The Latin Recording Academy® hosted the Best New Artist Showcase with previous Latin GRAMMY® winner in the Best New Artist category, Joaquina, and Nicki Nicole, who was also nominated in the same category in 2020. For the first time, the event took place in Buenos Aires, Argentina, at Michelangelo Legend.
“Bringing our Best New Artist Showcase to Argentina for the first time, together with Joaquina and Nicki Nicole, is a unique opportunity to continue celebrating Latin music and its creators during the 25th anniversary of the Latin GRAMMYs®,” said Manuel Abud, CEO, The Latin Recording Academy. “Since we launched the series two years ago, this initiative has become an excellent vehicle to bring our mission to life and reaffirm our commitment to fostering spaces that supports new music in an environment that respects cultural diversity and inclusion.”
The Best New Artist Showcase series is the keystone of the partnership between Mastercard and The Latin Recording Academy. The concept kicked off in November 2022 during Latin GRAMMY Week, and Mastercard and The Latin Recording Academy have since held showcases in Mexico City, San Juan, Sao Paulo, and Seville.
“At Mastercard, we believe in the power of music to connect people. Through the Best New Artist Showcase, we aim to offer unique experiences that bring fans closer to artists while celebrating new voices and supporting emerging talent,” said Federico Cofman, Mastercard’s Cluster Lead for Argentina, Paraguay and Uruguay. “Being part of this reflects our commitment to providing priceless moments that transcend borders and generations.”
Joaquina opened the showcase and offered a repertoire of her songs including “Pesimista”, “Quise Quererte”, and her latest singles “No Llames A Lo Mío Nuestro” and “El Alquimista”, moving seamlessly from the piano to the guitar. Argentina native Nicki Nicole then took the stage and offered a setlist featuring more intimate versions and subtle arrangements of her songs “Dispara”, “Qué Le Pasa Conmigo”, “8AM”, “Plegarias” and “Llámame”, which created the perfect atmosphere for all the guests to enjoy this special evening.
The next Best New Artist Showcase will take place during Latin GRAMMY® Week in November, featuring the nominees for the 25th Annual Latin GRAMMY Awards®.
Johnnie Walker joined as the official sponsor of the Best New Artist Showcase in Argentina, offering guests a glamorous cocktail bar inspired by their whisky collection.
For the latest news, visit the official Latin Recording Academy site at LatinGRAMMY.com. Follow us on Facebook (LatinGRAMMYs), X (@LatinGRAMMYs) or Instagram.
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ABOUT JOAQUINA:
At just twenty years old, singer-songwriter Joaquina has quickly become one of Latin pop’s most exciting rising stars. In 2023, she won the Latin GRAMMY for Best New Artist. Additionally, Joaquina released her debut EP, Los Mejores Años, showcasing her special ability to capture the nuances of teenage angst in an equally catchy and poetic manner, which earned her a second Latin GRAMMY nomination in the Best Singer-Songwriter Album category. This year, the Venezuelan-American continues to prove why she’s considered one of the most talented and promising artists in Latin music. Recently, Joaquina was the only Latin music artist that had the opportunity to join Andrea Bocelli at the Italian artist’s 30th-anniversary celebration concert in London, where she performed “Vivo Por Ella” in a duet with Bocelli in front of the 30,000 spectators in attendance. Likewise, Joaquina performed sold-out shows in Mexico and Spain, and achieved a historic profile on the cover of Cosmopolitan Spain. This month, the singer-songwriter also released two new singles, “No Llames Lo Mío Nuestro” and “El Alquimista,” which she surprisingly gifted and has gone viral organically.
ABOUT NICKI NICOLE:
Nicki Nicole is one of today’s top stars in the Latin urban music scene. With hits blending genres such as trap, reggaeton, hip-hop, pop, and electronic music, the Argentine singer-songwriter has accumulated over 1.6 billion streams across all digital music platforms. Nicole has received seven more nominations throughout her career following her nomination for Best New Artist at the 2020 Latin GRAMMYs. At 23 years old, she has collaborated with artists worldwide, such as Christina Aguilera, Becky G, Bizarrap, No Te Va Gustar, Young Miko, Los Ángeles Azules, Myke Towers, and María Becerra. After her U.S. debut at the Coachella Music Festival in 2022, Nicole will return to the United States next month with her Alma World Tour. She is currently working on a follow-up album after the release of Alma in 2023.
ABOUT THE LATIN RECORDING ACADEMY:
The Latin Recording Academy® is an international nonprofit dedicated to nurturing, celebrating, honoring and elevating Latin music and its creators. Established as the global authority on Latin music, the membership-based organization composed of music professionals produces the annual Latin GRAMMY Awards®, The Biggest Night in Latin Music®, which honors excellence in the recording arts and sciences, in addition to providing educational and outreach programs for the music community through its Latin GRAMMY Cultural Foundation®. For more information, please visit LatinGRAMMY.com.
ABOUT MASTERCARD (NYSE: MA):
Mastercard is a global technology company in the payments industry. Our mission is to connect and power an inclusive, digital economy that benefits everyone, everywhere, by making transactions safe, simple, smart and accessible. Using secure data and networks, partnerships and passion, our innovations and solutions help individuals, financial institutions, governments and businesses realize their greatest potential. With connections across over 210 countries and territories, we are building a sustainable world that unlocks priceless possibilities for all. For more information, please visit www.mastercard.com.
ABOUT JOHNNIE WALKER:
Johnnie Walker is the world’s number-one scotch whisky brand, enjoyed by people in over 180 countries around the world. Since the time of its founder, John Walker, those who blend its whiskies have pursued flavor and quality above all else. Six generations of skilled Master Blenders have pioneered and crafted bold new flavors that have transformed a small Scottish grocery store business, founded in 1820, into an international whisky business selling stylish, authentic and iconic blends. Today’s range of award-winning whiskies includes Johnnie Walker Red Label, Black Label, Double Black, Gold Label Reserve, Green Label, Aged 18 Years and Blue Label. Together, they account for over 22 million cases sold annually (IWSR 2023), making Johnnie Walker the world’s most popular Scotch Whisky brand.
