Latin Grammys

Sin City was green with envy as it paid homage to Latin artists from all over the world including Juan Luis Guerra, Rickie Martin, and Laura Pausini. Making its debut in 2000,the Latin Grammys were first held in Los Angeles for three years, New York was next , Miami third, and now in the fabulous Las Vegas. Coming straight out of college, graduating Northeastern Illinois University in May 07, I knew that this was a chance of a life time, and I wanted it to be perfect.

As I made my way to the Mandalay Bay convention center to pick up my media credential, I realized that there was no way I could have prepared myself for what I was about to see, feel, and hear. Those that were not able to purchase tickets for the event, in the thousands, camped out at the local coffee shop or barricaded themselves along the stations near the event Center entrance with cameras and cell phones in hand. The ringing of the casino machine bells were quickly drowned out by the screams, hysteria, and commotion of the crowd as they tried to catch a glimpse or picture of each passing nominee. Mothers dragged their children and pushed strollers out of the way as they tried to capture their favorite artist on camera.

On the morning of the event, while celebrities made their way down the green carpet, similar to the red carpet, I forced my way through the sea of people and passed the coffee shop, which housed Latin Grammy refugees. I flashed my media credential to the security guard, walked down the corridor that led to the event stage, passed the green and deadline room, into a room labeled Media/Press room. The room was filled with long tables, lights, cameras, and journalists with their laptops propped open waiting for a quote. It was not until I sat down at one of the tables labeled with my name did the reality set in. Wow, I am at the Latin Grammys! To my left was a Billboard Reporter, my right a television prompter, and in front of me was backdrop imprinted with Univision's logo.

When the event began at 5 p.m., two hours before it was broadcast, my nerves kicked in, not only was I watching the Latin Grammys live, but I could hear the drums of the opening act echo from adjacent room.

As the night's events unfolded before me and artists such as Juan Luis Guerra, Calle 13, Rickie Martin and Paul Rodriguez made their way to the press room, the nerves set in and I felt my heart jump out of my body. Dictated by each artist and reporter the ambiance of the room was constantly fluctuating. Paul Rodriguez broke the ice by poking fun at himself, some of the nominees, and his experiences in Las Vegas. That very same ice soon melted as the tension in the room grew thick after a reporter asked Marc Anthony's ex-wife, Dayana Torres how her children might feel about having half siblings.

One by one my childhood idols jumped off that very same screen that I was watching, and were no less than two feet away from me! I kept my cool for the most part, until, my teen idol, Rickie Martin, in his Menudo days, stood in front of me. I looked into his eyes and he into mine, and the worst thing that could happen to me did, I became star struck! I had writers block. As I put my heart back into my body with one hand, and my nerves died down, the reporter in me jumped out and I knew what I had to do. My fingers began to glide across the keyboard as I began to document the highlights of the night's events.

Accompanied by the Blue Man group, Rickie Martin opened Thursday night's events with hits, "Lola" and "La Bomba." Other Las Vegas style performances included "Stomp out loud" performed by with Calle 13 and Orishas, and "Folies Bergere" performed by Daddy Yankee. The highlights of the 8th Annual Latin Grammys included person of the year Juan Luis Guerra taking home 5 Grammys, Rickie Martin and Calle 13 followed, winning four nominations each, Voz Veis winning Venezuela's first Latin Grammy, Jesse and Joy for Best New Artist, Laura Pausini, Best Female Pop Vocal Album and many more.

The most important thing that I will take from this experience is that not everything in life is perfect; in order to grow you must learn, and in order to learn you must experience. All the notes and research in the world never could have prepared me for what I felt, saw, and heard at the 2007, 8th Annual Latin Grammys.