This year’s Oscar nominees for best original song include two Spanish-language tracks by Emilia Pérez: “El Mal” and “Mi Camino.” The Academy has a history of recognizing songs with a Latin influence, dating back to 1934 when “Carioca” from Flying Down to Rio was nominated, although it did not feature Spanish lyrics.
Spanish-speaking artists had to wait until the new millennium for representation in the category, with “Al Otro Lado del Río” from The Motorcycle Diaries winning in 2005. The film, directed by Walter Salles, follows Che Guevara’s journey across South America on a motorcycle.
Uruguayan singer-songwriter Jorge Drexler composed the winning song, which he sent to Salles without any specific instructions. Drexler’s performance at the Oscars was replaced by Antonio Banderas and Carlos Santana, but he still managed to sing a few bars when receiving the award from Prince.
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