Editor's Note: The 2022 GRAMMYs Awards show, officially known as the 64th GRAMMY Awards, has been rescheduled to Sunday, April 3, at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas. The below article was updated on Tuesday, Jan. 18, to reflect the new show date and location.

Música urbana has had an undeniable impact on music far beyond the Latin landscape over the last two decades, with a more recent, rampant revival that has seeped into the U.S. mainstream via various experimental, multicultural tracks. Bilingual songs and collaborations with artists in the Anglo and K-pop markets and beyond have made the genre's global impact undeniable.

On a more microscopic level, música urbana has rewritten the blueprint for Latin pop, expanding the possibilities of the sound and canon. At the 2022 GRAMMYs Awards show, officially known as the 64th GRAMMY Awards, the Recording Academy will further recognize and celebrate that shift with a new category: Best Música Urbana Album.

Encompassing several Latin genres, this newly minted category will aim to highlight the varied work of artists producing albums with at least 51% playing time of new Música Urbana recordings. The inaugural nominees are some of Latin's biggest stars — Rauw Alejandro, Bad Bunny, J Balvin, KAROL G, and Kali Uchis — further proving just how impactful música urbana has become.

Ahead of the 2022 GRAMMYs Awards show, which air April 3 on CBS, take a look at the albums in the running for the first-ever Best Música Urbana Album GRAMMY.

Read More: Get To Know The First-Ever Best Global Music Performance Nominees | 2022 GRAMMYs

AFRODISÍACO — Rauw Alejandro

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A few years into his career, Rauw Alejandro has proven to be one of the most promising well-rounded acts of his generation.

On Afrodisíaco, Alejandro paints outside of the lines of urbano to infuse it with refreshing electronic elements and Spanish-language R&B. The singer/rapper incorporates an experimental wave of pop that bends genres, setting him apart from his peers.

The Puerto Rican artist shows off his range with standouts like the EDM-meets-reggaeton track “Química,” and a futuristic pop song that lives up to its name, “Algo Mágico” (or ”Something Magic”). Eleven of the album’s 16 tracks are collaborations, which see Alejandro joining forces with Latin heavy hitters like Tainy ("Pensándote") and Camilo ("Tattoo Remix"), as well as rapper Trippie Redd on "Un Sueño."

A valiant and versatile effort, Afrodisiaco established a strong foundation for Alejandro: After the album gave the singer his first two Top 10 hits on Billboard’s Hot Latin Songs chart (”Tattoo” and ”Reloj”), his follow-up project, 2021’s Vice Versa, debuted atop the Top Latin Albums chart.

EL ÚLTIMO TOUR DEL MUNDO — Bad Bunny

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Since his start in 2016, Bad Bunny has proven he isn't afraid to get weird and tap into his varied musical inspirations, including rock en español.

On El Último Tour Del Mundo, the Puerto Rican singer/rapper reminds us of his range with tracks like the rock-inspired track "MALDITA POBREZA," which he performed at the 2021 Latin GRAMMYs. Kicking off with "EL MUNDO ES MÍO," the 16-track project is a diverse collection that flaunts Benito’s range, from the thumping hip-hop infused track "HOY COBRÉ" to the soulful “SORRY PAPI,” featuring Queens-born Alt R&B princess Abra.

The album is one of three offerings Bad Bunny released in 2020, following YHLQMDLG (which won the singer his first GRAMMY last year) and a compilation album titled Las que no iban a salir. El Último Tour Del Mundo spawned one of his biggest hits to date, the wavy reggaeton smash "Dákiti" featuring Jhay Cortez, earning Bad Bunny his first No. 1 on the Billboard Global 200.

Read More: J Balvin On His New Album 'Jose,' The Future Of Reggaeton & Getting Back On Stage: "It's About Getting Back To Feeling That Vibe Again"

JOSE — J Balvin

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JOSE is J Balvin's sixth studio album, self-defined as his most personal yet — encapsulated in the project's title, his first name. Throughout the hefty 24-track project, we hear Balvin lean into his signature suave poppy reggaetón sound, mixing his worldwide appeal with unprecedented sentimentality.

Balvin's longest project to date, JOSE teams up with fellow superstars both in and out of the Latin genre, including Ozuna ("Pa' Guayarte"), Karol G and Nicky Jam ("Poblado - Remix"), Khalid ("Otra Noche Sin Ti") and Skrillex ("In Da Getto"). The album also makes room for rising acts like Dominican trapera Tokischa ("Perra") and Argentine singer Maria Beccera ("Qué Más Pues?").

