After 12 nominations, the Brazilian star finally takes home a trophy for an album rooted in Black Brazilian culture.
Brazilian superstar Anitta won her first Latin Grammy on Thursday evening, when Equilibrivm was named Best Portuguese Language Contemporary Pop Album at the 27th Latin Grammy Awards in Las Vegas. She had been nominated 12 times. She was one of several first-time winners that night, alongside the young Mexican artist Xavi and Camila Fernández.
The album mixes samba, axé, funk, pop and MPB (música popular brasileira), and it celebrates the diversity of Brazilian music and the richness of Black Brazilian culture. The project finds Anitta connecting to her roots and to the traditions of her home country. She had already played that mix on stage during the Equilibrivm Tour, before the Latin Recording Academy honoured her.
Anitta explained how the album was made.
"This album was born out of an internal and spiritual transformation."
On the night, she spoke about Latin America as a whole. "It is very important that we all understand that Latin America is made up of all the countries in the region, not just those that speak Spanish," she said. She added: "I understand that language can separate us a little, but my dream is for us to be united as one."
She dedicated the award to Brazil and noted how often the country's culture and contributions are erased from major media moments. "This is the first time a Brazilian category is being televised," she said.
On stage, she performed a medley of hits, including Desgraça, Meia Noite and Choka Choka. The mix ran through Brazilian funk, samba, bossa nova, semba, reggae and electronic pop, sung in Portuguese, Spanish and English. Her performance leaned on Brazilian customs, featuring costume swaps, dancers, stage lighting and a burst of rhythms that had the crowd dancing.
The same night, Spanish singer Rosalía won album of the year for her 2025 album Lux.
Anitta is still active in Brazil, where she recently performed at the Rock the Mountain festival in Petrópolis. Her next big show is the new edition of Ensaios da Anitta, the concert series ahead of Brazil's carnival, which will visit eight cities in 2027.
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