today's nominations announcement.

For media credentialing instructions and more information, please visit www.latingrammy.com. For updates and breaking news, please visit The Latin Recording Academy's social networks on Twitter and Facebook. A limited number of tickets to the 11th Annual Latin GRAMMY Awards will be available for sale to the public starting Sept. 17, and may be purchased at the Mandalay Bay Events Center box office (877.632.7400) or through Ticketmaster.

If you're a millennial, odds are you have fond memories of Nelly Furtado's music. Her early hits are 2000s playlist staples, including her GRAMMY-winning debut single, "I'm Like A Bird," and Timbaland-produced classics "Say It Right," "Maneater" and "Promiscuous."

Yet the Portuguese-Canadian pop auteur is far from a relic of Y2K nostalgia. In the seven years since her last album, 2017's The Ride, Furtado has seen her back catalog resurface in many ways, from remixes in DJ sets to viral TikToks. Not only did the millennial appetite for her music remain, but Gen Z was discovering — and loving — it. And the singer/songwriter took notice.

"I really feel like I was called back to the industry by the industry, especially DJs. I would go out and hear my songs played before arena shows of other artists, and at house parties and clubs," Furtado tells GRAMMY.com. "There was a sense of joy and celebration in it…I thought, This can only be remixed so many times, I better go make some new stuff."

Enter 7, Furtado's aptly titled seventh studio album. Due Sept. 20, 7 is the product of four years of fully immersing herself in the catharsis and connection of the studio. The Canadian songstress is confident and vulnerable across its 14 tracks, showcasing the malleability of her rich voice with a wide range of sounds that result in a fun, largely upbeat collection of songs.

The album's energy is indicative of the freedom and openness Furtado not only felt in the studio — where she crafted over 400 songs during the process — but also in today's musical climate. Furtado has been tapping into the collaborative spirit of the industry, teaming up with friends new and old for her latest material. Producer Dom Dolla helped birth Furtado's first new music since 2017 with the dance floor heater "Eat Your Man," a coy nod to her own "Maneater" that arrived last June; their partnership has also included appearances at Australia's Beyond The Valley festival in 2022, Lollapalooza and Portola Fest in 2023, and Coachella 2024. Along the way, the singer has also linked with past collaborators Timbaland and Justin Timberlake ("Keep Going Up") and Juanes ("Gala y Dalí").

Even 7's first two singles are collaborations: the sultry electronic-fused bop "Love Bites" with dance pop experts Tove Lo and SG Lewis, and the confident anthem "Corazón" with Colombian electro-pop wizards Bomba Estéreo. Along with offering a taste of the joy and sonic breadth of 7, both songs prove that Nelly Furtado isn't just back — she's having more fun than ever.

Read on to hear from the "Maneater" herself about her new album, finding sisterhood with Bomba Estéreo's Li Samuet, leaning into ADHD as a creative superpower, and why she'll never tire of singing "I'm Like A Bird."

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You feel really free on your upcoming album, 7. I was curious what sounds and styles you're feeling most excited to explore and lean into now and which ones made it on the album?

That's a good question. When I was touring over the years, you always soundcheck at each venue, which might be this big, beautiful space, like a theater. I love the way the music would come back at me through the big speakers and monitors of a large live space, and it's something I never quite felt in the recording studio.

When I started recording this album four years ago, I started getting a bunch of friends in a room, setting up wedges and monitors and speakers with a bunch of microphones on amps and instruments, recording absolutely everything we're saying and doing. I started recording in Toronto and would invite my friends, and all of a sudden, I found myself spending Friday nights there. It became this very social event with lots of collaborations. I loved the way my voice sounded back at me through the speakers in real time, much like those soundchecks I remembered so fondly.

Halfway through the recording process, I started meeting producers like Dom Dolla. We had reached out to each other because we were going to perform at the same festival, Beyond The Valley in Australia, where I also met SG Lewis. I was blessed to meet these really key collaborators for me who are making great current music I had special connections with. I just felt blessed to be so open.

I grew up learning a spontaneous style of improvisational singing called Desafio from Portugal, where people freestyle on stage together. [We channeled] the spirit of spontaneous freestyling in the studio. I have songs on this album that are freestyles. There's this beat that FnZ did, and I just opened my mouth and sang something, and that's the song. I went back and changed maybe three words and re-sang the vocal. You just kind of open the portal and sing. [Laughs.] For me, this album's really about community and, always, fusion.

Can you speak to how your daughter, as well as seeing Gen Z discovering your music on TikTok, and DJs remixing your songs encouraged and inspired you to go back to the studio?

Oh, that was cool. Dom had been communicating about [his Beyond the Valley] performance because he did a special mashup of "Give it To Me" and [his song] "Take It" that we premiered there. To top that off, he wanted to do the Bicep "Glue"/"Say It Right" [mashup]. He created this whole archway for me to come out and do this dramatic, beautifully received rendition of the song. That was a magical moment I'll never forget.

