Selena
Encyclopedia
Selena Quintanilla-Pérez (April 16, 1971 – March 31, 1995), known simply as Selena, was a Mexican American
singer-songwriter. She was named the "top Latin artist of the '90s" and "Best selling Latin artist of the decade" by Billboard
for her fourteen top-ten singles in the Top Latin Songs chart
, including seven number-one hits. The singer had the most successful singles of 1994 and 1995, "Amor Prohibido
" and "No Me Queda Más
". She was called "The Queen of Tejano music" and the Mexican equivalent of Madonna
. Selena released her first album, Selena y Los Dinos, at the age of twelve. She won Female Vocalist of the Year at the 1987 Tejano Music Awards
and landed a recording contract with EMI
a few years later. Her fame grew throughout the early 1990s, especially in Spanish-speaking countries.
Selena was murdered
at the age of 23 by Yolanda Saldívar
, the president of her fan club. On April 12, 1995, two weeks after her death, George W. Bush
, governor of Texas at the time, declared her birthday "Selena Day" in Texas. Warner Bros.
produced Selena
, a film based on her life starring Jennifer Lopez
, in 1997. Selena's life was also the basis of the musical Selena Forever
starring Veronica Vazquez as Selena. In June 2006 Selena was commemorated with a life-sized bronze statue (Mirador de la Flor
in Corpus Christi, Texas
) and a Selena museum opened there. She has sold over 21 million albums worldwide.
, Texas, as the youngest child of a Mexican father, Abraham Quintanilla Jr. and a half-Cherokee Indian mother, Marcella Ofelia Samora, and was raised as a Jehovah's Witness. She began singing at the age of three; when she was nine her father launched a singing group consisting of several of his children, Selena y Los Dinos
. They initially performed at the restaurant operated by the family. The family went bankrupt soon thereafter. They relocated to Corpus Christi
, Texas, where they performed wherever they could: at street corners, weddings, quinceañera
s, and fairs. As Selena grew more popular as a musical performer, the demands of her performance and travel schedule began to interfere with her education. Her father pulled her out of school altogether when she was in eighth grade. Eventually, at seventeen, she earned a high school diploma by correspondence.
The band's efforts at spreading their names and talents paid off in 1985 when the fourteen-year-old Selena recorded her first album for a local record company. The album was not sold in stores and her father bought all of the original copies. It was rereleased in 1995 under the title Mis Primeras Grabaciones. Over the next three years, while not having a recording contract, she released six more albums.
, Selena won Best Female Vocalist, an award she would dominate for the rest of her life. In 1989, José Behar, the former head of Sony
Music Latin, signed Selena with Capitol
/EMI
. He later said that he signed her because he thought he had discovered the next Gloria Estefan
.
In 1988, she met Chris Pérez
, who had his own band. Two years later, the Quintanilla family hired him to play in Selena's band and they quickly fell in love. At first her father opposed their relationship and went as far as firing Pérez from the band. He eventually came to accept the relationship. On April 2, 1992, Selena and Pérez were married in Nueces County, Texas.
In 1990 the album, Ven Conmigo
was released, written by her brother and main songwriter Abraham Quintanilla III. This recording was the first Tejano album recorded by a female artist to achieve gold status. Around the same time, a registered nurse and fan named Yolanda Saldívar
approached Selena's father with the idea of starting a fan club. Her wish was granted and she became the club's president; later she became the manager of Selena's retail enterprises. In 1992, Selena’s stardom got a big boost with the song, "Como La Flor
" off a new album, Entre a Mi Mundo
. The next album, Selena Live!
won Best Mexican-American Album
at the 36th Grammy Awards
. The album Amor Prohibido
was released in 1994. It was nominated for a Grammy award for Mexican-American Album of the Year
. Selena and her band received yet more accolades in 1994. Billboard
s Premio Lo Nuestro awarded them six awards, including Best Latin Artist and Song of the Year for "Como La Flor". Meanwhile, her duet with the Barrio Boyzz, "Donde Quiera Que Estés
", reached number one in the Billboard Latin Charts
. This prompted Selena to tour in Latin America. She performed a duet with Salvadoran
singer Álvaro Torres
, "Buenos Amigos
". By fall of 1994, Amor Prohibido was a commercial success in Mexico and made four number one Latin hits, replacing Gloria Estefan's Mi Tierra
on the chart's number one spot. It sold over 400,000 copies by late 1994 in the U.S. and another 50,000 copies in Mexico, reaching gold status.
