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New Music Latin is a compilation of the best new Latin songs and albums recommended by Billboard Latin and Billboard Español editors. Check out this week’s picks below.
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Vico C, “Pregúntale a Tu Papá Por Mi” (Age Muzik Dist. By Nain Music, LLC)
In a triumphant revival, Vico C unleashes “Pregúntale a Tu Papá Por Mi” — a nearly six-minute-long track filled with savvy punchlines and head-bopping rhythms. The comeback single, which translates to “ask your dad about me” and forms part of his first studio album in 14 years, is a reminder to old and new generations that he’s one of the pioneers of Latin rap (Vico kicked off his career in Puerto Rico in the 1980s). “Be careful!/ That it’s been a long time since I’ve sounded/ Because I’ve been like a bear in hibernation, and I’m no tired bull,” spits the artist born Luis Armando Lozada Cruz. “To the reggeatoneros that don’t know that when it comes to beats, I got more options than a street-vendor,” he later chants.
Backed by ‘90s hip-hop beats — charged with live drums and a record-scratch sound effect — Vico explains that the more than 10 years of silence represent over a decade of personal growth, and each wise verse is on “Pregúntale a Tu Papá Por Mi” reflects that. “This is not a moment where I say ‘despite everything, I got up again,’ but one where I say ‘despite everything, I kept walking […] the path was 14 years of growth that is projected today in the form of music… my music,” he expresses in a press statement. — JESSICA ROIZ
Gaby Moreno & Oscar Isaac, “Luna de Xelajú” (Gaby Moreno/Cosmica Artists)
The talented singer songwriter Gaby Moreno has drawn the renowned actor Oscar Isaac into music to serenade us with a touching interpretation of the Guatemalan classic “Luna de Xelajú”. The single is the lead track from Moreno’s upcoming acoustic album X MÍ (VOL. 1) to be released on May 5. In the song, the duet intertwines their voices to give a profound and soulful acoustic performance of the classic, written in 1944 by Paco Perez, which has become a second anthem of their country.
“Just two voices with two guitars, singing together this timeless, sweet, and nostalgic song from our motherland,” comments Moreno in a statement. For his part, Isaac comments, “My grandmother Graciela Argentina Nicolle de Estrada would perform ‘Luna De Xelajú’ in the concert halls of Guatemala. Growing up it was always hummed or sung as a lullaby by my mother Eugenia.” In the video, the artists are seen performing in an empty auditorium accompanied by acoustic guitars and owning their Guatemalan roots — not only through music, but also with their clothing choices. It ends with the phrase, “Con amor para Guate” (“With love, for Guate”). — LUISA CALLE
Yahritza y Su Esencia, “Nuestra Canción” (Lumbre Music/Columbia Records)
Siblings’ trio Yahritza Y Su Esencia have gifted fans a two-song project with the songs “No Se Puede Decir Adiós” and “Nuestra Canción.” The former, penned by award-winning songwriter Edgar Barrera (who also produced the track), is a departure for the Mexican-American act, not so much in the sense of its style — it’s still very much driven by raw acoustic guitar — but in it being the rare song from the young artists to not be written by the trio itself. Still, Yahirtza’s evocative vocals shine in this slightly more rhythmic track. The second song in the bundle, “Nuestra Canción,” written by siblings Armando and Yahritza, takes the trio back to its core somber sierreño sound and signature guitar solos — a bulletproof formula for the group. — GRISELDA FLORES
Becky G & Peso Pluma, “Chanel” (Kemosabe Records/RCA Records)
Becky G further demonstrates her genre versatility on latest release “Chanel,” featuring corridos tumbados newcomer Peso Pluma. With a voice well laid back, or bien tumbada, and an octave deeper than usual, the Inglewood star leaves the past behind her and pushes forward with lyrics that express better days ahead. “I will remember you forever in my life, baby/ And even though I know I’ll never be able to see you again/ And for that I love you, baby,” she remarks. Although Becky and Peso trade verses like two star-crossed lovers ready to move on, their desire for the nice things in life just might have been their undoing: “I took you to Chanel/ Also chose from Cartier/ And one day she left me/ To one day never to return,” he barks back against a snarling upbeat acoustic backdrop.
Peso Pluma is March’s Billboard Latin artist on the rise, and is one of the most exhilarating artists of the burgeoning regional Mexican movement, which incorporates a dash of hip-hop elements into more traditional corrido stylings. The song is Becky G’s first single from an upcoming all-regional Mexicano album she’s set to release later this year, with more collaborations to be announced soon. The Chicana hitmaker is also slated to perform at Coachella on April 14. — ISABELA RAYGOZA
Emilia, “Jagger.mp3” (Sony Music Latin)
In her first release since her debut album of 2022 tú crees en mí?, Emilia offers a funky, upbeat dance floor banger inspired by the sounds of the early 2000s. Sprinkled with some English but written mostly in Spanish, “Jagger.mp3” is a steamy song that plays with different tempos and is reminiscent of hits by Ciara and Missy Elliott. “Lo que tengo de buena lo tengo de mala/ I’m, I’m, I’m bad bitch, ‘toy volando sin alas”, the Argentine artist sings. The music video, directed by Ballve, matches the style of the mp3 era, with vibrant colors and choreographies and trendy vintage vibes. — SIGAL RATNER-ARIAS
Below, stream Billboard’s New Music Latin playlist featuring other releases in Latin.
