Me

Thanks for thinking of me, but I’m about to go on a little vacation.” It might have been the right thing for me to do from a personal and emotional point of view, but it certainly would have been career suicide. There were so many people who had placed their bets on me—including myself—so many people who had worked nonstop for many years to turn my dreams into reality, that I couldn’t say no.
    If the World Cup had been my platform to take on the rest of the world, the Grammy Awards would be my entry into the English-language market of the United States. At the time, I didn’t care so much that the show was going to be broadcast to millions of viewers in 187 countries; what mattered to me was that I would be able to share my music with the people of the United States who had never even heard my name. Just like the World Cup, this was my moment to shine, and I would only have a few minutes to make an impact: My performance had to be nothing short of electrifying.
    I have always thought that it’s totally normal to be a bit nervous before a show. In fact, I even think it’s healthy, because if I weren’t nervous it would mean that what I am about to do has ceased to be challenging. And how interesting can life really be when we are not challenging ourselves and jumping out of our comfort zones? But in the case of the Grammy Awards, as the night of February 24, 1999, got closer, I realized I was feeling worried, stressed, and had a sense of panic. I doubted whether I would be able to impress the audience, if they would like my music . . . until I finally just had to put an end to all of these mixed feelings, and say to myself, “Hold on! You’ve been at this for fifteen years. So just do your thing—and do it well!” I allowed myself to remember that, which is how I found the strength I needed to perform with my usual confidence. The show turned out well. Great, actually. I’ve been told that what took place that night had never occurred before in the history of the Grammy Awards. I’d decided to sing a slightly modified version of “La Copa de la Vida,” to which I had added a few new lines in English. And this time—unlike at the World Cup—we had a gorgeous stage and set with all the critical bells and whistles: musicians, dancers, lights, and special effects. It was a spectacular show in every possible way, and I gave it all my energy, charisma, and all of the emotion I had to give . . . and then some! We had the musicians walk toward the stage through the aisles of the auditorium, which immediately connected the audience with the music, and they started to applaud and dance at their seats. When we were playing the last note, that crowd—which was made up of professional musicians, composers, singers, artists, and executives—gave me a standing ovation and cheered for me as I had never, ever seen before. I was completely blown away by their intensity—it was like receiving a blessing from an audience that I respect immensely. And it was another moment I will remember for the rest of my life.
    When the applause finally simmered down, the cameras cut to Rosie O’Donnell—the host of the show—who seemed stunned. She was quiet for a moment, and then, under her breath, she said: “Who was that cutie patootie?”
    Just a few moments later I returned to the stage to accept my first ever Grammy Award for Best Latin Pop Music Album, for Vuelve . The first thing I did was laugh, probably because I too was still a bit stunned, and then I said, “I got a Grammy!” Once again, the audience reacted extremely positively, and I was stuck somewhere between elation and shock. They were probably wondering, “Who is this guy?” It was the first time most of the audience members had ever seen me, and now I was onstage receiving the record industry’s most prestigious award!
    Even though awards are not everything, being able to stand before my peers and the world with the Grammy in my hands and to have the opportunity to thank everyone involved with the album for their hard work and dedication was very exciting. So many people put their talent, time, and effort into the making of an album that publicly thanking them when receiving an award is always a beautiful way of showing them the gratitude they rightfully deserve.
    And if that wasn’t enough for the night, after the show, while I answered questions for the press backstage, Madonna came and stood behind me. She covered my eyes with her hands and