How ‘Hacks’ Turned a Grammy Gambit into Emmy History
How a Tiny Song About Salt Shakers Scored an Emmy Nomination (And Made History)
ELI5 Version: Imagine writing a homework assignment so good it gets nominated for a huge award—even though it’s only 21 seconds long and about porcelain figurines!
The Big Idea
The TV show Hacks needed a song. Not just any song—a song that could convincingly win a Grammy for the main character, Deborah Vance (played by Jean Smart).
The composers Carlos Rafael Rivera and David Stal wrote it.
The song is called "Mis Figuritas" (My Little Figurines).
It’s 21 seconds long, entirely in Spanish, and about salt and pepper shakers.
Instead of a Grammy (in the show’s world), the real-life song just got nominated for an Emmy for Best Original Music and Lyrics.
If it wins, it’ll be the first all-Spanish song ever to take that award.
How the Assignment Came In
- End of last summer, the showrunners gave Rivera and Stal a mission.
- They said: "The Grammy category for ‘Regional Mexican (including Tejano)’ is weak this year. Write a real song in that style that could actually win."
- That was the challenge: make it authentic, not a joke.
Making It Real: No Parodies Allowed
Important Point:
Rivera: "We agreed not to parody. Especially with this genre. You want to be respectful. We wanted to make it right."
Their Homework Checklist
- Listened to current stars like Peso Pluma
- Studied 10 years of Grammy winners in the category
- Realized the style wasn’t strictly Tejano—more like contemporary mariachi (but fits "Regional Mexican")
Calling in the Experts (The "Family" Team)
| Person | Role | Why They Mattered |
|---|---|---|
| Sebastian Krys | Grammy-winning Latin producer | Rivera’s childhood friend; connected the dots |
| Áureo Baqueiro | Producer, vihuela player, horn arranger | Brought authentic sound and musicians |
| Rob Schaer | Trumpet player | Already recording for the show’s score |
Rivera: "It was kind of like a familial thing. But that authenticity was good."
Writing the Lyrics: From Sister Feuds to Porcelain Hands
Attempt #1
- Topic: Deborah’s sister (long-running feud)
- Plot: Deborah stole her sister’s shirt and never gave it back
- Result: "Something really pointless and dumb… Rejected."
Attempt #2
- Topic: Deborah’s Lladró porcelain figurines (salt & pepper shakers)
- Why it worked: It’s a running gag since Season 1 that shows her hidden vulnerability
- Spanish title: Mis figuritas de porcelana
Translation: "They’re the only ones I love, and they’re made of Lladró. They’re my life."
Personal Touch:
Rivera grew up in Panama, Costa Rica, and Guatemala. His mom had a shelf of Lladró figurines.
"Every Hispanic house has some kind of Lladró… and they have these hands. There’s something beautiful about them, these fingers. So she’s like, ‘Stay away from the hands. Stay away from the hands.’ I remember that."
The Secret Sauce: Collaboration & Trust
How They Work Together
- Rivera sends a sketch
- Stal tweaks a few things, sends it back
- They ping-pong until “it’s neither me or him, it’s a Carlos and David piece of music”
Who Does What?
- Rivera: Latin roots → leads on lyrics & cultural authenticity
- Stal: Jewish kid from Texas → steps back on lyrics, supports everything else
- Both: Started collaborating on Godless (2017), didn’t meet in person until after!
- Rivera scored Hacks Season 1 alone; brought Stal in for Season 2
Why This Category Is Wild (And Why They Might Win)
The Best Original Music and Lyrics Emmy has a split personality:
- Comedy legends: "Dick in a Box", "I’m F—ing Matt Damon"
- Serious heavyweights: Diane Warren, Lady Gaga ("Til It Happens to You")
Stal’s Theory (He’s in the TV Academy Music Peer Group)
Stal: "It’s what makes you feel the most. It’s not an intellectual exercise. It’s what hits you here [points to heart]. And sometimes it’s ‘Dick in a Box.’"
The Composers’ Scorecards
| Composer | Emmy Nominations | Emmy Wins | Notable Wins |
|---|---|---|---|
| Carlos Rafael Rivera | 7 | 3 | Godless, The Queen’s Gambit, Lessons in Chemistry |
| David Stal | 2 (first time!) | 0 | Also nominated for Sound Mixing on "The Garden" episode |
Rivera: "For me, the point of pride is seeing David get the opportunity to go through this ride right now. It’s the best feeling in the world."
Imposter Syndrome? Even Emmy Winners Get It
- Hacks was Rivera’s first comedy
- He spent a long time thinking: “They hired the wrong guy. How am I going to pull off Vegas, jazzy music?”
- Now? “I would’ve never believed I could have succeeded. And you get to follow Barbra Streisand and Judy Garland? Come on, man. I’m good.”
Quick Summary
- Show: Hacks (Season 5)
- Song: "Mis Figuritas" (21 sec, Spanish, about Lladró figurines)
- Writers: Carlos Rafael Rivera & David Stal
- Nomination: Emmy – Best Original Music and Lyrics
- Historic? Would be first all-Spanish winner in this category
- Heart: Authentic mariachi sound, personal childhood memories, zero parody
- Team: Childhood friends, Grammy pros, trusted collaborators
- Credit: Both say Jean Smart’s performance + showrunners’ setup made it land
FAQ
Why did they write a song for a fake Grammy?
In the show’s story, Deborah’s managers (McKinsey consultants) found a “weak” Grammy category—Regional Mexican/Tejano—and pushed her to submit a song. The composers had to write a real, plausible contender.
Is "Mis Figuritas" a joke song?
No. The composers deliberately avoided parody. They studied the genre, hired authentic musicians, and wrote sincere Spanish lyrics. The humor comes from context (a diva singing about salt shakers), not the music itself.
What’s a vihuela? (And why does it matter?)
A vihuela is a small, guitar-like instrument used in mariachi. Áureo Baqueiro played it on the track—proof they went for real-deal sound.
Has a Spanish-language song ever been nominated here before?
Partly. The Simpsons got a nod in 1996 for "Señor Burns" (bilingual). "Mis Figuritas" would be the first 100% Spanish winner.
Why are the composers so emotional about this nomination?
Rivera’s a 3-time winner but calls Hacks his first comedy—he felt like an imposter. Stal’s a first-timer (twice over!). Rivera says watching Stal’s moment is “the best feeling in the world.”
Final Thought: Sometimes the smallest songs—about the tiniest figurines—carry the biggest hearts. And when they’re made with respect, homework, and a little childhood magic, they make history.