# 2023 Tejano Music Awards

The 43rd Annual Tejano Music Awards ceremony was held on October 21, 2023, at the Boeing Center at Tech Port in San Antonio, Texas. Those who performed at the ceremony were Siggno, Ricardo Castillon, Isabel Marie, Angelica Y Moneda, Grupo Asalto, Suenatron, and Paula DeAnda.
On September 28, 2023, it was revealed that Joe Lopez and Humberto "Beto" Ramon would have been receiving the Lifetime Achievement Award. The 2023 Tejano Music Awards Fan Fair that preceded the awards ceremony, drew 125,000 people during the four-day event. More than 100 musicians performed during the event.
The biggest winners were Siggno's Jesse Turner (Male Vocalist of the Year and Tejano Album of the Year), and Mike Gonzalez & The Iconiczz (Best New Group and Best New Female Artist for Di Marie). With five nominations, Monica Saldivar was the most nominated artist. Destiny Navaira earned her second Tejano Music Award for Female Vocalist of the Year, her last time was at the 41st Tejano Music Awards in 2021. Beto Ramon was the sole honoree of the Lifetime Achievement Award after the organization decided to rescind Joe Lopez following widespread public outcry regarding the singer's recognition, stemming from his 2006 conviction for multiple sex offenses.

## Awards

Winners are listed first, highlighted in boldface, and indicated with a double dagger (‡).
| Entertainer of the Year Ricardo Castillon y La Diferenzia‡ | Male Vocalist of the Year Jesse Turner‡ Elias Arredondo Emanuel J Joe Lopez Ricardo Castillon |
| Female Vocalist of the Year Destiny Navaria‡ Isabel Marie Monica Saldivar | Best New Artist Group Mike Gonzalez & The Iconiczz‡ Joe Lara Y Grupo Xprezzion Jr Reyna Y Elegido Laura Denisse Y Los Brillantes |
| Best New Artist Male Leeroy Camarillo‡ Hernan Hernandez Jr Javier Soliz Joe Lara Rocky Beltran | Best New Artist Female Di Marie‡ Hilda Llamas Laura Denisse Madison Pulido |
| Album of the Year – Tejano Sobrevivir – Siggno‡ Dime Como Se Siente – Destiny Navaria Love From the Heart – Joe Lopez Sin Fin – Gary Hobbs Soy Mas Fuerte (Deluxe) – Monica Saldivar | Album of the Year – Conjunto Oddz – The Homeboyz‡ Alza Los Ojos – Los Hermanos Sanchez Una Promesa – South TX Homies |
| Song of the Year "Necesito Odiarte" – Jay Perez‡ "Ahora Que Ya Eres Feliz" – Isabel Marie "Infraganti" – Monica Saldivar "Mi Guerita" – Lucky Joe "Quedate Con El" – Stefani Montiel | Collaboration of the Year "No Me Olvides " – Monica Saldivar and Shelly Lares‡ "A Mi Lado" – Emanuel J and Monica Saldivar "Corazon Corazoncito" – Tony Barragan and Ruben Ramos "Llorar Quedito" – Ismael Gutierrerz and Luis Adrian Gutierrez "Yo Te Daba Todo" – Destiny Navaira and Jose Adan Esparza |
| Video of the Year "Nino" – Sunny Sauceda Y Todo Eso‡ ||

## Controversy

Following the announcement that Joe Lopez, a former musician for Grupo Mazz, would be receiving the Lifetime Achievement Award during the awards ceremony, the Forever Jimmy G Organization had taken to social media to express their apprehensions and request that the Texas Talent Musicians Association (TTMA), the producers of the Tejano Music Awards, to rectify misinformation propagated in an email sent to their followers and the media. According to the organization, the email wrongly attributed Grammy Awards won by Jimmy Gonzalez, lead singer of Grupo Mazz, during his solo career from 1999 to 2018 to Joe Lopez, in a biography falsely crediting him as the recipient. The statement argues that this enables Lopez to impersonate Gonzalez and his career achievements, including the claim that Lopez is the founder of Group Mazz and thus entitled to Gonzalez's awards. The statement contends that Gonzalez effectively carried on with Grupo Mazz after Lopez's departure in 1997, leading to Grammy and Latin Grammy Awards for Best Tejano Album between 2001 and 2004, 2009, and 2014. Public records confirm Gonzalez registered the name Mazz in 2000, maintaining it until his death in 2018. The organization stresses that Lopez was incarcerated from 2006 to 2017, during which time he was neither actively nor publicly receiving awards. Allowing Lopez to claim these honors, they argue, is misleading and undermines Gonzalez's contributions to Tejano music. The organization urged Gonzalez's fans, family, friends, and musicians to protest the TTMA.
On September 30, 2023, the TTMA updated its biography for Lopez through an email to its followers and media outlets. The revised version eliminated the inaccurate claims and gave more credit to Gonzalez. The email also included an apology for any confusion or offense caused by the original biography. The TTMA explained in the email that they had obtained the biography information from "in-the-know sources" but recognized that certain crucial details may have been misleading or incorrect. The website, Tejano Nation, commented that the TTMA did not address another contentious issue related to Lopez's recognition as it relates to his status as a paroled sex offender. Fans of Tejano music and industry professionals have expressed their anger and disappointment at the TTMA's decision to give a Lifetime Achievement Award to Lopez, given his criminal history. According to Tejano Nation, the TTMA has not issued a statement on this matter and believes that TTMA has not "indicated any plans to rescind or reconsider Lopez's award".