Jenni Rivera facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Jenni Rivera
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Rivera in 2009
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Dolores Janney Rivera Saavedra
July 2, 1969 Long Beach, California, U.S.
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| Died | December 9, 2012 (aged 43) Iturbide, Nuevo León, Mexico
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| Cause of death | Plane crash |
| Resting place | All Souls Cemetery |
| Monuments |
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| Other names | La Diva de la Banda (The Diva of Band) La Primera Dama del Corrido (The First Lady of Corrido) |
| Alma mater | California State University, Long Beach |
| Occupation | Singer |
| Years active | 1992–2012 |
| Spouse(s) |
José Trinidad Marín
(m. 1984; div. 1992)Juan López
(m. 1997; div. 2003)Esteban Loaiza
(m. 2010) |
| Children | 5, including Chiquis Rivera |
| Family |
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| Awards | List of awards and nominations |
| Musical career | |
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Dolores Janney "Jenni" Rivera Saavedra (July 2, 1969 – December 9, 2012) was an American singer. She was famous for her work in Regional Mexican music. This style includes Banda, Mariachi, and Norteño music. Many news outlets, like CNN and Billboard, called her the most important female artist in Regional Mexican music. Billboard magazine even named her the "top Latin artist of 2013" after she passed away.
Jenni Rivera started making music in 1992. Her songs often talked about real-life issues and relationships. She became very popular in the United States and Mexico with her 2005 album, Parrandera, Rebelde y Atrevida. In the 1990s, it was hard for her to perform Banda music because it was mostly sung by men. But her song "Las Malandrinas" became a radio hit. She won the Lo Nuestro Award for Regional Mexican Female Artist of the Year nine times in a row! Her album Jenni (2008) was her first to reach No. 1 on the Billboard Top Latin Albums chart. She also appeared in and produced reality TV shows like I Love Jenni. Her first movie, Filly Brown, came out in 2013.
Throughout her career, Jenni Rivera won many awards. These included two Oye! Awards and twenty-two Billboard Latin Music Awards. She has a star on the Las Vegas Walk of Stars. Jenni Rivera sold over 20 million records worldwide. This makes her one of the best-selling Regional Mexican artists ever. She was also the highest-earning Banda singer of all time.
Besides music, she helped her community a lot. She supported causes like helping families and children in need. The National Coalition Against Domestic Violence made her their spokesperson in the U.S. The Los Angeles City Council even named August 6 "Jenni Rivera Day" to honor her charity work.
Jenni Rivera died in a plane crash near Monterrey, Mexico, on December 9, 2012. Six other people were also on the plane. Investigators could not find out exactly why the accident happened.
Contents
Jenni Rivera's Early Life and Music Journey
Growing Up in Long Beach, California
Jenni Rivera was born on July 2, 1969. She grew up in Long Beach, California. Her parents, Rosa Saavedra and Pedro Rivera, were from Mexico. Jenni and her siblings grew up in a musical home. Her brother, Lupillo, is also a Regional Mexican musician. Jenni spoke both English and Spanish very well. Her family taught her about traditional Mexican music. This included banda, norteña, and ranchera styles.
Jenni was a great student. But at 15, she became pregnant with her first child, Janney "Chiquis" Marín-Rivera. She supported them by selling CDs at flea markets. She also worked hard to get her GED and graduated as the best student in her class. She later studied business administration at Long Beach City College. Before becoming a singer, she worked in real estate. Then, she worked for her father's record label. Her father, Pedro Rivera, started Cintas Acuario in 1987. This label helped launch the career of singer Chalino Sánchez.
Starting Her Music Career in the 1990s
Jenni Rivera started making music in 1992. She first recorded a song as a Father's Day gift for her dad. She made more recordings and signed with Capitol/EMI's Latin music division. Her first album, "Somos Rivera" ("We Are Rivera"), came out in 1992.
