Selena facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
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The Mirador de la Flor, a statue created in honor of Selena.
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| Background information | |
| Birth name | Selena Quintanilla |
| Also known as | Selena, Selena Perez, The Queen of Tejano music |
| Born | April 16, 1971 Lake Jackson, Texas, United States |
| Died | March 31, 1995 (aged 23) Corpus Christi, Texas, United States |
| Genres | Tejano, Latin pop, contemporary R&B, pop |
| Occupation(s) | Actress, singer-songwriter, fashion designer |
| Years active | 1982—1995 |
| Labels | EMI Latin, Q-Productions, SBK Records |
| Associated acts | Selena y Los Dinos, Barrio Boyzz, Alvaro Torres |
Selena Quintanilla–Pérez (April 16, 1971 – March 31, 1995) was an American singer, actress, and fashion designer. She was known simply as Selena. People called her the "Queen of Tejano music" and the "Mexican Madonna".
Selena was the youngest child of a Mexican-American father. She released her first album at age 12 with her band, Selena y Los Dinos. In 1987, she won the Female Vocalist of the Year award at the Tejano Music Awards. She won this award eight times in a row!
Selena signed with EMI Latin in 1989. She released five albums in Spanish that became very popular. Her song "Como La Flor" became a huge hit in 1992. The next year, her album Selena Live! won a Grammy Award.
In 1994, she released Amor Prohibido. Five songs from this album reached number one. Selena was the first Hispanic singer to achieve this. Amor Prohibido became the fastest-selling Latin album ever. Selena began working on an album with songs in English. This would help her music reach even more people.
Sadly, Selena passed away on March 31, 1995. She was loved by many fans. Two weeks later, the Governor of Texas, George W. Bush, declared April 16 "Selena Day" in Texas. Her English album, Dreaming of You, was released after her death. In 1997, a movie about her life was made. Actress Jennifer Lopez played Selena.
In 2005, a tribute concert called Selena ¡VIVE! was shown on TV. It was watched by over 37 million people in the United States. This made it the most-watched Spanish-language show in American TV history. Today, there is a museum and a statue in Corpus Christi, Texas to remember Selena. She has sold over 60 million albums worldwide.
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Selena's Early Life
Selena Quintanilla was born on April 16, 1971, in Lake Jackson, Texas. Her mother, Marcella Ofelia Samora, was part Mexican American and part Cherokee Native American. Her father, Abraham Quintanilla Jr, was Mexican-American. Selena was raised as a Jehovah's Witness.
Selena's father, Abraham, was a musician. He stopped his music career to support his family. Selena started singing along when Abraham played his guitar.
Abraham formed a band with his children called "Selena y Los Dinos". This means "Selena and the Boys". 'Dinos' is an Italian slang word for boys.
In 1982, Abraham opened a Mexican restaurant. But it closed because of a tough economic time. The family lost their home and moved to Corpus Christi, Texas. Abraham asked people to hire Selena y Los Dinos. They played music wherever they could, like on street corners, at weddings, and at fairs.
In 1984, Selena recorded her first album. It was not sold in stores. The record company did not think a female singer could sell records. So, her father bought all the copies.
Selena faced some challenges at school. Her father took her out of public school because her band's schedule became very busy. She did her homework on her tour bus. When she was 17, she earned her high school diploma. She was also accepted into Louisiana State University.
In 1985, Selena recorded her second album. It was not sold because of copyright issues. Selena became a guest on the Johnny Canales Show. She sang a song from her second album. In 1986, she released Alpha. This album was her first successful release. It helped her get noticed by Rick Trevi, who started the Tejano Music Awards. Selena won the Female Vocalist of the Year award in 1987. She kept winning it for eight years in a row.
Selena's Rise to Fame
In 1989, Selena signed a record deal with EMI Latin. She was the first artist to sign with them. She helped make Tejano music popular with young people. The company believed she could become a big star.
That same year, Coca-Cola asked Selena to be one of their spokespeople in Texas. Selena's team wanted her to record an album in English. But EMI wanted her to gain more fans first. She released her first album that year. The song "Contigo Quiero Estar" became a hit.
In 1989, Chris Pérez, a rock guitarist, joined Selena y Los Dinos. Selena's father did not like Pérez at first. He thought Pérez would be a bad influence. But he agreed to let him join because they needed a guitarist.
In 1990, Selena released Ven Conmigo. This album was the first by a Tejano singer to sell enough copies to be certified gold. Around this time, Selena and Pérez fell in love. Selena's father was upset and fired Pérez from the band. He told Selena not to see him again. But Selena and Pérez secretly got married on April 2, 1992. Later, Abraham accepted their marriage and welcomed Pérez back into the family.