Four or five years ago, my daughter came home from high school and was like, "Mom, you're trending on TikTok." I didn't know what that meant. I'm not gonna lie; it wasn't until I walked out at Beyond the Valley and saw these Gen Z kids singing all the lyrics to my songs that I really understood the power of social media and TikTok. It was real; new people had discovered me. 

I just went to Stockholm and these kids were so young, singing every word of my old songs, and it blew my mind. I don't even know if they were born when the first records came out. [Laughs.]

I mean, people dressed up like Dom Dolla and I at Lollapalooza for Halloween with my same snake shirt. It was so meta and so cool. I love remix culture and nostalgia culture, and I lean into it. It's just like making a scrapbook.

Did that motivate you to want to make new music?

Oh yeah, are you kidding me?! I really feel like I was called back to the industry by the industry, especially DJs. I would go out and hear my songs played before arena shows of other artists and at house parties and clubs. I heard it in a lot of different contexts, and something clicked for me where I just wanted to have fun and party with my music. There was a sense of joy and celebration in it. People kept remixing all kinds of songs of mine from all my different albums. I thought, This can only be remixed so many times, I better go make some new stuff.

I love meeting artists online and making those connections in real time. I love the current climate of music. I think it is more fun than ever for artists, because we get to be very in the moment and we get to create moments. We get to focus on what we want to, we get to activate different things in our own way and on our own timeline. I connect with so many DJs online.

That's so my vibe; I've always been about collaboration. I feel like the industry is tailor made for artists like me right now who just want to collaborate and vibe out and make friends and have fun. I've always been in it for the music, so it's just so fun to be doing this.

7's second single, "Corazón" featuring Bomba Estéreo, is very confident and celebratory. What was it like working with them and how did that song come together?

"Corazón" started with this very special beat that T-Minus had made for me. He was such a champion of me doing this new project, and really pushed me to make sure I was putting my best foot forward with these new songs. The beat for "Corazón" was already magical, but I needed to find its stamp. [Working on the album] was like mining. You're digging until you see a glimmer, and then you chase it until you [hit] gold.

I co-produced the song and invited Bomba Estéreo to be on it. I brought them to the studio after a concert they had in Toronto. I got off a plane from recording in L.A., went straight to their gig, and embraced Li on stage. I hadn't seen her since I flew to her home on the beach in Santa Marta [Colombia] at the begging of my friend Lido Pimienta, who thought I needed to go meet Li. I'd never met her before [then]. I stayed at her home and met her family. She's an incredible woman. She's really a goddess.

We're at the studio [in Toronto], just eating chicken wings and having some tequila, and magic kind of happens. They're playing all these beautiful parts on their instruments. There, you get the fusion. It becomes something a little bit more than the song was before, and Li has her rap feature on there.

How did bringing Bomba Estéreo into the studio make the "Corazon" into something different?

I just knew it would make it more special. What's really weird is Li and I have another song that's not on this album— that will probably be on the deluxe — called "Corazónes" that we wrote in Colombia. I don't think it's a coincidence that this song is called "Corazón." I think it's some weird subconscious tick. [Laughs.] It was almost like the collaboration was meant to be more than one song.

Colombia made such a huge impression on me. I also spent time in Barranquilla because Lido was filming artwork for a project of hers; we were right in the thick of it in downtown Barranquilla. Li and I wrote a song at her treehouse jungle studio called Papaya Studios in Santa Marta. I really needed that sisterhood at that time. That trip was almost like a woman's retreat.

I just knew Bomba Estéreo needed to be on the song. I wanted [Li] to rap. On "Soy Yo" she's rapping and doing her thing. She's a really amazing rapper. She's an amazing singer and writer too; she's pretty rare. She's in her own lane.

I really connect with how Bomba Estéreo's music has a love vibration that I think is very rare. That's what sets them apart. That's why I knew they had to be a part of this song called "Corazón." They embody that idea.

Can you speak a bit more to the creative process of working on this album, as well as the emotions you were processing through it?

On this album there are some cool moments where I just let the music happen. Something clicked in me the last couple years where I realized it's really quite simple: You just have to enjoy what you're singing.

I was in the studio with Dom Dolla, producer Jim Beanz [who worked on Loose] and singer/songwriter Anjulie [Persaud] in Philly last Valentine's Day. We recorded and wrote "Eat Your Man," a track I put out with Dom last summer. Very early on when we were working on demos, Dom was like, "Why are you pronouncing every word when you sing?" 

There's something to letting yourself relax into the music and just letting it be. I kind of forgot that. In the studio with Dom that day in Philly, it was a real aha moment for me. It was like, Oh man, I remember what this is like, just singing for the joy of it all.

Emotionally, I got into the studio four years ago with a bit of a broken heart. I'd been through a lot in my personal life and I was quite sad. The first day I opened my mouth, I almost felt like I was having a heart attack from the amount of emotion moving through my chest. I had been a stay-at-home mom for about three years straight — my two youngest children were born a year apart — and I didn't go to the studio at all. So that first time back was quite impactful for me. 

