Over the past 30 years, Latina artists have blessed our ears with many iconic genres that we know and love today such as bolero, ranchera, samba, tango, merengue, reggaeton and salsa.
Today these sounds can be heard everywhere, from passing car speakers, to nightclubs, to even Super Bowl halftime shows (who could forget Jennifer Lopez and Shakira’s iconic 2020 performance!) but getting to this point was far from easy.
Latin women in music have faced historical barriers such as societal expectations, lack of access to training and support, and discrimination. But even despite these hurdles, many powerful women have managed to break through and pave the way for future generations, while setting a bunch of Guinness World Records titles in the process.
Let’s take a look at a select group here!
Selena (USA/Mexico)
Selena Quintanilla (m. Selena Quintanilla-Pérez) was born on 16 April 1971, in Texas, USA. She was a renowned Mexican-American singer, often called the “Queen of Tejano Music.” Thanks to her blend of Tejano, pop, and Latin sounds, Selena won numerous awards and quickly became a cultural icon.
She was tragically murdered when she was just 23 years old by the president of her fan club in March 1995, but her music lived on. Just a few months later she was recognized as the first Latin solo artist to debut at No.1 on the Billboard 200 with the posthumous release of her fifth album Dreaming of You.
Today, her music continues to reach new audiences – especially her most notable anthems such as “Como la Flor”, “Amor Prohibido”, “Bidi Bidi Bom Bom” and “Baila Esta Cumbia”. She has achieved five records in total, with the others being:
- Biggest-selling Latin album in the US – Dreaming of You
- First solo artist with a posthumous No.1 debut on the Billboard 200 – Dreaming of You
- Most weeks at No.1 on Billboard’s Regional Mexican Albums chart (one album) – 97 weeks
- Most wins of Female Entertainer of the Year at the Tejano Music Awards – 9
Gloria Estefan (Cuba/USA)
Gloria Estefan (b. Gloria María Milagrosa Fajardo García) was born on 1 September 1957, in Havana, Cuba. After the Cuban Revolution her family moved to Miami, Florida. While studying psychology at the University of Miami, Gloria joined a band called the Miami Latin Boys, which later became the Miami Sound Machine.
What launched her into global fame was their hit “Conga” in 1985 which reached No.10 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100.
In 1989 she released her first solo album Cuts Both Ways which sold over 4 million copies worldwide, and by the early 2000s she had become the best-selling artist of Latin music (female) with over 70 million total sales!
Her other noteworthy hits include “Rhythm Is Gonna Get You” and “Get On Your Feet”.
Olga Tañón (Puerto Rico)
Olga Tañón (b. Olga Teresa Tañón Ortíz) was born on 13 April 1967, in Santurce, Puerto Rico.
She started her musical career in the 1980s when she joined the merengue group Las Nenas de Ringo y Jossie. By the early 1990s, she had launched her solo career, quickly rising to fame with her powerful voice and energetic performances. She was dubbed “Mujer de Fuego” (Woman of Fire) for her dynamic onstage presence.
With a number of hits to her name – including “Es Mentiroso”, “El Último Adiós” and “La Gran Fiesta” – she achieved a Guinness World Records title in 2017 for the most Top 10 hits on the Billboard Tropical Airplay chart (female) with 27!
Alongside this, she’s also earned records for the most Premio Lo Nuestro awards won (female) and most Premio Lo Nuestro nominations (female).
Shakira (Colombia)
Shakira (b. Shakira Isabel Mebarak Ripoll) was born on 2 February 1977 in Barranquilla, Colombia. Her musical career began at an early age with the release of her first album Magia aged 13. It wasn’t until 2001 that she became a global crossover artist upon releasing her first English-language album Laundry Service featuring smash hits like “Whenever, Wherever”.
Shakira has now sold over 95 million records worldwide, thanks to her musical blend of Latin, Arabic, and rock influences – not to mention her mesmerizing dancing and vocal range.
With 22, Shakira is the female Latin artist with the most Guinness World Records titles. The long list includes most awards won by a female artist at the Billboard Latin Music Awards and most cumulative weeks at No.1 on Billboard’s Hot Latin Songs chart by a female artist.
Her Billboard Hot Latin chart-topping hits include “Suerte [Whenever, Wherever]”, “La Tortura” (ft. Alejandro Sanz), “Hips Don’t Lie” (ft. Wyclef Jean) and “Chantaje” (ft. Maluma). Shakira’s 13th and most recent No.1 was “TQG” (with Karol G).
Away from music, she also became the first person to reach 100 million likes on Facebook in 2014.
You can read more about Shakira’s many record-breaking achievements here.
