Urias has her first Latin Grammy, and she used the moment to thank a trans artist who helped open the door. The Brazilian singer won Best Portuguese Language Rock or Alternative Album for Carranca on Thursday, Nov. 12, at the 2026 ceremony in Las Vegas.
It was also a winning night for Johnny Hooker. His song “Viver e Morrer de Amor na América Latina,” recorded with Ney Matogrosso, took Best Portuguese Language Song.
Urias Thanks Liniker for Opening Doors
Accepting her award, Urias reflected on how being a Black trans woman had shaped her expectations of success. She described having to overcome the belief that good things were beyond her reach, CNN Brasil reported.
She thanked her team and the listeners who embraced the album, then paid tribute to fellow Brazilian singer Liniker.
“Thank you, my sister Liniker, for throwing the doors open for the next one to come through,” Urias said. The translation from Portuguese is Gayety’s.
That acknowledgment connected a personal milestone to something larger: the artists who make space for one another, and those still waiting for their turn.
The World of ‘Carranca’
Carranca, Urias’s third album, draws on Afro-Brazilian culture, ancestry and Candomblé. In an interview with Nataal introducing its visual world, she described a project built around belonging, spirituality and the pursuit of freedom.
The title refers to a protective sculpture associated with Brazilian boats. Urias linked that imagery to the sea and the movement between places that runs through the project.
“The main message is the search for freedom, but a search for freedom through revenge,” she told Nataal.
Working with producer Rodrigo Gorky and filmmaker Ode, she gave the music a visual language rooted in Afro-diasporic traditions. The project followed collaborations with artists including Honey Dijon, Brooke Candy and Pabllo Vittar.
Johnny Hooker’s Message to Queer Artists
Hooker’s win came with its own tribute. He told Matogrosso that he had written their winning song for him, Billboard Brasil reported. It was Hooker’s first Latin Grammy, two decades into his career.
He dedicated the moment to younger Brazilian artists, especially those from the Northeast and the queer community. His advice, translated from Portuguese: “Be dangerous, bold, rebellious, provocative.”
Hooker also urged them to keep dreaming without letting the world’s violence harden their hearts. He closed with a dedication to Recife and Pernambuco, and a call for a free, sovereign and democratic Latin America.
The Latin Recording Academy’s winners list credits Hooker as the songwriter receiving the prize. Matogrosso shares the recording credit. Urias’s recording of “Águas de um Mar Azul” was also nominated in that category, with Fábio and Hyldon credited as its songwriters.
