CEO of the Latin Grammy Awards, Manual AbudThis is largely responsible for the awards leaving the United States for the first time in its quarter-century history. The city chosen was Seville, and Abud makes no secret that this was a decision that was initially questioned due to the difficulty involved. I’m just working on production for this huge event 3,000 people migrated to the capital of AndalusiaMore than 100 people are expected to be hosted 10,000 visitors It’s about the most important awards in Latin music.
Latin Grammy numbers are a big deal. The occupancy rate of the hotels is expected to be close to one hundred percent, and the economic impact is expected to be over 50 million euros. Junta de Andalusia participated in the competition through the Ministry of Tourism. 22 million euro public fund, mostly European (Feder). It is an important match in which Andalusia should be selected. In contrast, public services such as cleaning, security or transport will experience traffic disruptions, a ‘pre-emergency’ situation that requires special municipal devices. Leading artists of Latin music will be in town, and you can already see high-end, tinted-glass cars at the most luxurious hotels ready for your transfers.
A few hours before the match starts Latin Grammy Week, Abud acknowledges El Periódico de España to describe how the preparations are and how everything around him is going so fast. “Imagine, thinking that after months of preparation, we were ready for this moment, We count down and… so happy, so good“, says the smiling chairman of this event, which will showcase Latin music throughout the city with more than 30 parties in different venues.
This is already here. How is Seville treating you?
Great. The people welcomed us with thousands of love. A very nice welcome was given. Authorities too. We felt great support. I think we all know the common goal is to make this a great experience for everyone. First of all, thank you for your warm welcome and hospitality. I hope you take great pride in how the city presents itself to the world through this collaboration. We position Seville at the center of attention of a global phenomenon as important as Latin music. I know we sometimes have traffic and safety issues, but in the end I hope it will be a source of pride for everyone to see the city represented so well.
How will the event be different from other events in Las Vegas, Miami or Los Angeles?
Sevilla’s involvement consists of several parts. In the Alcázar, in the Capitanía, in Casa Pilatos… There are many stages where the city is included in Latin Grammy Week. During the premiere, we are more limited because we are in a box inside the Fibes (Palace of Exhibitions and Conventions) but… It has to be a different box than in Las Vegas and we will use different visual resources to show the show. Latin Grammys in Seville.
There is no specific artist that triggered our presence here at the moment. “We are in Seville to support everyone.”
If it weren’t for Rosalía, Spanish and flamenco, would the awards be in Seville?
I never mention an artist. Our duty is to support them all. Let’s not name names, there was no particular artist who triggered our presence here right now. We are in Seville to support everyone.
What is the weight of Spanish artists in Latin music? Have they gained importance in recent years?
Throughout the academy’s history, Spanish musicians were abundant and well-liked. I think they felt known too. There are big winners: artists such as Miguel Bosé, Joan Manuel Serrat, Julio Iglesias, Alejandro Sanz became People of the Year. Spain featured heavily in our appreciation.
There is unrest in the flamenco world, and in Seville they complain that they are under-represented at such a gala…
I deeply respect gender and I respect diversity of views. When they express differences, we sit down and examine them. There is no perfection in this because music is not divided into boxes. Music should not have obstacles, on the contrary it should expand and evolve. Understanding that this cannot be perfect, I choose to err on the side of inclusion rather than exclusion. Obviously, those who are exclusivist, those who are too pure, or those who are too orthodox, don’t like it very much. But let me tell you something: Whenever we sit down with them and explain that this is so important to the evolution of the species, I think they can see where we’re coming from. We prefer to say: Everyone come, welcome and let’s get to know the evolution of the genre because it makes it alive, it brings more young people, more eyes, ears, attention and money… We are very respectful of everyone. ideas, we can always talk about them. And when they tell me that flamenco isn’t getting enough attention, I respectfully disagree, because even within a single flamenco category, we often don’t have enough product.
“Purists, the orthodox of flamenco, do not like it when we say ‘everyone come, let’s get to know the evolution of the genre’.”
Will this Seville Grammys be the year of women?
I don’t want to be condescending or divisive, but even if you call me on Friday and tell me what you think, I can say that we are an inclusive organization. Frankly, I don’t know the results, but I agree with you: it looks good…
In numbers, there are more than 10,000 people in Seville, over 50 million influence on the city. How many people will see the premiere on November 16?
I prefer to avoid numbers because I don’t want to lose credibility, but these numbers are very reasonable. The premiere is broadcast in more than 80 countries and it is not far-fetched to think that more than 100 million people will watch it. I’m very excited, because of the attention the city has received and the fact that we are here… a lot of people will watch just out of curiosity. Since you asked me for surprises, I’m telling you: The opening number will be amazing.
What memories will you personally take away from this city and Andalusia, from this madness of broadcasting a production with the participation of so many people from the USA?
It leaves a very good taste in my mouth. Most of the time, when you do the same thing in the same place, you lose the meaning of the event. I always dreamed that the Latin Grammys would be held in a place where the whole city was dedicated to celebrations, like the Olympic Games, the World Cup… And I can say that Seville really dedicated itself to us, right? very exciting.