Anitta Brings Brazilian Folk to Latin Grammys Stage with Medley

Anitta performed a four-song medley from her album Equilibrium at this year's Latin Grammys, staging a set built on Brazilian folk and culture before dancing into the crowd.

The Brazilian singer opened in a white outfit, backed by a team of dancers. She stitched together "Choka Choka," "Desgraça," "Meia Noite" and "Ouro" into a seamless sequence. The set drew on the repertoire of Equilibrium, the album that earned her critical acclaim and two major nominations this year.

What is Anitta nominated for?

Anitta competes in two categories at this year's ceremony: Album of the Year and Best Portuguese Language Contemporary Pop Album, both for Equilibrium. She has been nominated 12 times across her career. She has performed at the Latin Gramys multiple times over the years. She has never won the award.

That zero sits at the center of her story this year. Despite more than a decade of presence at the ceremony — as performer and repeated nominee — the artist known as the "Queen of Brazilian Pop" has yet to take home a Latin Grammy.

How did she build momentum this year?

Earlier this year, Anitta made her Saturday Night Live debut. She delivered an electric performance of "Choka Choka" and what reviewers described as an enchanting rendition of "Várias Quejas." The appearance widened her reach beyond the Latin music market and into mainstream American television.

She promoted the Latin Gramys appearance directly. "I'll be at the Latin Grammys this year, singing and performing," Anitta said in Spanish earlier this week. "And I'm nominated, so I'm very happy, too. Don't miss it, it's going to be an incredible night."

Who else performed?

Anitta joined one of the ceremony's strongest lineups in recent memory. This year's performers include:

• Rosalía
• Karol G
• Daddy Yankee
• Feid
• Silvana Estrada
• Jorge Drexler
• Mon Laferte
• Carín León
• Rawayana
• Elena Rose

Maluma and Roselyn Sánchez hosted the ceremony once again, returning to the roles they have held before.

What does the performance signal?

The staging choices — folk references, a dance team, movement into the audience — positioned Anitta as both a cultural ambassador and a live-performance draw, not only a recording artist. Her medley gave Equilibrium its widest televised showcase since the SNL debut.

The takeaway: a 12-time nominee without a win used the Latin Grammys stage to make her strongest case yet. Whether the voters finally reward Equilibrium will define the next chapter of her relationship with the ceremony.