The Juno Awards is getting a new Latin category starting next year, and the historic addition is being celebrated by Latin American Canadians in the music industry.
On Tuesday, the Canadian Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences (CARAS) announced its new Latin Music Recording of the Year category for the 2026 JUNO Awards.
The new category embraces contributions from Latin artists to Canadian music across all languages and genres, and is part of an effort to reflect Canada’s multicultural nature and modern music scene, and support inclusivity, according to the academy.
“This new category is a milestone for the Canadian music industry. It’s a well-deserved recognition of the incredible talent, diversity, and cultural richness that Latin music brings to the Canadian soundscape,” Argentine-Canadian music producer and Co-Chair of the category, Martín Añón said in a statement.
To qualify for the categories, submitted recordings must show at least 50 per cent of Latin influence, including through style, structure, lyrics with those having to be at least 50 per cent in Spanish, Brazilian Portuguese, Indigenous or African dialects.
It is permitted for non-Canadian artists to contribute to recordings in the category, but to qualify for the award, its main vocal artist must be a Canadian citizen or permanent resident.
Although crossover categories are allowed in the Junos, music submitted under the Latin Music Recording will not qualify for the Global Music Album of the Year.
As part of its recently-unveiled updates, CARAS also announced some changes to its Rap categories.
Starting next year, submissions to the Rap Album/EP of the Year and Rap Single of the Year, must feature vocalists who are Canadian citizens or permanent residents, which CARAS hopes will support the homegrown music scene.
“We’re excited about the changes coming to the Rap Category and proud to be part of a shift that better reflects the energy and evolution of the genre,” Co-Chairs of the Rap Committees, Marlon Wilson and Ricardo Chung said in the statement.
In 2024, the Junos added a South Asian music category, and in 2022 it divided the Indigenous category into contemporary and traditional Indigenous artists.
The Latin music category announcement comes less than a year after CARAS revealed plans to axe some of its existing categories, including reggae recording, children’s album, Christian/gospel album and international album of the year.
The move received backlash from Canadian musicians and industry executives, prompting the academy to reverse its plan and keep the categories.
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LATINO ARTISTS AND MUSIC EXPERT WEIGH IN
Colombian-Canadian musician and Junos nominee Roberto López only had one word to describe his reaction over the new category: “Finally!”
According to him, when he released his first professional album in 2005, the Grammy Awards already had its first Latin category, and since then he has watched Latin music grow until it gained more recognition in Canada, which is reflected in the Junos’ announcement.
“Latin music is very strong worldwide. In the past 20 years, there has been a global growth of Latin music, [that] is not only happening here in Canada, it’s happening worldwide. So, being able to have that category to recognize the importance and the value of Latin music in Canada, and from Canada towards the rest of the world, I think it’s a great step,” he told Now Toronto on Wednesday.
Similarly, Juno-Awarded, Cuban-Canadian artist Alex Cuba applauds the change and says it’s long-awaited.
The artist recalled that more than 10 years ago he was helping Canadian singer-songwriter Nelly Furtado with her Latin album, which was No.1 across the world, but didn’t win the Junos because it wouldn’t fit in any categories.
“Let’s put it this way: it’s been a long time coming, and we’ve been pretty much fighting for this for a while. So, I was so happy and excited when I heard the news,” he said.
Now, with the Latino population having tripled in Canada over the past 25 years, according to Statistics Canada, the artists add that Latin music’s influence in the country has also grown.
TMU Professional Music Composition Professor Felipe Téllez tells Now Toronto that even though some awards don’t offer monetary compensation to winning artists, the award itself can mean an important public recognition of their work.
He says a new category focused on Latin music could signify to many artists in Canada that their identities are seen and important.
“It sends a message to artists that have been established, but also people who are coming up now as younger artists. And it just says, ‘You can be you, it’s not a barrier,’” he said.
LATIN ROOTS IN CANADIAN MUSIC
Téllez says that as an artist, his roots are certainly reflected in his music, which he thinks also influences other Latino artists in the country.
“Canadian music can be so many things, right? But now, because of this, we get to be Canadian and Latin without having to compromise our identities, right? And that’s huge,” he added.
Meanwhile, López explains that artists may identify themselves as both Latino and Canadian, which the new category is able to encompass.
“How do you voice your artistic identity with all those multiple identities? Because now you’re Canadian, you’re Colombian, but maybe you’re Albertan, or you’re Ontarian, or you’re Quebecois, so all that influences how you express your music,” he explained.
But for Cuba, the great thing about this category is that it will allow Latino artists to also incorporate different music influences they come across in Canada.
The artist, who was born and raised in Cuba for 25 years, says that his music will always reflect his roots, but his experience in Canada also has a great impact on his musical identity.
“It’s a new energy into Latin music. From Latin music, mixing it with whatever is happening, whatever is happening in the air, whatever is in the air in Canada, and sending it that way, the result is something fresh and creative.”
Submissions for the 55th Juno Awards close on Sep. 22, with the award ceremony taking place on Mar. 29 at the TD Coliseum in Hamilton.