I am a product of MTV Latinoamérica. I grew up with Ruth, Alejandro, Leandro and Edith every day afterschool. So even though I don’t own a TV nowadays, let alone keep up on my MTV, it made sense for me to tune into this year’s Premios MTV Latinoamérica. And being who I am, I had to comment…
All in all, it was an okay show. Actor Diego Luna emceed the thing pretty smoothly (despite a power outage, aka a reminder they were in Mexico) and the video interludes (and Alex Lora intros!) were cute. However, the lineup of artists performing was random (really good in many cases–The Cure, Soda Stereo, Los Concorde–, yet totally bizarre and unnecessary–Kudai, 30 Seconds to Mars, Hilary Duff–in others) and presenters equally so. The winners were rather predictable, yet at the same time enfuriating, and the relevance of certain petty gringo stars somewhat unclear. For more cattiness, keep reading.
OJO: All comments and opinions are MINE and based on my impeccable taste in music (and fashion). Contest me as you so desire in the comment box below! (Jaja, yes, it’s just a silly awards show, I’m aware…)
THE BEST
*Diego Luna, looking like a young, more amicable Sean Penn, as host. Bien hecho!!!! Bravo!!! Particularly loved the line about gringos indocumentados trabajando en los premios (ja!). Also: Diego asking Julieta what it was like to be a pop star now (and Julieta’s face when the chavos de RBD gave her the lengua for Mejor Artista Pop… you know she was thinking “What have I become?!?!” …a far cry from her Tijuana No! days, that’s for sure. It’s ok, Julieta, we still love you!)
*Maná being booed (abucheado… new vocab word for me tonite… jeje) after winning Artista del Año. As my boss commented to me, “At least we know we’re not alone (in despising them).” Sigh.
*Tributo a Soda Soda con Los Concorde (supergrupo con Leonardo D’Lozanne de Fobia, Poncho Toledo de La Lupita, Mauricio Claveria de La Ley y Jonaz de Plastilina Mosh) y Miranda to close out the show (but why the fuck were KUDAI up there… blech), as well as Soda Stereo’s actual performance (desde Argentina) of “De Música Ligera”. Sent tingles down my spine.
*The Cure… nice touch. Albeit somewhat random, The Cure has been a major influence for bands throughout Latin America for deeecaaaades. I wonder if they have any idea. Robert Smith didn’t seem all that tickled to be getting the equivalent of a lifetime achievement award, pero ni modo–it would be hard to see some true emotion under all that makeup anyway.
*The Alex Lora soundbytes before the commercials… y luego el mero mero on stage. Hate him, but love him. Hate to love him. or something. A nice break from the fresas, however. Jaja.
*Daddy Yankee saying he had to go to a boxing class “con Cho’ Nori’” (translation: Chuck Norris) in a little video bit with nuestro querido Diego (Diego was asking El Cangri if he’d do a reggaeton version of “De Música Ligera” …imagine. The horror!)
*Babasónicos winning Mejor Artista Rock …and the Miranda/Belanova combo introducing the Babas performance–nice choice; very appropriate! Also, Quique Rangel from Cafeta performing with them… though we would’ve preferred ALL the Tacvbos, thankyouverymuch.
*Kevin Cookman (Tomás Cookman of LAMC “fame”’s son) starring in the mini Cure tribute video, and then turning into a mini Robert Smith himself. AND showing up at the Premios in his Robert Smith gear. I wonder what life is like being mini Tomás Cookman?
*Style-wise: Ely Guerra (new asymmetrical ’do, outfit, todo), Julieta Venegas’s dress (weird, pero me gustó), Juanes (looking younger with the short hair, hot, happy), Diego Luna (H-O-T!), Daddy Yankee (loved the patterned t-shirt), and –I can’t believe I’m gonna say this, but–Maite from RBD (she looked great! Skin’s still a bit too orange, but she looked gorgeous.)
THE WORST:
*AVRIL LAVIGNE… WTF. Way too much of her…. The Cure played two songs, and Avril played two songs. Makes no sense.
*Belinda. The Mexican Avril. Though a bit more tolerable. These girls make me worried about the future of “music”. I wish they would both embrace their pop-ness and dress the part ’cause their whole “alternative” act ain’t workin’. And placing these guys next to true artistry like Babasónicos, Zoé, Cerati, Julieta Venegas, etc… is really just insulting.
*Maná Maná Maná … Artist of the Year? Give me a fucking break….. When will they ever go away? Babasónicos should’ve won.
*Hilary Duff (Again: WTF …and that short dress…. WTF) Explicame WHY P-Mosh played with her? Huh? (Though Rosso rocking the keytar was pretty awesome. Love the keytar. And what’s with Jonaz’s new ugly tattoo–doesn’t he have enough already?!?!)
*30 Seconds to Mars (Jordan Catalano, what HAPPENED to you????!?!!!) Poor Ely Guerra should have just sung by herself. She’s too cool for all of them. (Espeeeaking of which, where was novio Gil de Kinky??? She was sitting next to Café Tacvba manager Juan de Dios Balbi… pero no sign of Kinky OR Los Tacvbos–whose anticipated performance was canceled at the last minute yesterday).
*Gringos trying to speak Spanish, but just looking like idiots (um, Avril… ajem). Not that they should be able to speak Spanish, but it was just awkward and made me feel uncomfortable. No sé.
*What was UP with them bleeping out “cabrones” and “a huevo”?!?! Jelooou, you’re in Mexico, that’s how they speak. A huevo, cabrones!!!
*I love me some Juanes, but the whole bit honoring him for his humanitarian work was a wee bit overdone. Saint Juanes. We get it. Hot Saint Juanes.
*Café Tacvba not performing (or showing up!!!)
*Molotov just seemed old and irrelevant (as much as I love them). We understand you have a record contract to fulfill, but I dunno, they didn’t need to perform. Though the whistlers were cute (I can’t whistle for the life of me, so I’ve gotta admire that!)
*No recognition for Zoé, Bengala, Mala Rodrîguez, or Calle 13 …and not enough for Babasónicos (they were nominated for like everything!)
*Style-wise: Kudai (HUH? I mean, really? Puta la hue’a’, these guys look like a Chilean ABBA with a punk rock identity crisis), Robert Smith (sorry buddy, you rock, but you’re also scary nowadays), Alex Lora (the meximullet’s gotta go, my man!), Belinda, Avril, Hilary, etc……
LEFT ME THINKING….
*It really is all about the classics: The Cure, Soda Stereo. It’s not gonna get any better than that (though Los Concorde rock my world… and they’re new–though technically a re-combination of the old… who knows)
*So pumped for Soda Stereo concert(s). (And still crossing fingers that they’ll come to NY!)
*Why are people like Avril, Hilary Duff, Kudai, etc famous and/or relevant?
*What does Beto Cuevas even DO anymore?? (Besides attend awards shows, I mean…) And who are Airbag and Naty Botero?!?!
*Despite all the hating, it was nice not to have Paulina Rubio/Timbiriche/Shakira/etc be the main focus of the night.