Ricky Martin Hails Bad Bunny's Historic Grammy Triumph
Ricky Martin has penned an open letter in the Puerto Rican newspaper El Nuevo DĂa, titled “When One of Ours Succeeds, We All Succeed,” expressing profound pride in Bad Bunny's recent achievement of three Grammy Awards. This includes the prestigious Album of the Year for his work, "DebĂ Tirar Más Fotos."
Martin conveyed that witnessing Bad Bunny win with a production entirely in Spanish deeply resonated with him. He noted that this impact was felt not only as an artist but also as a fellow Puerto Rican who has consistently promoted his language and culture globally. He acknowledged the significant challenges and sacrifices inherent in achieving international success while steadfastly preserving one's origins.
Martin emphasized that Bad Bunny’s accomplishment is a “cultural and human victory,” achieved “without changing the color of your voice” or “erasing your roots,” by “staying true to Puerto Rico.”
Bad Bunny's Historic Grammy Wins
Bad Bunny made history by becoming the first artist to ever win the Grammy for Album of the Year with an album recorded entirely in Spanish. His acclaimed album, "Debà Tirar Más Fotos," also secured the award for Best Música Urbana Album. Additionally, he received the Best Global Music Performance award for his song “EoO.” The album demonstrated remarkable success, spending four weeks at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 and an impressive 50 weeks at the top of the Top Latin Albums chart.
Cultural Significance and Advocacy
Ricky Martin further lauded Bad Bunny for resisting industry pressures that often push artists to “soften the Spanish or hide the identity” to gain global recognition. Martin described feeling a “lump in his throat” as he watched Bad Bunny accept the coveted awards.
He highlighted Bad Bunny’s impactful acceptance speech, in which he eloquently defended the immigrant community and critiqued a system that “persecutes and separates.” Martin concluded that Bad Bunny’s achievement serves as a vital lesson for an entire generation, powerfully demonstrating that:
"identity is non-negotiable" and "success is not at odds with authenticity."
Martin closed his letter by thanking Bad Bunny "for reminding us that when one of ours succeeds, we all succeed.”
Upcoming Performance
Bad Bunny is also scheduled to headline the highly anticipated Super Bowl Halftime Show, making him the first artist primarily singing in Spanish to be granted this honor.