Aside from music, she began designing and manufacturing a clothing line in 1994 and opened two boutiques called Selena Etc., one in Corpus Christi and the other in San Antonio
. Both were equipped with in-house beauty salons. Hispanic Business magazine reported that the singer earned over five million dollars from these boutiques. Selena briefly played opposite Erik Estrada
in a Latin soap opera
titled Dos Mujeres, Un Camino
. In 1995 she entered negotiations to star in a new telenovela
produced by Emilio Larrosa
.
At the peak of her career, Selena visited local schools to talk to students about the importance of education. She also donated her time to civic organizations such as D.A.R.E.. These demonstrations of community involvement won her loyalty from her fan base. Selena scheduled her English album for release in the summer of 1995.
money from the fan club, and they decided to fire her. Three weeks later, Selena agreed to meet Saldívar in a Days Inn
hotel in Corpus Christi
on the morning of March 31, 1995, to retrieve financial records Saldívar had been refusing to turn over. At the hotel, Saldívar once again delayed the handover by claiming she had been raped in Mexico. The singer drove Saldívar to a local hospital, where doctors found no evidence of rape. The two returned to the motel, where Selena again demanded the missing financial papers. Saldívar drew a gun and aimed at Selena. As Selena tried to flee, Saldívar shot her once in her right shoulder, severing an artery. Critically wounded, Selena ran towards the lobby to get help. She collapsed on the floor as the clerk called 911, with Saldívar chasing her, calling her a "bitch". Selena died in a hospital there from loss of blood at 1:05 p.m., two weeks before her 24th birthday. Saldívar was convicted of first degree murder and sentenced to life in prison, with the possibility of parole in thirty years.
Two weeks after her death, on April 12, the Governor of Texas
, George W. Bush
, declared Selena's birthday "Selena Day" in Texas. The same year, Selena was inducted into the "Latin Music Hall of Fame". That summer, Selena's album Dreaming of You, a combination of Spanish-language songs and new English-language tracks, debuted at number one on the U.S. Billboard 200
, making her the first Hispanic singer to accomplish this feat. and the second highest debut after Michael Jackson
's HIStory. On its release date, the album sold over 175,000 copies, a record for a female pop singer, and it sold two million copies in its first year. The album was number 75 in the List of BMG Music Club's top selling albums in the United States.
played Selena in a film about her life
.
Selena Gomez
was named after Selena. In a 2009 interview Gomez said "The thing that sparked me wanting to do music more was the singer that I was named after, 'cause I was named after the Tejano music queen Selena".
Selena was among two other Latin artists who had the best sales of records for the year 2001.
On March 16, 2011, the United States Post Office released a "Latin Legends" memorial stamp to honor Selena, Carlos Gardel
, Tito Puente
, Celia Cruz
, and Carmen Miranda
.
Mexican American
Mexican Americans are Americans of Mexican descent. As of July 2009, Mexican Americans make up 10.3% of the United States' population with over 31,689,000 Americans listed as of Mexican ancestry. Mexican Americans comprise 66% of all Hispanics and Latinos in the United States...
singer-songwriter. She was named the "top Latin artist of the '90s" and "Best selling Latin artist of the decade" by Billboard
Billboard (magazine)
Billboard is a weekly American magazine devoted to the music industry, and is one of the oldest trade magazines in the world. It maintains several internationally recognized music charts that track the most popular songs and albums in various categories on a weekly basis...
for her fourteen top-ten singles in the Top Latin Songs chart
Billboard Top Latin Songs Year-End Chart
The Year-End charts for the Top Latin Songs chart are published in the last issue of Billboard magazine every year. The chart is based on information provided by Nielsen Broadcast Data Systems, which collects radio airplay information...
, including seven number-one hits. The singer had the most successful singles of 1994 and 1995, "Amor Prohibido
Amor Prohibido (song)
"Amor Prohibido" is a song recorded by American Tejano pop singer Selena for her fifth studio album of the same name . The song was written by Selena, A.B. Quintanilla III and Pete Astudillo and was produced by Abraham Quintanilla Jr., Jorge Alberto Pino, Bebu Silvetti and Gregg Vickers...
" and "No Me Queda Más
No Me Queda Mas
"No Me Queda Más" is a song by Mexican-American Tejano pop singer Selena. "No Me Queda Mas" was the third lead single released from her album Amor Prohibido . The song was written and produced by Ricky Vela, A.B. Quintanilla III and Bebu Silvetti...
