A piano virtuoso united three powerful females of Latin music on stage at Premio Lo Nuestro on Thursday night (Feb. 23) as the ceremony’s closing performance.
After launching his Piano y Mujer series — which kicked off in 2021 via an HBO Max special — Arthur Hanlon returned with reggaeton royalty Ivy Queen. He was also joined by ranchera singer Lupita Infante, and Colombian vocalist Goyo of ChocQuibTown fame.
The maestro began his set playing a beautiful melody as Goyo made her way to center stage. The ChocQuibTown frontwoman sparkled in a fuchsia dress as she sang the tropical classic “Gotas de Lluvia,” originally sung by her hometown heroes, salsa band Grupo Niche.
The staging was something to behold, as Lupita Infante then made her way to the mic. Wearing a gorgeous black Mexican dress with colorful embroidered flowers, the granddaughter of Pedro Infante belted out “Si No Estás Tú,” the Spanish versión of “Without You,” originally by Harry Nilsson.
Hanlon — who appeared in a white suit and silk blazer jacket with a floral imprint — provided impressive piano riffs that resonated from his grand Yamaha piano, adorned with red roses. Sweeping violins further amplified the night filled with musical passion.
Up next, Ivy Queen showcased her singing versatility, belting out one of the most yearning love ballads in Latin pop history, “Ya Te Olvidé,” or “I Have Forgotten You,” a classic originally sung by Yurida and written by Marco Antonio Solís.
“When we filmed the first Piano y Mujer, it was like a tribute and a celebration of strong, intelligent and creative women, like the women in my home,” Hanlon previously told Billboard Español. “I’m extremely proud.”
Earlier in the night, La Caballota delivered a masterclass on reggaeton at Premio Lo Nuestro, where connected the audience with decades of Ivy Queen hits.
The 2023 Premio Lo Nuestro, which is themed “El Mundo Es Lo Nuestro” (or The World is Ours), is co-hosted by Colombian pop star Sebastian Yatra, Mexican TV presenter and actress Alejandra Espinoza, Mexican superstar Paulina Rubio, and Adrián Uribe of Univision’s late-night show De Noche Pero Sin Sueño.
Yatra tops this year’s nominations with 10 nods including the all-genre artist of the year category. He’s closely followed by other top nominees Bad Bunny, Camilo, Becky G, and Grupo Firme, who each have nine nods; Maluma, Daddy Yankee, and Ozuna with eight each; power couple Rauw Alejandro and Rosalía tie with seven, as well as Carin León, Karol G, Carlos Vives, and J Balvin. In total, 192 artists across diverse musical backgrounds are nominated within 39 categories.
The nominations for the fan-voted Premio Lo Nuestro are based on Uforia radio airplay during the eligibility period of Oct. 1, 2021 through Sept. 30, 2022. Streaming counts and the assessment of a committee of music and entertainment experts also factor in this list.
Post comments (0)