Mexican singer Ana Bárbara is set to receive the BMI (Broadcast Music, Inc.) Icon award at the 30th annual BMI Latin Awards taking place March 21 at the Beverly Wilshire Hotel in Los Angeles.
Bárbara is the first regional Mexican female songwriter BMI has honored with the Icon award, recognizing her nearly three-decade-long career in the music industry. Bárbara released her self-titled debut in 1994 and has since created music in genres spanning from grupero to pop and mariachi, amassing 11 studio albums. Her hit singles include “Reza y Reza” “Lo Busqué,” “Fruta Prohibida” and “Quise Olvidar.” The musician has earned a Latin Grammy for best groupero album and a Grammy nomination for best Mexican/Mexican-American album.
“As an iconic female Regional Mexican artist, whose body of work continues to be an indomitable inspiration for the creative community, we’re thrilled to name Ana Bárbara a BMI Icon,” Jesus Gonzalez, BMI VP, creative, Latin said in a statement. “Dubbed as ‘La Reina Grupera,’ she has forged a career that spans decades. Her artistic achievements have paved the way for the next generation of female songwriters in the genre and earned the respect of the industry at large as one of the most groundbreaking songwriters of all time. For that, we salute Ana as a true icon and look forward to celebrating all our top music creators behind some of today’s most-performed Latin songs.”
Previous recipients of the BMI Icon award, which honors musicians who have positively impacted the music industry, include Carlos Santana, Gloria Estefan, Juan Luis Guerra, Los Tigres Del Norte and Los Lobos.
The BMI Latin Awards recognize top Latin songwriters and publishers, celebrating the most-performed Latin songs in the U.S. BMI will also give out awards including BMI regional Mexican song, BMI contemporary Latin song, publisher of the year and songwriter honors.