won the 3rd edition of the Spanish Academy of Music Awards. He took eight trophies out of the eight he was eligible for thanks to his latest album, the highly praised Lux, which won the three important categories: Artist of the Year, Album of the Year and Song of the Year for The Pearl. The artist did not attend the ceremony and with her decision she marred a ceremony that left the winner of a party held last night at the Ifema Conference Center (Madrid) without seeing the winner. He also didn’t send anyone to collect the awards bag, so one of the event hostesses went up on stage to take the trophies. announced the seventh award for the singer Motomami, There was already some squeamishness in the atmosphere, and Antonio Flores’ humorous and talented daughter blurted out: “Let her come pick him up at my house, and I’ll invite her to a coffee and a toast with oil.”
On the eighth and last, José María Barbat, president of her record company, Sony, finally showed up, excusing Rosalía: “We have done everything possible for her to be here, but her schedule is ungovernable.” The gala missed the Catalan until the warm and familiar smile of that unanimously admired musician named , winner of the Academy’s Honor Award, appeared on stage.
Wearing a gray jacket, a blue shirt and jeans, when the author of Mediterranean Silence took over the room. “I didn’t expect it,” he joked at first to the delight of the audience. And he continued: “This is an award for survival, which usually reaches an advanced age. The truth is that I would like to be given the revelation award, but things have gone this way…”. Afterwards, and for seven minutes, he gave a delicious speech about how he came to music: “I don’t have any family history that relates me to music. I am the son of workers and the grandson of peasants. But yes, they were singing people. I always remember my family singing. With my mother I sang when we made the beds or when it was my turn to open peas or separate lentils and so many things that we did in the sacred atmosphere of the kitchen at home.”
Later he admitted that the world today looks strange: “Thank goodness they gave me this award this year, because whoever comes next who knows where we will be with this absolutely insane, cretinous and heartless world that is being established around us.” And he said goodbye, thanking the audience: “Thanks to you I have been able to have a wonderful life that I would never have imagined when I was 20 years old.” What came next was a long, jubilant applause.
As an appetizer to Serrat’s speech, the harmonica player Antonio Serrano (2025 National Music Prize), and the singer-songwriter Andrés Suárez performed a heartfelt version of one of the honoree’s incunabula, the monumental Romance by Curro ‘El Palmo’.
To Rosalía followed him in the Leiva palmares, with four awards, and the urban singer Lia Kali with three.
The third edition of these musical awards promoted by the still short-lived Academy of Music of Spain has been completed, which started in 2023 with the aim of uniting the profession and, finally, consolidating awards that function as the musical equivalent of the Goya cinematographic awards. There is still a long way to go, but yesterday represents a first stone in a building that was born cracked after a first and that straightened the course last year, where Rozalén triumphed. The broadcast by RTVE, last night on La 2, seems fundamental. I hope this agreement is consolidated.
A slap on the wrist for the artists who were absent last night, especially the nominated stars, who fulfill the mission of giving luster to these hooligans. In addition to Rosalía, not even Guitarricadelafuente was seen there (a highlight would have been his presence after the success neither Aitana nor Rusowsky. The four dominated the powerful categories. Yes, there were others, no less relevant and, apparently, more committed to the musical institutions of their country, such as Fito Cabrales, Luz Casal, Leiva, Rubén Pozo, Amaia Romero, Amaral, M-Clan, Sidonie or Valeria Castro. And of course Joan Manuel Serrat, who arrived in a car with Ana Belén. Both were received by the president of the Academy, the singer Sole Giménez.
“Wherever you are, this applause is for you, Robe.” This is how Leonor Watling, the presenter, said goodbye to the tribute to the former leader of Extremoduro. The ceremony began with a musical memory of the great artist. He began by performing Love, love, love and expand the soul the singer of Siloé, Fito Robles, then performed a shocking flamenco version of Stanby the singer Lela Soto and the maestro Rafael Riqueni on guitar, Walls took the baton and Xoel López finished singing If you go…
Amaral also performed, with Eva performing, with her usual impetus, Dolce Vita. One of the most refreshing things about these days is that the musical numbers move away from the current promotional song. The Zaragoza duo did not see it that way. Ultralight yes, it attacked a convincing New times, wild times, of Illegales, who, like Robe, left us in December.
The two hours of the ceremony, although at times it seemed to have a certain tendency towards improvisation, passed quickly and the night did not become dense. There are still issues to be resolved, such as choosing a more suitable date: organizing a party at the end of May 2026 that awards 2025 albums seems, in principle, a bit late. Maybe they will give this topic a second look in 2027.
The night ended with the wonderful band that starred in the musical numbers, 13 musicians directed by Pablo Cebrián, accompanying Un Buen Closure.