". She was called "The Queen of Tejano music" and the Mexican equivalent of Madonna
Madonna (entertainer)
Madonna is an American singer-songwriter, actress and entrepreneur. Born in Bay City, Michigan, she moved to New York City in 1977 to pursue a career in modern dance. After performing in the music groups Breakfast Club and Emmy, she released her debut album in 1983...
. Selena released her first album, Selena y Los Dinos, at the age of twelve. She won Female Vocalist of the Year at the 1987 Tejano Music Awards
Tejano Music Awards
The Tejano Music Awards had been launched in 1980 by former art teacher and music veteran Rudy Trevino and the leader of the Latin Breed Band, Gilbert Escobedo. Only 1,500 fans turned out for the first Tejano Music Awards. Over the years, San Antonio evolved into the Nashville of Tejano music...
and landed a recording contract with EMI
EMI
The EMI Group, also known as EMI Music or simply EMI, is a multinational music company headquartered in London, United Kingdom. It is the fourth-largest business group and family of record labels in the recording industry and one of the "big four" record companies. EMI Group also has a major...
a few years later. Her fame grew throughout the early 1990s, especially in Spanish-speaking countries.
Selena was murdered
Murder of Selena
Selena, a Grammy Award-winning American singer-songwriter who gained worldwide fame as the lead vocalist of her family-oriented band Selena y Los Dinos and for her community involvement, was murdered by Yolanda Saldívar. Saldívar, Selena's former fan club president and clothing boutique manager,...
at the age of 23 by Yolanda Saldívar
Yolanda Saldívar
Yolanda Saldívar is a Mexican American woman who was convicted in 1995 of the murder of Tejano music singer Selena at a Days Inn motel in Corpus Christi, Texas on March 31, 1995.- Early life :...
, the president of her fan club. On April 12, 1995, two weeks after her death, George W. Bush
George W. Bush
George Walker Bush is an American politician who served as the 43rd President of the United States, from 2001 to 2009. Before that, he was the 46th Governor of Texas, having served from 1995 to 2000....
, governor of Texas at the time, declared her birthday "Selena Day" in Texas. Warner Bros.
Warner Bros.
Warner Bros. Entertainment, Inc., also known as Warner Bros. Pictures or simply Warner Bros. , is an American producer of film and television entertainment.One of the major film studios, it is a subsidiary of Time Warner, with its headquarters in Burbank,...
produced Selena
Selena (film)
Selena is a 1997 American biographical drama film about the life and career of the late Tejano music star Selena, a recording artist who was well known in the Mexican-American and Hispanic communities in the United States and Mexico before she was shot to death at the age of twenty-three.The movie...
, a film based on her life starring Jennifer Lopez
Jennifer Lopez
Jennifer Lynn Lopez is an American actress, singer, record producer, dancer, television personality, and fashion designer. Lopez began her career as a dancer on the television comedy program In Living Color. Subsequently venturing into acting, she gained recognition in the 1995 action-thriller...
, in 1997. Selena's life was also the basis of the musical Selena Forever
Selena Forever
Selena Forever is an American stage musical, based on the film Selena , that tells the life of the famous Tejano singer Selena. The musical has been staged under two titles. The first - Selena Forever was conceived with book and original lyrics by Edward Gallardo and original music by Fernando...
starring Veronica Vazquez as Selena. In June 2006 Selena was commemorated with a life-sized bronze statue (Mirador de la Flor
Mirador de la Flor
Mirador de la Flor is a monument in Corpus Christi, Texas that was unveiled in 1997 to honor Selena Quintanilla-Pérez, a Tejano singer who was murdered two years earlier at the age of 23. People from around the world visit the site, which is located only a few miles north of Seaside Memorial Park...
in Corpus Christi, Texas
Corpus Christi, Texas
Corpus Christi is a coastal city in the South Texas region of the U.S. state of Texas. The county seat of Nueces County, it also extends into Aransas, Kleberg, and San Patricio counties. The MSA population in 2008 was 416,376. The population was 305,215 at the 2010 census making it the...
) and a Selena museum opened there. She has sold over 21 million albums worldwide.
Early life
Selena was born in Lake JacksonLake Jackson, Texas
Lake Jackson is a city in Brazoria County, Texas within the Houston–Sugar Land–Baytown metropolitan area. As of a 2006 U.S. Census Bureau estimate, the city population was 27,614....
, Texas, as the youngest child of a Mexican father, Abraham Quintanilla Jr. and a half-Cherokee Indian mother, Marcella Ofelia Samora, and was raised as a Jehovah's Witness. She began singing at the age of three; when she was nine her father launched a singing group consisting of several of his children, Selena y Los Dinos
Selena y Los Dinos
Selena y Los Dinos was the band in which Grammy-Award-winning Tejano music singer Selena performed, until her death on March 31, 1995. Selena fronted the band since 1980, started by her father Abraham Quintanilla, Jr....
