Brazil’s Latin Grammy nominees for 2020 were announced today, ahead of the 21st Latin Grammy Awards on Thursday November 19th.
by Scott Adams
Brazil’s nominees for the 21st Latin Grammy awards have been announced and this year marks a stark break with previous lists of potential winners. Mostly missing are the names of Brazil’s musical MPB mainstays.
Brazil shares its portion of the list with all Portuguese-speaking nations.
Excellent 2019 albums by Ivan Lins, Tiago Iorc, Marcos Valle and Antonio Adolfo were passed over in favor of several ‘bubbling under’ performers (none who were nominated for the Latin Grammy’s expanded ‘Best New Artist’ general category), and stalwart Sertaneja standouts.
Changing Times
This is a remarkable contrast to 2015, when only five years ago the nominees (voted into contention by their musical peers) more properly reflected Brazil’s musical scene.
That said, several nominees are more than worthy of the industry’s highest honors. Guitarist Toninho Horta’s album Belo Horizonte should be considered as one the finest recordings in his storied career.
But, in keeping with the tenor of this year’s list, Horta’s Belo Horizonte is nominated for ‘Best MPB (Musica Popular Brasileira) Album’ but not considered as a contender for ‘Best Latin Jazz/Jazz Album’, where Brazil once again failed to achieve a single entry.
How many more years will this happen?
Samba perennials Martinho da Vila and Zeca Pagodinho will compete with Maria Bethania for ‘Best Samba/Pagode Album’, while Caetano Veloso makes the final list again – twice this year – for the album Caetano Veloso & Ivan Sacerdote, and as a songwriter for Céu.
And Brazilian jazz pianist Ricardo Bacelar’s songwriting partner, Belchior receives a posthumous nomination for DJ Duh’s sample of ‘Sujeito De Sorte’ on the song, ‘Amarelo’.
Brazil was predictably shut out of the General categories for ‘Record of the Year’, ‘Album of the Year’, ‘Song of the Year’, ‘Best New Artist’, ‘Best Pop Vocal Album’ and ‘Best Latin Jazz/Jazz Album’.
Reimagining MPB?
It’s clear that the Latin Grammy committee is testing the musical future of MPB this year. 2020’s list passes over established rising pop stars like Mahmundi, Ana Clara and Kell Smith in favor of a brace of what could best be described as transitional performers.
The competition for ‘Best Portuguese Language Contemporary Pop Album’ will come down to three talented, but still unproven first-timers; the pop duo Anavitória, pagode-reggae’s Melim Featuring Você and the sweetly electro-dreamy As Bahias e a Cozinha Mineira going up against Latin Grammy returners; Céu and Jeneci.
Exactly none of these have a consistent track record and tellingly, these five groups come from two Brazilian music labels. Two.
The ‘Best Portuguese Language Rock or Alternative Album’ category is equally curious, with each of the five Brazilian nominees serving up wonderfully creative takes on a mostly neo-Tropicália theme. Each provide an entertaining listening experience, if not ready for addition to your personal playlist.
Stay Up To Date
2020 honorees for this year’s Lifetime Achievement Awards were not made available by The Latin Recording Academy at press time. Check this page for the latest news and updates.
My analysis plus the complete list of winners will be found on Connect Brazil’s homepage on Friday, November 20th.
The Sunday Brazilian Brunch (at Connectbrazil.com) will broadcast a special preview of this year’s Latin Grammy awards on Sunday, November 15th. Click here for show times.