Pushing his diverse sound even further, JOSE is a personal win more than anything. "The album was made thinking about myself and what I like to do," Balvin explained to Billboard. "The concept is me."

KG0516 — KAROL G

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Nearly 18 months after Karol G's Nicki Minaj collaboration "Tusa" took off, the Colombian star produced a holistic, confident heartbreak album. KG0516 channels a place of hurt to eventually heal and release one's inner "Bichota," loosely translated to a boss woman.

Following 2019's introspective Ocean, Karol G takes on more heartfelt ballads, honors reggaetón greats, and even delves into corridos for the first time on “200 COPAS.” The 16-song project includes collaborations with Camilo ("CONTIGO VOY A MUERTE"), Nathy Peluso ("GATO MALO"), and even Ludacris ("BEAUTIFUL BOY," which also features rising singer Emilee). 

KG0516 saw Karol G produce her project for the first time, as she co-produced "Déjalos Que Miren," "200 COPAS" and "EL BARCO." She told ET earlier this year that she "really wanted to experiment with new sounds,” including country guitars on the J Balvin collab "LOCATION."

"For me, it's like every song is an opportunity to bring something different to my people," the singer said. "That's what I love to do with my music."

Read More: Kali Uchis On What It Means To Be A Latin "Crossover" Star In The 21st Century

SIN MIEDO (DEL AMOR Y OTROS DEMONIOS) — Kali Uchis

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Kali Uchis' all Spanish-language project Sin Miedo (del Amor y Otros Demonios) is a statement piece of freely creating, with longevity and connection in mind. The Colombian-American singer dawned into this new space without fear, making its title — which translates to "Without Fear (of Love and Other Demons)" — all the more significant.

Standouts like the sweet and sultry bilingual song "telepatía" and tribute cover of late Cuban star La Lupe's "que te pedí" exhibit Uchis' multifaceted abilities. Across the album's 13 tracks, she blends old-school reggaetón and soulful alt-pop with grace and ease.

The Virginia-born star's goal for this project (and her work at large) is simple: "I'm going to make something timeless that inspires people and pushes people to reflect and feel something," Uchis said last year. "It comes from the most authentic parts of me."

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After finishing the first mixes of their new album, Kehlani knew exactly what she needed to do: head to Las Vegas. 

The L.A.-based, Oakland-born singer/songwriter had always identified with Sin City: "I’m full of juxtapositions," she tells GRAMMY.com. "Vegas is this crazy bright light city in the middle of a vacant desert that has weddings and also strippers." Fittingly, Kehlani harbored a very Vegas-like image in their head while creating Crash, a record built on blaring neon, glowing smoke, and the highest highs.

Crash drops June 21, and is Kehlani's fourth solo album. She burst onto the scene in 2009 as a member of teen sextet PopLyfe, but their 2014 debut solo mixtape Cloud 19 announced a far more complex character. Their debut full-length, SweetSexySavage, was released three years later to critical acclaim, with two more albums and a handful of platinum-certified singles following. As if that weren’t enough, Kehlani added acting, appearing in "The L Word: Generation Q" and a cameo in Creed III. 

And while Crash embodies the evolution and growth through all those experiences, the record builds a hyper-real language all their own. Beyond any sense of R&B or pop, soul or hip-hop, Crash finds Kehlani chasing passions that refuse to fit in any box, shifting multiple times within a track — refusing to focus on anything but the moment. 

"A crash isn't anything from the past. It isn't the anxiety of what's about to happen," she says. "It's the height of the moment. It's right now."

Nearing the release of Crash, Kehlani spoke with GRAMMY.com about finding inspiration from international music, getting their five-year-old to sing on the album, and their need to stage dive.

What’s it like living in Los Angeles after growing up in the Bay Area?

I moved to L.A. when I was about 17. I had already left the house. I left the house at 14, and by the time I was almost 18 it was the appropriate time for me to situate in a new place. L.A. and the Bay are like cousins. Do we have differences? Absolutely, things that are fundamental to us, but when you leave California, you can really see that we're just like a big family.

Had you been dreaming of L.A. as a place where you could pursue art? Were you already set on that goal?

It was the closest place that a young, very broke person could go and work in music. I'm sure there were other places with musical homes, musical cities, but if all I had to do was get on a $15 bus and go find someone to stay with in L.A., I was gonna do it for sure.

