Courtesy Universal Music Latin Entertainment“Despacito” by Luis Fonsi, Daddy Yankee and Justin Bieber, was the biggest hit of 2017, and now it’s up for three Grammys, including Record and Song of the Year. It’s the first time that a song with mostly Spanish lyrics has ever been nominated for Song of the Year. Not bad for a tune that Fonsi says literally came to him in his sleep.
Luis says he woke up one morning with part of the song in his head: the lyrics and melody, fully formed. “It’s that little hook at the end where it talks about Puerto Rico,” he told ABC Radio. “I had that instantly, like, I was literally in my pajamas singing that, running to my studio to turn my computer on to just record that line and that’s all I had.”
He then got together with a couple of other songwriters to finish the track, and on November 16, it won him four Latin Grammys. But earlier this year, when ABC Radio asked Luis how he’d feel if “Despacito” swept the regular Grammys, he hedged his bets.
“If there’s one thing about Grammys…it’s [that] you never know,” he said. “You never know who’s gonna gonna win…not necessarily the song that’s been number one. And that’s fine, I completely respect that. So I have no expectations whatsoever.”
“I mean, don’t get me wrong,” he laughed, “Of course, I love Grammys! And I hope that I can add to my collection!”
On Tuesday, Luis wrote on Instagram, “In these tumultuous times we are living in…I am beyond happy and proud that a song in ESPAÑOL is nominated in three major categories at the 60th GRAMMY awards.”
He added “Let’s continue sharing our beautiful culture and roots with the world. There is no better time than now.”
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