Selena Quintanilla’s legacy and music continue to shine throughout the years, especially on Billboard’s Top Latin Albums chart, where she has placed 24 entries, including her longest-leading No. 1 sets Amor Prohibido and Dreaming of You.
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With the former, home to hits such as “No Me Queda Mas” and “Bidi Bidi Bom Bom,” Quintanilla clocked her first No. 1 on the chart in June 1994. The album remained atop the tally for 20 weeks. The latter, released four months after her death (March 31, 1995), includes English and Spanish songs and debuted at No. 1 in August 1995, selling 331,000 copies in its first week and selling over 1 million in two months. It spent 44 weeks at the top.
Dreaming also made history as the first predominately Spanish-language album to debut at No. 1 on the all-genre Billboard 200 chart, placing the Queen of Tejano at another level of stardom.
In total, seven of the 24 titles reached No. 1 on the Billboard Top Latin Albums chart, including the experimental Enamorada de Ti (2012), where thanks to advanced technology, new versions of her hits were created, some turned duets like: “Amor Prohibido” with Samo; “Como La Flor” with Cristian Castro; “Fotos y Recuerdos” with Don Omar; “Bidi Bidi Bom Bom” with Selena Gomez; and the new electro-merengue “Enamorada de Ti” with Juan Magán.
Below, Billboard highlighted the seven Selena albums that reached No. 1 on the Billboard 200, from Amor Prohibido to Dreaming of You and beyond. Vote for your favorite one!
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After nearly four years together, superstar couple Rosalía and Rauw Alejandro announced their engagement on March 24 via their music video “Beso.” It was also the same day they dropped their first-ever joint project — the three-song EP RR.
After months of messaging each other on social media, the Spanish star and the Puerto Rican hitmaker officially met in person in 2019 at a Las Vegas hotel lounge during the Latin Grammys. It was love at first sight, the couple told Billboard for their cover story interview.
Since, the Rosalía and Alejandro have been each other’s biggest supporters on and off the stage. Before RR, the couple had subtly collaborated on previous projects. Rosalía sang backing vocals on “Dile a Él” from Rauw’s first album, Afrodisiaco (2020) as well as on “Corazón Despeinado” from Saturno (2022). Meanwhile, Alejandro co-wrote some lyrics for Rosalía’s “Chicken Teriyaki” from her Grammy and Latin Grammy-winning 2022 album, Motomami.
“In terms of collaborations, the big difference is you’re collaborating with the love of your life. At least, I am,” Alejandro shared with Billboard. Rosalía later added, “I’m lucky to be your partner, and I want to be there for you, sabes? And I feel you’re there for me, independent of the careers. For me, our relationship is first, and then there’s everything else. Of course my career is super important in my life, but at the same time, in my life, you’re my companion, and everything else comes second.”
Currently, Rosalía is on a 20-date festival tour, which kicked off at Lollapalooza Argentina on March 17 and includes shows at Coachella and Primavera Sound. Alejandro is on his ambitious 80-plus-date global arena tour, which kicked off March 4 in Tampa, Fla.
Read on for a complete timeline of Rosalía and Rauw Alejandro’s relationship.
November 2019: Meeting IRL
Image Credit: Kanya Iwana
After telling Billboard that they began exchanging Instagram DMs in 2019, the couple officially met in person at a Las Vegas hotel lounge during the 2019 Latin Grammys. “I was nervous, I’m not going to lie,” Rauw says. “Rosi came down and I saw her. I got even more nervous.” The couple also reveals in our interview that it was “100% love at first sight.”
2020: First Collaborative Efforts
Long before going public, the couple had subtly collaborated on each other’s previous projects; Rosalía sang backing vocals on “Dile a Él” from the Puerto Rican artist’s first album, Afrodisiaco (2020).
Later, she also did vocals on his “Corazón Despeinado” from Saturno (2022) and helped pen “Caprichoso” from Rauw’s EP Trap Cake, Vol. 2 (2022). Rauw also co-wrote some lyrics for Rosalía’s “Chicken Teriyaki” from her Grammy and Latin Grammy-winning 2022 album, Motomami.
September 2021: The First TikTok
On September 24, 2021—after a few paparazzi photos circulated the internet and much speculation that they were dating—Rauw and Rosalía posted their first TikTok video together on Rosalia’s account. In the clip, they are in a living room setting and are seen making a heart gesture with their arms to a viral sound. The clip has nearly 100 million views at time of publishing.
