Carlos Vives Celebrated as Person of the Year 2024 by Latin Recording Academy: ‘He Is a Symbol of Colombian Culture & Joy’

Latin music superstars gathered Wednesday night (Nov. 13) to honor Carlos Vives as the Latin Recording Academy’s Person of the Year 2024. The prestigious gala, held at the Miami Beach Convention Center on the eve of the 25th Annual Latin Grammy Awards, recognized the beloved Colombian icon’s immense contributions to the music industry and his tireless humanitarian efforts, including Tras La Perla, the Rio Grande Music School, and others.

“I want to thank my country, Colombia, for my land, my family, my culture, my dad, and my mom,” said an emotional Vives at the end of the evening. At his family table, he was accompanied by his wife Claudia Elena, his children, and his mother, who flew in from Colombia for the tribute.

More than 30 artists took the stage to pay tribute to Vives by performing versions of his hits, starting with six artists honored in previous years as Person of the Year. The night kicked off with Juan Luis Guerra and Rubén Blades singing together “Déjame entrar,” one of Vives’ anthems. They were followed by Juanes, Gloria and Emilio Estefan and Alejandro Sanz. One by one, they performed songs like “La Mujer en la Ventana,” “Un Pobre Loco” and a rock version of “La Gota Fría” in Juanes’ voice which was particularly memorable.

Also memorable was Gloria Estefan, who began singing solo and then said, “My baby” to reveal her husband, Emilio Estefan, playing the bongos with the band. The excitement was palpable after that first part of the show, and Manuel Abud, CEO of The Latin Recording Academy, called the seven “POTYs” (Person of the Year) to the stage for a photo of the historic moment.

Then, more surprises followed. To everyone’s delight, Los Fabulosos Cadillacs took a detour from their current international tour to participate in the event and pay tribute to the vallenato revivalist. The energetic Argentine rockers offered a vibrant rendition of “Dame Una Sonrisa,” which featured the outstanding accompaniment of a brass section.

Maria Becerra, Julieta Venegas, Kany García, Wisin, Goyo, and Sebastián Yatra also participated, among others. Edgar Barrera accompanied Carín León on guitar for “Volví a Nacer,” and then the two joined Grupo Frontera to perform a Tex-Mex version of the same song, forming a powerful borderland band. “Thank you for building castles with your folklore,” León sweetly told Vives at the end of his performance. 

Throughout the evening, attendees also watched video segments in which J Balvin, Aterciopelados, Luis Fonsi, Fonseca, and others expressed their respect and admiration for Vives. Also included was an emotional tribute to the life of his longtime accordionist, Egidio Cuadrado, who passed away last month.

The visuals continued to showcase Vives’ hometown of Santa Marta. The gala, which lasted more than three hours, kept the audience captivated and featured a riveting performance by David Bisbal and Gente de Zona, who got everyone dancing with his version of “Fruta Fresca.” Other highlights included a folkloric performance by Martina Camargo and Tato Marenco, who unleashed a vallenato frenzy.

“Carlos Vives has paid tribute to his identity for more than 30 years in his profession. He is a symbol of Colombian culture that has made the whole world dance,” said Abud before presenting the honoree with the 2024 Person of the Year award. “With his joy, he has earned the affection of the public globally and the affection of his colleagues, as you can see. But beyond his undisputed success, he is a man with a very high humanitarian social commitment.”  

Winner of 18 Latin Grammys and two Grammys, Carlos Vives is a pioneer of vallenato-pop fusion that has captivated audiences around the world. Over more than three decades, the Santa Marta singer-songwriter has produced hits such as “Fruta Fresca,” “Como Tú” and “Volví a Nacer,” among many others. These timeless songs not only reached No. 1 on the Hot Latin Songs chart but have also played a crucial role in elevating Colombian popular culture to the world stage.

His 2023 album, Escalona: Nunca Se Había Grabado Así, earned Vives his 18th Latin Grammy when it was crowned best cumbia/vallenato album.