Does Selena Write Their Own Music? Songwriting Credits & Scores

By the Numbers

5

Studio Albums

53

Tracks Credited

13%

Self-Written

around 18 million

Records Sold

14

Years Active

35

Collaborators

Authorship Breakdown 7 / 53 self-written

Who wrote the songs?

Across all 53 tracks: how many Selena wrote alone, how many they co-wrote, and how many were written by others. The bracket marks every track they hold any writing credit on.

Selena has a writing credit13%

2%

11%

87%

Sole author1tracks2%

Co-written6tracks11%

Outside writers46tracks87%

Role Fingerprint how they contribute

Selena's roles across the catalogue

Share of all 53 tracks where they are personally credited, by role.

Lyricist (words)13%

Composer (music)13%

Producer0%

Performer100%

Authorship Over Time writing credit per album

Selena's writing credit per album, in release order. Hover any bar for the album.

avg 13%

10%

0%

10%

20%

23%

1989Selena

1990Ven Conmigo

1992Entre a Mi Mundo

1994Amor Prohibido

1995Dreaming of You

Early · 7% written

Late · 22% written

Authorship by Decade track-weighted

10%

1980s

Selena

14%

1990s

Ven Conmigo, Entre a Mi Mundo +2 more

Authorship Spectrum pure performer to complete author

Where Selena sits on the scale from a pure performer (0%, sings songs written by others) to a complete author (100%, writes everything). The bright marker is their catalogue authorship score, plotted against other artists on the site.

Selena

Other artists on the site

Reference artists spread across the scale, closest by genre and era.

Celine Dion2%

Ricky Martin25%

Marc Anthony37%

Cyndi Lauper60%

Enrique Iglesias82%

Shakira91%

Karol G99%

13%Selena

Pure Performer0%

Songwriter~50%

Complete Author100%

Who Really Wrote the Hits signature songs

Amor Prohibido

Written by Selena, A.B. Quintanilla, Pete Astudillo, Selena Quintanilla-Perez, Abraham Quintanilla III

Co-wrote

Bidi Bidi Bom Bom

Amor Prohibido

Written by Selena, Pete Astudillo, Selena Quintanilla-Perez

Co-wrote

No Me Queda Mas

Amor Prohibido

Written by Ricky Vela

Outside writers

I Could Fall in Love

Dreaming of You

Written by Keith Thomas, Selena, Selena Quintanilla-Perez

Co-wrote

Dreaming of You

Written by Franne Golde, Tom Snow

EMI Latin

13 tracks

Collaborator Network who they worked with most

Selena53 tracks

AQ44 AQ31 PA24 RV9 JH3 BS2

Bubble size = tracks worked on together. AQ A.B. Quintanilla · AQ Abraham Quintanilla III · PA Pete Astudillo · RV Ricky Vela · JH Johnny Herrera · BS Bebu Silvetti

The Writers & Producers Behind Selena 6 key collaborators

AQ

A.B. Quintanilla

Producer & Songwriter

Selena / Ven Conmigo / Entre a Mi Mundo / Amor Prohibido44 tracks

AQ

Abraham Quintanilla III

Songwriter

Selena / Ven Conmigo / Entre a Mi Mundo / Amor Prohibido31 tracks

PA

Pete Astudillo

Songwriter

Selena / Ven Conmigo / Entre a Mi Mundo / Amor Prohibido24 tracks

RV

Ricky Vela

Songwriter

Selena / Entre a Mi Mundo / Amor Prohibido9 tracks

Amor Prohibido2 tracks

The Authorship Story

Data Insight

Selena sits low on the authorship scale: she was first a singer and interpreter, not a primary writer. The engine of her catalog was her brother A.B. Quintanilla, who wrote and produced the bulk of her songs, frequently with Pete Astudillo and Ricky Vela. Her own name appears as a co-writer on a small set of songs, most notably 'Bidi Bidi Bom Bom' and 'Amor Prohibido,' and she took an English lyric credit on 'I Could Fall in Love.' The composer column reflects a family operation built around her voice, with the writing handled mostly by the people around her.