Here are Brazil’s Latin Grammy nominees for 2020:
Best Instrumental Album
Cartografias – Caetano Brasil
[Caetano Brasil (dist. Tratore)]
Festejo – Yamandu Costa Featuring Marcelo Jiran
[Independiente]
Best MPB (Musica Popular Brasileira) Album
O Amor No Caos Volume 2 – Zeca Baleiro
[Saravá Discos]
Belo Horizonte – Toninho Horta & Orquestra Fantasma
[Minas Records]
Bloco Na Rua (Deluxe) – Ney Matogrosso
[Matogrosso / Som Livre]
Planeta Fome – Elza Soares
Caetano Veloso & Ivan Sacerdote – Caetano Veloso & Ivan Sacerdote
[Uns Produções / Universal Music International]
Best Portuguese Language Contemporary Pop Album
N – Anavitória
[Universal Music International]
Enquanto Estamos Distantes – As Bahias e a Cozinha Mineira electro- dreamy
[Universal Music International]
Apká! – Céu
[Slap]
Guaia – Marcelo Jeneci
[Slap]
Eu – Melim Featuring Você
[Universal Music International]
Best Portuguese Language Rock or Alternative Album elcetro-nod to Tropicalia
Amarelo – Emicida
[Laboratório Fantasma]
Little Electric Chicken Heart – Ana Frango Elétrico
[Risco/Tratore]
Letrux Aos Prantos – Letrux
[Letrux]
Universo Do Canto Falado – Rapadura
[Nibiru Recordz]
Na Mão As Flores – Suricato
[Universal Music International]
Best Samba/Pagode Album
Mangueria – A Menina Dos Meus Olhos – Maria Bethânia
[Quitanda / Biscoito Fino]
Martinho 8.0 Bandeira Da Fé: Um Concerto Pop-Classico (Ao Vivo) – Martinho da Vila
[Sony Music Entertainment Brasil ltda.]
Samba Jazz De Rais, Cláudio Jorge 70 – Cláudio Jorge
[Mills Records]
Fazendo Samba – Moacyr Luz e Samba do Trabalhador
[Biscoito Fino]
Mais Feliz – Zeca Pagodinho
[Zeca Pagodiscos / Universal Music Ltda.]
Best Sertaneja Music Album
#Isso e Churraco (Ao Vivo) [Deluxe] – Fernando & Sorocaba
[Sony Music Entertainmnet Brasil ltda.]
Origens [Ao Vivo em Sete Lagoas, Brazil / 2019] – Paula Fernandes
[Universal Music International]
Livre – Vol 1- Lauana Prado
[Universal Music International]
Churrasco Do Teló Vol. 2 – Michel Teló
[Som Livre]
Por Mais Beijos Ao Vivo – Zé Neto & Cristiano
[Som Livre]
Best Portuguese Language Roots Album
Veia Nordestina – Mariana Aydar
[Brisa Records]
Aqui Está-Se Sossegado – Camané & Mário Laginha
[Warner Music Portugal, Lda]
Acaso Casa Ao Vicio – Mariene De Castro e Almério
[Biscoito Fino]
Targino Sem Limites – Targino Gondim
[ONErpm]
Obatalá – Uma Homenagem A Mãe Carmen – Grupo Ofa
[Gege Produções Artísticas / Deck]
Autêntica – Margareth Menezes
[Estrela do Mar]
Best Portuguese Language Christian Album
Catarse: Lada A – Daniela Araújo
[ONErpm]
Reino – Aline Barros
[Sony Music Entertainment Brasil ltda.]
Profundo – Ministério Mergulhar
[Sony Music Entertainment Brasil ltda.]
Maria Passa À Frente – Padre Marcelo Rossi
[Sony Music Entertainment Brasil ltda.]
Memorias II (Ao Vivo Em Belo Horizonte / 2019) – Eli Soares
[Universal Music Christian Group]
Best Portuguese Language Song
A Tal Canção Pra Luna (Microfonado)
Vitor Kley, songwriter (Vitor Kley & Samuel Rosa)
[Midas Music]
Abricó -De-Macaco
Francisco Bosco & João Bosco, songwriters (João Bosco)
Track from: Abricó-de-Macaco
[Som Livre]
Amarelo (Sample: Sujeito De Sorte- Belchior)
Dj Duh, Emicida & Felipe Vassão, songwriters (Emicida Featuring Majur & Pabllo Vittar)
[Laboratório Fantasma]
Liibertacão
Russo Passapusso, songwriter (Elza Soares & BaianaSystem Featuring Virgínia Rodrigues)
[Deck]
Pardo
Caetano Veloso, songwriter (Céu)
Track from: APKÁ!
[Slap]
Best Short Form Music Video
Saci (Remix) – BaianaSystem & Tropkillaz
Rafael Kent, video director; Tânia Assumpção & Rafael Marquez, video producers
[Cave]
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Brazil’s Latin Grammy nominees for 2020
Guitarist Toninho Horta’s album ‘Belo Horizonte’ is up for ‘Best MPB Album’ as part of Brazil’s Latin Grammy nominees for 2020.
