About two months ago, reggaeton star Bad Bunny performed throughout New York City on a moving truck. And at last night’s Latin Grammy Awards, he stuck with his propensity for performing on moving vehicles. The nine-time nominee performed his song “Bichiyal†from Puerto Rico’s iconic Teodoro Moscoso Bridge for the remote ceremony, circled by performers on ATVs. He even performed half the song riding in a white sports car, sticking his head out the window. This daredevil! Bad Bunny then switched settings for a second recorded performance, this time singing “Si veo a tu mamá†with a traditional band, from a colorful stage decorated like a house.
Bad Bunny returned to the awards after criticizing last year’s lack of reggaeton nominations. “With all my respects, reggaeton is part of Latin culture, and it’s representing, just like lots of other music genres, Latinos around the world,†he said, in Spanish, when he accepted the 2019 award for Best Urban Album for X 100pre. At this year’s awards, Bad Bunny and his buddy J Balvin came in as the top nominees with nine and 13, respectively, including two for their collaborative album Oasis. Balvin, also a reggaeton performer, set the record for the most nominations this year. Yet both only walked away with a single award: Bad Bunny in the new Best Reggaeton Performance category for “Yo Perreo Sola,†and Balvin in Best Urban Album for Colores. (The two competed against themselves in multiple categories.) Balvin dedicated his win to his home country of Colombia, currently facing Hurriane Iota, adding in Spanish, “This is exactly what the world needs right now, Colores.â€