Karol G Wins Best Album at Latin Grammys, with Bizarrap and Shakira Also Taking Home Awards

Colombian singer Karol G poses with her three Latin Grammy awards during the 2023 Latin Grammy Awards ceremony in Seville, Spain, 16 November 2023. (EPA)
Colombian singer Karol G poses with her three Latin Grammy awards during the 2023 Latin Grammy Awards ceremony in Seville, Spain, 16 November 2023. (EPA)
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Karol G Wins Best Album at Latin Grammys, with Bizarrap and Shakira Also Taking Home Awards

Colombian singer Karol G poses with her three Latin Grammy awards during the 2023 Latin Grammy Awards ceremony in Seville, Spain, 16 November 2023. (EPA)
Colombian singer Karol G poses with her three Latin Grammy awards during the 2023 Latin Grammy Awards ceremony in Seville, Spain, 16 November 2023. (EPA)

Karol G, Bizzarap, Shakira and Natalia Lafourcade, won big at the Latin Grammy Awards held Thursday.

Karol G’s “Mañana será bonito” was crowned best album of the year and best urban music album.

Argentine producer Bizarrap took home the awards for song of the year and best pop song for “Shakira: Bzrp Music Sessions, Vol. 53,” with the Colombian star.

Shakira, who attended the ceremony held in Seville, Spain, accompanied by her two children, Milan and Sasha, said that she wanted to dedicate the award to them “because I have promised them that I am going to be happy.”

Natalia Lafourcade, who holds the title for most Latin Grammys in history, added more awards to her record-breaking list with record of the year.

Edgar Barrera, who began the night as a favorite with 13 nominations, had to settle for three awards: composer of the year (a category awarded for the first time), producer of the year and best regional Mexican song. That award came for the composition “un X100to”, the collaboration between his protégés, Grupo Frontera, and the superstar Bad Bunny.

Relocating the show to Seville for the first time meant that flamenco was present throughout the entire night.

It was on display from the opening, by Rosalía, who returned to her origins to offer her version of “Se nos muerte el amor,” by Rocío Jurado, to the musical number by Andrea Bocelli who performed “Granada,” composed by the Mexican Agustín Lara and the performance of "Corazón partío” by Alejandro Sanz, who was accompanied by 30 flamenco dancers.



Brazilian Judge Orders Adele Song Removed over Plagiarism Claim

British singer Adele poses on the red carpet upon her arrival for the BRIT Awards 2022 in London on February 8, 2022. (AFP)
British singer Adele poses on the red carpet upon her arrival for the BRIT Awards 2022 in London on February 8, 2022. (AFP)
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Brazilian Judge Orders Adele Song Removed over Plagiarism Claim

British singer Adele poses on the red carpet upon her arrival for the BRIT Awards 2022 in London on February 8, 2022. (AFP)
British singer Adele poses on the red carpet upon her arrival for the BRIT Awards 2022 in London on February 8, 2022. (AFP)

A judge in Rio de Janeiro has ordered the global removal of a 2015 song by British singer Adele due to a plagiarism claim by a Brazilian musician, which Universal Music is fighting on appeal. The ruling, made public on Monday, came in a case filed this year by Toninho Geraes, whose compositions were made famous by some of Brazil's most acclaimed samba singers.

Geraes accused Adele of copying his song "Mulheres", a national hit since the 1990s. His lawyers uploaded to YouTube a comparison of that song and Adele's "Million Years Ago".

"The ruling shows that the Brazilian justice system is strong and that injuries to Brazilian artists won't be ignored," said Fredimio Biasotto Trotta, a lawyer for Geraes.

The decision orders Sony Music Entertainment and Universal Music to immediately cease "using, reproducing, editing, distributing, or commercializing" the song by any means on streaming or sharing platforms, without Geraes' consent. It set a fine of 50,000 reais ($8,080.94) if the companies fail to comply with the order.

The Berne Convention, an international treaty, orders other signatory countries, including the US, to comply with legal decisions regarding copyright, Trotta said.

Geraes' lawyers are now notifying streaming services, such as Spotify and Deezer, to withdraw the song in Brazil and globally. On Wednesday morning, the song was still widely available.

Universal appealed the decision on Tuesday, arguing there was no plagiarism, only an "accidental melodic similarity" due to the use of "musical clichés."

Both Adele and Geraes have contracts with Universal, but the Brazilian musician has been trying to terminate his contract with the company due to his plagiarism claim, his lawyer said.

"I felt very disrespected," Geraes told Reuters. He is asking the courts for compensation of more than $150,000. Lawyers representing Universal Music declined to comment, and Sony Music did not immediately reply to a request for comment.

Geraes learned of the similarities between the two songs after a friend, who is also a composer, heard Adele's "Million Years Ago" at a party in 2021.