Mexican singer Natalia Lafourcade, who has spent the past decade in alternative music circles, marked her mainstream triumph Thursday as she led awards at the Latin Grammys.

But the surprise winner of the biggest night in the Spanish- and Portuguese-language music industry was 58-year-old Dominican singer Juan Luis Guerra who took home the most prestigious prize of Album of the Year.

Lafourcade won in two of the most prestigious categories, Song of the Year and Record of the Year, for "Hasta la Raiz" ("Up to the Root"), a comparatively straightforward pop tune that went viral earlier this year.

"Hasta la Raiz" also won for Best Alternative Song and Best Alternative Album.

Lafourcade was nominated for Best New Artist at the Latin Grammys in 2003 but since then has largely been seen as part of Mexico's alternative music scene.

She finally wrote the hit album after a long bout with writer's block.
"It seems like tough guys have made strides in the past 13 years," she said. "I try to keep things artistic and honest."

"I was reborn through this process and managed to discover wonderful things," she told the crowd in Las Vegas.

Lafourcade teamed up on the album with a giant of Mexican music, Leonel Garcia, who shared in two of the awards.

- Will Smith, Ricky Martin perform -

But the unexpected winner of the night was Juan Luis Guerra, a major figure in bachata and merergue, two dance music styles born in the Dominican Republic.
Guerra won Album of the Year for "Todo Tiene Su Hora" ("Everything Has Its Time") as well as Best Tropical Album and Best Tropical Song.

Guerra voiced surprise at his Album of the Year and said that the other contenders also deserved to win.

Will Smith, the Hollywood superstar, delivered a jolt of energy to the Latin Grammys by rapping -- partially in Spanish -- to the song "Fiesta" with Colombian group Bomba Estereo.

Smith, who made his name in hip-hop before becoming better known as an actor, last month suddenly appeared on a remix of the track.

Bomba Estereo said at the time that Smith had reached out with a desire to contribute, in what marked his first new rap performance in a decade.
Ricky Martin, one of Latin music's biggest crossover stars, drove the crowd wild by singing recent tracks "Disparo al Corazon" ("Shot to the Heart") and "La Mordidita" ("The Nibble"), although Martin went home without awards.

- Some politics -

The Mexican group Mana won for Best Pop/Rock Album on "Cama Incendiada" ("Burned Bed").

The rockers, known for their socially conscious songs, brought a touch of politics to the ceremony, with group members urging a measured reaction following the Paris attacks and imploring US citizens not to vote "for racists" in the upcoming presidential elections.

But music was at the forefront during the night, in contrast to the previous year's ceremony which was dominated by President Barack Obama's fresh announcement of action to reform the immigration system as well as the disappearance of 43 students in Mexico.

The Colombian group Monsieur Perine won the Latin Grammy for Best New Artist, a closely watched category often instrumental in launching careers.

But even though the group is enjoying greater international attention, Monsieur Perine is not new, starting in 2007 with music that blends jazz, swing and pop with Latin rhythms.
Source: AFP