That pain quickly turned into joy because I started spending Friday nights at the studio with my friends and collaborators. We would often jam until 7 in the morning. The studio is my happy place. I really learn so much about myself every time I make an album. It's uncanny; I have this moment before I put the album out where I'm almost sad because I have to detach from the process.

I've become overcome with emotion a lot of times making this album, hearing the mixes back and completing songs. I did purge a lot of emotions, but it's amazing how happy the album is. 

I think that comes from the sense of community and really leaning on people I've met along the way. I met moms who make music during this process, like Li and Lido. I'd be coming home from the studio texting them, and they'd be coming off the stage in Holland or Paris and I'd feel so motivated. Community is such a huge part of this album. I loved welcoming that into the mix. It was really fun to make.

How did you take all of that — four years, so many emotions, over 400 songs — and narrow it down into an album? I can't even imagine.

I was diagnosed with ADHD about two years ago, and it was really an aha moment. I've had it my whole life. People always say, "Hey, Nelly, you're so spaced out. Where'd you go?" I got used to people making fun of me for spacing out and used to the procrastination. I [also] got used to the self-judgment and beating myself up about it.

So, getting diagnosed kind of changed my life. It is a superpower in the studio. I can write five songs at once. I can invite so many people. We can have two rooms, sometimes three, going at once and we can keep making stuff all night. So I leaned into the ADHD, embraced it, claimed it — and there we have it, so many songs.

Luckily, I have great people around me, like my engineer, Anthony [Yordanov], really kept me in check. He became that North Star of, "Okay, these are the songs we have. What are we working on today?" Also, my daughter Nevis [Gahunia] is one of the A&Rs on the album. She works in the music business and is very organized. 

I leaned on other people to help me hone it in. I don't know how a bunch of stuff magically becomes 14 songs. It kind of happened by bringing a lot of friends in the studio for these long, fun parties just listening to stuff and everybody being like, "We like this song."

I have a lot of my favorite people on the album. And there's a lot more to come. I really feel like the deluxe [version] is going to be jammed with a bunch more stuff.

It's your seventh album and it's been seven years since your last, but is there any further meaning in naming it 7?

To be totally honest, the songs are all so different. It was the only title that made sense because it's more like a collection. Fashion collections don't really have titles, they're just called collection number 10 or 21. This is my collection seven. 

And yeah, it's been seven years since my last album, and it's my seventh album. I love the simplicity [of the title]. Honestly, sometimes I feel a bit like a music librarian trapped in a pop star body. So it's really appropriate for me to put together this random collection of songs and just call it a number, like a librarian. [Laughs.] Go to the seventh section.

I want to go back to the very beginning, to "I'm Like a Bird," your GRAMMY-winning debut single. How does it feel now when you perform that song you wrote when you were 20?

I wrote it in a little room by myself before [going to] the studio. When I sing it, I love it. It's wild, I love it more every time I sing it. It feels incredible singing that song. 

There are certain songs in my set that almost feel like one big fun karaoke session with the crowd. Who doesn't love that? It's fun every single time.

As summer rolls on, more tracks from artists across all genres continue to drop, and we couldn't be more excited. With album releases from John Summit, HARDY, OneRepublic, and Cat Burns to fresh singles from collaborations including Alesso and Nate Smith, July 12 brings a handful of new music to enjoy.

As you stroll through the weekend, make sure to check out these nine musical projects:

Serving as the lead single from 143, her first studio album since 2020, Katy Perry releases "Woman's World," a new pop track celebrating girl power and womanhood. Perry wrote the track alongside songwriter Chloe Angelides and producers Dr. Luke, Vaughn Oliver, Rocco Did It Again!, and Aaron Joseph.

Initially teasing the track through social media, the song drew attention from pop fans globally. The lead single from 143 marks both a comeback and a new era for the American Idol judge. "I set out to create a bold, exuberant, celebratory dance-pop album with the symbolic 143 numerical expression of love as a throughline message," Perry explains in a press statement.

Guess who's back? Eminem returns with his twelfth studio album, The Death of Slim Shady (Coup De Grâce). The album appears to be his last project before retiring his notorious alter ego, Slim Shady.

A standout track on the album is "Guilty Conscience 2," a sequel to the 1999 collaboration with Dr. Dre. Leading up to the album release, Eminem dropped two singles, "Houdini" and "Tobey," featuring Big Sean and BabyTron. The album is both a blast from the past and a revived representation of the renowned Detroit-raised rapper.

Premiering the song at her Machaca Fest set, Nelly Furtado returns to music with "Corazón," the lead single off her new album 7. The track is an upbeat dance song with lyrics in both Spanish and English, along with drums and flutes that bring it to life. The track was two years in the making, according to Furtado on Instagram.

"The essence of the song is that we're just out here living and trying to do our best," Furtado told Vogue. "Even when we make mistakes, it's coming from the heart. When it comes from the heart, it's never a mistake."