. They initially performed at the restaurant operated by the family. The family went bankrupt soon thereafter. They relocated to Corpus Christi
Corpus Christi, Texas
Corpus Christi is a coastal city in the South Texas region of the U.S. state of Texas. The county seat of Nueces County, it also extends into Aransas, Kleberg, and San Patricio counties. The MSA population in 2008 was 416,376. The population was 305,215 at the 2010 census making it the...
, Texas, where they performed wherever they could: at street corners, weddings, quinceañera
Quinceañera
Quinceañera , sometimes called "Fiesta de quince años", "Fiesta de Quinceañera", "Quince años" or simply "quince", is the celebration of a girl's fifteenth birthday in parts of Latin America and elsewhere in communities of immigrants from Latin America...
s, and fairs. As Selena grew more popular as a musical performer, the demands of her performance and travel schedule began to interfere with her education. Her father pulled her out of school altogether when she was in eighth grade. Eventually, at seventeen, she earned a high school diploma by correspondence.
The band's efforts at spreading their names and talents paid off in 1985 when the fourteen-year-old Selena recorded her first album for a local record company. The album was not sold in stores and her father bought all of the original copies. It was rereleased in 1995 under the title Mis Primeras Grabaciones. Over the next three years, while not having a recording contract, she released six more albums.
Success
At the 1987 Tejano Music AwardsTejano Music Awards
The Tejano Music Awards had been launched in 1980 by former art teacher and music veteran Rudy Trevino and the leader of the Latin Breed Band, Gilbert Escobedo. Only 1,500 fans turned out for the first Tejano Music Awards. Over the years, San Antonio evolved into the Nashville of Tejano music...
, Selena won Best Female Vocalist, an award she would dominate for the rest of her life. In 1989, José Behar, the former head of Sony
Sony Music Entertainment
Sony Music Entertainment ' is the second-largest global recorded music company of the "big four" record companies and is controlled by Sony Corporation of America, the United States subsidiary of Japan's Sony Corporation....
Music Latin, signed Selena with Capitol
Capitol Records
Capitol Records is a major United States based record label, formerly located in Los Angeles, but operating in New York City as part of Capitol Music Group. Its former headquarters building, the Capitol Tower, is a major landmark near the corner of Hollywood and Vine...
/EMI
EMI
The EMI Group, also known as EMI Music or simply EMI, is a multinational music company headquartered in London, United Kingdom. It is the fourth-largest business group and family of record labels in the recording industry and one of the "big four" record companies. EMI Group also has a major...
. He later said that he signed her because he thought he had discovered the next Gloria Estefan
Gloria Estefan
Gloria María Milagrosa Fajardo García de Estefan; known professionally as Gloria Estefan is a Cuban-born American singer, songwriter, and actress. Known as the "Queen Of Latin Pop", she is in the top 100 best selling music artists with over 100 million albums sold worldwide, 31.5 million of those...
.
In 1988, she met Chris Pérez
Chris Perez
Christopher Gilbert "Chris" Pérez is a American guitarist and the widower of "The Queen of Tejano music" Selena. He is currently a guitarist for A.B. Quintanilla III y Los Kumbia All Starz since he joined in 2006. Prior to that, Pérez was the lead guitarist for his wife's band Selena y Los Dinos...
, who had his own band. Two years later, the Quintanilla family hired him to play in Selena's band and they quickly fell in love. At first her father opposed their relationship and went as far as firing Pérez from the band. He eventually came to accept the relationship. On April 2, 1992, Selena and Pérez were married in Nueces County, Texas.
In 1990 the album, Ven Conmigo
Ven Conmigo
-2002 bonus tracks:#"No Quiero Saber "#"Enamorada de Tí "# Spoken Liner Notes by the Band and Family: Intro# Spoken Liner Notes by the Band and Family: Ya Ves# Spoken Liner Notes by the Band and Family: Anque No Salga el Sol...
was released, written by her brother and main songwriter Abraham Quintanilla III. This recording was the first Tejano album recorded by a female artist to achieve gold status. Around the same time, a registered nurse and fan named Yolanda Saldívar
Yolanda Saldívar
Yolanda Saldívar is a Mexican American woman who was convicted in 1995 of the murder of Tejano music singer Selena at a Days Inn motel in Corpus Christi, Texas on March 31, 1995.- Early life :...
approached Selena's father with the idea of starting a fan club. Her wish was granted and she became the club's president; later she became the manager of Selena's retail enterprises. In 1992, Selena’s stardom got a big boost with the song, "Como La Flor
Como La Flor (song)
"Como La Flor" is a song by Mexican-American singer Selena, from her third studio album, Entre a Mi Mundo . Written and produced by Selena, Abraham Quintanilla III, and Ricky Vela, the song was also produced by Abraham Quintanilla Jr, the track was released as the album's second single. It was...
