On Thursday (Nov. 16), Bizarrap‘s Latin Grammys 2023 set opened up with plenty of intrigue.
“Latin America, half of the universe! You twitch in the globe like a gesture of God, and I feel you shake with the divine haste of an infinite muscle that is going to tarnish the sun!” read a quote by Peruvian poet, César Vallejo, before the buzzy Argentine superproducer appeared.
Biza, wearing his usual black baseball cap, shades and a sporty Adidas jacket, entered the scene surrounded by a bevy of vintage analog synths and took a seat to play the keys to his latest banger, “Milo J: BZRP Music Sessions, Vol. 57.” Milo entered wearing a cut-up black denim top, with his signature mushroom hairdo, and began to spit the verses of the chart-topping song.
Suddenly, a dozen vibrant murga dancers appeared — a native style from Argentina and Uruguay — clad in traditional colorful garb to invigorate the moment tenfold. To amplify the mood even further, the scene segued into a bygone tango era, channeling the spirit of Carlos Gardel, as a tango singer took the spotlight to impressively deliver “Quevedo: Bzrp Music Sessions, Vol. 52,” swapping its EDM thump for a powerful tango rhythm.
Then, to make matters even more powerful, Shakira re-created the iconic pose from her “Objection (Tango)” music video and seamlessly incorporated some of the signature moves from her 2001 hit during her performance. Joined by a group of male dancers, she launched into the chart-topping “Vol. 53.” The audience, fully engaged, sang along to the anthemic song, adding an extra layer of brilliance to the performance. It’s worth noting the significance, as she delivered this smash-hit rendition in Spain, the home country of her ex Gerard Piqué, to whom the song is infamously dedicated.
Moments after the sweltering performance, Biza and Shak won the coveted song of the year prize for “Vol. 53.” “I’m not used to talking,” admitted the reclusive beatmaker earlier that night during the pre-telecast ceremony, after winning another Latin Grammy for “Vol. 52” with Quevedo. “It’s impressive the recognition they give to this project that I started in my room with a computer.”
The 2023 Latin Grammys feature performances from Andrea Bocelli, Alejandro Sanz, Borja, Camilo, Carin León, Christian Nodal, David Guetta, DJ Premier, Édgar Barrera, Eslabón Armado,Peso Pluma, Rauw Alejandro, Rosalía, Sebastián Yatra and more.
The 24th annual awards show took place at the Conference and Exhibition Centre (FIBES) in Seville, Spain. It airs on Univision, UniMás and Galavisión in the U.S. and is broadcast on Radiotelevisión Española (RTVE) in Spain. Check back to Billboard.com throughout the night for the latest news on performances, special awards and more.
