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| {{For|the movie based on the life of the singer|Selena (film)}} | |||
| {{Infobox musical artist | |||
| |Name = Selena Quintanilla-Perez | |||
| |Img = Selena.jpg | |||
| |Img_capt = | |||
| |Img_size = 200px | |||
| |Background = solo_singer | |||
| |Birth_name = Selena Quintanilla<ref>Selena Quintanilla Zamora in ].</ref> | |||
| |Born = {{birth date|1971|4|16|mf=y}} | |||
| |Died = {{death date and age|1995|3|31|1971|4|16}}<br />], Texas, U.S. | |||
| |Origin = ], ], ] | |||
| |Genre = ], ], ] | |||
| |Years_active = 1984–1995 | |||
| |Label = ], ] | |||
| |Associated_acts = ], ], ] | |||
| |URL = | |||
| }} | |||
| '''Selena Quintanilla-Pérez''' (] ] – ] ]), best known as '''Selena''', was a ] ] who has been called "the queen of ]".<ref name="queen">Mitchell, Rick. . ''Houston Chronicle'', ] ]. Retrieved on ] ].</ref> The youngest child of a Mexican-American couple, Selena released her first album at the age of twelve. She won Female Vocalist of the Year at the 1987 ] and landed a recording contract with ] a few years later. Her fame grew throughout the early 1990s, especially in ]-speaking countries. Her album '']'' won ] at the ] and her 1994 album '']'', which was nominated for another Grammy, produced four number one Spanish hits. | |||
| Selena attained further notability in ] after she was murdered at the age of 23 by ], the president of her fan club. On ] ], two weeks after her death, ], then the ], declared her birthday "Selena Day" in Texas.<ref name="rolemodel">Orozco, Cynthia E. . The Handbook of Texas online. Retrieved on ] ]</ref> ] made a ] starring ] in 1997. As of June 2006, Selena was commemorated with a ] and a ] life-sized statue (] in ], ]), which are visited by hundreds of fans each week. | |||
| ==Early career== | |||
| Selena was born in ], ] to a Mexican-American<ref name="BaylorHSA">, ] press release, ] ]. Retrieved ] ].</ref> father, Abraham Quintanilla and a Mexican/Native American mother, Marcella Ophelia Zamora,<ref name="ancestrybirthrecord">]. Provo, UT, USA: MyFamily.com, Inc., 2005. Original data: Texas. Texas Birth Index, 1903–1997. Texas: Texas Department of State Health Services. Retrieved ] ].</ref> and was raised as a ]. She began singing at the age of six; when she was nine her father founded the singing group '']'', which she fronted. They initially performed at the Quintanilla family's restaurant, "Papa Gayos," but the restaurant failed shortly afterwards.<ref name="rolemodel" /> | |||
| The family soon went bankrupt and was evicted from their home. Taking their musical equipment in an old bus, they relocated to ]. There, they performed wherever they could: at street corners, weddings, '']s'', and fairs.<ref name="Gale">. ''Thompson Gale'' (Gale.com). Retrieved on ] ].</ref> These efforts at spreading their names paid off in 1983 when the twelve-year-old Selena recorded her first album for a local record company. The album was not sold in stores and her father bought all of the original copies. It was re-released in 1995 under the title '']''. | |||
| Selena did well in school, but as she grew more popular, the travel demands of her performance schedule began to interfere with her education. Her father pulled her out of school altogether when she was in eighth grade.<ref name="queen" /> She continued her education on the road; at age seventeen she earned a high school diploma from ] in ]. Selena released her second album, '']'', in 1986. | |||
| ==Successes== | |||
| {{seealso|List of Selena awards}} | |||
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| {{multi-listen item|filename=Selena-ComoLaFlor.ogg|title="Como La Flor" (1993)|description=The song ] is one of Selena's most best known Spanish songs. 30 second sample.|format=]}} | |||
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| At the 1987 ], Selena won Best Female Vocalist (and dominated the award for the next seven years).<ref name="TejanoAward">. CBSNews.com, ] ]. Retrieved on ] ].</ref><ref name="queen" /> In 1988, she released two albums, ''Preciosa'' and ''Dulce Amor''. In 1989, ], the former head of the Sony Latin Music division, signed Selena with Capitol/EMI, a record company he founded. He later said that he signed Selena because he thought he had discovered the next ].<ref name="queen" /> Selena signed a contract with ] to become one of their spokespersons the same year<ref name="rolemodel" /> and her concerts drew thousands of people. | |||
