Berklee Alumni Make Strong Showing at the 2021 Latin Grammys

Three alumni from Berklee College of Music and Boston Conservatory at Berklee won a total of six Latin Grammy Awards last night, including Best Tropical Song, Best Classical Album, and Best Engineered Album.

Renowned Dominican artist Juan Luis Guerra ’82 took home four gold-plated gramophones, winning Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album for his Privé EP and Best Tropical Song for his ballad “Dios Así Lo Quiso,” sung with Ricardo Montaner. Guerra also won Best Arrangement for “Ojalá Que Llueva Café (Versión Privé)” and Best Long Form Music Video for “Entre Mar Y Palmeras.”

Lewis Pickett ’09 won Best Engineered Album for his contributions to C. Tangana’s El Madrileño, which had been nominated for Album of the Year. Conservatory alumnus and Venezuelan pianist Kristhyan Benitez G.P.D. ’10, A.D. ’15 won Best Classical Album for Latin American Classics, which features music from Cuba, Argentina, Brazil, Venezuela, and Mexico.

Since the Latin Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences founded the awards in 2000, 48 Berklee alumni have received 114 Latin Grammy Awards. 

Presented by the Latin Recording Academy, the 22nd annual Latin Grammy Awards were held Thursday, November 18, at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas. Billed as "the biggest night in Latin music,” the ceremony was cohosted by actress, singer, and songwriter Roselyn Sánchez, Mexican singer Carlos Rivera, and actress Ana Brenda Contreras, with performances by Guerra, Berklee trustee Gloria Estefan ’07H, alumna Nella B.M. ’15, Christina Aguilera, Bad Bunny, Becky G., and many others.

Below is a full list of Berklee alumni who took home Latin Grammy Awards this year. Please note the list is subject to change as we receive updated information. 

Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album

• Privé, Juan Luis Guerra
  • Juan Luis Guerra B.M. ’82, artist

Best Tropical Song

• “Dios Así Lo Quiso," Juan Luis Guerra
  • Juan Luis Guerra ’82, artist

Best Classical Album

• Latin American Classics, Kristhyan Benitez
  • Kristhyan Benitez G.P.D. ’10, A.D. ’15, album producer

Best Arrangement

• “Ojalá Que Llueva Café (Versión Privé),” Juan Luis Guerra
  • Juan Luis Guerra ’82, arranger

Best Engineered Album

• El Madrileño, C. Tangana
  • Lewis Pickett ’09, mixer 

Best Long Form Music Video

• “Entre Mar Y Palmeras,” Juan Luis Guerra
  • Juan Luis Guerra ’82, artist