Raphael named Latin Grammys Person of the Year, honoring six decades at the top of Hispanic music

The legend of Hispanic music, Raphael, celebrated his more than six-decade-long career with an emotional tribute from the Latin Recording Academy, which on Wednesday declared him the Person of the Year, in Las Vegas.

Figures such as Enrique Bunbury, Marco Antonio Solís, Marco Antonio Solís, Fito Páez and Susana Baca landed in Las Vegas to sing to the Ruiseñor de Linares, as well as emerging voices Elena Rose and Iván Cornejo, among others, in a showcase of how the Spaniard influenced generations and rhythms.

Excited and with his distinctive smile, Raphael, 82, paraded on the red carpet at the Mandala Bay Convention Center with a piece of advice for new talent.

"You have to do things with a little more patience and everything will come to you," said the performer of 'Mi gran noche.'

The king of the ballad, with classics like 'Como yo te amo,' Raphael advised artists to embrace "more romanticism and a little less rhythm," in search of less ephemeral successes.

“It’s just that with the rhythm, time flies,” the performer added with a smile.

Passion, dedication and characteristic style

Manuel Abud, executive director of the Latin Recording Academy, said that Raphael's characteristic style was precisely one of the challenges in paying tribute to him.

"When we began to review the arrangements and we also began to review his interpretations they are so much him, they are so based on his person, on his histrionics that it is quite a challenge to put it (the tribute) together," he told AFP.

Several artists sing to the divo from Linares

The guest performers at the traditional event, part of Latin Grammy week, couldn’t hide their nerves about singing for the Spanish icon.

Rocker Enrique Bunbury, who performed 'Yo soy aquel,' confessed to being nervous about getting on stage. "I don't know about the others, but I'm sure I'm going to do worse than you do. So, well, knowing that I'm going to do worse in front of him because it makes me a little embarrassed," the former Héroes del Silencio vocalist told AFP.

"We can pay tribute to him, but we can't compare," the musician added.

Spain's Rozalén highlighted the singer's influence and his relevance. His legacy "is part of our history," she declared.

"This passion, this dedication so, so his, the way he makes every song his own and delivers each word and melody as if it were the end of the world. I think it has stayed with all of us, in our minds," said singer-songwriter Silvia Pérez Cruz.

Already the revelation of the Mexican regional Iván Cornejo, 21, described him as a source of inspiration given their connection on stage. "I notice a similarity of his fans' concerts, how they connect with the lyrics and melodies. There's something super unique (that) is their music," the Californian said.

For Elena Rose, new face of American pop and who sang 'En carne viva' with David Bisbal, Raphael's legacy is his "rebellion with a cause."

"(He's) one of those souls who say I am this, I'm going to feel without fear, I'm going to say what I feel and I'm going to be me, no matter what. I think that's one of the things that even identifies me," said the artist.

The Latin Recording Academy will continue its celebration of Latin music with the 26th edition of the Latin Grammy Awards this Thursday, also in Las Vegas.