September 2021: Instagram Official
Image Credit: Courtesy photo
The next day, on Rosalía’s 28th birthday (Sept. 25), both artists shared never-before-seen photos on Instagram. “BlisssssSSSS, Libra, and blessed,” the Spanish singer-songwriter posted, along with photos in the arms of Rauw as he plays video games. On his Instagram, the “Todo de Ti” singer shared pics with Rosalia out in the ocean. “Even if the sun leaves, the day never ends with you. Happy birthday, bebe,” he captioned the post, referencing the heartfelt lyrics of his track “Aquel Nap ZzZz.”
November 2021: Red Carpet Debut
Image Credit: Isaac Buj/Europa Press via GI
On November 12, the new “it” couple made their official red carpet debut at Los40 Music Awards held in Palma de Mallorca, Spain. Not only did they look adorable hand-in-hand, but later in the show, Rosalía presented Rauw with the best international Latin urban artist or group award and they smooched on stage. Rauw thanked his “beautiful girlfriend” for being his “muse.”
May 2022: First Hints of a Collab
During his panel at Billboard’s MusicCon, Alejandro talked about collaborating with Rosalía. “For sure, we have a few [things planned] in the studio already,” he confirmed. “It’s a surprise. Those songs are [under] extra security. We’re planning to do the release — I’m not going to say when, but soon. We’re doing it for the love of the fans and she’s my girl and I did those songs with more love. No. 1 for sure.”
June 2022: Engagement Rumors
Last summer, the couple took time from their busy schedules to spend quality time together in Greece — and many fans believed that Rauw popped the big question during the vacation. On their Instagram accounts, they were seen eating frozen yogurt, riding a bike around town, and enjoying a day out on the boat. Among the countless photos and Instagram Stories they shared, Rosalía posted a blurry photo of herself with a shot glass in hand and a bright diamond on her ring finger, making social media users believe they got engaged.
November 2022: Lovers at Latin Grammys
Image Credit: Christopher Polk for Variety
The couple was all cute and lovey-dovey at the 2022 Latin Grammys in Las Vegas. First, they walked the carpet together serving nothing but power couple vibes. Then, they danced reggaetón for viewers back home during Rosalía’s performance, followed by one of her many wins that night — that one for the coveted album of the year award — for her Motomami album.
“Many, many, many thanks. Motomami is the album that I’ve [most] had to fight for, that’s been hardest to do, but I kept going,” she said. “Thanks for always supporting my music, because my music is always changing,” she added, before launching into a long list of thank-yous that included her famous boyfriend, Rauw Alejandro. “Thank you to the love of my life. Baby, I love you,” she said pointing toward Rauw in the first row.
December 2022: New Year’s Eve in Japan
To close off a successful 2022 for each of their careers but also as a remarkable couple, Rauw & Rosalía spent their end-of-year holidays in Japan. On since-deleted stories posted on Instagram, we saw the couple singing songs by Daddy Yankee and Cher at a karaoke spot, and also spending New Year’s Eve with new couple Christian Nodal and Cazzu, along with other friends.
https://www.instagram.com/p/Cm7MMX4h1ea
March 2023: The EP, The Engagement, The Cover
Image Credit: Pili Vila Tobella
Come Spring 2023, the couple are going stronger than ever. They dropped their EP RR with tracks “Beso,” “Vampiros,” and “Promesa.” In the official music video for the former — following a joyous collage of beautiful moments the couple has spent together during their three-year relationship traveling the world — teary-eyed Rosalía flaunts her engagement ring. And on March 29, Billboard unveiled its Touring Issue, with both Rauw and Rosalía in their first joint cover, where they opened up about their relationship like never before.
Chino Pacas is officially a Billboard Hot 100-charting artist, as his breakthrough song “El Gordo Trae El Mando” debuts on the April 1-dated list at No. 84.
The track, released Jan. 27 via Street Mob Records, arrives with 7.2 million U.S. streams (up 21%) in the March 17-23 tracking week, according to Luminate. It concurrently rises 14-13 in its sixth week on the Hot Latin Songs chart. The song also ascends 89-68 on the Billboard Global 200 (22.7 million streams, up 13%, worldwide) and 93-84 on Billboard Global Excl. U.S.
Pacas has one additional entry on the latest Hot Latin Songs chart: “Dijeron Que No La Iba Lograr,” with Fuerza Regida (on which he is billed as Chinito Pacas) jumps 48-17 in its second week, with 5.9 million U.S. streams following its first full week of release.
Pacas is not new only to Billboard’s charts, but to the music world at large. The regional Mexican artist has three titles to his name on Spotify: “El Gordo Trae El Mando” (which became his first chart entry in February), “Dijeron Que No La Iba Lograr” and “Negro Como La Pantera,” with Calle 24.
Billboard’s Hot 100 First-Timers column highlights artists who achieve their first career entries on the Hot 100.
The LAMC (Latin Alternative Music Conference) will honor a group of 24 women in the 2023 LAMC Wonder Women of Latin Music program. Journalists, publicists and executives from multiple areas of the music business will be recognized in partnership with Amazon Music.