" off a new album, Entre a Mi Mundo
Entre A Mi Mundo
Entre a mi mundo is the third studio album by American Tejano pop singer Selena. The album was released on May 6, 1992 by EMI Latin, it was re-released as part of the Selena: 20 Years of music collection with bonus tracks and spoken liner notes by Selena's family, friends, and former band. Entre a...
. The next album, Selena Live!
Selena Live!
"Live!" or "Selena Live!" is a live album by American Tejano pop singer Selena, released on May 4, 1993 by EMI Latin. The album was re-released on September 22, 2002 as part of the Selena: 20 Years of Music collection that included spoken liner notes by her family, friends and her former band...
won Best Mexican-American Album
Grammy Award for Best Mexican/Mexican-American Album
The Grammy Award for Best Mexican/Mexican-American Album was an honor presented to recording artists for quality albums in the Mexican music genre at the Grammy Awards, a ceremony that was established in 1958 and originally called the Gramophone Awards...
at the 36th Grammy Awards
Grammy Awards of 1994
The 36th Grammy Awards were held in 1994. They recognized accomplishments by musicians from the previous year. Whitney Houston is the Big Winner winning 3 awards including Record of the Year and Album of the Year.-Award winners:*Record of the Year...
. The album Amor Prohibido
Amor Prohibido
Amor Prohibido is the fifth studio album by American Tejano pop singer Selena. The album was released on March 13, 1994 by EMI Latin. It was re-released on September 24, 2002, as part of the Selena: 20 Years of Music collection, and included music videos and spoken liner notes by her family,...
was released in 1994. It was nominated for a Grammy award for Mexican-American Album of the Year
Grammy Award for Best Mexican/Mexican-American Album
The Grammy Award for Best Mexican/Mexican-American Album was an honor presented to recording artists for quality albums in the Mexican music genre at the Grammy Awards, a ceremony that was established in 1958 and originally called the Gramophone Awards...
. Selena and her band received yet more accolades in 1994. Billboard
Billboard (magazine)
Billboard is a weekly American magazine devoted to the music industry, and is one of the oldest trade magazines in the world. It maintains several internationally recognized music charts that track the most popular songs and albums in various categories on a weekly basis...
s Premio Lo Nuestro awarded them six awards, including Best Latin Artist and Song of the Year for "Como La Flor". Meanwhile, her duet with the Barrio Boyzz, "Donde Quiera Que Estés
Donde Quiera Que Estés
"Donde Quiera Que Estés" is a duet by American Tejano pop singer Selena and Nuyorican band the Barrio Boyzz, released as the lead single from the Barrio Boyzz album Dondequiera Que Estés . It was written by K. C. Porter, Miguel Flores, Desmond Child, and produced by A.B. Quintanilla III, Domingo...
", reached number one in the Billboard Latin Charts
Hot Latin Songs
Hot Latin Songs is a record chart published by Billboard magazine. It is often recognized as the most important music chart for Spanish language Latin music in the American music market. It was established by the magazine on September 6, 1986 with La Guirnalda by Rocío Dúrcal being the first song...
. This prompted Selena to tour in Latin America. She performed a duet with Salvadoran
El Salvador
El Salvador or simply Salvador is the smallest and the most densely populated country in Central America. The country's capital city and largest city is San Salvador; Santa Ana and San Miguel are also important cultural and commercial centers in the country and in all of Central America...
singer Álvaro Torres
Álvaro Torres
Álvaro Torres is a Salvadoran singer and songwriter. His current Record Label is Big Dream Christian Music located in Baton Rouge, Louisiana.-Biography:...
, "Buenos Amigos
Buenos Amigos
"Buenos Amigos" is a single released by Selena in 1991. The song is a duet with Alvaro Torres. The song hit number one on the Billboard Hot Latin Tracks chart, becoming Selena's first number-one single...
