Selena: A biopic about the late singer Jennifer Lopez portrayed in 1997. The film depicted the singer’s rise to fame, including the release of her predominantly Spanish-language debut album, “On the 6”, which later topped the Billboard 200 chart in the year 2000. Tragically, Selena, who was just shy of her 24th birthday, was murdered in March 1995 by the president of her fan club and business associate. However, her legacy lived on as she became the first female artist to win the Grammy Award for Best Mexican-American Album in 1994. Selena’s debut recording in the 1980s made her the best-selling Latin music artist of the time.
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Brief Information
FULL NAME: Selena Quintanilla PĂ©rezBORN: April 16, 1971DIED: March 31, 1995BIRTHPLACE: Lake Jackson, TexasSPOUSE: Chris PĂ©rez (1992-1995)ZODIAC SIGN: Aries.
Childhood and Family Background
A restaurant eventually opened and Samora Ofelia Marcella, her mother, was a homemaker. Abraham Jr. Quintanilla, Selena’s father, was a former musician. Selena, often known by her stage name Quintanilla, was born on April 1971 in Lake Jackson, Texas.
Starting at a young age, she began. Over time, she eventually learned to speak Spanish fluently and initially learned the lyrics phonetically. She could connect with the Latino community and her father taught her to sing in Spanish, which resonated with her, but she grew up speaking English.
The Dinos Los Y Selena band, which was managed by their father Abraham, started playing in clubs and weddings in their native Texas. Selena, the lead singer in her family’s band, became professionally known as “A.B.” Quintanilla III. The group also featured her brother A.B. On drums and her sister Suzette on guitar and bass. Around the age of 10, Selena incorporated Western and country music as well as Mexican music into her style.
Selena and The Dinos Discography
The attention to Latin world music was brought by Selena’s brother with her original songs written in Tejano music, which were produced by Manny Guerra of G.P. Productions. Most of the albums recorded together with Selena as the lead singer were recorded under the indie labels Winner and Alpha, as well as the family Quintanilla.
The albums in question are:
Individual Profession: Albums, Tracks, and Grammy Awards
Selena, the artist who released her self-titled album that year, signed with EMI label as a solo artist soon after her concert. JosĂ© Behar, the executive of EMI’s Latin division, who had just opened the division, watched Selena perform at the 1989 Tejano Music Awards.
Selena, the “Queen of Tejano,” continues to be one of the best-selling female artists in Latin music. With over 65 million albums sold, she released five studio albums between 1989 and 1995, as well as a live album featuring previously unreleased recordings. In 2022, her brother B. A. Founded Starz All and Kings Kumbia, a new band backed by her family.
Well-known compilation albums of Selena’s music comprise 12 Super Exitos (1994) and All My Hits Todos Mis Exitos (1999).
Well-liked Music Tracks
The Latin chart was dominated by Selena’s hot hits, including “Bom Bom Bidi Bidi” and “Chain Gang”. In addition, her album “Recuerdos Y Fotos” stayed at number one for nine weeks on the chart. Another one of her songs, “Prohibido Amor”, also earned the top spot for nine weeks. However, it was her single “Tu Solo Tu” that topped the chart for a remarkable nine consecutive weeks. This impressive feat can be attributed to the popularity of Selena’s music among fans.
Arguably Selena’s most triumphant track, “Dreaming of You” reached its highest position at No. 22 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart.
Other popular songs by Selena include “Always Cold,” “I Could Feel Love,” “The Boy from Apartment 512,” “The Junker,” “Dance This Cumbia,” “Like the Flower,” and more.
Grammy and Alternative Accolades
Selena’s talents were recognized by fans of Tejano music even more. She was sometimes referred to as the “Mexican Madonna” for her dance moves and sexy outfits. Selena won the Best Female Vocalist and Performer of the Year awards at the 1987 Tejano Music Awards.
She received the Recording Academy’s Lifetime Achievement Award posthumously at the 2021 Grammy Awards. In 1993, Selena was honored with a Grammy for her album Live!, Which was recognized as the Best Mexican-American Album.
Latin Music Legend: Representative, Boutique Proprietor, and Performer
In 1989, Selena was selected by Coca-Cola as a representative due to her extensive appeal to Latin viewers. A groundbreaking move in the marketing industry was her inclusion in commercials for Coke: an advertiser focusing on a particular target audience.