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Launched in 2020, Wonder Women of Latin Music is part of the LAMC, which kicks off later this month as a virtual event; the live event will take place in July in New York City. Wonder Women specifically recognizes women in all fields of the Latin industry, and, to date, has given an award to 85 women and celebrated them via a social media campaign.
“For the fourth year in a row, it is such an honor to join LAMC in presenting 2023’s Wonder Women of Latin Music awards that celebrate the impact these women have in our industry,” says Rocío Guerrero, Global Head of Latin Music for Amazon Music. “It is so important that we continue to recognize, uplift and thank them: the global impact of Latin Music would not be the same without their contributions.”
This year’s class of Wonder Women features several music journalists, including Sigal Ratner-Arias, deputy editor of Billboard Español, Isabela Raygoza, associate editor of Billboard Español and Florencia Mauro of Billboard Argentina. Past honorees have included Leila Cobo, Billboard’s Chief content office for Latin/Español. The list, which is curated by the LAMC and celebrates “women making a difference in the industry,” also includes veteran publicists like Nanette Lamboy and Blanca LaSalle.
Here is the full list of 2023 honorees:
Isabel Quinteros from TikTok
Celia Carrillo from Universal Music Latin
Claudia Arcay from Loud And Live
Romina Magorno from Imagine It Media
Ana Martínez from Amazon Music
Ana Christina Ordoñez from Magnus Media
Leticia Ramirez from Pandora
Ashley Gonzalez from WME
Marcela Moreira from Warner Latina
Isabel Feria from Sony Latin
Claudia Ochoa from The Orchard
Nanette Lamboy from Artist Solutions
Isabela Raygoza from Billboard
Beatriz Marfa-Linley from Sounds from Spain
Gaby Herrera from WK Entertainment
Fernanda Bas from Meta
Roberta Pate from Spotify
Julyssa Lopez from Rolling Stone
Suzy Exposito from the LA Times
Florencia Mauro from Billboard Argentina
Krystina De Luna from Apple Music
Blanca Lassalle from Creative Link NY
Laura Dergal from LARAS
Sigal Ratner-Arias from Billboard Español
Wisin & Yandel and Rosalía take over Billboard’s Latin Airplay chart as “Besos Moja2” rises 2-1 to lead the April 1-dated ranking. The new champ hits the top after the song’s domination on Latin Rhythm Airplay, where it holds strong at No. 1 for a fourth week.
“Besos Moja2” is a contemporary reggaetón version of Wisin & Yandel’s “Besos Mojados” produced by Luney Tunes and originally released as part of the duo’s sixth studio album, La Revolución (No. 1 on Top Latin Albums, May 2009). The new Rosalía-assisted version stems from the Puerto Rican’s 10th and farewell full-length set as a duo, La Última Misión, which debuted and peaked at No. 14 on Top Latin Albums and reached top 10 on Latin Rhythm Albums last October.
“Besos Moja2,” produced by the same team plus Los Legendarios and Noah Goldstein, stretches to No. 1 on Latin Airplay, after two weeks in the runner-up slot, with a 3% increase in audience impressions, to 12 million, earned in the U.S. in the week ending March 23, according to Luminate.
The collab gives Wisin & Yandel their 16th No. 1. The duo extends its record for the most champs among groups, ahead of Mana’s 11 leaders, and Zion & Lennox’s eight No. 1s. Among all acts, J Balvin continues to lead with 35 No. 1s. “Besos Moja2” arrives atop of the chart following Wisin & Yandel’s one week command through “Mayor Que Usted,” with Natti Natasha and Daddy Yankee, in September 2022.
Rosalía, meanwhile, secures her seventh No. 1, and sixth consecutive, after conquering Latin Airplay also for one week with the bachata “El Pañuelo,” with Romeo Santos on the survey dated Feb. 25.
Eladio Carrión nets his fourth top 10 on Billboard’s Top Latin Albums chart as 3MEN2 KBRN debuts at No. 3 on the list dated April 1. The set earned 25,000 equivalent units in the U.S. during the March 17-23 tracking week, according to Luminate.
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As is characteristic in the Latin rhythmic format, streaming comprises the majority of the set’s starting sum. That figure equals 31.2 million on-demand official streams of the album’s songs in its first week, while 500 units stem from album sales and track-equivalent album units.
On the multimetric Top Latin Albums chart as measured in equivalent album units, each unit equals one album sale, or 10 individual tracks sold from an album, or 3,750 ad-supported or 1,250 paid/subscription on-demand official audio and video streams generated by songs from an album.
3MEN2 KBRN bests the opening rank of his last album SEN2 KBRN, Vol. 2, which launched at No. 4 in November. Previously, Carrión, a Missouri native with Puerto Rican heritage, nearly missed the top slot with the No. 2 debut and peak of Sauce Boyz 2 in December 2021. Plus, he debuted and peaked at No. 8 on the all-Latin albums tally with Sauce Boyz in 2020.
The 23-track 3MEN2 KBRN was released March 17, the first day of its tracking week, through Rimas. It earns the second-largest opening week in terms of overall units in 2023, after Karol G’s Mañana Será Bonito, which debuted at No. 1 with 94 million units.
