Liniker walked away with three awards at the 2025 Latin Grammys, bringing her total to four and making her the most-awarded trans woman in Grammys history.
At the 26th Annual Latin Grammy Awards, the Brazilian singer-songwriter received six nominations: Record of the Year (‘Ao Teu Lado’), Album of the Year (Caju), Song of the Year (‘Veludo Marrom’), Best Portuguese Language Contemporary Album (Caju), Best Portuguese-Language Urban Performance (“Caju”), and Best Portuguese Language Song (‘Veludo Marrom’).
While she was defeated in the first three categories by Alejandro Sanz, Bad Bunny and Karol G respectively, Liniker won the latter three.
In her first acceptance speech, for Best Portuguese Language Song, Liniker said — translated to English — that it was a “huge pleasure to win” and that writing and poetry have “been my great form of existence.”
“It’s where I find myself, where I celebrate so many things I experience,” she said. “And being a composer… being a trans composer in Brazil, a country that kills us, is extremely difficult.”
Liniker praised her team when accepting Best Portuguese-Language Urban Performance, and in her final acceptance speech, she shared her gratitude for her current position in the music industry after being “under religious precepts” and “reborn to Orixá.”
“Thank you so much to my family. Mom, I’m sending you a kiss. Thank you so much to all the people who continue to believe in the power of music, and in the power of Brazilian music,” she continued.
“It’s an honour to compete in a pop category — to be able to say that an album like this is pop music, and to be able to win an award for it.”
Liniker, who initially made history in 2022 as the first trans woman to win a Latin Grammy for Best MPB (Musica Popular Brasileira) Album (Indigo Borboleta Anil), is now the most-awarded trans woman in Grammys history.
Non-binary icon Sam Smith still holds the record for most wins with five, while Wendy Carlos – who came out as trans in 1979 – won three in 1970 for her acclaimed debut album Switched-on-Bach.
As well as receiving three awards, Liniker performed her track ‘Negona dos Olhos Terriveis’ at the main ceremony, which also featured stars such as Alejandro Sanz, Bad Bunny, Maluma, Carlos Santana, Karol G and Kacey Musgraves.
Caju, Liniker’s second studio album, was released in 2024 to universal critical acclaim, and was ranked the number-one album of the year by publications such as Rolling Stone Brasil, Omelette, Tracklist and Tenho Mais Discos Que Amigos!
Liniker is regarded as an icon in Brazil, particularly among the trans community.
In 2017, she told NPR that her existence as a Black trans woman is “political, because we need representation. Society tries to invisibilize and delegitimize our existence.
“It’s extremely important — not just for me, but for each of us — to be occupying all positions, the stages and the countries to continue to resist and exist.”