7 is set to captivate both loyal fans and new listeners. Centered around the vibrant theme of community, Furtado felt an irresistible pull toward creating new music, inspired by the diverse communities around her. The spirited energy of the DJ community that breathes new life into her pop classics to this day and the passionate online community yearning for her return, spurred by her collaborations with Dom Dolla and Tove Lo and SG Lewis, have both played a crucial role in Furtado's renewed artistic journey.

Amidst the viral resurgence of her 2019 track "Bags" on TikTok, indie sensation Clairo unveils her eagerly anticipated third studio album, Charm. Co-produced with GRAMMY-nominated Leon Michels of El Michels Affair, this enchanting project underscores a striking blend of musical artistry and innovation.

"I want afterglowing, and when I call a car / Send me eyes with the knowing that I could pull it off," she sings in "Sexy To Someone," the lead single from the album. Putting introspective lyricism at the forefront of all her projects without sacrificing quality instrumentals, this album is no exception.

In this genre-crossing collaboration, electronic artist Alesso joins forces with country singer Nate Smith on their new single, "I Like It." Though an unexpected blend of styles, the song blends elements from both artists' sounds, seamlessly combining country and dance as they proudly declare, they "like it like that."

With Alesso's electrifying instrumentals perfectly complementing Smith's spirited country vocals, the track captures the essence of summer in a song and is set to make waves throughout the season.

Featured as the official theme song for the upcoming movie "Kingdom IV: Return of the Great General", Japanese rock band One Ok Rock releases "Delusion:All." The upbeat, cinematic track is the band's latest contribution to the "Kingdom" movie soundtrack series, following their 2019 song "Wasted Nights." 

"It's been a while since we wrote 'Wasted Nights' for the first series of 'Kingdom,' and we are very honored to be a part of the movie again," said vocalist Taka in a press statement. "We tried to reflect "the various conflicts going on in the world today and the modern society" in the song, while making it blend into the worldview of 'Kingdom.'"

A love letter to her community and a deep dive into the intricacies of adulthood, Cat Burns presents her debut album, Early Twenties. Accompanying the album is a captivating short film directed by Libby Burke Wilde. The film tells the individual narratives of each character, touching on themes of mental health, relationships, and personal identity, mirroring the album's essence. 

With this well-rounded creative project, Burns showcases her full artistic prowess, making these releases a testament to her pioneering creative vision.

Making a triumphant return to music after 12 years, Uncle Kracker breaks down the boundaries between genres once again with his latest album, Coffee & Beer. The 13-track album intertwines country, pop, and rock, offering a musical journey that ranges from high-spirited anthems to laid-back, mellow tracks. 

"I wanted to give my fans a soundtrack to summer and what's better than the balance of first coffee…then beer? Coffee & Beer is going to be a fun one. Cheers," Uncle Kracker said in a press statement.

Drawing inspiration from the golden era of '70s Congolese rumba, Ghanaian highlife, and Nigerian afrobeat, the Meridian Brothers unveil Mi Latinoamérica Sufre. This concept album integrates the electric guitar into tropical Latin music in an innovative fashion. The album showcases a dynamic tapestry of sounds, blending cumbia, champeta, soukous, Brazilian tropicalia, and psychedelic rock, making it an exciting sonic journey.

HEAT, the new collaborative EP from GRAMMY-nominated singer/songwriter Tove Lo and dance pop producer SG Lewis is 15-and-a-half minutes of pure dance floor ecstasy. 

Across the EP's four tracks, which dropped June 14 on Tove Lo’s Pretty Swede Records, Lewis brings in classic, euphoric '90s rave sounds and infectious rhythms. Tove Lo adds her signature sexy lyrics and vocals, with an extra dose of confidence and sass.

"We both really wanted this EP to be a thank you to the queer fans that we share and for the videos and the creative to be an opportunity to amplify those queer voices and to celebrate that community," Lewis says. "I feel very lucky to get to soundtrack moments in these spaces and to also get to learn so much from this community."

The duo gave their fans a first taste of their collaborative magic in 2022 with "Call On Me," a pulsing, urgent hook up tune so good they both included it on their last albums, Tove Lo's Dirt Femme and Lewis' AudioLust & HigherLove. They also teamed up on "Pineapple Slice," a sweet and naughty cut from Tove Lo's Dirt Femme.

Since then, their fans — particularly their loyal queer fans — have been begging for more bops from the pair. Tove Lo, who is bisexual and often brings queer themes into her lyrics and music videos, has been crowned a gay pop icon, and Lewis' joyful, upbeat dance tunes have brought him many fans from the LGBTQIA+ community. They made the HEAT especially for their supportive queer fans, dropping it during Pride month with steamy gay clubs in mind.

Amid teasing their fans with snippets of "HEAT" and memes on social media, Nelly Furtado also dropped a sultry new single in May, "Love Bites," featuring none other than Lewis and Lo.

The fun and ease Tove Lo and Lewis feel working together oozes from each of their collaborations. Since they first got together in the studio, the "Busy Girl" artists have become fast friends. Their love for sweaty dance floors, '90s electronic music, and danceable pop bops creates a rich, shimmery sonic landscape for their music.

