J Balvin leads Latin Grammy nominees

By SIGAL RATNER-ARIAS

Associated Press

NEW YORK

Reggaeton star J Balvin received eight Latin Grammy Award nominations Thursday, including two for record of the year, one for album of the year and one for song of the year with Beyonce for their hit version of “Mi gente,” also featuring Willy William.

Spanish sensation Rosalia is next with five nominations.

Balvin, from Colombia, got two nominations for record of the year, for “Mi gente” with William and “X” with Nicky Jam, and an album of the year nod for “Vibras,” a production he decided to do all-in-Spanish after having worked with American stars including Cardi B and Liam Payne. His nomination with Beyonce is in for best urban fusion/performance.

He dominates the best urban song category with three credits, in Anitta’s “Downtown”; “Sensualidad,” with Bad Bunny and Prince Royce, as well as “X”. And he will compete for best urban music album for “Vibras.”

Rosalia is nominated for record and song of the year for “Malamente,” a hit that combines flamenco and trap. It also got nods for best urban fusion/performance and best short form music video.

For album of the year, Balvin competes with an eclectic group of established and rising artists that includes Pablo Alboran (“Prometo”), Chico Buarque (”Caravanas”), Jorge Drexler (“Salvavidas de hielo”), El David Aguilar (”Siguiente”), Kany Garcia (“Soy yo”), Natalia Lafourcade (”Musas, un homenaje al folclore latinoamericano en nanos de Los Macorinos, Vol. 2”), Luis Miguel (“!Mexico por siempre!”), Monsieur Perine (”Encanto tropical”) and Rozalen (“Cuando el rio suena...”).

The 19th Latin Grammys will be aired live Nov. 15 from the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas.