On March 31st, it will have been 28 years since the young singer Selena Quintanilla passed away. She was 23 when she was shot by Yolanda Saldívar at the Days Inn in Corpus Christi, Texas.
Credit: Flickr
Early Life
Selena was born on April 16th, 1971 in Lake Jackson Texas to Abraham and Marcella Quintanilla.
Selena’s career started when she was 9. She had a band with her siblings, A.B and Suzette Quinatilla, which her father called Los Dinos. They played at their family restaurant, (Pappagallo) weddings, and local events. Their father taught them how to play instruments and sing in Spanish.
Credit: Flickr
Selena y Los Dinos dropped their first album in 1984 when Selena was only 12 years old. But when Selena signed under EMI Latin, the record claimed that people would only want to see Selena, not the Los Dinos so she started releasing her own singles under the same Selena. She has released 11 albums, 6 with the Los Dinos, in her duration as an artist with 7 #1 hit songs.
Success
Throughout Selena’s career, she was nominated for 90 awards and had 68 wins. She has been called “Queen of Tejano Music” not only by major new outlets but the community she impacted most.
Selena won her first grammy in 1994 for Best Mexican-American Album for Live. Which made her the first female Tejano artist to win in this category. Additionally, she won another grammy in 2021 as a Lifetime Achievement Award.
Selena performed at the Astrodome in Texas on February 26, 1995 to a sold-out crowd. It was sadly her last performance.
Side Quests
Selena was also known for her iconic looks. She took a passion and joy in designing clothes. The “Mexican Madonna” is what it was called because it was a fusion of American and Mexican style. Truly iconic and successful that Selena opened two boutiques in Texas which earned her millions.
She got married to a man named Chris Pérez on April 2nd, 1992 who later joined her band. They had no kids together. In the beginning, Abraham didn’t approve of their relationship for fear that he would ruin Selena’s image but long story short the two didn’t care.
Tragedy
On February 26th, 1995 Selena performed at the Astrodome in Texas. Which was huge in her career because the show was sold out and televised. It is her most iconic performance but sadly the last. A month later, she passed away.
Sadly, Selena was shot by the president of the Selena fan club, Yolonda Saldívar, a friend. Saldívar was also the maintainer of one of Selena’s boutiques but she was secretly embezzling funds. Saldívar asked Selena to meet her at a hotel where Selena confronted Saldívar about the stolen money. When confronted, Saldívar shot Selena causing one of her arteries to be severed. She died from the amount of blood she lost.
Saldívar was charged with first degree murder and is currently serving 30 sentenced years in prison; she will get parole in 2025.
Fans all over the world were absolutely devastated by the news. Texas Governor Goerge W. Bush declared April 16th to be Selena Day. Her husband got into substance abuse after the murder. However, now Selena does have a museum in her hometown where it showcases her iconic outfits and breathtaking life story.
Closure
There is no doubt that Selena left a big impact and such a legacy. Fans have never stopped loving her music. She was stunning and iconic and it truly is a shame that her career didn’t get to see all the parts it deserved but she has to be one of the most beloved tejano artists. Descansa en paz alma hermosa.
Credit: Flickr
