Camilo on His 10 Latin Grammy Nominations: ‘The Job of Creatives Is to Un-Define Themselves’

This year’s big Latin Grammy nominee is Camilo, the Colombian singer/ songwriter who is known for airy songs that seamlessly blend with other genres and have connected with audiences globally, breathing fresh life into Latin pop. 

Camilo has earned 10 Latin Grammy nominations so far, including album of the year (Mis Manos); record of the year (where he competes against himself in “Vida de Rico” and “Amén”); song of the year (where he also competes against himself as a composer with “Vida de Rico” and “Dios Así Lo Quiso,” performed by Ricardo Montaner and Juan Luis Guerra); best pop song (for “Vida de rico”); best regional song (for “Tuyo y Mío,” performed with Los Dos Carnales); best Tropical song (for “Dios Así lo quiso);” and best urban fusion/performance (for “Tattoo” (Remix) with Rauw Alejandro).

During his European Tour, Billboard caught up with Camilo 20 minutes after he was informed about his nominations.

When asked, “You were on a flight to London when nominations were announced this morning. Tell me how you received the news?” Camilo said, “We were getting off the plane in London. And because we landed early, we had to take a bus to pick up our luggage because it was raining and there were tons of people and we were all screaming. The nominations started to come up on my phone as we went from the plane to the bus, from the bus to the luggage, from the luggage to the taxi. Finally, my wife [Evaluna Montaner] called me and said: ‘Love, you’re nominated for like 10 awards.’ I said, “What does ‘like 10’ mean exactly?” She said, “It means you have 10 nominations.”

The reporter went on to ask him, “This year’s list nominees overall is very pop-inclined. Do you feel you’ve contributed to a resurgence of pop?” To which he replied, “I’m not up to speed on all the nominations, but I’m very proud of adding something to my generation. I don’t think I’m an isolated example. My music is inspired by my colleagues’ music, and I want to think that I inspire my colleagues. When reggaetón became so popular [for example], I was permeated by reggaetón. It’s an accomplishment that this generation offers space for everyone.”

Camilo went on to say, “Everything that happens with my music surprises me. When you first leave your comfort zone, there may be those that doubt you. But I think the job of creatives is to un-define themselves. Every time I pick up my guitar, my job is to tear down the little walls that keep me inside. I’m passionate about breaking the barriers that limit me.”

-Aditi