That’s the same ambition that I feel drives this new record, which is just so dense and full of surprises. That includes the lovely retro radio intro to "GrooveTheory," where you move from this ‘60s pop feel to the present. That’s such a smart way to foreground your evolution.

I think the second that we made that song and then turned it into ["GrooveTheory"], I was like, This feels like it encompasses where I'm headed, this whole new sound. 

Once that radio dials in and it comes in with R&B elements, it's producing where I'm headed, but also remembering that my core hasn't changed. Especially the energy of what I'm saying in the song, like, "I'm kind of crazy," it's introducing this energy difference on this album. I feel like that's the biggest change, and that's what's so prevalent in this whole rollout. Energetically, I'm on a whole different type of time.

You can sense it. 'Crash' feels really rooted in self-expression and personal growth, and when you listen to it as a whole, it really does seem like an evolution story. Beyond just the genre and style, how do you feel the way that you've expressed your true self has shifted over the years?

Thank you! That's been the feedback I've gotten from pretty much everyone who's listened, and I don't know what I expected, but it wasn't this. I have realized the public's understanding of me and the general consensus for so long, and I also realized how multi-faceted I am to people. 

People get really confused when I express all the sides of my personality. They’re either, like, "Okay, she makes really sweet love songs," or "We've seen you be political, we've seen you come out, we've seen you be a family member." And then there's a lot of people who are, like, "I feel like she's f—ing crazy. I've seen her in multiple relationships. I've seen her be angry. I've seen her get online and cuss people out." 

I want this next batch of music to feel like the most fiery parts of me. I want it to feel like the most present and energetic parts of me. I don't want anything to feel somber. I don't want anything to feel reminiscent. I think a lot of my albums in the past have been me looking back, and sitting in that feeling and detailing it. I just wanted [this album] to feel right here, right now, which is why the title came about. A crash isn't anything from the past. It isn't the anxiety of what's about to happen. It's the height of the moment. It's right now.

That’s unfortunately a story you hear too often about artists of color — that essentialization, where you can only be seen as one thing. R&B often gets hit with those same issues. Throughout your career you’ve stood up to those expectations, and "Better Not" on this album is such a good example of that. It’s a left turn, a stylistic contrast and an open conversation with the listener. You cleverly fuse that intentionality with a voice that’s stronger than ever.

In the past, I have had moments where I would make the song and [start recording], and there would be so many versions of each song on different microphones, recorded in different places.

"Let me try vocal production. Let me try to go back and work with this version again." I went back and did vocal production with Oak Felder, who did all the vocal production on SweetSexySavage. When I come back to some of my favorite vocal production moments, it was moments like "Distraction" or "Advice" or "Escape" — songs on my very first album — and I wanted to get that feeling again. Where it's lush where it needs to be, but also that I really mean what I'm saying. 

That started with the approach in the songwriting. Once I had the songs and I had to go back and deliver them, I had enough time to listen and listen, to learn the songs and identify with them. We would make music all day and then go out, and we would be in this sprinter van on the way to going out, and, like, bang, the songs we just made, the energy was just different. It allowed me to be present in a different way where my voice is able to show up like that.

Learn more: R&B Isn't Dead: Listen To 51 Songs By Summer Walker, Josh Levi & More Artists Who Are Pushing The Genre Forward

Which again ties perfectly to crashing into the present. As someone from South Africa, I love that the other guests that you included represent different cultural viewpoints. You worked with Young Miko from Puerto Rico, Omah Lay from Nigeria. Having that musical dialogue is so powerful.

We had so many conversations about how America's in the backseat often when it comes to music. We have our moments, and it's fantastic, like Beyoncé’s Cowboy Carter. There's a culture that is super American, that is Black, that historically needs to be dived into. It needs to be shown that we do have something here. 

So many people that don't speak Spanish bang Bad Bunny all day. Amapiano’s taking over; Tyla’s going up. It's really not here. So that wasn't a conscious choice. It's just what we've all been listening to, what we've been loving.

Read more: 11 Women Pushing Amapiano To Global Heights: Uncle Waffles, Nkosazana Daughter, & More

Speaking of guests, I wanted to ask about your daughter, whose voice is on "Deep." Was she just in the studio and you got her singing?

So those vocals on that, that’s actually my little sister and my goddaughter. And [my daughter] was in the room and she started singing along. She has perfect pitch; she's always freestyling or singing or making something up. 

