Grandmother Angela Álvarez, 95, becomes oldest-ever Latin Grammy winner as she scoops best new artist prize-Robert Oliver-Entertainment – Metro

Angela Alvarez proudly brandishing her Latin Grammy for best new artist (Picture: Omar Vega/FilmMagic)

Angela Álvarez has become the oldest musician to ever win a Latin Grammy at the age of 95 after coming joint first in the best new artist category.

The Cuban singer-songwriter tied for the award with Mexican performer Silvana Estrada, whose album Marchita was released to critical acclaim earlier this year.

At 95, Álvarez had already become the oldest person to ever be nominated for a Latin Grammy, and now she’s made history as the oldest-ever winner.

After her victory at the ceremony, which was hosted in Las Vegas, she paid tribute to her home country and thanked those closest to her.

‘I want to dedicate this award to God and to my beloved country, Cuba, which I will never be able to forget,’ she said to the audience.

Álvarez began writing songs at a very young age, learning to play the guitar in her homeland back in the 1930s.

Age really is just a number, as Alvarez proves! (Picture: Ethan Miller/Getty Images)

She was discouraged from finding a career in music by her father, but continued to write songs and play guitar for her family in her early years.

Álvarez, who is a mother of four children, moved to the United States in the 1960s and developed a huge collection of songs she had written.

While in the US, she became a grandmother to nine children and a great-grandmother to as many as 15.

One of her grandchildren, Carlos, encouraged her to sit down and finally record some of the songs she had written down the years.

The album, which is self-titled, was released in 2021 and earned her the nomination at the Latin Grammys which she eventually won.

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Speaking to CNN Espanol, she said: ‘I felt very, very proud to be able to tell my story, to touch people who have probably gone through the same or more than what I have gone through.’

‘To those who have not fulfilled their dream, although life is difficult, there is always a way out and with faith and love you can achieve it, I promise you.’

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