Selena Quintanilla-Pérez, born on April 16, 1971, and tragically passing away on March 31, 1995, was a renowned American Tejano singer. Recognized by the mononym Selena, she earned the title “Queen of Tejano Music,” leaving an indelible mark on both the music and fashion realms. Her legacy endures as one of the most illustrious Mexican-American entertainers of the late 20th century.
Notably, in 2020, Billboard magazine accorded her the esteemed third position on their list of “Greatest Latino Artists of All Time,” a ranking influenced by her achievements in Latin albums and songs on the charts. The media often likened her to the “Tejano Madonna” due to her distinctive fashion choices, cementing her as an iconic figure. Her influence resonates profoundly within the sphere of Latin artists, and her impact is central to the Tejano genre’s ascent into the mainstream market.
Born into the Quintanilla family as the youngest sibling, Selena initially burst onto the music scene as a pivotal member of the band Selena y Los Dinos, which included her elder siblings A.B. Quintanilla and Suzette Quintanilla. During the 1980s, she faced criticism and venue rejections across Texas while performing Tejano music—a traditionally male-dominated genre.
However, her ascendancy took root following her consecutive victories in the Tejano Music Award for Female Vocalist of the Year, a total of nine times, commencing in 1987. Her collaboration with EMI Latin materialized in 1989 with the release of her eponymous debut album, coinciding with her brother’s emergence as her principal music producer and songwriter.
Selena’s musical journey reached a zenith with Entre a Mi Mundo (1992), securing an eight-month reign at the top of the US Billboard Regional Mexican Albums chart. Esteemed by music critics as her “breakthrough” work, the album’s triumph was epitomized by the enduring popularity of its single “Como la Flor.” In a landmark achievement for a female Tejano artist, Live! (1993) clinched the Grammy Award for Best Mexican/American Album in 1994.
The following year saw the release of Amor Prohibido, a record that attained immense commercial success and solidified its place as one of the best-selling Latin albums in the United States. The album was also lauded for initiating Tejano music’s marketable era, catalyzing the genre’s popularity.
Selena’s tragic demise transpired on March 31, 1995, at the hands of Yolanda Saldívar, her former manager and confidante, who shot and fatally wounded her. Saldívar was apprehended by law enforcement after an attempt to flee and a subsequent threat of self-harm. She was subsequently found guilty of murder and received a life sentence, eligible for parole after three decades.
Just weeks later, then-Governor of Texas George W. Bush declared April 16 as Selena Day in the state. Posthumously, her album Dreaming of You (1995) achieved a remarkable feat by debuting atop the Billboard 200, marking Selena as the first Latin artist to achieve this distinction. Her enduring influence manifested in the 1997 Warner Bros. film “Selena,” which starred an up-and-coming Jennifer Lopez in the titular role, launching Lopez’s career into stardom.
In 2020, Netflix introduced “Selena: The Series,” featuring Christian Serratos. Selena’s cumulative record sales have soared to approximately 18 million worldwide, etching her as one of the preeminent female artists in the Latin music domain.