When she started, many people told her she wouldn't succeed. Regional Mexican music was, and still is, mostly sung by men. In a 2011 interview, she said, "It was hard knocking on those doors to get my music played." She even said a radio person in Los Angeles threw her CD in the trash right in front of her. These were some of the challenges she faced as a woman in this music style. She then released several albums on her own. One of them was Adios a Selena, a tribute to the singer Selena.
She signed with Fonovisa Records in 1999. That same year, she released her first album with them, Que Me Entierren Con la Banda. This album included the popular song "Las Malandrinas." Jenni said she wrote this song to honor her female fans. She explained, "The song blew up. People became interested. That's when Jenni Rivera the artist was actually born."
In 2001, she released Dejate Amar and Se las Voy a Dar a Otro. These albums earned her first Latin Grammy nomination for Best Banda Album. She was the first American-born artist to be nominated for this award in 2003. Her 2003 album, Homenaje a Las Grandes ("Homage to the Great Ones"), honored famous female Mexican singers. In 2004, she released her first collection of songs, Simplemente... La Mejor. This was her first record to become popular in the United States.
Jenni Rivera's Rise to Fame and Later Career
Becoming a Star with Parrandera, Rebelde y Atrevida
Jenni Rivera became much more successful with her album Parrandera, Rebelde y Atrevida, released in 2005. This album reached No. 10 on the Billboard Top Latin Albums chart. It was certified double-platinum, meaning it sold a lot of copies. The song "De Contrabando" from this album became her only No. 1 hit on the Latin Regional Mexican Airplay chart in the U.S. It is still one of her most famous songs.
In 2007, she released Mi Vida Loca. This album went to No. 1 on the Regional Mexican Albums chart. It also won an award for Regional Mexican Album of the Year. Jenni said this album was her way of telling her story through music. She wanted to share her life in her own words. This album also won her first Lo Nuestro Award for Regional Mexican Female Artist of the Year. She won this award every year for the rest of her life. That same year, she released La Diva en Vivo, a live album. This album earned her another Latin Grammy nomination. She was the only female singer nominated in that category. She sold out her concert at The Gibson Amphitheater, being the first female Banda singer to do so. Her tenth studio album, Jenni (2008), was her first No. 1 album on the Billboard Top Latin Albums chart.
In 2009, Jenni tried something new. She recorded her first full mariachi album called La Gran Señora. This album was nominated for a Latin Grammy. It reached No. 2 on the Billboard Top Latin Albums chart. Jenni said releasing this album was a big risk, but it helped her grow as an artist. She wanted to reach new fans who liked mariachi music. La Gran Señora became the best-selling Regional Mexican album of 2010.
Reality TV, Awards, and Final Albums
In 2010, Jenni went on tour to promote La Gran Señora. After the tour, she released La Gran Señora en Vivo, a live album. She became the first Latin artist to sell out the Nokia Theatre in Los Angeles two nights in a row. Both La Gran Señora and La Gran Señora en Vivo won Latin Grammy nominations. They also sold very well in Mexico and the U.S.
On August 23, 2011, she signed a new contract with Universal Music Latin Entertainment/Fonovisa Records. To celebrate, she performed at the Staples Center in Los Angeles. She was the first female Regional Mexican singer to sell out this venue.
At this concert, she announced her next album, Joyas Prestadas. This album had eleven cover versions of songs. One version was in Latin pop style, and the other was in banda style. These were her first albums to include ballads. She also sold out Mexico's National Auditorium, which is a big achievement for female singers in her genre.
Jenni Rivera was a producer for the Mun2 reality TV show Chiquis & Raq-C, which featured her oldest daughter, Chiquis. She then starred in her own spin-off show, I Love Jenni. In 2012, Jenni was a coach on the Mexican talent show La Voz... México. In October 2012, People en Español magazine named her one of the Top 25 most powerful women.
In December 2012, Jenni Rivera became only the third singer to have three albums in the top three spots on the Billboard Top Latin Albums chart. These were La Misma Gran Señora, Joyas Prestadas: Pop, and Joyas Prestadas: Banda. The other two singers who achieved this were Celia Cruz and Selena Quintanilla.
