Cadena Dial celebrates its awards at a gala full of tributes to great artists, friendship and live music

A large table, the presenters of Cadena Dial seated on it, mariachis singing the first chords and Blas Cantó being the protagonist: this has been the beginning of the XXVII edition of the Cadena Dial Awards, the most anticipated event of music in Spanish. The expectation was maximum at the Tenerife Fairgrounds to enjoy the performances of the first artists of the night.

16 award-winning artists and 19 live performances at a gala that has once again been held in Tenerife. As presenters, who repeated for the second consecutive year, Edurne and Carmen Ramírez, who was joined by Nia Correia from the Canary Islands. Awards for all tastes and performances for all ages. The little ones eagerly awaited the performances of the youngest artists, such as Sebastián Yatra.

The first to collect the award for Best Live was Estopa, the group formed by the Muñoz brothers who have chained more than 24 years on stage. And although it seems that the pandemic is further away, they wanted to pay tribute to the sector after the hard times experienced during these years, in addition to launching a message of help: “Let’s act against bullying”. With almost no time to savor her speech, the second award came, this time for Vanesa Martín. Once again, her long career in the music industry paid off. “Thanks to Cadena Dial for defending our identity, our language, our memory, our desire to make music… and all despite the fashions that are coming”, thanked the woman from Malaga.

Antonio Orozco drew the gala with overtones of emotion upon receiving his award. He went on stage after a few hard months behind his back, for a voice that begged for rest and that even led the Barcelonan to undergo surgery. It has not been easy for the singer to give back to the public the affection that he has given them since before the first guitar tone flooded the Tenerife Fairgrounds. Those present took over from the artist in one of his best-known songs, I am made of pieces of you by chaining the verses to a voice made up of hundreds of throats.

The Dial award for career went to Dani Martín after more than 23 years on stage. And despite being the protagonist of the moment, he wanted to spend a few moments in his speech to thank the artists with whom he grew up, such as Luz Casal, and who were present at the gala: “It is important to know where we come from, from our roots and what made me make music”. The tribute to his artistic career, first with the Canto del Loco and later solo, was closed by a video with messages from Alejandro Sanz, Fernando Torres, Aitana, Leiva and Camilo. There was no shortage of his mother, Carmen García, who was also present at the award ceremony, although she did not dare to go on stage with him.

Both solo and duo performances, either instrumental or even from a distance, like David Bisbal who did not want to miss the gala. The man from Almeria, immersed in a 20th anniversary tour since his leap into the music industry, was unable to attend the event held in Tenerife, but he prepared a performance from Madrid for the enjoyment of the spectators.

Pablo Alborán was also present at the event and, as he was in charge of remembering, he has been with Cadena Dial for 12 years and five awards behind him: “You have not stopped believing in my music. We live in a time where music consumption is going very fast, everything is very ephemeral and fleeting”. All this in a celebration in which the importance of live music has been valued and in which the man from Malaga has allowed himself to take a mass bath with the public.

On the other side of the scale was Abraham Mateo, who made his debut at the Dial Awards through the front door: with an award under his arm. Visibly moved, he confessed that he had been rehearsing the speech “all day.” But the nerves quickly dissipated: first, with a song a cappella that left the public in silence; and later, with the most energetic performance of the gala. The stage was decorated with the presence of her dance group and fellow artist and friend Ana Mena, whom she has known since childhood and with whom she shares authorship of I want to tell you. Both showed that young talent in Spain is coming strong and that they have positioned themselves as essential names in the Spanish recording industry.

And since things remain between friends, Diego Cantero (Funambulista) was in charge of giving the award to Andrés Suárez: “We have been sharing the stage for 20 years. This is the reward of the hard work of a career done over a slow fire”. At the time of collecting the award, the Galician defended the importance of friendship: “Music is a me with you, not a me against you.” Suárez achieved what no artist had yet done during the night: to raise the public of the Tenerife venue.

The final touch of the gala was put by Carlos Baute, who wanted to pay tribute to his musical career interpreting Hanging on your hands. But the surprise would come minutes later, when he turned the venue into an impromptu concert, with the audience out of their seats and enjoying his performance with Tutto Durán. Both came down from the stage, warmed up the attendees and closed the gala in style. This new edition has once again shown that they are much more than a simple awards ceremony. The Cadena Dial gala became a reunion of great artists gathered on the same stage with a single reason: to value live music and in Spanish.