GRAMMY.com caught up with the two artists on Zoom from their Los Angeles' homes, for a lively, laughter-filled chat about crafting gay club friendly dance pop bangers, their magic in the studio together, and what having the support of the queer community means to them.

What do you hope fans get when they finally hear Heat and where are you imagining it being played?

Tove Lo: I hope that all our fans get completely floored and that they play it at the pre-party, in the club, and at the after-party — in all the spaces where they want to be free and sweaty and have fun.

SG Lewis: From what I've heard so far from people who've listened to it, people can feel the fun that me and Tove were having in the studio making it. I hope that it serves as a soundtrack for hedonism, celebration, freedom, and some really sweaty moments.

I was wondering about the specific sonic references and inspirations that you brought to the EP. I definitely heard some squelchy acid house on "Heat" and on "Desire" I got some Cascada and early trance, '90s Ibiza vibes.

SG Lewis: I have been reading this book by Sheryl Garratt called "Adventures in Wonderland," which tells the story of the birth of acid house and how it was brought back to the U.K. from Ibiza and exploded into this huge moment in the '90s and grows into trance.  As a result, I was just digging through a lot of the records from then.

Also, Tove and I were DJing a lot at parties and with our friends and stuff. A lot of those records that I was playing, Tove was as well; we were arriving at the same point through different avenues. There was a shared interest in those sounds and that nostalgia, so we really wanted to channel a lot of those two genres in this project. It happened very naturally through the music that we were playing and DJing together. We hardly even ever had a conscious conversation about how it would sound.

Tove Lo: When it comes to writing the melody and lyrics, from my end, there's never a conscious, "Oh, I want to make a vocal like this." I just kind of [go with] what is speaking to me in this track and whatever comes up. I don't know where it's coming from, but it's probably coming from us DJing at 4 a.m. and it reminds me of that moment, it's unlocking this thing. [Chuckles.]

Lyrically, I wanted it to feel confident and sexy. I step over the line a few times in certain songs, which is the way I love to write. You really encourage that free space. I don't think you've ever said, "Ah, it's too far. You even said [imitates British accent], "Can it be hornier?" [Everyone laughs.]

I feel like we are very aligned with what we wanted it to be. I don't want to say there's not a deeper message, it's more just us loving music, loving to make music together, and our joint fans kind of telling us that we need to make more music together. So, we are responding to this request. [Both giggle.]

How would you describe the magic of when you two get in the studio together? Because obviously, there's something there that's special.

Tove Lo: It's weird, but it's kind of like when you meet someone that you just really click with. As people, we get along really well and like to hang out, and we have a similar sense of humor, so it is a fun time. But just because you're good friends, you don't necessarily make good stuff together. It's hard to explain it, but it's a feeling of being totally at ease with someone, but still wanting to do your absolute best. That's how I feel when I work with Sam. I want to really impress him, but I feel very comfortable doing the journey together.

SG Lewis: It's a really rare sensation in the studio. This is a terrible analogy, but it's like playing a game of tennis with someone and every time they return the ball, they send it dead down the center in the right position. Every time I make anything that I'm excited about, whether it's a chord sequence or a drum pattern or something, I know that when I pass that to Tove, she's going to deliver something incredible back that I haven't even been able to imagine yet. That's where the energy comes from for me, it's this kind of back-and-forth of excitement in the process. And it's just honestly so much fun making music together. I can't say that I've had such a natural studio chemistry with many people before.

What do you admire most about the other's artistry, music and approach to music-making?

Tove Lo: With Sam, I'm always very impressed with how — I think I've said this to you probably 100 times — you can make it feel like there's the energy of something new, but it still has nostalgia in it. I don't know if it's the samples you're using or you're just inspired by certain tracks, but it gives me a feeling of, "Oh, I remember this, but I haven't heard it before," which is what everyone is trying to do, but it's really hard to. And you just live and breathe music. It goes into performing and DJing too, where you'll DJ for seven hours. You just love music and you know the history. It really gives me a lot of inspiration.

SG Lewis: I'm very flattered. Tove is an expert song crafter and creator of pop music, but to me, she has something that no other writer of pop music has. She is able to speak about things with a freedom of expression in her songs. She'll say things that other artists wouldn't dare to say, out of the rules of society. I think it's why she is such a queer icon and her music is so embraced in the queer community, because she harnesses this freedom of expression in her writing that is so raw. It gives her pop music an edge that no other artist on the planet has for me.

Tove Lo: Sam, that's so nice. Can I get this recording [to listen to] when I'm having a bad day?

Can you speak to your love of crafting gay club friendly dance pop bangers, and how you harnessed that specific energy — like you said, the sweaty, free, hedonistic club space — on HEAT?

Tove Lo: Sam and I share a lot of fans in the queer community, and they basically demanded that we make more music together. So we're like, "Well, this is going to be for you then." So this is a celebration of our queer fans, and also a thank you for the support that we've both had from the community. And I'm obviously part of the community myself, being a queer woman, but Sam, you're like a guest in the community. 

