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“Love her but… Latin?” — Netizens divided as Selena Gomez is set to receive Woman of the Year award at the Billboard Latin Women in Music event
Selena Gomez has been named the 2025 Woman of the Year honoree at the Billboard Latin Women in Music event, set to air live on Telemundo on April 24. The announcement, made on April 16, recognizes her career in music and advocacy, though it sparked debate online. A tweet from the account Pop Base sharing the news drew mixed reactions.
One user questioned her, tweeting:
“Love her but… Latin? Billboard we need to talk.”
While others criticized her eligibility compared to artists like Shakira. Another user wrote on X:
"Seriously? Latin? When you have someone like Shakira breaking records after 30 years in music and with the biggest tour of 2025. Honestly, @billboard is a joke."
Many netizens pointed to Gomez’s Texas upbringing and heritage, with comments like:
"Shakira is literally there. She has the most successful tour by a Latin woman + Selena is American and hasn’t done anything worthy," wrote another user.
“Latin born in Texas?” asked another.
"The Latina is in the room with us?" questioned another.
Social media responses highlighted polarized views. Some users, however, praised the decision, calling it “deserved.” A user commented:
"Y'all are right, she isn’t woman of the year, she’s woman of the century."
"Selena Gomez truly deserves this honor—her impact on Latin music and culture is incredible!" added a tweet.
"So very deserved and YES, Selena is indeed a Latin woman!" exclaimed a user.
The debate centers on Gomez’s Mexican-American identity and her contributions to Latin music, including her 2021 Spanish-language EP Revelación, which debuted at No. 1 on the Top Latin Albums chart. Selena Gomez’s Latin music career includes hits like DJ Snake’s Taki Taki (2018), which spent 13 weeks at No. 1 on Billboard’s Hot Latin Songs chart.
Her 2021 collaboration with Rauw Alejandro, Baila Conmigo, peaked at No. 4. Her recent remake of Ojos Tristes with Benny Blanco reached the top five. While her chart success is clear, some fans argue that her primary work in English pop weakens her ties to Latin genres.
Beyond music, Selena Gomez has advocated for mental health and social justice. She has also previously won Woman of the Year at the 2017 Billboard Women in Music Awards.
Breaking down Selena Gomez’s Latin music footprint
While there have been ongoing debates over Selena Gomez’s eligibility for the award, her chart history in Latin music spans nearly a decade. Her first major Latin collaboration, Taki Taki (2018), became a global hit. It topped charts in 15 countries and earned diamond certifications in France and Brazil.
In 2021, Selena Gomez released Revelación, her first Spanish-language EP. The project debuted at No. 1 on Billboard’s Top Latin Albums chart. This makes her the first female artist to achieve this since Shakira’s El Dorado in 2017. It also earned a Grammy nomination for Best Latin Pop Album, marking her first nod in a Latin category.
The Texas-born star, who identifies as Mexican-American, has also frequently acknowledged her heritage in interviews and projects.
In other news, Gomez released a collaborative album with her fiancé, Benny Blanco, titled I Said I Love You First on March 21, 2025.
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