I was like, "You want to just go sing on it?" What's on there is her first take. Literally. She did it the first time, all the way through, perfectly. I was like, "Well, that's it, guys. I can retire." 

That track is so lush. It feels so alive. Were you working with a full band?

[Producer] Jack Rochon, who I did a lot of the music with, he just is a freaking genius music whiz. Honestly, he's one of the most humble people that I know, and deserves credit for how amazing a lot of this album is.

Talking about touchstones, there's a Prince energy to the title track. Did you have any new inspirations or influences for this record?

Thank you! My main focus for this album came from going on tour for my last one and making such a pretty, sweet, intimate album, and then playing some of the biggest venues of my career. At some point I had to rearrange the setlist to add in a lot of the album before that one, because it was just more energy on the stage. By week two of tour, the setlist had completely changed. I knew that I was playing venues on this next tour that I've dreamt about, places that I can't fathom that I'm playing, like Barclays Center. 

I do a lot of things for, like, my inner child, and this is such a move for my inner child. Like, You're about to go play Barclays. Do you want to look back and say, ‘I rocked out and played Barclays’? I'm a person who headbangs on stage. I stage dive. I wanted to create an album that would ring through a venue like that. I want people to be engaged again. I'm not looking for the lighters and the somber, holding each other — which will occur regardless, because it's a me show. 

But I really wanted people to be in their bodies, and their heart’s exploding and the ground’s shaking. So that's what we accomplished. I wanted to have fun. This album is so fun to me. It’s a place of fire in my heart.

It took me a second to get the word play on "Eight." I loved the track, and then suddenly I was like, 'Oh… I knew there was something raunchy going on here.'

[*Laughs.*] "Eight" was super fun, and shoutout to the boys that I did it with, because they made it everything for me. 

I didn't come up with the wordplay. My boys did. Like, "This is how you talk!" I was like, "It is! This is perfect." Once I got in to fix things, add things, add my own spin, and finish writing, my favorite part was that it sounds like a Brandy song. She's my favorite.

I also wanted to ask about the Nina Sky sample on "After Hours."

That was mine. I was like, "What can we flip that when it comes on, my generation loses their mind?" And for me, every single time that Nina Sky comes on in the club, everybody's like "Woo!" And then you see how many songs were made from that same sample, and they're all songs that make us lose our minds. 

I went into the room with the producers, and I was like, "So, I want to flip this, but I want you to make it to where it doesn't become one of those where the whole thing is just a sample."

Similarly, "Lose My Wife" balances breeziness with high emotional stakes. Is finding a balance like that just natural for someone so capable of juxtaposition?

The second that we established that [the record] felt like Vegas, I knew what components were missing from the energy of how I feel the second my car crosses the line into the city of Las Vegas. I knew I was missing that feeling of the next morning when you realize you went on this high and you come down. I wanted to create these scenarios that weren't necessarily applicable to me, but captured that emotion. I've been there before, and I want people to be like, Damn, I've been there before. I know this feeling. 

I recorded that song at 4 in the morning with a sinus infection. The second that we finished it, everybody was like, "You can never re-sing that. Don't try to make another version, you're not gonna be able to sound like that again." All the chatter in the background of that song is really everybody who was in the studio that stayed up to just hang out. We had the tequila out, it was perfect. That was probably one of my favorite moments of making the album.

It takes a while as an artist to reach a place where you can capture those moments. You said before that people try to figure you out, and I mean this in the best possible way, but it feels like now you don’t care if they can’t figure you out.

I don't give a f—anymore, yeah. And that was a very important thing for me to learn. I used to care so much, and I would spend so much time explaining myself online, in music, in interviews, on stage. I realized that you're damned if you do, damned if you don't. 

I've been so forward-facing with my heart my entire career that I've left a lot of room for people to consistently pedestal me and then critique me, for people to want to tear me down. I realized I'm just being present, here, existing loudly in front of a billion people, and whichever way that goes is how the cookies gonna crumble. Me giving a f—? I'm the only one it's affecting at this point, for sure.

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Álvaro Díaz has a twinkle in his eye — he knows he’s onto something special.

"It’s crazy that it’s an alternative album, but also the most reggaeton I’ve ever made," Díaz says of his recently-released sophomore album, Sayonara. "It’s both worlds. I have my fingers crossed that people are going to love it."