Quick Facts

Main songwriterHer brother A.B. Quintanilla wrote and produced most of her music
Landmark albumAmor Prohibido (1994) produced four number-one Latin singles
Signature song'Como la Flor' became her defining recording
GrammyWon Best Mexican/American Album for Live! (1994)
CrossoverDreaming of You (1995) was her posthumous English-language crossover
Studio albumsFive, from Selena (1989) to Dreaming of You (1995)

Creative Fingerprint

A voice served by her family's writers: Selena sang material written and produced mostly by her brother A.B. Quintanilla and collaborators like Pete Astudillo and Ricky Vela, co-writing only a handful of songs herself.

The Story

Selena, born Selena Quintanilla-Perez, was an American singer who became the most influential figure in Tejano music and earned the title Queen of Tejano. She began performing as a child with her family band Selena y Los Dinos, fronting the group from the age of nine, and signed to EMI Latin in 1989. Across four studio albums she helped carry a regional Texas-Mexican style into the mainstream, scoring hits with songs like 'Como la Flor,' 'Amor Prohibido,' and 'Bidi Bidi Bom Bom.' Most of her material was written and produced by her brother A.B. Quintanilla, often with Pete Astudillo and keyboardist Ricky Vela, while Selena co-wrote a handful of songs herself. She was preparing an English-language crossover album when she was murdered in 1995 at the age of twenty-three; that record, the posthumous Dreaming of You, debuted at number one on the Billboard 200 and made her a crossover star.

Awards & Recognition

Grammy Award for Best Mexican/American Album, Live! (1994)

Amor Prohibido produced four number-one Billboard Hot Latin Songs singles

Around 18 million records sold worldwide

Frequently Asked Questions Selena

Did Selena write her own songs?

Mostly no. Selena's music was written and produced primarily by her brother A.B. Quintanilla, often with collaborators like Pete Astudillo and Ricky Vela, and she co-wrote only a handful of songs herself. Her genius was in her voice and performance, which turned A.B.'s cumbias and ballads like 'Como la Flor' and 'Bidi Bidi Bom Bom' into Tejano standards.

Who wrote 'Como la Flor'?

'Como la Flor' was written by Selena's brother A.B. Quintanilla and Pete Astudillo for her 1992 album Entre a Mi Mundo. It became her signature song and one of the most beloved recordings in Tejano music.

Who wrote Selena's music?

Her principal songwriter and producer was her older brother A.B. Quintanilla, who shaped most of her catalog with writing partners including Pete Astudillo and Ricky Vela. Selena focused on singing and performing rather than writing, which is common for stars of her era.

Why is Selena called the Queen of Tejano music?

Selena earned the title 'Queen of Tejano Music' as the most popular and important Tejano star of all time, breaking the genre into the mainstream. Her album Amor Prohibido produced four number-one Latin singles and made her a Latin music icon.

How did Selena die?

Selena was murdered on March 31, 1995, at age 23, shot by Yolanda Saldívar, the former president of her fan club. Her death shocked the Latin music world and made her a lasting cultural symbol.

How many albums did Selena release?

Selena released five studio albums: Selena (1989), Ven Conmigo (1990), Entre a Mi Mundo (1992), Amor Prohibido (1994), and the posthumous crossover album Dreaming of You (1995). Amor Prohibido was her commercial peak.

What was Dreaming of You?

Dreaming of You (1995) was Selena's English-language crossover album, released a few months after her death. Its title track and 'I Could Fall in Love' introduced her to a mainstream American pop audience, and the album debuted at number one on the Billboard 200.

Who wrote 'Amor Prohibido'?

'Amor Prohibido' was written by A.B. Quintanilla and Pete Astudillo for the 1994 album of the same name. It became one of Selena's biggest hits and topped the Billboard Hot Latin Songs chart.

Sources

Wikipedia: Selena discography Wikipedia: Selena Amor Prohibido - Wikipedia