This article was originally published on Aug. 26, 2022 and was updated to reflect 2025 anniversaries.
Every song in Selena's catalog, from the well-known anthems to the B-sides and covers, have resonated with fans in different ways. The late star — who was tragically killed in 1995 at just 23 years old —tackled multiple genres in her lifetime without losing the spark that has made her an enduring light in the Latinx community.
Though Selena's career was sadly short-lived, her music continued to touch hearts around world, especially through the English-language songs that were planned for her pop crossover. Among them is the posthumous single "Dreaming of You" and album of the same name (the latter of which was released in July 1995). Even in her wake, Selena has become the face of mainstream Latinx representation in the U.S. and beyond.
"We've always said it has to do a lot with her personality — not just the music alone," Selena's father, Abraham Quintanilla, Jr. told GRAMMY.com in 2022, when a new remix album titled Moonchild Remixes was released. "Selena had a beautiful personality. She was a beautiful person that people fell in love with and they still love her."
Born Selena Quintanilla Pérez, she started out in a family band in the '80s with her sister Suzette on drums and brother A.B. Quintanilla III on bass guitar. As fourth generation Mexican-Americans in Texas, their pop-leaning, Top-40-influenced spin on regional Mexican music created a fresh kind of Tejano music. Throughout the '90s, Selena's colorful style of Tejano music helped the local genre go international with hits like "Como La Flor," "Amor Prohibido" and "Bidi Bidi Bom Bom."
Selena's success was transcending genre as she was becoming an all-around Latin pop star. In 1994, she became the first Tejano artist to win Best Mexican-American Album at the GRAMMY Awards for Selena Live!, and she logged eight Top 10 hits on Billboard's Hot Latin Songs chart during her lifetime.
"[The fans] are wanting to be like her. They're looking up to her. Not just as an artist, but because she was an amazing person as well — and a great role model for Latinos," Selena's sister Suzette adds. "She's still very much relevant in this music industry and dear to a lot of people."
Below, take a look at Selena's legacy in songs — from the hits to the deep cuts to Moonchild Mixes.
Listen to GRAMMY.com's official Songbook: Selena playlist on Spotify, Apple Music, Amazon Music, and Pandora. Playlist powered by GRAMMY U.
The Hits
"Como La Flor"
After steadily growing a fanbase throughout the '80s, Selena landed her first big hit in 1992 with "Como La Flor." A standout from her Entre Mi Mundo album, "Como La Flor" blends cumbia beats with influences of reggae and Latin pop music. Backed by colorful production, Selena wishes her ex-lover all the best after their love wilted like a flower. The heartbreaking track became a staple in her concerts, sounding even better live with the haunting intro that she belted out.
"Amor Prohibido"
The title track from the last album that was released in her lifetime, "Amor Prohibido" serves up one of Selena's most powerful vocal performances. It's a story of forbidden lovers, and the will to keep their romance alive against all odds. (As Abraham reveals, the song's origin story stems from his grandmother, who grew up in a Mexican town with two different social societies.) The resilient message of "Amor Prohibido" has resonated with Selena's LGBTQ+ fans and become an anthem for them.
"Bidi Bidi Bom Bom"
"Bidi Bidi Bom Bom" is one of Selena's most funky songs, with a strong reggae influence that made it stand out from her other tropical-infused tracks. Over a bubbly beat, Selena sings about the sound her heart makes when she's in love. The song also had a rock edge that was new to regional Mexican music at the time, with an electric guitar solo about halfway through the track. The vivaciousness of "Bidi Bidi Bom Bom" came to life in its music video, with Selena flashing her unforgettable smile as she dances with a crowd of people.
"Dreaming of You"
In "Dreaming of You," Selena gives a heartfelt performance as she sings about an otherworldly romance. The haunting single was a preview of the pop music that she was working on in 1995, as Selena and her label, Capitol EMI Latin, had plans to release a crossover album later that year. But when her time was tragically cut short in March 1995, the posthumously released album (also titled Dreaming of You) was rounded out with Spanish songs she'd previously recorded as well as remixes of old tracks like "Amor Prohibido." The beautiful ballad became poignant for fans when it was played over the memorial scenes in the 1997 movie Selena that starred Jennifer Lopez.
