Dino D’Santiago Wins Latin Grammy for Best MPB Album
Portuguese musician Dino D’Santiago secured a significant milestone for Lusophone music today, winning a Latin Grammy for his collaborative album with Brazilian stars Criolo and Amaro Freitas. The trio took home the award for Best MPB (Musica Popular Brasileira) / Afro-Portuguese Brazilian Music Album at the 27th annual ceremony in Las Vegas.
A Celebration of the African Diaspora
The self-titled debut, Criolo, Amaro & Dino, serves as a sonic bridge across the Atlantic. During his acceptance speech, D’Santiago expressed gratitude to the global Portuguese-speaking community. “Cape Verde, Angola, Mozambique, Guinea-Bissau, São Tomé and Príncipe, and Portugal—thank you to this Portuguese language for making us a unique people,” he said.
Recife-born pianist Amaro Freitas echoed the sentiment, highlighting the album’s cultural weight. “This is a work that unites the strength of Black music and the Black diaspora around the world,” Freitas noted. “The outskirts of Recife and São Paulo met the spirit of Cape Verde and Portugal through the power of art.”
Music as a Healing Force
Rapper Criolo emphasized the emotional depth of the project, stating it was crafted “with soul and heart to celebrate friendship.” He used the platform to dedicate the victory to a larger cause: “Music has the power to heal because that is what art is like,” he said, before dedicating the award to the indigenous peoples currently facing hardship in Brazil.
The trio was also nominated for Best Portuguese Language Song for their track “Esperança,” though that honor ultimately went to Johnny Hooker for “Viver e Morrer de Amor na América Latina.”
From a Single Track to a Grammy-Winning Masterpiece
The project began with the 2024 single “Esperança,” a collaboration between the three artists and Brazilian producer Nave. That track earned D’Santiago his first Latin Grammy nomination in 2024, laying the groundwork for the full-length album.
Recorded during studio sessions spanning Rio de Janeiro, Recife, São Paulo, and Lisbon, the 12-track album is described by the Arruada agency as a “contemporary exercise based on Afro-Atlantic traditions.” It blends the rhythms of Brazil with the influences of the African diaspora to tell stories of resilience and cultural continuity.
The Latin Grammys continue to celebrate excellence across 60 categories. In addition to the competitive awards, the organization presented Lifetime Achievement Awards to several icons, including Brazilian superstar Daniela Mercury, recognizing her decades of creative influence within Latin communities.
Image: Pexels – Federico Abis