Also, you have to remember, the queer community will choose you. It's not something you can barge your way into. If your music resonates, you're in and the support is always there. My most loyal fans are part of that community. And there's a similar love for that kind of music that you can let go and be yourself; it's a safe space to just really live out your true self in whatever way that may be.

SG Lewis: As Tove mentioned, I've been so fortunate to be a guest in these spaces and to receive so much love from the queer community. I'm a nerd about music, and I study the history and who's making what, and I love that about the queer fans that I have; they're reading the notes on who produced what records and who wrote this and the collaborations. There's a level of obsession with pop music that we both share.

What does having the support of the queer community mean to you as artists?

Tove Lo: For me, it feels like there's a mutual love and respect. When I do my own tours, a huge part of my crowd is queer and I feel like I can fully be myself and really feel free and comfortable in my own skin and body and to express myself the way I want. I feel like they always have my back and I always have their backs. Also, all the cool s*** starts in the queer community. They're paving the way for a lot of artists and creators. They're the ones discovering everything first.

SG Lewis: Speaking to queer friends of mine and artists that I work with, anyone in that space has had to fight to express who they are, and there's an element of bravery in even being who they are and the expression of themselves. As a result, the thing that I feel so lucky to get to witness is that freedom of expression in the queer community that is so, so powerful. That's why these spaces and these parties have such an incredible, amazing energy; everyone in that space has acquired this ability to express themselves in a way that you don't see elsewhere. To have the support of that community on a musical level is a massive privilege — to have music that is celebrated in those spaces where that extreme expression and joy and euphoria is happening is really a dream.

I want to know the story of how you two met, because in one of the press releases, I think it said it was on the dance floor.

Tove Lo: Yeah, it was, but Sam was at my house before we met. I think I was out of town, but my boyfriend and my roommates had a party or something. And Sam's like, "Where am I? Why is there a bunch of Tove Lo art on the walls?"

SG Lewis: I was at a Phoebe Bridgers concert and I was standing next to this tall, lovely Kiwi man named Charlie. We were just shooting the s*** and I was like, "This guy's the best dude ever." I ended up at their place for an after-party. I was like, "Why is there so much Tove Lo memorabilia on the wall?" He was like, "I think you're working with my wife next week."

Tove Lo: That says a lot about me, having a bunch of my own sh-t on the walls. [Laughs.]

During the pandemic, I put up every concert photo I have of all the crowds, because I didn't think anything was going to come back. So, my walls are full of shots of me from behind me with a huge crowd. Maybe this is a little narcissistic. I might need to take it down.

SG Lewis: But it's also lots of photos of your friends. It's a celebration of your life, not a shrine to yourself.

Tove Lo: I can't remember the full order, if we then just met in the studio, but we have spent a lot of time on the dance floor together.

SG Lewis: We've had some crazy times, and I have a feeling this EP is going to lead to plenty more.

Talk to me about your CLUB HEAT [parties], because I know you've had one or two and there's more coming.

Tove Lo: We did one in London when we also did the video shoot, which was a crazy day, so much fun.

SG Lewis: Our second one is on Thursday night in L.A.

Tove Lo: The first one was so fun. It was just exactly what I hoped for: completely packed, sweaty, us [DJing] back-to-back, and me not being able to help myself and getting on the mic and singing way too often, because I love the stage. It feels exactly how the EP feels — sweaty, fun, club. I'm trying to think of the perfect word, but it's just all those words. 

SG Lewis: The format of the CLUB HEAT parties is a back-to-back DJ set with a performance element from Tove. I think it gives this really amazing, unique, chaotic party energy. Those moments where she performs really elevates the energy in the room. It's honestly utter chaos in the best way possible. There was literally sweat coming off the ceiling in the London one.

Are you planning on doing more?

Tove Lo: They're gonna be [announced] last minute. There's not going to be planning far out, but we're going to be doing more. 

SG Lewis: I think there's a kind of pop-up element to them. As the nature of the party being chaotic, I think the planning of them is also quite chaotic. I think that it'd be criminal not to do this in New York, which feels like the epicenter of chaotic, sweaty parties.

What was it like working with [producer and DJ] Totally Enormous Extinct Dinosaurs [TEED] on the EP, who did some of the co-production? How did he help bring it all together or bring out different things in the music?

SG Lewis: Orlando [Higginbottom, aka TEED] is not only one of my closest friends, he's very much a mentor of mine. He's taught me so much about production. He is one of my favorite artists and producers, and as much as he gets very sheepish when I tell him that, we're constantly playing each other's music.

While the EP came together from Tove and I in the room together, he was the outside voice who was able to take those songs from 90 to 100 percent, whether it's a synth line on "Heat" or "Busy Girl" was both of us producing together. That was a beat that we started outside of the room that I then played to Tove, and she absolutely killed it on.

I have to ask about the new song with Nelly Furtado, "Love Bites." How did that come together? What was it like working with her and having the three of you in the studio together?