". By fall of 1994, Amor Prohibido was a commercial success in Mexico and made four number one Latin hits, replacing Gloria Estefan's Mi Tierra
Mi Tierra
Mi Tierra is the third studio solo album and first Latin solo album released by American singer Gloria Estefan, but is her 15th overall, released in 1993 .- History :...
on the chart's number one spot. It sold over 400,000 copies by late 1994 in the U.S. and another 50,000 copies in Mexico, reaching gold status.
Aside from music, she began designing and manufacturing a clothing line in 1994 and opened two boutiques called Selena Etc., one in Corpus Christi and the other in San Antonio
San Antonio, Texas
San Antonio is the seventh-largest city in the United States of America and the second-largest city within the state of Texas, with a population of 1.33 million. Located in the American Southwest and the south–central part of Texas, the city serves as the seat of Bexar County. In 2011,...
. Both were equipped with in-house beauty salons. Hispanic Business magazine reported that the singer earned over five million dollars from these boutiques. Selena briefly played opposite Erik Estrada
Erik Estrada
Henry Enrique "Erik" Estrada is an American police officer and actor, known for his co-starring lead role in the 1977–1983 United States police television series CHiPs...
in a Latin soap opera
Soap opera
A soap opera, sometimes called "soap" for short, is an ongoing, episodic work of dramatic fiction presented in serial format on radio or as television programming. The name soap opera stems from the original dramatic serials broadcast on radio that had soap manufacturers, such as Procter & Gamble,...
titled Dos Mujeres, Un Camino
Dos mujeres, un camino
Dos mujeres, un camino is a Mexican telenovela, produced by Televisa, which originally aired from August 2, 1993, to July 1, 1994, on Canal de las Estrellas...
. In 1995 she entered negotiations to star in a new telenovela
Telenovela
A telenovela is a limited-run serial dramatic programming popular in Latin American, Portuguese, and Spanish television programming. The word combines tele, short for televisión or televisão , and novela, a Spanish or Portuguese word for "novel"...
produced by Emilio Larrosa
Emilio Larrosa
Emilio Larrosa is a TV producer who has produced telenovelas and soap operas for Televisa.Larrosa produced the telenovella Hasta que el dinero nos separe, broadcast in 2009, and in In 2010, the telenovela Dos Hogares - an original mystery story about the relationship of two people, both broadcast...
.
At the peak of her career, Selena visited local schools to talk to students about the importance of education. She also donated her time to civic organizations such as D.A.R.E.. These demonstrations of community involvement won her loyalty from her fan base. Selena scheduled her English album for release in the summer of 1995.
Death
In early 1995, the Quintanillas discovered that Saldívar was embezzlingEmbezzlement
Embezzlement is the act of dishonestly appropriating or secreting assets by one or more individuals to whom such assets have been entrusted....
money from the fan club, and they decided to fire her. Three weeks later, Selena agreed to meet Saldívar in a Days Inn
Days Inn
Days Inn is a motel chain headquartered in the United States. Founded in 1970, it is now a part of the Wyndham Hotel Group, based in Parsippany, New Jersey, which was formerly a part of Cendant...
hotel in Corpus Christi
Corpus Christi, Texas
Corpus Christi is a coastal city in the South Texas region of the U.S. state of Texas. The county seat of Nueces County, it also extends into Aransas, Kleberg, and San Patricio counties. The MSA population in 2008 was 416,376. The population was 305,215 at the 2010 census making it the...
on the morning of March 31, 1995, to retrieve financial records Saldívar had been refusing to turn over. At the hotel, Saldívar once again delayed the handover by claiming she had been raped in Mexico. The singer drove Saldívar to a local hospital, where doctors found no evidence of rape. The two returned to the motel, where Selena again demanded the missing financial papers. Saldívar drew a gun and aimed at Selena. As Selena tried to flee, Saldívar shot her once in her right shoulder, severing an artery. Critically wounded, Selena ran towards the lobby to get help. She collapsed on the floor as the clerk called 911, with Saldívar chasing her, calling her a "bitch". Selena died in a hospital there from loss of blood at 1:05 p.m., two weeks before her 24th birthday. Saldívar was convicted of first degree murder and sentenced to life in prison, with the possibility of parole in thirty years.
Two weeks after her death, on April 12, the Governor of Texas
Governor of Texas
The governor of Texas is the head of the executive branch of Texas's government and the commander-in-chief of the state's military forces. The governor has the power to either approve or veto bills passed by the Texas Legislature, and to convene the legislature...
, George W. Bush
George W. Bush
George Walker Bush is an American politician who served as the 43rd President of the United States, from 2001 to 2009. Before that, he was the 46th Governor of Texas, having served from 1995 to 2000....
