Grammy-nominated Edgar Barrera wishes be a pioneer for Latin songwriters

MEXICO CITY (AP) - The third time may be the charm for Edgar Barrera, the Mexican composer and producer nominated for the third consecutive year for the Grammy in the category of songwriter of the year, non-classical.

Barrera has competed in all but one of the years since this category was introduced in 2023. He said that it fills him with pride to be nominated for the 2026 Grammys, which will be presented Sunday in Los Angeles.

If Barrera wins, he'll be the first Latino to accoladed in the category, and would add this award to an impressive career that has amassed 29 Latin Grammys and one Grammy for best tropical Latin album.

"To open the door for the new generations and the Latin composers who are making music," he said in a video interview with The Associated Press. "It takes away that stigma that you have to write songs in English or that you have to do things a certain way to be considered."

The songwriter of the year, non-classical, honor is part of the Grammy's general field, which also includes song, record and album of the year, best new artist and producer of the year, non-classical.

Barrera's nomination reflects the diversity of Latin music, from contemporary Mexican music with Fuerza Regida and Grupo Frontera's "Me Jalo," to Shakira's pop "Soltera," and Karol G's fusion with "Milagros." Barrera's range is especially wide, and he attributes it to his hyperactivity.

"I get bored very quickly, sometimes when I'm making a certain rhythm or working on a sound constantly. I can't spend more than two weeks doing the same thing," he said. "For me, I don't want it to become like a factory."

His ideal, beyond musical genres or specific rhythms, is to "bring out the best they have in the artist."

Barrera spoke from Texas, where he was working with the Colombian artist Silvestre Dangond. Just before that, he had been with Carín León in Hermosillo, Mexico, where he said they recorded about 20 songs for what will be his next album.

Grammy week is intense, especially for Barrera, who said he often takes advantage of the gatherings of music stars to do recording sessions.

"I have a lot of sessions in the middle of all this Grammy chaos," he said.

Although his work style is usually relaxed, if he's working with friends, it is better for him. He says that when he enters the studio he wants to laugh with the musicians and have a good time.

"And in the end, when there is an hour left before the end of the session, we write the song and record," he said. "I love that style of work."

Among the songs composed by Barrera that were considered for the nomination, one specially represents a career milestone - "Me Retiro" by Carlos Santana with Grammy nominated Grupo Frontera.

"Carlos has been an inspiration for me for as long as I can remember," Barrera said. "My dad introduced me to music through Santana. We were at Christmas with the family, and they showed me videos of where I am playing at 10 or 9 years old, songs by Carlos Santana."

Santana was Barrera's first concert. His seat was in the last row of the forum, so far away that he had to carry binoculars, he said. Everything was very different last November when he performed live with Santana on the Latin Grammys stage and even more so when he began working with the star guitarist on what will be his next album.

"I come from a town, a city, where being a composer is not a job, and it wasn't even like it's in my plans to be what I'm doing," Barrera said. "I'm going with Santana to the studio to continue working on more music and for me it's a dream, you know? I can't believe it."

Shakira and Karol G are two great songwriters in their own right, so delving into their universe as a collaborator was an equally pleasant experience for Barrera.

In the case of Karol G, getting an artist like Marco Antonio Solís, who does not usually perform songs that are not composed by him, to join "Coleccionando Heridas" from her Grammy-nominated album "Tropicoqueta" and with Shakira working to perfection on her hit "Soltera."

"I really like working with artists like them, who are very passionate and who are also great representatives of Latin music," said Barrera. "They are one of the toughest artists we have in Latin America."

Next, for Barrera there will be collaborations with Anglo artists, whose names he could not reveal.

"I've learned that what they are looking for from me is like that Latin sound, that sound that I know how to do and that I like to do ... To be myself in the sessions and flow with them, and not try to be maybe an American producer," said Barrera.

He is also aiming to do country music, preferably in Nashville.

"I would like to go to work, to look for inspiration and muse, from scratch, in Nashville."