Jenni Rivera's Legacy and Impact
Posthumous Releases and Honors
By early 2013, Jenni Rivera had sold about 20 million albums around the world. Two days after her death, on December 11, 2012, Fonovisa Records released La Misma Gran Señora. This album quickly reached No. 1 on several charts in the U.S. and Mexico. It won many awards, including the Top Latin Album award at the 2013 Billboard Music Awards.
After her death, Jenni Rivera was listed on Forbes' Top Earning Dead Celebrities of 2013. She earned an estimated 7 million dollars that year. She also received two Oye! Awards and was named the "Top Latin Artist of 2013" by Billboard magazine.
On April 19, 2013, her movie Filly Brown was released. Oscar-nominated actor Edward James Olmos said Jenni's acting was "Oscar-worthy."
On July 2, 2013, Jenni's official autobiography, Unbreakable/Inquebrantable, was released. Jenni had been working on it for years. After she passed away, her family finished it. It quickly became a New York Times bestseller. The book was the top-selling book in the U.S. the week it came out. Jenni's family also released two parts of her last concert in Monterrey. These albums, 1969 - Siempre, En Vivo Desde Monterrey, Parte 1 and 1969 - Siempre, En Vivo Desde Monterrey, Parte 2, were very successful.
In 2014, Billboard magazine ranked Jenni Rivera at No. 1 on their "Top 10 Regional Mexican Musicians 2009-2014" list. She also tied with Selena Quintanilla for the most No. 1 albums by a female artist on the Regional Mexican Albums chart. At the 2015 Billboard Latin Music Awards, she won Top Latin Albums Female Artist of the Year.
In November 2018, Jenni Rivera Enterprises signed a music deal with Sony Music Entertainment.
Jenni Rivera's Unique Music Style
Jenni Rivera's music was mostly Banda. This is a traditional Mexican music style popular in Mexico and parts of the U.S. Banda music uses instruments like tuba, clarinets, and trumpets. But Jenni's music also had a "contemporary, outspoken flair." She sang in both Spanish and English. Her songs often talked about her personal experiences and challenges.
Jenni said that talking openly with her fans about her life was a "primary part" of her career. She explained that in the late 1990s, female singers usually sang romantic songs. She decided to be different. She said, "I'm not typical at all in any way, so I'm going to do what the guys do but in a different voice."
She was called "La Diva de la Banda" (The Diva of Band) and "La Primera Dama del Corrido" (The First Lady of Corrido). These names showed her importance in Banda and Corrido music. While Banda was her main focus, she also released albums in norteño and mariachi styles.
Her Personal Life and Helping Others
Jenni Rivera was married three times and had five children. Her first husband was José Trinidad Marín. They had three children: Janney (Chiquis), Jacqueline, and Michael. Jenni ended this marriage in 1992.
She married Juan López in 1997. They had a daughter, Jenicka, and a son, Juan Angel. They divorced in 2003.
In 2010, Jenni married baseball player Esteban Loaiza. They filed for divorce in 2012, just months before her death, but it was never finalized.
On August 6, 2010, Jenni Rivera became a spokesperson for the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence. The Los Angeles City Council officially named August 6 "Jenni Rivera Day." This was to honor all her charity work and community involvement. She also supported Children's Hospital Los Angeles. She was honored by being added to the hospital's wall of fame for her help. Jenni Rivera was a Roman Catholic. Her brother, Pedro Rivera Jr., is a pastor.
Jenni Rivera's Passing
Jenni Rivera died in a plane accident early on December 9, 2012. The Learjet 25 she was on crashed near Monterrey, Mexico. Six other people were also on the plane. She had just performed at Monterrey Arena the night before. The plane left Monterrey Airport around 3:20 AM. About 15 minutes later, contact with the plane was lost. Later that day, the plane's wreckage was found near Iturbide, Nuevo León. No one on board survived.
Jenni Rivera was buried on December 31, 2012, at All Souls Cemetery in Long Beach, California. Her father said legal issues caused the delay. Her death was big news around the world for weeks.