Notably, in the last 12 months, 3MEN2 ranks sixth in terms of first-week units. Here is the albums rundown:
Overall Units, Title, Artist, Debut Date, Debut Rank274,000, Un Verano Sin Ti, Bad Bunny, May 21, 2022, No. 194,000, Mañana Será Bonito, Karol G, March 11, 2023, No. 129,000, Nostalgia, Eslabon Armado, May 21, 2022, No. 229,000, LEGENDADDY, Daddy Yankee, April 9,2022, No. 126,000, Fórmula, Vol. 3, Romeo Santos, Sept. 17, 2022, No. 225,000, 3MEN2 KBRN, Eladio Carrion, April 1, 2023, No. 3
Further, 3MEN2 blasts in at No. 16 on the all-genre Billboard 200, a career high for Carrión on the overall albums ranking, by far surpassing the No. 92 debut and peaking Sauce Boyz 2 in December 2021.
3MEN2 boasts a collective of superstars, with Lil Wayne, 50 Cent, Future, Bad Bunny and Quavo among its 23-track set collaborators. As the set arrives, two tracks debut on Hot Latin Songs: “Coco Chanel,” with Bad Bunny, at No. 14 and “Si La Calle Llama,” featuring Myke Towers, at No. 40. The former gifts Carrión his highest-charting title on the multimetric list.
Elsewhere, 3MEN2 concurrently arrives at No. 3 on Latin Rhythm Albums, also Carrion’s second-best performance there.
Two years ago, on her 28th birthday (Sept. 25), Rosalía announced to the world she was dating Rauw Alejandro.
“BlisssssSSSS, Libra, and blessed,” the Spanish singer-songwriter wrote alongside never-before-seen photos in the arms of her boyfriend Rauw as he plays video games. Likewise, on his Instagram, the “Todo de Ti” singer shared pics with his girl out in the ocean. “Even if the sun leaves, the day never ends with you. Happy birthday, bebe,” he captioned the post, referencing the heartfelt lyrics of his track “Aquel Nap ZzZz.” The day prior, they posted their first TikTok together on Rosalía’s account—a video where they are seen making a heart gesture with their arms to a catchy sound on the app.
Now, in Billboard’s Touring Issue, where the two grace their first-ever joint cover, we learn about the first time they met and that they’ve actually been dating for almost four years.
“We met on social media, long-distance, obviously,” the Puerto Rican star tells Billboard. “In Las Vegas in person,” the Spanish star adds.
After months of Instagram DMs, the pair finally met at a Vegas hotel lounge during the 2019 Latin Grammys. “I was nervous, I’m not going to lie,” Rauw continues. “Rosi came down and I saw her. I got even more nervous.”
The “Despechá” singer gushes after Rauw admits it was “100 percent, without a doubt, love at first sight.” “Not at first sight, [but] from the photo I was already in love with you,” he admits.
“Me too, since I heard your name,” a blushing Rosalía replies.
The power couple recently dropped a three-track joint EP called RR that not only marks their first collaborative effort but where, in the official music video to the set’s “Beso,” they made their engagement announcement.
Watch Rauw and Rosa explain how they met below:
Selena Quintanilla-Perez rightfully earned her titles of “La Reina del Tex-Mex” (Queen of Tejano) and “La Reina de la Cumbia” (Queen of Cumba) because she single-handedly revolutionized the genres, fusing her Mexican roots with bold new sounds. Alongside her brother A.B. Quintanilla III, who produced all of her biggest hits, and her band Los Dinos, Selena was not afraid to make music on their own terms, adding a hint of pop and rock to the classic cumbia, mariachi, rancheras, and Tejano rhythms.
Born and raised in Texas, Selena was homegrown.
As a woman in a male-dominated industry, she managed to keep it classy and real. With her bedazzled bustiers and high-waisted pants, she was sexy but approachable. Her music, including timeless hits such as “Bidi Bidi Bom Bom” and “Amor Prohibido,” had a universal appeal, and when she won the best Mexican American album Grammy for Selena Live! in 1993, she became the first female Tejano artist to win that award.
On the Billboard charts, seven of her studio albums hit No. 1 on the Top Latin Albums chart, including Amor Prohibido (1994), which spent 20 weeks there, and Dreaming of You (released posthumously in 1995), which spent 44 weeks. The latter set made history as the first predominately Spanish-language album to debut at No. 1 on the all-genre Billboard 200 chart.
Selena’s timeless appeal has continued well beyond her death at age 23 on March 31, 1995. Her legacy has not only shined on the charts, but also on social media, street murals, clothing lines, and makeup brands as an example of a true Latin icon in pop culture.
Here are 30 ways her legacy has stayed alive throughout the years:
1995: Pete Astudillo’s “Como Te Extraño,”
Seven months after her passing, Los Dinos member and family friend Pete Astudillo, who wrote many of Selena’s songs, released a tribute called “Como Te Extraño.” “You live in my mind/ I want to see you and I can’t have you/ This goodbye burns inside/ Nothing comforts my heart/ I miss you,” go the heartfelt lyrics. The song was composed by Astudillo and former Los Dinos members A.B. Quintanilla and Joe Ojeda.
