A week after learning that she was nominated for the Latin Grammy in the Song of the Year category, Cuban singer Daymé Arocena stated that she had never received recognition or help in her country.
In a video shared on her Instagram account, the artist revealed that the news caught her unprepared, because for a long time she has been prepared for rejection and not for acceptance.
"When I received the news, I called my father and said: I feel like I've run out of strength...", he expressed.
Daymé recalled that despite her talent, the authorities in Cuba never supported her, and that they did not give her access to any company because these were only "for excellence."
"In Cuba, I never had a Lucas, nor a Cubadisco, nothing," he emphasized.
"Life has taught me to have a hard shell for rejection. And when you leave Cuba, everyone tells you: 'outside of Cuba you won’t achieve anything. If you didn’t make it in Cuba, you’ll achieve even less outside. Look at how many people have left and nothing has happened to them.' So there is a lot of hopelessness inside Cuba and a lot of hopelessness when you leave," he assured.
The young woman revealed that after finding out she had been nominated, far from the fanfare and excitement, these days have been about isolation and introspection.
"When I received the news, I was overwhelmed, because a Grammy nomination is like a door to the industry, to success, to visibility. I come from a country where the industry does not exist and where the doors to success and visibility never opened for me," he emphasized.
The singer stated that she dedicates her nomination to Cuban music, which is "very disoriented," as if it had no space anywhere, because Cuban musicians when they emigrate carry dreams that fade away along the way, as migration is a very tough process.
"A Grammy nomination is a thread of hope. Every Cuban musician who gains visibility in the industry is giving hope to those who are pushing forward," he emphasized.
In the comments section of the post, Aymée Nuviola, who has won several Grammys, stated that she greatly identifies with what Daymé says.
"I have felt this way, and the only thing that has brought me back to hope is my Faith in God, and I know that He fulfills His promises, and the things He placed in my heart as a child have been coming true without ceasing to surprise me. The NOs have made me stronger, and I have learned to choose my battles to win the war," she stated.
"You are a very talented and very intelligent woman, and God will show you His purpose for you beyond music at some point. Enjoy this nomination and the ones to come. I'll see you at the Latin Grammy to give each other a big hug," she added.
Daymé was recognized alongside Dominican composer, musician, and singer Vicente García for the song A fuego lento, written and sung by both.
This is the 32-year-old artist's first nomination for the Latin Grammy, but not for the American Grammy.
In 2018, at the 60th edition of the event, she was nominated in the category of Best Latin Jazz Album for Oddara, a record by Canadian saxophonist Jacve Bunnet in which Daymé participated with the Cuban female group Maqueque.
At the 2024 Latin Grammy Awards, several Cuban artists and musicians are competing.
Among them are Cimafunk and Monsieur Periné for Catalina, in the category of Recording of the Year.
As Best New Artist, the group Darumas is nominated, made up of Cuban singer and guitarist Ceci León along with an Argentine bassist and another Haitian vocalist residing in Chile.
For his part, the rapper Al2 El Aldeano is nominated alongside Vico C in the category of Best Rap/Hip Hop Song for Blam Blam.
Three Cubans are vying for the award for Best Traditional Tropical Album: Alex Cuba with Voces de mi familia, Yelsy Heredia with Los Mismos Negros, and Yeisy Rojas with A mis ancestros.
In the category Best Latin Jazz Album, Sammy Figueroa competes alongside Cubans Gonzalo Rubalcaba and Aymée Nuviola for Searching For A Memory (Busco Tu Recuerdo). Rubalcaba is also nominated with Collab, alongside Hamilton De Holanda.
And Paquito D'Rivera hopes to win the award for Best Contemporary Classical Work/Composition for Caribbean Berceuse.
The award ceremony, the most prestigious in Latin music, will take place on November 14 at the Kaseya Center in Miami.
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