Astudillo's songwriting debut came in the form of "Besitos", a composition in which the lyrics convey a longing for the protagonist's lover's kisses and a desire to be their source of happiness.
Mexican singer Mary Boquitas recorded a rendition of the song for the all-star tribute album Mexico Recuerda a Selena (2005).
Following the early 1980s recession in the United States, former musician Abraham Quintanilla, sought to promote his children's band Selena y Los Dinos as a way to make ends meet after being evicted from their home in 1981.
EMI Latin's proposal appealed to Abraham due to the potential for a crossover, and he intended for his children to be the premier musicians to sign with the company.
[4] The song "Besitos", a two-minute and 22-second recording,[4] features lyrics in which Selena recounts how each kiss from her beloved intensifies her affection and forms indelible memories.
"[8] According to scholars Gaetano Prampolini and Annamaria Pinazzi, Selena's cumbias evoke a distinct register of emotion and encompass a broader range of meanings than Celso Pina's.
Prior to that, the band had undergone extensive experimentation, traversing a range of musical genres, including freestyle, techno, Tejano, and ranchera, in an effort to identify their signature sound.
"Besitos" marked a pivotal shift in the band's musical trajectory, providing a transformative impetus that allowed them to craft some of their most popular cumbia recordings.
[11] The song played a crucial role in Selena's artistic development and ultimately influenced the fusion of sounds and rhythms that came to define her signature style.
[12] In a survey conducted by Norteña Musical in December 1992, "Besitos" was the seventh most-played song on radio stations in the towns of Allende and Zaragoza in Coahuila, Mexico.
[15] Writing for Vogue México y Latinoamérica, Esteban Villaseñor felt that Selena displayed "charisma, brilliance and talent" during her appearance on Castro's show.
[17] However, Luz Pena of The Fresno Bee, regarded Boquitas' version of "Besitos" as one of the album's lowlights after observing her erratic delivery, marked by abrupt pauses in the middle of verses.
B. appreciated this new approach and instructed keyboardist Vela (Hunter Reese Peña) to develop a faster tempo inspired by Selena's interpretation of the song.