Selena Gomez has declared releasing a Spanish-language album to be the "proudest moment" of her career.
The entertainer, whose father is of Mexican descent, was named Woman of the Year at the 2025 Billboard Latin Women in Music event staged in Miami on Thursday night.
While Selena was unable to attend in person because she is filming Only Murders in the Building in New York City, the star recorded a video acceptance speech in which she reflected on her deep ties to the Latin community.
"Thank you so much to everyone at Billboard. I wish I could be there with all of you, but I'm filming in New York. This means so much to me as a Latina. I have been working most of my life and to be seen, supported and celebrated by women who share our roots is truly, truly powerful," she began. "Growing up, I was extremely proud of my Mexican heritage. I didn't see a lot of women who looked like me at the centre of the story or onstage and it was just rare. Our stories, our voices and our cultures deserve to be celebrated."
Elsewhere, Selena reflected on releasing her EP Revelación back in 2021.
"Releasing my EP Revelación was one of the proudest moments of my career only because it felt like I was creating music for something that I had wanted to give my heritage and my family, and for myself. Not only did it give me another opportunity to highlight my culture, but also I knew it would make my abuela (grandmother) very proud," the 32-year-old continued.
To conclude her speech, Selena gave a shout-out to her dedicated fans.
"And finally, to my fans, I can never say it enough: It's because of you that I'm able to do what I love," she added. "And thank you all for supporting me for all of these years. Thank you from the bottom of my heart. I love you all, te amo (I love you)."
Season five of Only Murders in the Building is expected to be released later this year.