, declared Selena's birthday "Selena Day" in Texas. The same year, Selena was inducted into the "Latin Music Hall of Fame". That summer, Selena's album Dreaming of You, a combination of Spanish-language songs and new English-language tracks, debuted at number one on the U.S. Billboard 200
Billboard 200
The Billboard 200 is a ranking of the 200 highest-selling music albums and EPs in the United States, published weekly by Billboard magazine. It is frequently used to convey the popularity of an artist or groups of artists...
, making her the first Hispanic singer to accomplish this feat. and the second highest debut after Michael Jackson
Michael Jackson
Michael Joseph Jackson was an American recording artist, entertainer, and businessman. Referred to as the King of Pop, or by his initials MJ, Jackson is recognized as the most successful entertainer of all time by Guinness World Records...
's HIStory. On its release date, the album sold over 175,000 copies, a record for a female pop singer, and it sold two million copies in its first year. The album was number 75 in the List of BMG Music Club's top selling albums in the United States.
Posthumous commemorations and popularity
Jennifer LopezJennifer Lopez
Jennifer Lynn Lopez is an American actress, singer, record producer, dancer, television personality, and fashion designer. Lopez began her career as a dancer on the television comedy program In Living Color. Subsequently venturing into acting, she gained recognition in the 1995 action-thriller...
played Selena in a film about her life
Selena (film)
Selena is a 1997 American biographical drama film about the life and career of the late Tejano music star Selena, a recording artist who was well known in the Mexican-American and Hispanic communities in the United States and Mexico before she was shot to death at the age of twenty-three.The movie...
.
Selena Gomez
Selena Gomez
Selena Marie Gomez is an American actress and singer best known for portraying Alex Russo in the Emmy Award-winning Disney Channel television series Wizards of Waverly Place...
was named after Selena. In a 2009 interview Gomez said "The thing that sparked me wanting to do music more was the singer that I was named after, 'cause I was named after the Tejano music queen Selena".
Selena was among two other Latin artists who had the best sales of records for the year 2001.
On March 16, 2011, the United States Post Office released a "Latin Legends" memorial stamp to honor Selena, Carlos Gardel
Carlos Gardel
Carlos Gardel was a singer, songwriter and actor, and is perhaps the most prominent figure in the history of tango. He was born in Toulouse, France, although he never acknowledged his birthplace publicly, and there are still claims of his birth in Uruguay. He lived in Argentina from the age of two...
, Tito Puente
Tito Puente
Tito Puente, , born Ernesto Antonio Puente, was a Latin jazz and Salsa musician. The son of native Puerto Ricans Ernest and Ercilia Puente, of Spanish Harlem in New York City, Puente is often credited as "El Rey de los Timbales" and "The King of Latin Music"...
, Celia Cruz
Celia Cruz
Celia Cruz was a Cuban-American salsa singer, and was one of the most successful Salsa performers of the 20th century, having earned twenty-three gold albums...
, and Carmen Miranda
Carmen Miranda
Carmen Miranda, GCIH was a Portuguese-born Brazilian samba singer, Broadway actress and Hollywood film star popular in the 1940s and 1950s. She was, by some accounts, the highest-earning woman in the United States and noted for her signature fruit hat outfit she wore in the 1943 movie The Gang's...
.
Discography
- Mis Primeras Grabaciones (1984)
- The New Girl in Town (1985)
- AlphaAlpha (Selena album)Alpha is the third album released by Selena Y Los Dinos, the second album from after The New Girl in Town, which was released in 1985. When Selena was beginning to emerge as a star, A.B. III became a songwriter and producer. One of his first songs, "Dame Un Beso" became a moderate success...
(1986) - Muñequito de TrapoMuñequito de TrapoMuñequito de Trapo is the fourth release by Selena y Los Dinos.-Track listing:-Singles released:*A Million to One*Muñequito de Trapo*Enamorada de Tí-Classic Series, Vol. 2:...
(1987) - And the Winner Is...And the Winner Is...And the Winner Is is the fifth album released by Selena Y Los Dinos...
(1987) - PreciosaPreciosa (album)Preciosa is the sixth album released by Selena Y Los Dinos before signing on to EMI Latin. At this point, Selena's albums began selling up to 20,000 copies. During that same year, she was the finalist for "Female Vocalist of the Year" while the song "Terco Corazón" was nominated for "Single of the...
(1988) - Dulce AmorDulce AmorDulce Amor is the seventh and last studio album released by Selena Y Los Dinos before signing on to EMI.-Track listing:-Singles:* Dulce Amor * Qué * Always Mine...