Mexican authorities and the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board investigated the crash. They closed the investigation in December 2014. They could not find the exact cause of the accident. The plane broke apart after hitting the ground very fast. The flight recorder was destroyed, and the cockpit voice recorder was never found. They said the likely cause was "loss of control of the aircraft for undetermined reasons."
Reactions to Her Death
News of Jenni Rivera's death was on major Spanish-language networks in the U.S., like Telemundo and Univisión. It was also on CNN, MSNBC, ABC, and The New York Times. After she died, CNN en Español reported that Jenni became more known internationally. Her name was trending on Twitter worldwide. People outside Mexico and the U.S. started buying her albums more.
Universal Music Group, the parent company of Fonovisa, released a statement. They said Jenni was "simply incomparable." They added, "Her talent will be missed; but her gift of music will be with us always." U.S. Senator Marco Rubio spoke about Jenni Rivera's life and death. He called her "a real American success story." Celebrities like Mario Lopez and Gloria Estefan sent their condolences to her family.
Jenni Rivera's Cultural Influence
Jenni Rivera's music often talked about women being strong and different. She was one of the few women who openly sang about "non-traditional" ways of behaving. Her music helped Latina women express themselves and find their own way.
For example, her song "La Chacalosa" led to online groups for women who felt they didn't fit traditional roles. This gave women a place to show their strong and independent side.
Jenni Rivera's music also gave strength to young Latinas and Chicanas. They saw their own stories in her songs. Through songs like "La Gran Senora," girls could think about their relationships with their mothers. Her music helped fans express their feelings. It also supported immigrant rights and spoke out against harm to women.
Honors and Ongoing Projects
Books About Jenni Rivera
On July 2, 2013, Jenni Rivera's family released her book, Unbreakable: My Story, My Way. This book became a New York Times bestseller. The Spanish version sold over 9,000 copies in its first week. The English versions sold over 10,000 copies combined.
Awards and Tributes
On the 25th anniversary of Premio Lo Nuestro, Univision honored Jenni Rivera. Different artists sang her songs as a tribute. She won five awards that night, including Artist of the Year. At the 2013 Latin Billboard Music Awards, she won seven awards after her death, including Artist of the Year. Her brother, Juan Rivera, performed one of her songs, "No Llega el Olvido," at the ceremony.
The Grammy Museum Exhibit
On May 12, 2013, The Grammy Museum opened new exhibits about Jenni Rivera. They displayed her stage costumes, personal bible, driver's license, and credit cards. There were also rare photos, handwritten notes, awards, concert posters, and videos. A museum spokesperson said it became one of their most popular exhibits. It was the first time the museum dedicated an entire exhibit to a Latino or Latin American artist. The exhibit closed on May 11, 2014.
Jenni Rivera Memorial Park
On October 8, 2014, Long Beach Councilman Dee Andrews suggested naming a park after Jenni Rivera. He proposed naming a park in central Long Beach the "Jenni Rivera Memorial Park." Councilman Andrews said, "Jenni was an inspiration to us all." He added that honoring her with a park would pay tribute to a great citizen and amazing ambassador of Long Beach.
Jenni's family released a statement saying they were "honored and humbled." They said Jenni always thought of herself as a proud girl from Long Beach. On October 17, 2014, the Long Beach City Council voted to move forward with the park naming.
On July 2, 2016, Long Beach city officials held a grand opening for the park. The park features a 125-foot-long (38 m) mural of Jenni Rivera.
Hollywood Walk of Fame Star
In 2023, Jenni Rivera will receive a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
Jenni Rivera's Love Foundation
Jenni Rivera was known for helping her community. She used her Love Foundation to help women and children who needed support.
In 2012, Children's Hospital Los Angeles honored Jenni. They put her on their "wall of fame" for her ongoing support and donations. After her death, the foundation continues to help women and children through shelters and fundraisers.