A fan named Yolanda Saldívar asked Selena's father to start a fan club in San Antonio, Texas. Abraham agreed, thinking it would bring in new fans. Saldívar became a close friend to Selena and her family. She was trusted and became the president of the fan club.
In 1992, Selena released Entre a Mi Mundo. The song "Como La Flor" became Selena's most famous song. This album and single helped her tour in Mexico. Selena also sang a duet with Salvadoran singer Alvaro Torres called "Buenos Amigos" in 1991. This song became Selena's first number one hit.
In 1993, Selena released Selena Live!. This album won a Grammy Award for Best Mexican/American Album. Around this time, Selena opened two clothing stores called Selena Etc.. She hired Saldívar to manage them. Selena also acted in a Spanish soap opera called Dos Mujeres, Un Camino in 1993. Her episode had very high TV ratings. In December 1993, Selena signed a deal to start her English album.
Continued Success
In 1994, Selena released Amor Prohibido. This album became the best-selling Latin album of all time. Five songs from the album reached number one on the Latin music charts. Selena was the first Hispanic artist to do this. The album sold millions of copies. She also won awards like Best Latin Artist and Song of the Year.
Selena recorded a duet with the Barrio Boyzz called "Donde Quiera Que Estes". This song also reached number one. This allowed Selena to tour in new places like New York City, Argentina, and Puerto Rico. The album Amor Prohibido and its main song were nominated for a Grammy Award. Selena was then called the "Queen of Tejano music".
In late 1994, EMI wanted Selena to release an English album. Famous songwriters began writing songs for her. Selena wanted to become a big pop icon like other famous singers. She continued her Amor Prohibido Tour while EMI prepared her new album.
In 1995, Selena made a small appearance in the movie Don Juan DeMarco. It starred famous actors like Marlon Brando and Johnny Depp. In February 1995, Selena performed at the Houston Astrodome. She sang for over 60,000 fans. This was a record-breaking audience! She was also planning to open two more clothing stores.
Selena's Community Work
Selena visited schools to talk to students about how important education is. She used her free time to help her community. She also worked with programs like D.A.R.E.. She planned a concert to raise money for people with AIDS. Selena also helped victims in Florida after Hurricane Andrew hit in 1992.
Selena's fans were often from minority groups. She encouraged them to always do their best. She was sometimes called the "Mexican Madonna". But unlike Madonna, Selena valued her family and never used bad language. She was also known for the unique stage costumes she wore during her performances.
Selena's Legacy
In 1997, Warner Bros. released a movie about Selena's life. Jennifer Lopez played Selena, and this role helped Lopez become very famous. Many believed that if Selena were still alive, she would have sold even more records than other big stars. By 1996, Selena had won more awards at the Latin Music Awards than any other artist.
In 2006, a Selena museum was built in Q-Productions. The Mirador de la Flor, a bronze life-sized statue, was created to remember Selena. These memorials are in Corpus Christi, Texas.
The Guinness Book of World Records called Selena the "most dominating artist". Selena was also the first Hispanic singer to have an album sung mostly in Spanish reach number one on the charts. She was also the first female artist to have five albums on the Billboard 200 chart at the same time. Only Elvis Presley, The Beatles, and Garth Brooks had done this before.
People magazine released a special issue about Selena. It sold one million copies in one day! This was the only issue to sell out completely across the United States. The company released more copies, and they all sold out. This led the company to create People En Espanol magazine. A musical called Selena Forever also opened in Los Angeles. The American Bank Center in Corpus Christi renamed its auditorium the "Selena Auditorium".
A tribute concert, Selena ¡VIVE!, was shown on Univision on April 7, 2005. The concert marked 10 years since Selena's passing. Other Latin artists performed Selena's songs. The show was the most-watched Spanish-language show in American television history. It had about 37 million viewers.
Selena's fans continue to remember her. She is seen as one of the most famous Mexican-American artists and the most popular Latin artist in the United States. Documentaries about Selena are shown on Spanish-language TV every year. Billboard magazine named Selena the "Best Selling Latin Artist of the [1990's] Decade". As of 2012, Selena has sold over 60 million albums worldwide.
Images for kids
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Chris Pérez (pictured in 2012) and Selena began a relationship, despite her father's disapproval
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Logo used by Selena for her boutiques
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Mirador de la flor
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Selena's grave site in Corpus Christi, Texas.
See also
In Spanish: Selena para niños
