Selena Honored Posthumously with National Medal of Arts

The Queen of Tejano music lives on in people’s hearts and through the timeless hits that generation after generation has continued to enjoy. Now after nearly three decades, Selena Quintanilla and her legacy were posthumously honored at the White House by President Joe Biden on October 21. The late icon was one of the recipients of the 2023 National Medal of Arts, the highest award given to artists and arts patrons by the federal government. Selena’s sister and the band’s drummer, Suzette Quintanilla Arriaga, accepted the medal on her behalf at the White House from President Biden and First Lady Jill Biden. The Grammy Award-winning Tejana superstar would have been 53 years old this year, and 2025 marks the 30th anniversary of her death. She remains one of the most successful Latin artists of all time

Selena’s instagram account, managed by the Quintanilla family, celebrated the news with a post captioned:  “We are excited to announce that Selena will be honored with the prestigious National Medal of Arts by President Biden and Dr. Jill Biden at the White House this evening. This remarkable achievement celebrates Selena’s enduring impact on her music and legacy.”

Though other honorees were also celebrated posthumously, Selena’s inclusion in the 2023 National Medal of Arts ceremony is symbolic because it comes almost three decades after the Mexican-American icon’s death on March 31, 1995 in Corpus Christi, TX at only 23 years old. This awards comes after projects created in honor of the singer including a Netflix series in collaboration with her family, Selena: The Series, and a MAC cosmetics collection.

The National Endowment for the Arts, independent of the U.S. government, selects the National Medal of Arts honorees, who are highlighted as “individuals or groups who are deserving of special recognition by reason of their outstanding contributions to the excellence, growth, support, and availability of the arts in the United States.”

Born on April 16, 1971 in Lake Jackson, TX, Selena grew up performing with her family before eventually rising to fame as the Queen of Tejano music. She made her recording debut in the 1980s and quickly became a best-selling artist in the Latin music scene with hits including “Bidi Bidi Bom Bom,” “Como La Flor,” and “Si Una Vez.” Her 1994 album “Amor Prohibido,” was the top-selling Latin album of the year. That same year, her 1993 album “Selena Live!” earned the Grammy for Best Mexican-American Album, making her the first Tejano artist to win the award. She remains one of the most successful and influential Latin musicians of all time.