It's never too late to become an award-winning singer.
Angela Álvarez made that clear at Thursday's Latin Grammy Awards by winning Best New Artist at the age of 95, tying with 25-year-old Silvana Estrada. She was the oldest person to ever be nominated for this award, let alone win.
As described on her website, Álvarez "developed a burning desire to become a professional composer and singer" when she was a young girl in 1930s Cuba. But she explained to Billboard she moved away from this dream after her father told her, "You sing for the family, but not for the world."
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So Álvarez continued performing songs privately, and she later lost both her husband and daughter to cancer. Decades later, Álvarez's grandson, film composer Carlos José Alvarez, was inspired to record her songs for the world to finally hear. Her self-titled debut album was released in June 2021, and her story was the subject of a documentary, Miss Angela. She also appeared in the 2022 Father of the Bride reboot.
"To those who have yet to make their dreams come true, know that although life is hard, there's always a way out and with faith and love everything can be achieved," she said in her acceptance speech, per The Washington Post, adding, "I promise you, it's never too late."
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