"Techno Cumbia"
Another song that made an impact after Selena's passing, "Techno Cumbia" has become a club anthem since its release. Selena commanded the dance floor as she encouraged her listeners to move along with her: the Spanish lyrics translate, "Dance, dance, don't stop/ There's no time to rest,"
A.B.'s techno-inspired production on "Techno Cumbia" pushed cumbia forward at the time, and as Suzette explains, the sounds inspired the new Moonchild Mixes album. "You can hear a little bit of that fusion in this new album," she says. "It's a little bit of old school mixed with the future."
The Deep Cuts
"Ya No"
Selena delivered a knockout performance with "Ya No," from her Amor Prohibido album. Backed by electric guitars, she channeled her inner rock star as she let a cheating lover know that his days with her were numbered. Despite lyrically being a kiss-off anthem, its musical inspiration ironically came from Selena's husband, Chris Pérez. "He was a rocker," Abraham explains. "We put him on the guitar and that gave it that rock feel."
"Costumbres"
Mexican music royalty collided with Selena's cover of "Costumbres." For her 1988 album Dulce Amor, Selena sang the heartbreaking ballad that was popularized by Spanish singer Rocío Dúrcal and written by Mexican icon Juan Gabriel. She gave a sweeping performance while adding a new Tejano twist to the track with sparkling synths and a funky keyboard.Though she was only 17 when the song was recorded, Selena's voice already sounded beyond its years with an emotional depth that would mark her later works.
"God's Child (Baila Conmigo)"
While "God's Child (Baila Conmigo)" may be a lesser-known song on Selena's Dreaming of You album, it's arguably one of the most experimental in her catalog. She teamed up with Talking Heads frontman David Byrne for the fiery song, which saw Bryne — who also produced the track — blend his rock sound with Selena's flamenco music influences. Trading verses in Spanish and English, both artists invited listeners to join their global dance party.
"I'm Getting Used to You"
From Celine Dion to Lady Gaga, many of pop's biggest stars have worked with legendary songwriter Diane Warren in their careers. Selena was among them when she recorded "I'm Getting Used to You" for her Dreaming of You album. Selena sang from the depth of her soul about a blossoming romance that had her head over heels. The track masterfully blends Latin instrumental touches with slinky pop beats, offering a promising sign of the pop career that Selena sadly never got to live out.
"Dame Un Beso"
Fans got more familiar with Selena's earlier career through Selena: The Series, a two-season Netflix series that ran from 2020-2021. The show focused on her career in the '80s as they were getting Selena y Los Dinos off the ground. The sweet love song reflected the band's Tejano music roots as well as the youthful sound that Selena's dulcet voice brought to life.
Moonchild Mixes
Selena's family revisited her earlier recordings in the Moonchild Mixes album, which features songs she recorded from ages 13 to 16 that have been re-produced by her brother with the latest studio technology. Selena's voice on the recordings have been mastered to sound more mature, like on the lead single, "Como Te Quiero Yo A Ti (Regional Mexican Version)," a dreamy ballad that's backed by a mariachi band. (The song also received a pop version on the album.)
"It's a beautiful song, and with the new music on it, and the enhancement of the voice, I think that the fans will love it," Abraham says. "It gives you a feeling like she went into the studio this morning and recorded this song."
Throughout the rest of the album's 13 tracks, A.B. explores the cumbia music that encompassed Selena's last hits with a fresh pop twist. The enchanting "Enamorada de Ti" — which sees Selena pleading for her lover not to leave her — has sweeping, stadium-ready production. The sweet "Cariño Mio" is transformed into a dance-floor anthem with its blast of cumbia beats. "Corazoncito" is like a successor to "Bidi Bidi Bom Bom" with a pulsating, club-inspired beat that mimics the sound of a beating heart. The breathtaking ballad "Dame Tu Amor" is another track with multiple variations on the album, a mariachi mix and a cumbia version.
"[The album is] fused with more modern [sounds]," Suzette says. "We love the way that album came out and the way that there's my fusion of my brother's sound. Definitely you can hear my brother's sound in there."
Selena's family views the Moonchild Mixes album as a way for her longtime fans to have a new way to experience her songs and for the new generation to continue discovering her music. "They're searching for her. They're wanting to know more about her," Suzette Quintanilla adds. "This album is something definitely that they've been wanting and they've been asking for."