SG Lewis: I was put in contact with Nelly because there was word that she was working on new music. Before I know it, I'm texting with Nelly Furtado, and I was like, "What's going on? This is insane." It was immediately apparent that she was extremely friendly and cool.

Tove Lo: She's way too chill. I'm like, you can be so much more of a diva.

SG Lewis: She was like, "Oh, send me some beats." As a producer, you hear this all the time. You send 10 beats and you never hear anything ever again. I sent this pack of beats. I go to bed and I wake up the next day, and she's written a full song on one of the beats and sends me the vocals.

Fast-forward six months, we'd worked on a couple of things, but none of them had really hit the bullseye yet. I reworked one of the things we were working on, reproduced the beat, and ended up with this idea I was really excited about, but it didn't have a chorus. I was going to ask Nelly if I could send it to Tove. Before I had the opportunity to discuss this with Nelly, I sent the idea without the chorus. And Nelly was like, oh, "Could you send this to Tove Lo to potentially write a chorus on it?"

Tove Lo: I dropped my phone, it's still cracked from it. I was like, "Are you kidding?" And [I thought the] beat was so sick. And her voice and the "ey ey," it's just like Nelly! Sam and I went in the studio and wrote the chorus together and sent it to her. And she's like, "I love this. Can we please get in the studio and finish it together?" We had a late session at 7 p.m. I think she's a night owl. I [was excited to] find someone who wants to work night hours with me. The three of us worked all night; recorded it, tweaked it, finished stuff. She's so lovely. She's got such a distinct voice. I was a little bit star-struck when she got on the mic.

SG Lewis: Her voice is so distinctive and iconic. She has the superstar tone where you know it's her immediately. It's really surreal as a producer to get to work with vocals like that from two iconic pop stars on one song.

How long was the period of time from when she asked you to send beats to y'all getting in the studio together?

SG Lewis: It was about six to nine months total. Everyone's sort of all over the world, so it was really cool for it to all come together in this moment, in the studio, in-person, together.

I love that Nelly's embracing a different sound and really daring to try different stuff, because it'd be so easy for her to try and replicate her past successes. But she's just too badass for that.

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For over three decades, Pepe Aguilar has proudly represented the traditions and culture of música mexicana. The iconic singer, songwriter and producer has made the biggest impact in mariachi music, penning and singing timeless love songs.

Aguilar became a worldwide phenomenon in the '90s with romantic classics like "Por Mujeres Como Tú" and "Directo Al Corazón." His deep and soulful voice, paired with honest and striking lyrics, continues the legacy of his famous parents: Flor Silvestre, an icon from the Golden Age of Mexican cinema, and Antonio Aguilar, a singer who was nicknamed "El Charro de México." To revamp the mariachi music that he grew up on in Zacatecas, Mexico, he blended in elements of Latin pop music. 

Aguilar embodies the genre with his charro (Mexican horsemen), suit and sombrero during live performances. In addition to honoring the traditions of mariachi music, Aguilar has helped globalize the genre with more than 13 million albums sold, hundreds of millions of streams on Spotify, and a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. On top of that, Aguilar has won four GRAMMYs and four Latin GRAMMY Awards. 

Now, Aguilar is bringing a new edge to mariachi music on Que Llueva Tequila, bringing elements of rock into the mix. His soaring songs become even more epic with this arena-ready sound: Mexican melodies collide with drums and electric guitars in power ballads like "Hasta Que Me Duermo" and "Corazón A Medio Día."  

"I've always liked alternative rock and progressive rock," Aguilar tells GRAMMY.com. "It's something that I'm doing to keep on experimenting with. I'm also going to keep doing traditional mariachi."

To that end, the heartbreaking title track and "Contigo Aprendí," a soulful ode to his mother's memory, are puro Aguilar. 

Aguilar's Jaripeo Hasta Los Huesos tour is hitting arenas across the U.S. through July. In the spirit of jaripeo (Mexican bull riding), Aguilar and children Ángela and Leonardo Aguilar, perform their songs live while riding horses. In this latest iteration of the tour, they're joined by figures from Mexican Día de los Muertos folklore. 

In an interview with GRAMMY.com, Aguilar opens up about his family's legacy, keeping Mexican traditions alive, and going rock with his latest album.

You dedicated your song "Contigo Aprendí" to your mother. What did you take away from your parents to become the artist that you are today?

Professionalism, dedication, honesty, and resilience. I saw all of that in them and learned the meanings of the principles with them, among many other things. 

It was a cosmic lottery because you don't choose where you're going to be born and who your parents are going to be, or if they're going to be loving parents or not. If they're going to have a strong work ethic or not. I won a cosmic lottery by being born in that environment. 

Why has it been important for you to represent and keep alive the traditions of mariachi music and charro culture with your career?

Mariachi has proven itself for generations and decades, so I like that sound. It's something that also has to do with the first question about what I learned from my parents. I learned to be true to myself. I like charrería [Mexican equestrian culture] and that sport. I like mariachi. I like banda. I like that culture and that's why I do it. 

