The 2026 Latin Grammys, Explained: 40 Performers, a Daddy Yankee Tribute and Where to Watch

The 27th Latin Grammys happen Thursday night (Nov. 12) at Las Vegas’ MGM Grand Garden Arena. Roselyn Sánchez hosts for the 10th time, Edgar Barrera goes in with a leading 10 nominations, Daddy Yankee is the Latin Recording Academy’s Person of the Year, and the Academy has now announced 40 performers across three waves. Here is everything to know before the show, including what has been confirmed since our first look at the performers.

When is it, and how do I watch?

The three-hour telecast starts at 8 p.m. ET/PT (7 p.m. Central) on Thursday, Nov. 12, on Univision, UNIMÁS, Galavisión and, for streaming, ViX, the Academy says. Our first report named only Univision; the Academy added the other channels on Nov. 5. A one-hour pre-show, “Noche de Estrellas,” starts at 7 p.m. ET/PT, hosted by Alejandra Espinoza, Chiqui Delgado, Raúl de Molina, Emmanuel Palomares and ISADORA, and the Associated Press will livestream the red carpet from 5 p.m. ET on YouTube and apnews.com.

Read moreThe 2027 Grammy Nominations, Explained: Five New Categories, Who Is Sitting Out and What to Watch for Monday

Most of the 60 categories are decided earlier that day at the Latin Grammy Premiere, a non-televised ceremony at 3 p.m. ET in the MGM Conference Center Marquee Ballroom that streams live across the Academy’s platforms. Lila Downs, Daniela Mercury and Niña Pastori host it, and performers include Pablo Alborán, Carminho, Marina Sena, Jorge Celedón and Yerai Cortés.

Who is performing?

The Academy has announced two more waves since our first look. On Oct. 27 it added Cristian Castro, Camila Fernández, Feid, Luis Figueroa, Fonseca, Grupo Frontera, Milo J, Niña Pastori, Reik, Sofía Reyes, Yami Safdie and The Warning. On Nov. 5 came Karol G, Bizarrap, Bad Gyal, Nathy Peluso, Jay Wheeler, DJ Premier, Diljit Dosanjh, Luis Enrique, Grupo Niche, Baby Ranks, Miguel Colón, Divino, Lil Supa and Ángel “Cucco” Peña. They join the first 14: Rosalía, Daddy Yankee, Anitta, Juanes, Jorge Drexler, Mon Laferte, Carín León, Kany García, Silvana Estrada, Vivir Quintana, Rawayana, Elena Rose, Xavi and Banda Los Recoditos.

Nine of the 10 album of the year nominees are on the bill. CA7RIEL & Paco Amoroso, who are nominated, have not been announced as performers so far. The telecast will also include two tributes: a celebration of José Alfredo Jiménez on the 100th anniversary of his birth, with Barrera as musical producer, and a tribute to the late Willie Colón, in which Ennio Gatti, his musical director and bandleader, brings together the original 13-member band.

Who leads the nominations?

Barrera, the Mexican songwriter and producer, leads with 10 nominations: record, album and song of the year, three best regional song nods, and songwriter and producer of the year, mostly for his work with Karol G and Carín León, Billboard reports. His 10 new nominations add to the 72 he has received over his career, of which he has won 29. Karol G, Rosalía, Jorge Drexler and CA7RIEL & Paco Amoroso follow with seven each, and Silvana Estrada and Mon Laferte have six. The nominees were chosen in 60 categories from recordings released between June 1, 2025, and May 31, 2026, per the Academy. At 19, Milo J has five nominations, including all three main general categories, for a folk album.

The Academy’s nominations announcement is below.

What are the big races?

**Album of the year:** Anitta, Equilibrivm; CA7RIEL & Paco Amoroso, Free Spirits; Jorge Drexler, Taracá; Silvana Estrada, Vendrán Suaves Lluvias; Karol G, Tropicoqueta; Mon Laferte, Femme Fatale; Carín León, Muda; Milo J, La Vida Era Más Corta; Rawayana, ¿Dónde Es El After?; and Rosalía, Lux (Complete Works). Academy CEO Manuel Abud told Billboard Español the list is a balanced one:

Interestingly, it’s half men, half women. But look at how amazing it is: We have Mexico, Argentina, Spain, Colombia, Brazil, Chile and Uruguay — seven countries represented.

Manuel Abud, CEO of The Latin Recording Academy, Billboard

**Record of the year:** “Ha Ha” (CA7RIEL & Paco Amoroso), “¿Cómo Se Ama?” (Jorge Drexler), “Dime” (Silvana Estrada), “O Amor Nos Encontrou” (Loulu Gilberto), “Coleccionando Heridas” (Karol G and Marco Antonio Solís), “Femme Fatale” (Mon Laferte), “Desde Que Te Tengo” (Carín León), “Niño” (Milo J), “La Perla” (Rosalía featuring Yahritza y Su Esencia) and “Alma” (Elena Rose).

**Song of the year:** “Coleccionando Heridas,” “¿Cómo Se Ama?,” “Dime,” “Femme Fatale,” “Hasta Jesús Tuvo Un Mal Día” (CA7RIEL & Paco Amoroso featuring Sting), “Humano” (Juanes and Vivir Quintana), “La Perla,” “Mi Gran Amor” (Santana featuring Becky G), “Nilo” (Zanna) and “Solifican12” (Milo J). Final-round voting among the Academy’s voting members opened Oct. 1. Rosalía’s “La Perla” is up for both record and song of the year.

Who is up for best new artist?

There are 11 nominees instead of the usual 10, Rolling Stone notes: Delilah, FABIAN, Loulu Gilberto, Arath Herce, Macario Martínez, maye, Sofia Monroy, Kendall Peña, Dora Sanches, ARIA VEGA and Zeca Veloso. Herce has four nominations in all, Billboard says. Rolling Stone spoke to four of the field, including Aria Vega, who is bringing the sound of Colombia’s Caribbean coast to the mainstream. On representing Barranquilla, she said:

It’s a huge responsibility, but also something I do very naturally because it’s who I am.

Aria Vega, Rolling Stone

Her video for “Chévere,” with Ryan Castro, is below.

What is happening for Daddy Yankee?

The Academy honors Daddy Yankee as its 2026 Person of the Year at a private gala on Wednesday, Nov. 11, in Las Vegas, where renditions of his repertoire will be performed by “an array of international artists and close friends.” The Academy hasn’t said who will perform. He then takes the telecast stage on Thursday, and he and Bizarrap are nominated for best urban performance and best urban song for “Daddy Yankee: Bzrp Music Sessions, Vol. 0/66.” When the honor was announced in April, he said it meant more than a successful career:

Receiving something like this is to honor Puerto Rico, to honor all Latinos, and specifically to that entire generation that believed in our music when no one else understood it.

Daddy Yankee, on being named Person of the Year (April 7), Latin Recording Academy

His 15-track concept album LA POSTAL came out Oct. 30.

What’s next?

The Premiere starts the day at 3 p.m. ET Thursday, and the red carpet follows at 5 p.m. ET, the pre-show at 7 p.m. and the main telecast at 8 p.m. The Recording Academy’s own nominations are next, on Monday (Nov. 16): our explainer has what to expect.