In Texas, she opened two boutiques called Selena, where she sold her signature line of clothing and jewelry. The stores were located in Corpus Christi, San Antonio, and Etc.
Johnny Depp also appeared in the 1995 movie “Don Juan DeMarco,” portraying a mariachi singer. In addition to her brief career as a singer, she also had a stint as an actor.
Husband
Selena and Chris PĂ©rez were married for almost three years before Selena was killed in 1995. The couple met and secretly started dating in 1990 when PĂ©rez joined Selena’s band as the lead guitarist. They got married in April 1992.
In 2012, PĂ©rez released a book regarding his experience with Selena, titled To Selena, With Love. He aimed to transform the book into a television series. Later, in 2016, Abraham initiated a legal action against PĂ©rez for breaching an agreement related to the deceased artist’s assets. PĂ©rez had endorsed the agreement shortly after Selena’s passing, which bestowed her father with exclusive rights to Selena’s name, voice, photographs, and narrative indefinitely. Towards the end of 2018, PĂ©rez’s appeal was unsuccessful, and the lawsuit was mutually dismissed the following May by both parties involved.
Demise: Homicide Particulars and Perpetrator
Selena’s untimely death sent shockwaves through her fans and the Latino community, leaving the world mourning. She was only 23 years old when Yolanda SaldĂvar, the murderer, shot and killed her in Corpus Christi, Texas.
SaldĂvar, 34, surrendered to the police later that day after shooting Selena. According to court records, SaldĂvar was embezzling money and there were concerns about her discussing Selena’s boutique in a hotel room meeting. SaldĂvar, a former nurse in San Antonio, had also been managing Selena’s boutique. After attending one of Selena’s concerts, Abraham encouraged SaldĂvar to create a fan club for his daughter.
In 2025, which will be 30 years after Selena’s demise, SaldĂvar is eligible for parole. Presently, she is incarcerated in a high-security penitentiary outside of Dallas. She was found guilty of premeditated murder and given a life sentence during her October 1995 court case, asserting that the gunshot was unintentional.
Film and Netflix Shows
The movie Selena, which became the subject of Selena’s life story, was re-released in April 2022 to commemorate its 25th anniversary. Jennifer Lopez played the role of the Tejano superstar, earning herself a Golden Globe nomination and becoming the first Latina actress to receive a $1 million paycheck for a film. Edward James Olmos depicted her father in the 1997 film.
In December 2020, Selena: The Series, featuring Christian Serratos from The Walking Dead, premiered. Netflix revealed its plans to produce a scripted show based on the life of the singer, with the Quintanilla family in charge as executive producers, many years after.
Legacy
Selena’s music and image have remained strong over time, with commemorative holidays, posthumous accolades, a museum, and even an academic program.
Fourteen days after her death in 1995, the former Governor of Texas, George W. Bush, declared April 16th as “Selena Day,” in honor of the singer.
Showcased are her traveling vehicle, her crimson Porsche, a replica of her music production room, mementos, accolades, her attire, and an assortment of the deceased artist’s belongings, like the Selena Museum, established in 1998 by the Quintanilla family in Corpus Christi, Texas, commemorating Selena’s existence and heritage.
In March 2020, Selena, the first Latina artist and overall ninth person, was posthumously honored with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame as part of her homage to music legends for Halloween. That year, Kim Kardashian, a reality TV star, also dressed up as the Tejano singer to pay tribute to her.
The first Selena collection in 2016 was completely sold out within minutes. The shade names for the products were derived from her song lyrics, including Selena’s iconic red lipstick. In April, MAC Cosmetics released a limited-edition “MAC Cosmetics x Selena La Reina” collection, which was available in other locations. During that year, Selena’s influence was evident in concerts featuring artists like Casey Musgraves and Camila Cabello. Her popularity in the music industry has not diminished, as proven by the numerous remembrances that marked the 25th anniversary of her death in 2020.
Selena, who was known for her style both onstage and in her songs, wore a black leather jacket and a satin bustier at the 1994 Tejano Music Awards, where she performed at the “Entertainment Nation”/”NaciĂłn del espectĂĄculo” exhibit. This iconic outfit will be displayed at the National Museum of American History, Smithsonian, in 2022.