Díaz, who is 28, has been making music since he was a teenager. A constant creative force, he grinded for years as an independent artist, building a solid fanbase in Puerto Rico before breaking into the wider Latin urbano scene with 2021 debut, Felicilandia, which layered fresh pop melodies onto playful reggaeton and trap beats, exploring the euphoria of love.

Notably darker and much more experimental than its predecessor, Sayonara marks the end of that "happyland" feeling. 

"My story with ‘Felicilandia’ ended in heartbreak," he tells GRAMMY.com. "I was just writing about my life. It’s like a nightmare when you can’t stop thinking of that person. The usual Puerto Rican [reaction] to a breakup is like,'Don’t worry, let’s go to the streets!'"

The first half of the record soundtracks this feeling of party and abandon. Perreo tracks like the Feid-featuring dancefloor banger "Gatas Sandungueras Vol.1" nod to old school reggaeton, while Diaz and guest Tainy twist into ravey house beats on "Fatal Fantassy."

With an assist from Spanish indie pop star Sen Senra, "1000Canciones" marks a turning point in the album’s mood. It’s slow, reflective and poignant, with unashamedly heartfelt lyrics. "I went to the streets, and played 1000 songs that reminded me of you / even though I knew it was late / I took my phone to call you," Diaz sings in Spanish.

Lovingly nicknamed "Sadvarito"by fans, Diáz’s vulnerability stands out amidst a reggaeton scene dominated by party hits and swag. Even the biggest hits on Felicilandia— "Lori Party" and "Babysita </3" — were tinged with heartbreak; and fans will be reassured to see his signature fragility thoroughly embedded in Sayonara.

"It’s just how I feel, sometimes I feel empty, sometimes there’s a lot to say," Díaz says of the album’s changing moods. 

At the end of the album, Díaz considers trying to get back with his former flame ("Quizás si, quizás no," featuring Quevedo). But, he soon realizes it won’t work: "You know it’s not the same — it’s just me saying 'Sayonara,'" he says. 

GRAMMY.com spoke with Díaz over Zoom about why reggaeton is the perfect heartbreak genre and how ‘Sayonara’ is his most experimental work yet.  

This interview has been edited for clarity and length.

Sayonara **comes three years after your debut, Felicilandia. There are some similarities in the two albums’ artwork, but we can see something’s gone a bit awry/**

There’s an explosion at the left of the Felicilandia artwork. We were predicting what was going to come. I’m a fan of when artists do these little things, merge album covers, or make songs that live in the same universe. 

Felicilandia is the way to find happiness, Sayonara is saying goodbye to the happiness you thought you found. 

When you’re with a person you create a world together. But, todo se fue a la mierda. That world has gone. On [the artwork for] Sayonara, I’m looking ahead, but you don’t know my intention. I could try to save everything, or I’m just taking the last look. 

The track ‘‘Gatitas Sandungueras Vol. 1’ feat. Feid, has dark undertones, even though it’s a song about partying.  How is the track related to the album’s main theme of overcoming heartbreak?

Me and Feid put everything into the song. It’s based on the story of missing her: you’re blind; you’re trying not to think about her.  

Feid is like my duo, we always talk about making projects together, and our fanbase likes it when we work together. He couldn’t be out of ‘=Sayonara —he was in Felicilandia singing a sad song, and now he’s singing a party song, so it’s a total contrast. 

Same with Rauw Alejandro, who is on the track "BYAK," and was also on Felicilandia single "Problemón."  It’s special to have Feid and Rauw on both albums. We didn’t want to repeat what we did before, we wanted to go in another direction. 

The album mixes a lot of different genres, but reggaeton is definitely at the foundation of Sayonara. What artists were your core inspirations?

The selection of the sounds, and the beats, reminds me of the golden era of reggaeton in the 2000s. We even used the old Fruity Loops software, and searched for inspiration in [LunyTunes & Tainy 2006 album] Mas Flow: Los Benjamins, or the [2003 compilation album], Blin Blin. All those albums that changed your life in Puerto Rico. That’s why the reggaeton tracks have 2000 vibes, it’s what I listen to. 

You’re known for making an emotional brand of reggaeton. When did you first explore reggaeton’s potential to be more vulnerable?

My fans’ favorite songs are my most heartfelt songs. Maybe my most played song on Felicilandia is "Problemón," but on tour, the song people go crazy for is "Babysita." It’s a song I recorded in my house, but it’s bigger than all my other tracks. 

