Fifty-three years in the past right this moment, the world was blessed with the beginning of Selena Quintanilla-Pérez, who grew to become an everlasting icon in Latin popular culture and music. Selena blazed a path for the música Mexicana explosion that we’re seeing right this moment and the Latina pop stars who’ve adopted in her footsteps. Her affect is usually minimized in comparability to the circumstances of her tragic loss of life. Nonetheless, her music — and the way she bridged the hole between her Mexican and American identities — proceed to resonate with new generations of Latine followers.
Selena Quintanilla was born on April 16, 1971, and grew up in Corpus Christi, TX. She was an Aries, an indication typically described as “passionate, courageous, and headstrong.” Certainly of conforming with the música Mexicana artists of the time, she paved the best way for herself by proudly embracing her Chicana identification. With influences like Whitney Houston, Janet Jackson, Jody Watley, and Gloria Estefan, Selena pushed Tejano music ahead and made the style recent and palatable for listeners past Texas. Into the late eighties, the singer grew to become the highest Tejano artist in a style that males beforehand dominated. On the Tejano Music Awards, she received finest feminine vocalist and feminine entertainer of the yr for 12 years straight.
After conquering Texas, Selena was prepared to tackle the world, and she or he signed with the label Latin EMI in 1989. From there, she launched essentially the most iconic albums of her profession, together with 1990’s “Ven Conmigo,” 1992’s “Entre a Mi Mundo,” and 1993’s “Selena Stay!,” which earned her a Grammy award on the 1994 ceremony. She additionally grew to become the feminine Tejano artist to win in the Finest Mexican/American Album class.
That yr, she launched the final album of her lifetime, “Amor Prohibido.” The LP yielded 4 No. 1 hits on Billboard’s Sizzling Latin Songs chart. Quickly after, she made historical past as the primary Tejano artist to attain the summit of Billboard’s High Latin Albums chart.
On March 31, 1995, whereas Selena was making ready her first English-language album, she was tragically murdered on the age of 23 by Yolanda Saldívar, an in depth pal of Selena’s who ran her fan membership. Since then, Selena’s household, together with her father and supervisor Abraham Quintanilla, have saved her reminiscence alive by way of a number of posthumous tasks. In July 1995, the album “Dreaming of You” was launched, which included her English classics like the attractive title monitor and the haunting “I May Fall in Love With You.” After her loss of life, Selena continued to make historical past with the primary Latin album to debut at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 chart. In 1997, her household approved the “Selena” biopic, which featured Jennifer Lopez in the star-making function. By means of the endearing film, the world fell in love with Selena and noticed how she was similar to some other Mexican American making an attempt to discover her place between worlds. It is a story that also resonates with Latine people in the US right this moment.
It is necessary to be aware that Selena’s music and picture belong to her household, they usually have a proper to have fun her legacy as they please. Within the following years, Selena’s household hosted memorial live shows like Selena ¡Vive! in 2005 and Fiesta de la Flor in Corpus Christi, the place her followers might unite in her honor. There was the Mirador de la Flor monument of Selena in Corpus Christi and a Netflix collection later adopted. There have been additionally model offers that Selena’s fan base liked. In 2016, MAC labored carefully on a Selena make-up line along with her sister, Suzette Quintanilla. Due to a excessive demand for cosmetics, MAC launched a second capsule assortment in 2020.
Whereas these are nice methods to give again to the followers who’re protecting her reminiscence alive, Selena’s household has additionally been criticized for cash-grab moments that followers perceived as disrespectful to Selena. For instance, in 2022, the household launched the remix album “Moonchild Mixes,” in which Selena’s voice as a baby was manipulated by way of studio know-how to sound older. Amidst the discussions of the ethics of making a challenge in her identify in that means, the L.A. Instances’ Fidel Martinez known as it a “Selena robotic album.”
Thanks to the obstacles Selena broke down for Latinas, Mexican People, and Mexican tradition, her fan base has continued to develop exponentially practically 30 years after her loss of life. As a Mexican American myself, I’ve additionally discovered solace in her music as a homosexual man. Her songs like “Como La Flor” and “Amor Prohibido,” which element forbidden romances, have turn out to be anthems for the LGBTQ+ group. Whereas selling “Moonchild Mixes,” I interviewed Abraham and Suzette Quintanilla. As a lot because it was an honor for me to speak with the household of an icon who has meant a lot to me, I was a bit of dissatisfied once they appeared to brush off my query about Selena’s connection to her queer followers by altering the topic about how she linked with “everybody.” With Selena’s music being carried out by drag queens and lately on “Drag Race México,” her household might attempt to perceive higher everybody who makes up her fan base now.
It is not solely Selena’s household that has been known as out for exploitative tasks. Again in February, Oxygen launched essentially the most disrespectful docuseries since Selena’s loss of life, “Selena and Yolanda: The Secrets and techniques Between Them.” The collection is about Yolanda Saldívar, the girl who managed Selena’s fan membership and who murdered the singer. The present, which was not approved by Selena’s household, tried to excuse the actions of Saldívar, and it was shameful as a result of this girl would now be eligible to apply for parole subsequent yr.
The media wants to transfer on from Selena’s loss of life, which additionally retains the identify of her assassin related. Thanks to the obstacles she broke down for Latinas, Mexican People, and Mexican tradition, her fan base has continued to develop exponentially practically 30 years after her loss of life. As a Mexican American myself, I’ve additionally discovered solace in her music as a homosexual man. Her songs like “Como La Flor” and “Amor Prohibido,” which element forbidden romances, have turn out to be anthems for the LGBTQ+ group. Selena’s music has turn out to be a staple for Latine drag queens to carry out. It made me so glad final yr to see “Como La Flor” carried out on the primary season of “Drag Race México,” which was like a collision of my Latine, Mexican, and queer identities. Like how she lived throughout her lifetime, Selena confirmed me to embrace every part that makes up who I am.
To actually have fun Selena, it is time to give attention to her life and legacy. Karol G lately sported a Selena shirt in the video for her Tejano-inspired music “Mi Ex Tenía Razón.” Shakira later paid tribute to Selena by emulating her iconic washer spins in “(Entre Paréntesis)” with Texas-based band Grupo Frontera.
For Selena’s birthday this yr, let’s create events in her honor and play her music out loud. Selena’s affect won’t ever wilt, thanks to the followers who proceed to discover pleasure and inspiration from her story.
Lucas Villa is a a Mexican American music journalist who covers pop and Latin music. Over 11 years, he has interviewed pop queens and Latin music superstars for locations like PS, Attract, Elle, Rolling Stone, Billboard, MTV Information, Paper, W Journal, Vibe, and LGBTQ Nation.