1995 to present: Street Murals
Throughout the years, painters and graffiti artists have kept Selena’s legacy alive via beautiful tribute murals. Fans can spot different ones around Mexico, Texas, California, Chicago and Miami, to name a few locations (see example below). In July 2019, for example, a new mural located in her Corpus Christi neighborhood was unveiled.
1997: Mirador de la Flor
In 1997, a life-size bronze statue of Selena, sculpted by H.W. “Buddy” Tatus, was unveiled in Corpus Christi, Texas, to honor the late singer and her contributions to music and the city. The monument — located at 600 N Shoreline Blvd, Corpus Christi — is called “Mirador de la Flor” (viewpoint of the flower) and finds the statue facing the beach.
1997: Selena (The Movie)
Image Credit: Moviestore/REX/Shutterstock
Many people first discovered Jennifer Lopez when she portrayed the late Mexican-American singer in the 1997 biographical drama Selena directed by Gregory Nava. The film follows the Queen of Tejano’s life story, from her humble beginnings to gaining international fame to her tragic death. In March 2020, J. Lo released a tribute video celebrating the 23rd anniversary of the movie’s release. Watch it above.
1998: Selena Museum
The Quintanilla family opened the Selena Museum in Corpus Christi as an intimate memorial showcasing her awards, concert outfits and memorabilia. According to the Q-Productions website, “The museum was built in response to the thousands of letters mailed to [the family] by fans expressing their desire to have Selena’s memory shared with the public.”
Late ’90s: Selena Dolls
According to the official Selena Instagram account, a set of Selena statues were launched in the late ’90s. Now, they are very hard to find and are considered collector’s items.
2005: Selena ¡VIVE! Benefit Concert
To mark the 10th anniversary of her passing, Univision presented Selena ¡VIVE!, a benefit concert held at the Reliant Stadium in Houston, Texas — including tributes by artists such as Paulina Rubio, Thalia, Pepe Aguilar, Kumbia Kings, Gloria Estefan and Olga Tañon.
2012: Chris Perez’s To Selena, With Love
Selena’s widower, Chris Perez, published a tribute book featuring never-before-seen photos. To Selena, With Love tells the story of his relationship with the late singer.
2013: Kat Von D Eye Shadow
Mexican tattoo artist Kat Von D launched her Esperanza eye shadow palette in 2003, which included a glitter purple called “Selena.” It was the first color on the set.
2014: Selena Fan Gathering
Roger Gomez, a devoted fan and founder of LoveSelena.com, hosted the first-ever Selena Fan Gathering in Los Angeles. The annual event, held at Plaza de la Raza around the anniversary of her death, includes performances by tribute artists, washing-machine dance contests, giveaways and more.
2014: Selena Q Radio
The Quintanilla family launched the official Selena Radio in 2014, as part of Q-Productions, which plays non-stop Selena music and commentaries by her family. It’s available 24/7 at www.selenaqradio.com.
2015: J. Lo Tribute at the Billboard Latin Music Awards
Image Credit: Rodrigo Varela/Getty Images
At the 2015 Billboard Latin Music Awards, Jennifer Lopez and members of Los Dinos — including Chris Perez, A.B. and Suzette Quintanilla — paid a heartfelt tribute to Selena. Wearing a pale pink ensemble, Lopez sang a medley of songs such as “Como la Flor,” “Bidi Bidi Bom Bom,” “No Me Queda Mas” and “I Could Fall in Love.” “The electricity was there and even though she was singing Selena’s songs, she made them her own tonight,” A.B. told Billboard. “She did a beautiful job. From her heart — this is something that she really wanted to do.”
2015: Fiesta de la Flor
The Quintanilla family inaugurated the annual Fiesta de la Flor music festival in Corpus Christi. The two-day event included artists such as Jackie Cruz, Leslie Grace and La Mafia. After hosting the event for five years in Corpus, the Quintanilla family announced they would be taking the event to another city.
“We truly appreciate the Selena Foundation and the Quintanilla family for allowing our community to celebrate Selena in such a special way for the past five years,” the organizers said in an October 2019 statement. “We will cherish the memories of this wonderful celebration and wish them luck in future endeavors.”
2015: Selena Debit Card
A prepaid Visa debit card with Selena’s picture on it was made available in 2015. According to Caller Times, the card was available for $4.95 plus a $10 minimum to load for use. No credit history was needed to buy the card, which was available on Selenavisa.com.
2016: MAC Cosmetics x Selena Collection
Image Credit: Courtesy of MAC
In 2016, fans were blessed with a makeup collection curated by Selena’s sister Suzette. The set embodied Selena’s style, including her signature red lipstick and an eye shadow palette named after some of her emblematic songs, such as “Como La Flor,” “Bidi Bidi Bom Bom,” and “No Me Queda Mas.” MAC later announced a new Selena cosmetics line in 2020.