So, I know how the people who follow me connect with me. The way I talk about heartbreak speaks to a lot of people; it’s more relatable than how other people sing about it. They call me "Sadvarito," so it was always a challenge to find a way to bring that Sadvarito energy to reggaeton. 

What is your favorite reggaeton heartbreak song?

Damn, there’s a lot. It’s hard. 

My favorite reggaetoneros growing up were Zion & Lennox, they were my GOATS, and most of their songs are heartbreak songs. So, Zion & Lennox, "Solo Una Noche." 

There’s also a song on [Luny Tunes-produced 2005 compilation album] Mas Flow 2 which is my favorite ever: "Es Mejor Olvidarlo." That’s my jam. I used to blast that when I was little. I didn’t know heartbreak then, but I felt that.  

So you can cry to reggaeton?

You definitely can! Old school people may say you can’t, but, ey, reggaeton be having feeling. It will make you feel a type of way in a club. It could change your mood completely.

Connecting with fans is everything to you. On Sayonara, how are you hoping to reach people?

I have a really hard time saying goodbye. There’s a phrase: la esperanza es lo último que se pierde, I’m one of those types of guys; the last one who loses hope even if my world is going to pieces. I want to make her fall in love, like on the track "Quien te quiere como el nene." It’s saying I really love you, I want to fix things. 

The point of the album is for people to see what chapter they’re in. I’ve never been able to reach the last track, to finally be able to say Sayonara, but I know I will get there! 

One woman who listened to the album said it’s awesome to hear a man’s perspective — you go out and party, and then you miss her. She said, usually, for girls, it’s the other way around: you miss him at the beginning, then you go out to party. It gives it realism, boys really be like that. I love it when real life and music come together. I really hope people find themselves in the songs.

"Quien te quiere como el nene" is one of the more experimental tracks on the album, and unexpectedly goes into a drum and bass rhythm. How did that come about?

I did that whole beat with my mouth! I had it in my mind. I had the bass, but it needed a sound there. I don’t know why but I started making these sounds. I sent a demo to Tainy and asked, "Do you think you can do this?" Obviously, he can, he’s Tainy. Alongside Manuel Lara, my main producer, they took it to the next level. They are a dream team. 

You break from the reggaeton beat a lot in the album — "Fatal Fantassy" is very house. Tell us about these electro elements.

I like to experiment with different sounds. It’s harder for me to do reggaeton than do experimental things. Different tracks just come naturally. Tainy and I were listening to the album after we had 60 percent of it ready, and we felt like it was missing energy, it needed a bit more uptempo. So we did three sessions and came up with those ideas. 

I made a playlist with everything I want to do in the album, so I could say "I want a riff like this." I like to take a lot of ideas and work them little by little. My process is different to a lot of my friends who go to the studio and make three or four songs a day. I really like to feel like what I’m creating.  

You’re in Japan right now, and this album frequently mentions Japanese words, people and culture: from "Sayonara," "Kawa," "Majin Buu" and "Yoko." How did Japan influence you?

Japan is really important in this album, the names, the creation. I didn’t want it to be obvious, but it’s there, in the minimalism, the names, It’s magical for me to be now in Japan and listen to the album. I can say, damn this song feels like Toyko, this one feels like Osaka. Now I’m in Kyoto, and I feel "Quien te quiere como el nene" is definitely a song for this city. 

I’m a cinematographic guy, I create songs with movies on mute. I recreate the vibe, how I feel it would sound. Even movies filmed in Japan, like ‘Lost in Translation’—I watched that a lot and was inspired by that. That feeling of being lost, of not knowing what’s next. 

"Majin Buu" is one of the most heartfelt tracks on this album, and references a "Dragon Ball Z" villain. Why do you draw on that character?

It’s a 2024 alternative love poem! He’s a bad guy, but I flip and use it in a good way. 

I like to play with names, most of the time I have the name of the song. I knew I wanted to make a song with Majin Buu but I didn’t know how it was going to sound. The same day I made "Majin Buu," I made the track "Yoko."

Speaking of "Yoko," do you relate to the person who has been painted as the bad guy?

Definitely. When I watched the Get Back documentary about the Beatles on Disney+, I remember seeing Yoko every single moment beside John Lennon. They were inseparable until his last day. All the Beatles had a family, they all had wives, but it was Yoko who was next to John at every moment. 

It was a romantic way to say, I want you by my side like Yoko was with John Lennon. 