Jenni Vive Events
Jenni Vive is an annual fundraiser and tribute concert. It is hosted by the Jenni Rivera Love Foundation. The first Jenni Vive event was on December 9, 2013, at Arena Monterrey. This was the same arena where Jenni had her last concert exactly one year before. Many artists performed, including Jenni's family and friends. The second event was on July 2, 2015, in Long Beach, California. All money raised from Jenni Vive events goes to the Jenni Rivera Love Foundation.
Jenni's Refuge Center
In May 2016, the Jenni Rivera Love Foundation opened Jenni's Refuge. This is a center for women and children in Long Beach, California. It helps women and children who have faced difficult situations. Jenni's Refuge was built with money earned from Jenni Vive 2015.
Tequila La Gran Señora
In 2009, Jenni Rivera started working on her own tequila. She worked with 3 Crowns Distributors to plan and taste the tequila. It was released in September 2013 as Tequila La Gran Señora. In 2014, this tequila won "Best in Class" awards. It also won a Gold award for its Añejo form, beating out other famous brands. Jenni Rivera's Tequila has appeared in music videos by her daughter, Chiquis, and other artists.
In July 2016, at an event celebrating Jenni's birthday, her family showed a new bottle of Tequila La Gran Señora. Jenni herself had approved this new bottle.
Jenni Rivera's Music Albums
Studio Albums
- Si Quieres Verme Llorar (1999)
- Reyna de Reynas (1999)
- Que Me Entierren Con la Banda (2000)
- Déjate Amar (2001)
- Se las Voy a Dar a Otro (2001)
- Homenaje a Las Grandes (2003)
- Parrandera, Rebelde y Atrevida (2005)
- Mi Vida Loca (2007)
- Jenni (2008)
- La Gran Señora (2009)
- Joyas Prestadas: Pop (2011)
- Joyas Prestadas: Banda (2011)
Jenni Rivera's Film and TV Appearances
Movies
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
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| 2013 | Filly Brown | María Tenorio | Her first movie role (released after her death) |
Television Shows (As Herself)
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
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| 2004-2012 | Premios de la Radio | Herself | Honored at the awards show |
| 2007-2011 | Lo Nuestro Awards | Herself | Honored at the awards show |
| 2007 and 2009 | Sábado Gigante | Herself | Guest music performer |
| 2007 and 2011 | El Show de Cristina | Herself | Guest music performer |
| 2008 and 2010 | Latin Grammy Awards | Herself | Guest music performer |
| 2010 | Jenni Rivera Presents: Chiquis & Raq-C | Herself | Mun2 reality TV show about her daughter and friend; Jenni appeared in and produced it |
| 2011 | El Show de Jenni Rivera | Herself | Hosted her own show and interviewed other celebrities; she later canceled it |
| 2011 | Eva Luna (telenovela) | Herself | Singer |
| 2011-2013 | I Love Jenni | Herself | Mun2 reality TV show about her life; also produced by Jenni Rivera |
| 2012 | Chiquis 'N Control | Herself | Mun2 reality TV show about her daughter Chiquis; Jenni was an executive producer |
| 2012 | La Voz... México | Herself (coach and judge) | Season 2 of the singing competition |
| 2012 | Billboard Latin Music Awards | Herself | Guest music performer |
| 2016 | The Riveras | Herself | NBC Universo reality TV show about Rivera's children; includes old footage of Jenni |
Tribute Concerts and Biographical Shows
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
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| 2010 | La Gran Señora en Vivo | Herself | Televised concert filmed at the Nokia Theatre in August 2010; the only film made during her lifetime |
| 2013 | La Diva en Concierto | Herself | Televised concert filmed in November 2011 |
| 2014 | La Vida de una Diva | Herself | Documentary about her life |
| 2017 | Su Nombre Era Dolores |
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TV show about her life, starring Luz Ramos |
| 2017 | Mariposa de Barrio |
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TV show about her life, starring Angelica Celaya |
See also
In Spanish: Jenni Rivera para niños
- Honorific nicknames in popular music
- List of Billboard Social 50 number-one artists
- List of fatalities from aviation accidents
