The Spanish Juno category would help grow local Latin talent: advocates

As the Latin Grammys take place south of the border, one artist from Edmonton is hoping to bring similar recognition to Canada.

Steven Santillana Henriquez, known as El Unico Geo, has started a petition to add a Latin American category to the Juno Awards.

“In Canada we have a lot of artists who don’t get recognition on the billboards in the United States, and there are a lot of artists who go from here to there to get that recognition,” he said.

“I feel like the category – the Hispanic category – would really help.”

The Salvadoran-Canadian rapper spoke with Juno president Allan Reed, but was told a new category was not possible at this time.

“There aren’t enough Latino artists submitting their music to the Junos, so that’s why there isn’t a category for Hispanics yet,” Santillana Henriquez said. “It’s one of the things that I’ve really pushed to a lot of artists.”

Brian Fauteux, associate professor of popular music and media studies, said Latin music has grown in popularity in recent years on billboard charts and on social media.

“There have been some statistics recently for the first half of 2024 and Latin music is one of the biggest growing categories,” Fauteux said.

Last year, Bad Bunny from Puerto Rico made Grammy history with his album Un Verano Sin Ti. It was the first entirely Spanish-language album to be nominated for album of the year.

“You have these statistics there that I think could ultimately make the case for these types of categories if that case hasn’t been made yet,” Fauteux said. Adding a Latin American category could encourage more Latin American talent.

“It gives that support at a higher level, which can then potentially trickle down and help this kind of music grow,” he said.

Without the incentive to work here, Santillana Henriquez fears the local music community will suffer.

“There is actually one artist, Primo, who is very good right now, and he plans to move to Miami to continue his career,” Santillana Henriquez said.

“He’s so good, man. He’s from Canada. We don’t want that.’

Santillana Henriquez is asking people to sign the petition to show their support.

He has joined forces with the Argentinian-Canadian artist and producer Martín Añón in Toronto, who advocates through his non-profit organization Non-English speaking.

In 2025, the Junos will include a new South Asian Music Prize, joining five other crossover categories: Traditional Indigenous, Contemporary Indigenous, Francophone, Christian and Global Music.

A Juno representative said no more categories will be added for next year, but that it has noted the “promising growth and development of Latin music” and will consider proposals for 2026.

With files from Miriam Valdes-Carletti of CTV News Edmonton