You're very close to your fanbase. Is there anything that artists can do to stay grounded with their fans? As you’re getting bigger, how do you manage the relationship with fans?

Fans made me. Especially during those years when my project didn’t have the light it deserved, my fans were there for me. It’s important for me to have a healthy relationship with them. 

I always try to put myself in the shoes of a 16-year-old and think what things could he say to me to make me fall in love with this project?, or what did this artist do that made me a superfan? I try to create experiences. In the run-up to releasing Sayonara, we did listening parties with 15 fans in different parts of the world, with exclusive merch. Seeing the reactions of the people is important for me. 

I’ve been making music since 2012. Some [artists] don’t know the hustle; they get big after two to three years. But [success] is not given, it’s earned. I get the rockstar mentality, but that’s not me. It’s impossible for me to lose touch with the fans. 

[Sayonara] is a celebration for me and for the fans. I want to do small shows in Puerto Rico, places I played when I was started. I love the shows where you can feel people’s emotions. When you get big, you kind of lose that. But to me, that connection is magical, I never want to lose that.

Kenia Os Unveils Her 'Pink Aura': How The Mexican Pop Star Let Her Feminine Energy Shine

This year's Met Gala invited guests to step into the enchanting "Garden of Time" at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City, where fashion meets fantasy. Celebrating the Met's exhibit "Sleeping Beauties: Reawakening Fashion," the first Monday in May saw stars transform the red carpet into a vibrant display of sartorial storytelling. The theme showcased a collection too delicate to wear but alive with the stories of fashion's past.

From co-chairs Zendaya and Bad Bunny to Tyla and Jennifer Lopez, see how music icons and film stars embodied this year's theme with spectacular flair. The gala not only highlighted the sensory and emotional richness of fashion but also set the stage for a night of memorable styles — groundbreaking florals, tiered tulle and all. 

Explore the full spectrum of this year's enchanting looks from fashion's grandest night in the showcase below.

Bad Bunny

Jeff Kravitz/FilmMagic/Getty Images

Jennifer Lopez

Photo: Kevin Mazur/MG24/Getty Images for The Met Museum/Vogue

Zendaya

Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images for The Met Museum/Vogue

Tyla

Angela Weiss/AFP via Getty Images

Donald Glover

Angela Weiss/AFP via Getty Images

Stray Kids

Photo: Angela Weiss/AFP via Getty Images

Jon Batiste

Angela Weiss/AFP via Getty Images

Queen Latifah

John Shearer/WireImage/Getty Images

Kylie Minogue

Photo: Jamie McCarthy/Getty Images

Christian Cowan and Sam Smith

Photo: Jamie McCarthy/Getty Images

Jack Harlow

Marleen Moise/Getty Images

Teyana Taylor

Jamie McCarthy/Getty Images

Ariana Grande

Kevin Mazur/MG24/Getty Images for The Met Museum/Vogue

Rosalía

Jamie McCarthy/Getty Images

Laufey

Jamie McCarthy/Getty Images

Shakira

John Shearer/WireImage

Doja Cat

Angela Weiss/AFP via Getty Images

FKA Twigs, Stella McCartney, Ed Sheeran & Cara Delevingne

John Shearer/WireImage

Lana Del Ray

Kevin Mazur/MG24/Getty Images for The Met Museum/Vogue

Karol G

Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images for The Met Museum/Vogue

Lil Nas X

John Shearer/WireImage

Charli XCX

Angela Weiss/AFP via Getty Images

Cardi B

Gotham/Getty Images

Dua Lipa

Gotham/Getty Images

Lizzo

Dia Dipasupil/Getty Images

Eryka Badu

Gotham/Getty Images

Dua Lipa Is Confidently In Love On 'Radical Optimism': 4 Takeaways From The New Album

When Mañana Será Bonito, the fourth studio album by Karol G, came out in February 2023, its release had been preceded by two momentous hit singles that changed the face of Latin music. 

Panoramic in scope, slick and airy, but also imbued with an intense and lyrical emotional depth, the songs "Provenza" and "Cairo" combined pop, reggaetón and an alternative edge with panache, and confirmed the Colombian singer/songwriter as one of the biggest pop stars in the planet. Mañana Será Bonito would go on to win Latin GRAMMYs for Album Of The Year and Best Urban Music Album, as well as her first-ever GRAMMY for Best Música Urbana Album in 2024.