2016: Selena Wax Figure
Image Credit: Rachel Murray/Getty Images for Madame Tussauds Hollywood
Madame Tussauds Wax Museum unveiled a wax figure of the late songstress after more than 10,000 people signed a Change.org petition. The sculpture of the Tejano music icon recreates the star’s look from her Feb. 7, 1993, performance at the Memorial Coliseum in Corpus Christi, and is located in the museum’s Hollywood, Calif. location.
2017: Google Doodle
On October 17, the release date of Selena’s debut self-titled studio album, Google launched an animated Doodle celebrating the legacy of the Mexican-American singer in 18 different countries, including the U.S. and Mexico. “Today we celebrate Selena Quintanilla: Mexican-American music & entertainment icon, fashion trendsetter, passionate entrepreneur, and community philanthropist,” read the official Google statement.
2017: Celebs Dressing Up as Selena
In 2017, pop artist Demi Lovato showed her love for the Queen of Tejano by dressing up as her for Halloween. Other artists who have dressed up as Selena for the national holiday over the years include Keke Palmer, America Ferrera, Kim Kardashian and Victoria la Mala.
2017: Hollywood Walk of Fame Star
Image Credit: David Livingston/Getty Images
Selena was posthumously honored with her very own star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame on Nov. 3, 2017. The star is located in front of the Capitol Records building, where Selena would visit often after signing with EMI Latin.
2018: Karol G’s Tattoo
Karol G surprised her fans with a new arm tattoo that she got in honor of three of her favorite singers: Selena Quintanilla, Rihanna — and herself. Watch a video of the day she got the tribute ink done.
2019: Selena: The Series on Netflix
Image Credit: Netflix
In 2018, the official Netflix U.S. news Twitter account revealed that the Quintanilla family, along with Jaime Dávila and Rico Martinez from Campanario Entertainment, Simran A. Singh, and Moisés Zamora, would executive produce Selena: The Series. In 2019, Netflix unveiled the first look of Christian Serratos, a California-based actress of Mexican-Italian descent (known for her work in The Walking Dead and Twilight films) as Selena. Ricardo Chavira would co-star as Selena’s father Abraham, Gabriel Chavarria as her brother A.B., Noemi Gonzalez as her sister Suzette, Seidy Lopez as her mother Marcella and Madison Taylor Baez as young Selena. The show premiered in December 2020 and season two officially aired in May 2021.
2019: Selena Merchandise
Another way fans have been paying tribute to Selena throughout the years has been by rocking merch … because anything for Selenas! In May 2019, the Quintanilla family launched the official online store for all licensed Selena merch. Q Productions’ website also sells Selena apparel, albums, DVDs, posters, accessories, hats and more.
2020: Angela Aguilar’s Baila Esta Cumbia EP
Angela Aguilar dropped Baila Esta Cumbia in January 2020. The seven-track covers EP highlights some of Selena Quintanilla’s biggest hits. The set kicks off with the title track, giving it a cumbia-banda twist. “I present this EP as a tribute and in gratitude to Selena,” Aguilar wrote on Instagram at the time. “With an admiration of a Mexican / American woman who, along with her family, expressed her love for music and the stage through her dances and songs. I wish I could take your music to more girls who didn’t have the opportunity to listen to it.”
2020: Star Trail of Fame
Selena Quintanilla was inducted into the Star Trail of Fame at the Rodeo Houston, making history as the first Latina artist and second female act overall. She was honored 25 years after Selena & Los Dinos took the stage for the last time at the Houston Astrodome in the Rodeo. The Queen of Tejano performed three years in a row (1993-1995), ultimately breaking her own record with the 1995 televised spectacle that drew nearly 67,000 attendees.
2020: Library of Congress
Selena’s 1990 album Ven Conmigo was inducted into the National Recording Registry of the Library of Congress. Her recording, which includes hits such as “Baila Esta Cumbia,” “Ya Ves,” and “No Quiero Saber,” was among 25 “aural treasures” granted entry that year.
2020: Star-Studded Tribute at Premios Juventud
Image Credit: Premios Juventud / Unvision
At the 2020 Premios Juventud, Karol G presented a special tribute, saying that Selena has marked her generation and that’s why she has a tattoo of her on her arm. “She continues to shine each day and that’s why she’s eternal,” she said. Danna Paola, Natti Natasha, Ally Brooke, and Greeicy all shared stages, dazzled in Selena-inspired outfits and performed a medley of “Como La Flor,” “Carcacha,” “Techno Cumbia,” “Amor Prohibido,” Baila Esta Cumbia” and “Fotos y Recuerdos.”
Karol G then presented A.B. Quintanilla with two Musical Legacy awards, for him and his late sister. “I dedicate this award to my mom and dad,” he said, expressing that because of them, he and his siblings fell in love with music.
2020: Exclusive Funko Pop
Wrapping up 2020, Funko Pop unveiled two new Selena figurines: one with her iconic purple jumpsuit and one with her sparkly Grammys look. “Commemorate the greatest Latin female artist of all-time,” expressed the Quintanilla family on social media when they shared the news.