(1988) - SelenaSelena (album)Selena is the eighth studio album by Selena, her debut album under the EMI Latin label.At the time of its release, Selena was already a star on the Tejano market as the recipient of several Tejano Music Awards. This album was presented to a larger audience as the direction that Selena would take as...
(1989) - Ven ConmigoVen Conmigo-2002 bonus tracks:#"No Quiero Saber "#"Enamorada de Tí "# Spoken Liner Notes by the Band and Family: Intro# Spoken Liner Notes by the Band and Family: Ya Ves# Spoken Liner Notes by the Band and Family: Anque No Salga el Sol...
(1990) - Entre a Mi MundoEntre A Mi MundoEntre a mi mundo is the third studio album by American Tejano pop singer Selena. The album was released on May 6, 1992 by EMI Latin, it was re-released as part of the Selena: 20 Years of music collection with bonus tracks and spoken liner notes by Selena's family, friends, and former band. Entre a...
(1992) - Selena Live!Selena Live!"Live!" or "Selena Live!" is a live album by American Tejano pop singer Selena, released on May 4, 1993 by EMI Latin. The album was re-released on September 22, 2002 as part of the Selena: 20 Years of Music collection that included spoken liner notes by her family, friends and her former band...
(1993) - Amor ProhibidoAmor ProhibidoAmor Prohibido is the fifth studio album by American Tejano pop singer Selena. The album was released on March 13, 1994 by EMI Latin. It was re-released on September 24, 2002, as part of the Selena: 20 Years of Music collection, and included music videos and spoken liner notes by her family,...
(1994) - Dreaming of You (1995)
Filmography
| Title | Year | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Don Juan DeMarco Don Juan DeMarco Don Juan DeMarco is a 1995 American romantic comedy-drama film starring Johnny Depp as John Arnold DeMarco, a man who believes himself to be Don Juan, the greatest lover in the world. Clad in a cape and domino mask, DeMarco undergoes psychiatric treatment with Marlon Brando's character, Dr. Jack... |
1995 | Ranchera singer | Minor role |
| Title | Year | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Johnny Canales Show | 1985–1995 | herself | |
| Tejano Music Awards Tejano Music Awards The Tejano Music Awards had been launched in 1980 by former art teacher and music veteran Rudy Trevino and the leader of the Latin Breed Band, Gilbert Escobedo. Only 1,500 fans turned out for the first Tejano Music Awards. Over the years, San Antonio evolved into the Nashville of Tejano music... |
1987–1995 | herself | |
| Dos mujeres, un camino Dos mujeres, un camino Dos mujeres, un camino is a Mexican telenovela, produced by Televisa, which originally aired from August 2, 1993, to July 1, 1994, on Canal de las Estrellas... |
1993 | herself | |
| The Making of Selena the Movie Selena (film) Selena is a 1997 American biographical drama film about the life and career of the late Tejano music star Selena, a recording artist who was well known in the Mexican-American and Hispanic communities in the United States and Mexico before she was shot to death at the age of twenty-three.The movie... |
1997 | ||
| Por Siempre Selena | 1998 | ||
| E True Hollywood Story: The Murder Trial of Selena | 1998 | ||
| VH1 All Access: Selena | 1999 | ||
| Para Siempre Selena | 2000 | ||
| Por Siempre... Selena | 2001–present | ||
| Selena VIVE | 2005 | herself | honoree |
| Biography Biography A biography is a detailed description or account of someone's life. More than a list of basic facts , biography also portrays the subject's experience of those events... |
2008 | TV series (2 episodes) | |
| Top Trece | 2009 | TV series (1 episode) | |
| Historia de una Leyenda | 2009 | TV series (1 episode) | |
| Famous Crime Scene: Selena | 2010 | TV series (1 episode) | featured |
Tours
- Selena Live! TourSelena Live! TourThe Selena Live! Tour was the second concert tour by the late popular Latin-American singer, Selena.-About the tour:The Selena Live! Tour was the second concert tour from Selena and her band "The Dinos". The tour was the more successful than their previous "Entre A Mi Mundo Tour". They performed in...
(1993–94) - Amor Prohibido TourAmor Prohibido TourThe Amor Prohibido Tour was the final concert tour by popular Latin-American singer, Selena, before she was shot and killed on March 31, 1995. After her "Amor Prohibido" tour she would be getting ready for her "Crossover"-tour that would be from late April 1995- until June 1995 in Texas, then...
(1994–95)
See also
- List of honorific titles in popular music