You've won four GRAMMYs throughout your career. What do those GRAMMY wins mean to you?

They're very important reminders of the hard work and the dreams. It's very cool to have something that has so much validation by my colleagues, the ones that came before me, and the ones after me. 

Those four GRAMMYs have meant only good things in my life. Like from the moment I was nominated and couldn't believe it, to the moment when I won my first GRAMMY, which I still couldn't believe. I was mixing an album and my wife called me and said, “Hey, you just won your first GRAMMY.” And then another one, and another one, and another one came. What I'm most proud of from my four GRAMMYs and Latin GRAMMYs is that I didn't win those with just one album. It was with different albums. That was cool. 

On top of that, you won your GRAMMYs and Latin GRAMMYs as an independent artist.

For me, being independent was the natural way to go. It has been harder because it's a lot more work, but it has been a lot cooler in more ways than one — like having all the say and the responsibility and the timing, everything in your hands. 

It's been a game-changer for me, so I highly recommend it, especially if you're a workaholic. Nowadays, it's not like a choice. If you want to do things in 2024, most likely you're going to have to go independent in one way or another. 

What is the story behind your new album Que Llueva Tequila?

I wanted to go back to the more romantic way of doing Mexican music. I went all out. I did it, recorded it, and produced it in a year. I wanted to lean towards romanticism. I'm very proud of what happened. 

It took me so long, because I wanted to find a new sound. I think we achieved that. That sound is a fusion between rock and mariachi more than pop and mariachi. I have a few pieces that are very traditional and full-on mariachi. Most of them are fusions.

"Te Confirmo" is another love song on the album that leans more towards traditional mariachi. Why is it important for you to always have that element of romance in your music?

I think that it's needed. It's also something that I feel as a person. I think romanticism is fading away. The narrative of love in songs right now is very aggressive to me in many genres. I think bringing a little romanticism and poetry doesn't hurt anyone. 

Good orchestration and a big sound is not trending right now. Everybody just wants to go with one guitar. [They're] going directly to the chorus or not having any type of intro or bridge or outro. They just want to sell [music] and go directly to the chorus. I think there's nothing wrong with that, but that's not my thing. 

I like to create a particular story around a song, and you feel that. The music also speaks and it needs to have that narrative as much as the voice, the melody, and the lyrics. Call me old fashioned, but I'm going to keep on doing that. 

Then you lean into a bit of heartbreak with "Que Llueva Tequila." What was the story behind that song?

I like drama in my songs, and this is a romantic album, and romance is always filled with drama. With that song I wanted to go completely hardcore traditional and I did. The theme and arrangements are a homage to the more traditional mariachi days. No one's doing that. Not because no one's doing it that I'm doing it, no. It's because it should be done more. 

How do you feel to see Ángela and Leonardo Aguilar following in your footsteps and their music careers blossoming?

I don't know how much they are following in my footsteps. They're making their own paths. I'm like their teacher and master of the trade. When they're finding their own place in life, their own personality, and ways, of course they're going to do their thing their way. 

If their way is similar to mine, then that's fine. That's going to be their way regardless. I love it! I'm very proud that they're doing cool things with music and that they are growing every day. 

How would you describe the experience of bringing to life the Mexican jaripeo tradition with them on your tour?

It's been a rollercoaster ride. Amazing and very hard and lots of work and tremendous satisfaction. We've been doing it for almost seven years now with the pandemic in the middle. It's great to see how people enjoy their traditions and how they're proud of them and how they take the whole family to see this thing. It's amazing how in the 21st century, there are charros on horseback singing with mariachi and Día de los Muertos characters filling up arenas with a family as the center attraction. It's an honor. It's been pretty cool. It's also evolving, so let's see where it takes us. 

What do you see for the future of mariachi music?

I don't see it ending anytime soon because the new generations are adopting it. Maybe they're not dressed up like charros, but you have Christian Nodal, Carín León, and a lot of people singing with mariachi. Banda acts and their vocalists are doing singles with mariachi like Banda MS. Alfredo Olivas and Luis R. Conriquez — people that normally do banda or norteño music or corridos — they end up singing one or two songs on their albums with mariachi. 

I don't think it's going to end anytime soon, especially since people like Ángela and Leonardo are doing it at a very high quality level. It's just the beginning. 

After having accomplished so much, what do you want to achieve next?

[Representing música mexicana] is a consequence of the actions that I have done for my beliefs and my own goals. I believe in my culture. I believe in charros, in charrería, in mariachi, and in banda. I consume it. I like it. That's why I do it, and if that's inspired other people to get identified with their culture, that's amazing. 

Now I see that it's a responsibility. Now I see that a lot of people can get inspired and do something about preserving the traditions. Most definitely there are a lot more things to achieve. I'm ready to do whatever comes next. I'm very happy to keep on evolving and reinventing myself. I don't know where that's going to take me, but I'm nowhere near the potential that we have. 

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