Karol G wasn’t alone in these accomplishments. Most of the songs on the album were helmed by her longtime producer, Ovy on the Drums. Like Karol herself, 33 year-old Daniel Echavarría Oviedo hails from Medellín. The pair started working together at the very beginning of their careers, and Ovy was behind the haute couture sonics of "Tusa," the 2019 collaboration with Nicki Minaj that first established Karol as a major contender in Latin pop.

"There is a chemistry when we work together that I cannot quite describe with words,"  Ovy says over Zoom from his home in Florida. It’s a weekday morning, and he sits by his keyboard producing station; from time to time, he will play imaginary chords as he searches for the right words for an answer. His attitude remains humble throughout the conversation — even after significant success and a triumphant world tour, where he accompanied Karol on most concert dates.

"I still remember the specific moment when I asked her if she would let me do production work with her," he tells GRAMMY.com. "We keep talking whenever we’re in the studio. She is very clear in her direction; ‘I want this song to sound like that,’ or, ‘Give it another spin and see if we can make it better.’"

Ovy has since been inspired to branch out into different challenges. The latest one is Cassette 01,  a six-song EP with Puerto Rican A-list rapper Myke Towers. The EP is the first in a series of cassette-themed mixtapes that will include a different collaborator on each new installment. "The concept of releasing cassette-themed EPs in the year 2024 is really exciting to me," Ovy says. "It’s linked to the history of pop music, and the way we consume songs."

Known for high-voltage, sexed-up urbano anthems like "La Playa" (2020) and "LALA" (2023), Towers adds his imprint to the songs, but Ovy’s futuristic aesthetic is all over the EP. "It’s true that the loop in the beginning has my personal touch," Ovy says with a laugh when I point out that the intro to "AMOR NARCÓTICO" is trademark Ovy. "Sometimes people tell me that a song has that unique touch of mine, and it really seems unbelievable to me when I hear it."

On "BELLAQUERÍA," he mixes synth patches with real riffs performed by his longtime guitar player; the contrast between organic and digitized is prevalent in his stylistic panoply. And his trademark battle call — the almost dub-like cry of "O-O-O-vy on the Drumsss" is the seal of distinction that pops up in every single production.

Ovy on the Drums and Myke Towers┃SEBA

Musically speaking, Colombia sits on a highly strategic place: next door to the fertile Caribbean islands where reggae, salsa, merengue and calypso originated — but also close enough to the airwaves of mainstream American pop. Growing up, Ovy listened to a bit of everything, and gravitated naturally to lush records with majestic grooves.

"I loved Bob Marley as a kid," he says. "At home, of course, they would play a lot of salsa at parties, and hits of the time like 'Mayonesa' [a tropi-pop smash by Uruguayan band Chocolate.] I was also crazy about Modern Talking’s ‘Brother Louie’ and the Pet Shop Boys’ ‘Go West.’ Those are the songs that defined my childhood."

In the meantime, he continues employing FL Studio — the same producing software that he used at the very beginning of his journey.

"I’ll never stop using it," he promises. "I just can’t see myself on another platform. I used to dream about meeting the software creators, and now they follow me on Instagram and gave me every available plug-in. I’ve been producing music for the past 11 years, and I think I only know a good half of everything there is to learn on FL."

Collaborating with other high-profile artists and finishing up a promised solo album are high on Ovy's priority list.

"At the beginning, I was trying to turn my solo project into a conceptual work — but that’s easier said than done," he admits. "In the end, I realized that I just wanted to make some good music with a well chosen set of guest artists, and let the beats speak for themselves. I’d say my solo album is about 50 percent done at this point."

Karol G recently released "CONTIGO," a Euro-leaning, pop-EDM single with Tiësto. It remains to be seen if the diva will rely as tightly on her usual partner in crime as she begins work on her upcoming fifth album.

"When she had some free time off touring, I happened to be busy with the CASSETTE project," Ovy says. "Since then, we connected again and have been recording a bunch of songs. But I can’t really tell what will happen on the next album. And I think it’s good that Karol is collaborating with other producers and composers, searching for different avenues and sounds. We’re definitely on the same page in allowing things to happen the way they are supposed to."

He pauses for a moment, then adds with an extra wave of enthusiasm:

"I will always be there for her. Our common objective hasn’t really changed. We must always work hard, and come up with cool new songs." 

Mañana Y Siempre: How Karol G Has Made The World Mas Bonito