Aventura - 8 nominations for the Latin Billboard Awards!

Can you believe that the Latin Billboard Awards are next month? On April 28, 2011, the most popular Latin music on the charts will be recognized in categories such as pop, rock, tropical, Mexican regional music, and Reggaeton. One group that stands out this year is the very talented New York Bachata band Aventura who has received nominations in 8 different categories! This should come as no surprise to any of us since last year they won nine Billboard Latin Music Awards, including Latin Artist and Album of the Year. This year they are nominated for the following categories:

Latin Artist of the Year
Hot Latin Song of the Year , Duo or Group
Top Latin Album/Artist of the Year, Duo or Group
Latin Pop Airplay Artist of the Year, Duo or Group
Tropical Airplay Song of the Year
Tropical Airplay Artist of the Year
Tropical Albums Artist of the Year, Duo or Group
Songwriter of the Year, Anthony ‘Romeo” Santos

Aventura was formed in 1994 in the Bronx, New York with members Anthony Santos, Henry Santos Jeter, Lenny Santos, and Max Santos. Henry and Anthony are cousins and Lenny and Mikey are brothers, even though they all have the same last name. Self-taught and very determined to break into the music industry, Aventura had their big break in 1999, with their Dominican bachata music fused with modern popular sounds like hip hop and R&B. They were signed by BMG under their new name “Grupo Aventura”. They debuted with the album “Generation Next” using an outside producer for the first time. Aventura had their own style and retained their bachata elements even though this was the era of the “boy bands”.

Even though “Generation Next” was a good album, it didn’t get much attention outside of their New York/Domincan fanbase. In 2002 they surprised everyone when their album “We Broke The Rules” was released and it’s break out single “Obsesion” immediately became a smash hit. Anthony Santos quickly became one of the first Hispanic composers to earn an ASCAP award in the American market. In the next few years Aventura continued growing with their next albums and mobbed concert tours. They went as far as having their 2007 album K.O.B. nominated for a Latin Grammy as the “Best Contemporary Tropical Album”.

Aventura encountered so much resistance from the New York’s bachata loving audiences as they felt that their favorite Bachata music should not be mixed with sounds of more modern music such as Hip Hop and R&B. But they stood their ground and continued to make the music that inspired their soul and today they have achieved great success, millions of fans, and large international following.

So tune in to Telemundo on April 28th and let’s watch together as this talented band takes home several if not all the awards they were nominated for!

I leave you with one of my favorite songs from Aventura "Un Beso" (A Kiss)...enjoy!

Peace & Love ;-) Candela