Grammys: Bad Bunny Opens Awards Show With Lively ‘Un Verano Sin Ti’ Mashup

Bad Bunny, aka El Conejo Malo, took to the 2023 Grammys stage on Sunday night, where his Un Verano Sin Ti made history as the first Latin album to be nominated for album of the year. The release was 2022’s most-listened-to album.

The artist opened the show with a Un Verano Sin Ti mashup of tracks “El Apagón” and “Después de la Playa,” with a brass section and conga drummers. The musician danced through the tables on the floor, before making his way to a circular, lit stage in at the front of the room.

The artist, whose full name is Benito Antonio Martínez Ocasio, has taken home two Grammys in the past: one for best música urbana album for El Último Tour Del Mundo and his first one for best Latin pop or urban album for YHLQMDLG.

While he was shut out of record and song of the year for his massive hits “Tití Me Preguntó” and “Me Porto Bonito,” Bad Bunny’s other nominations of the night include best música urbana album, which he won, and best pop solo performance for “Moscow Mule.” His three nods of the night brought him up to nine career nominations.

In his bilingual acceptance speech for best música urbana album, the artist dedicated the award to Puerto Rico and thanked Latin people who listened to his music and everyone who worked on the album. He also said creating the album was easy because of his love and passion for it. “When you do things with love and passion, everything is easier,” he said. “Life is easier.”

Up next for the star is a gig as a Coachella headliner in April and a starring role in Sony Pictures’ El Muerto, which marks the first live-action Marvel film led by a Latin actor and will be directed by Jonás Cuarón. The character originated in the Spider-Man universe and is an antihero and the son of a luchador, or Mexican wrestler, who is next in line to inherit the ancestral power of El Muerto.

Trevor Noah returned to host the 2023 Grammys, which are back in Los Angeles at the Crypto.com Arena after last year’s show in Las Vegas at the MGM Grand Garden Arena. The awards show aired live from 8 p.m. ET to 11:30 p.m. ET/5 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. PT on CBS and is available to stream live on Paramount+.