ATLANTA — The 61st GRAMMY Awards kicked off with a bang on a stage resembling Havana, Cuba.
Camila Cabello served as the show’s opening act and delivered star-power, with two of Latin music’s hottest stars. It sent a clear message about one of music's most popular genre’s at the moment: It's here to stay.
With wailing horns and Cabello's sultry delivery, the Pharrell-produced “Havana” was unlike anything else in the mainstream Top 40 during its release.
The song is a slinky, dance-floor-ready ode to the Cuban city in which she was born that further demonstrates the desire for more Latin representation in pop after the runaway successes of "Despacito" and "Mi Gente" last year.
It also signaled a formidable pop force in Cabello, 21, who split from made-for-TV girl group Fifth Harmony in 2016 and released her self-titled solo debut album, “Camila”.
Cabello shared the stage with Ricky Martin and J. Balvin for a medley of hits. Eagle-eyed fans saw J. Balvin sitting on a bench during the performance with a newspaper that said "Build Bridges, Not Walls."
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The singer teased the moment days before on her Instagram page.
Atlanta native Young Thug, who is featured on the hit song, also performed alongside Cabello in what appeared to be a block party.
