El Hombre Behind The Curtain: José Tillán On The Latin Grammys Coming Home To Miami & The Show’s Legacy

It’s starting to feel like autumn throughout the country with cooler weather, brown leaves and just about every consumable item available in pumpkin spice flavor. It also marks homecoming season for high schoolers during which they express their school pride with pep rallies and a semiformal dance (almost like a fall prom), and the celebration isn’t exclusive to current students. Schools’ festivities also honor their history and encourage alumni to reconnect with their alma mater by attending the annual homecoming game.

It’s an inclusive tradition that celebrates the past and present, a vibe that producer José Tillán seeks to create at this year’s Latin Grammys. He’s been coming up with the themes for the biggest night in Latin music since 2017, and this year’s was a no-brainer for him and his team with the 25th edition of the awards ceremony taking place Nov. 14 at Kaseya Center in Miami, Florida, the city that serves as headquarters for the Latin Recording Academy.

“It’s home, so we start with that,” says Tillán, a renowned producer who previously worked at MTV and worked on the Latin Video Music Awards as well as the network’s Unplugged series, which featured iconic intimate performances from some of the top Latin artists. “And it’s a double-edged sword because you start feeling a bit like, ‘I got this.’ … It’s a great venue, and they’ve done a lot of remodeling, which is cool, but I think we’re sort of the first awards show going in. So, we had to reconfigure a couple of things that we wanted to do, and we realized that we couldn’t because of the new structures and rigging that made things not impossible but very costly to execute.”

Despite those challenges, Tillán’s taking it all in stride by embracing the fact that they are hosting the first live in-person Latin Grammys in Miami since 2003. (The 2020 show was also in Miami but without an audience because of the COVID-19 pandemic). The city is a cultural hub for Hispanic audiences with many prominent Latin entertainment companies like Loud And Live and Univision setting up shop in Miami, and Tillán wants to throw a fiesta for all of them.

“It’s almost like a family reunion,” Tillán says. “It’s the home of the Academy, of Univision and to a lot of Latin music labels and talent. I’m really counting on that homecoming and family reunion to be one of the production elements we can embrace. This year, being the 25th anniversary, we’re going to have some tributes, looking back and remembering moments, and I think the audience is going to love it.”

Tillán himself couldn’t help but feel excited about the show when looking at what he’s got on paper. The show will honor the legacy of the Academy and showcase how far not only they’ve come but also Latin music, which has grown exponentially over the years to dominate charts and conquer new territories in the live circuit. It’s a recognition of the organization’s achievements and memorable moments, but Tillán doesn’t want to only make it an exercise in nostalgia.

Ideas began percolating in his mind throughout the year, especially in June as he began doing creative walkthroughs and setting up budgets in the following month when the nominations were announced.

“That’s when you put the pedal to the
metal and lock it in,” says Tillán, who has won three Latin Grammys for his work with MTV.

Tillán is ready to show the world how he follows up the Latin Grammys’ historic 2023 show in Seville, Spain, an experience that affirmed his belief that attention to detail in live performances is what makes a music show stand out. Even with the challenges of putting on the Latin Grammys overseas, Tillán’s touch on the stage for each set allowed the singers to shine and captivate audiences with the music that elevated Latin music to new heights.

“It’s a place where talent wants to be different and wants to be more musical and aspire to do things that are not cut and paste from other awards shows,” says Tillán, whose previous experience as a bass player for a rock band has helped him understand artists and their relationship with the stage. “Last year, for instance, I remember talking with Rauw Alejandro at one point, and I’m like, ‘Brother, if you’re going to do you, you have to fucking commit to it. You have to rock out with the live band.’ I was backstage when he finished the performance, and he was like a kid. … At the end of the day, it’s him on stage, not me, but you help somebody push the envelope and get out of their comfort zone and do something that is unique.”

Alejandro’s performance with Colombian rock star Juanes was one of the highlights of the night and proved that the Academy’s decision to go to Spain was worth the effort despite the challenges. The experience changed Tillán and everyone involved for the better, and it only reignited his passion for the arts.

“I still get excited with music,” he says. “My motto is, ‘When I grow up, I want to be a kid.’ Sometimes, I look in the mirror and my kid says, ‘Papá, you’re old.’ But I don’t feel it. I still feel like a 16-year-old playing bass in a punk band and having fun.”