2021: Lifetime Achievement Award
Selena was honored with a Lifetime Achievement Award at the 2021 Grammys alongside Marilyn Horne, Salt-N-Pepa, Talking Heads, Grandmaster Flash & The Furious Five, and Lionel Hampton. According to the Recording Academy’s description: “The Lifetime Achievement Award celebrates performers who have made outstanding contributions of artistic significance to the field of recording.” The late Queen of Tejano won the Grammy for best Mexican/Mexican American album for Live! in 1994, marking the first time a female Tejano artist had won in the category.
2022: Moonchild Mixes
Image Credit: Warner Music Latina
In the summer of 2022, the Quintanilla family released a new album called Moonchild Mixes (Warner Music Latina), home to 10 original songs that Selena recorded between the ages of 13 and 16. “We as a family had discussed this amongst ourselves that in the future, after Selena’s passing, we were going to maintain her presence through her music, and we’ve done that for 27 years,” explained Mr. Quintanilla to Billboard. “I’m more than sure that the fans are going to love it because if you listen to it, it’ll move you emotionally and take you back to as if Selena was recording it this morning.” The set’s first single, “Como Te Quiero Yo A Ti” debuted and peaked at No. 6 on the Billboard Latin Digital Song Sales chart.
2023: Forever 21 Collection
In honor of Women’s History Month, clothing brand Forever 21 unleashed its Selena Quintanilla collection, featuring t-shirts, hoodies and more for women, men and children. “We celebrate Selena Quintanilla and her ability to be a female-driven force in the male-populated Tejano music genre,” read a joint Instagram post with images of the Selena-inspired outfits. You can shop the collection here.
Rauw Alejandro sold out two in-the-round shows at Miami-Dade Arena March 11-12, moving over 30,000 tickets and more than doubling his 2022 ticket sales at the same venue, according to Billboard Boxscore. The feat highlights North America’s growing Latin touring market as an increasing number of acts across genres tour more cities, play bigger venues and sell more tickets.
The top 25 Latin tours of 2019 grossed $251.3 million and sold 2.8 million tickets, while the top 25 Latin tours of 2022 grossed $990.8 million and sold 8 million tickets (based on Boxscore’s reporting period of Nov. 1, 2021-Oct. 31, 2022). Bad Bunny, who grossed $373.5 million during that time, obviously did some heavy lifting, but he’s far from the only force driving the boom. Six Latin tours in 2022 out-grossed the top Latin tour of 2019. And even if those six tours were removed from the top 25 tally, 2022’s numbers would still beat 2019’s.
“There’s no limitation when you look at Latin,” says Hans Schafer, senior vp of Latin touring for Live Nation. “You see high-demand artists who can command high-demand tickets. You see other artists who are coming in and are offering accessible ticket prices, and people are paying them. Latin is also seeing more non-Latin fans come to their shows versus other genres.”
Likewise, concert promoters who were once only marginally interested in Latin touring, if at all, are now embracing it. Case in point: Nashville-based Outback Presents, which is entering the Latin market for the first time by partnering with Rauw’s manager, Eric Duars, and his live-entertainment arm, Duars Live, to promote Rauw’s U.S. tour.
The embrace of Latin extends to the highest echelons of the American concert industry: Coachella, long a bellwether for broader live-sector trends, booked its first Latin headliner this year in Bad Bunny, and its lineup features several prominent and rising Latin acts, from newcomer DannyLux to veterans Los Fabulosos Cadillacs.
“Latin is more mainstream now,” says CAA agent Bruno del Granado, whose client list includes Luis Fonsi and Gloria Estefan. “Everybody wants to be in Latin, not just the small mom-and-pop promoters.”
Regional Mexican music, for example, was for many years the realm of indie regional promoters. But it’s now being eyed by the likes of Live Nation, which last year presented massive tours by Los Bukis and is currently producing outings by Pepe Aguilar and Alejandro Fernández. “That music is crossing over into other communities in a way we’ve never seen before,” says Schafer.
Independent promoters see it, too. Pedro Zamora, founder of Michigan-based Zamora Entertainment, typically presents 500-600 shows each year, including club dates and casinos. This year, it will likely be between 700 and 800 shows, including arena tours by Los Tigres Del Norte and Los Temerarios, acts who a decade ago were playing festivals and rodeos. “The population has grown, and those fans are older. They’re more affluent, and they want to go to theaters or arenas,” says Zamora.
Younger fans are also flocking to arenas to see new acts like Rauw. In 2021, the Puerto Rican star was playing clubs in secondary markets like the Carolinas and Connecticut, a strategic decision that was made so he could develop stage chops and open markets. By the end of 2021, he was doing arenas. Now he’s in the midst of an 80-plus-date tour (including a 34-city U.S. leg) where the smallest venue is an 8,000-seat theater in Brazil.
“This is summer camp for everyone,” says Duars of the learning curve. “We want this to be amazing.”
This story will appear in the April 1, 2023, issue of Billboard.