| In 1988, Selena met ], who had his own band. Two years later, the Quintanilla family hired him to play in Selena's band and they quickly fell in love. At first her father did not approve of their relationship and went as far as firing Perez from the band. He eventually came to accept the relationship, telling Selena that Perez could come back only if they married and moved next door to the family home.<ref name="Married">Patoski, Joe Nick. . ''Houston Chronicle'', ] ]. Retrieved on ] ].</ref> Selena accepted and on ] ], Selena and Perez married in ] and Selena added her new husband's surname to her own. | |||
| In 1990, Selena released another album, '']'', written by her main songwriter and brother ]. This recording was the first Tejano album recorded by a female artist to achieve gold status. Around the same time, a registered nurse and fan named ] approached Selena's father with the idea of starting a fan club. Her wish was granted and she became the club's president; later she became the manager of Selena's clothing boutiques.<ref name="Gale" /> Selena released another hit album in 1992, '']'', which also achieved gold status.<ref name="Gold"> . Who2.com. Retrieved on ] ].</ref> Songs from that album, such as "]," helped make Selena a star. Her 1993 '']'' album won a Grammy award for Best Mexican-American Performance. | |||
| Selena released her next album, '']'', in 1994. The album was nominated for another Grammy award for ]. She began designing and manufacturing a clothing line in 1994 and opened two boutiques called Selena Etc., one in Corpus Christi and the other in ]. Both were equipped with in-house beauty salons. '']'' magazine reported that the singer earned over five million dollars from these boutiques.<ref name="Fivemillion">. ''Corpus Christi Caller Times'', ] ]. Retrieved on ] ].</ref> Selena also made appearances alongside ] in a Latin ] titled '']''.<ref name="Gale" /> | |||
| Selena and her band continued to receive accolades; '']'''s ] awarded them six prestigious awards including Best Latin Artist and Song of the Year for "Como La Flor." Coca-Cola released a commemorative bottle in her honor to celebrate their five-year relationship. Meanwhile, her duet with the ], "Dondequiera Que Estes," raced to the top of the Latin charts. This prompted Selena to tour in ], ], ] and ] where she was in growing demand. The duet with ] singer ], "Buenos Amigos," was also a hit. | |||
| ] | |||
| By fall of 1994, ''Amor Prohibido'' was a commercial success in Mexico and made four number one Latin hits, replacing Gloria Estefan's '']'' on the chart's number one spot. It sold over 400,000 copies by March 1995, reaching gold status.<ref name="Gale" /> At this point, Selena developed plans to record an ]-language album, but continued to tour for ''Amor Prohibido'' while beginning preparations for the album. | |||
| In 1995, Selena made a ] in the romantic comedy '']'', which starred ], ] and ]; she appeared as a background ] singer during the first scene. In February 1995, Selena played a concert at the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo in the ], which attracted over 61,000 fans—more than country stars such as ], ] and ].<ref name="rolemodel" /> Despite her busy schedule, Selena visited local schools to talk to students about the importance of education. She also donated her time to civic organizations such as ] and planned a fundraising concert to help ] patients. These demonstrations of community involvement won her loyalty from her fan base.<ref name="vh1"> . VH1.com. Retrieved on ] ].</ref> Selena scheduled her English album for release in the summer of 1995. Afraid that her fans would think she was turning her back on them, she was working on a new Tejano album as well. Meanwhile, she planned to open two more boutiques including one in ], Mexico. | |||
| ==Death== | |||
| In early 1995, the Quintanillas discovered that ], the president of Selena's fan club and the manager of her boutiques, was stealing money from the boutiques and decided to fire her. Soon after the fallout, Selena agreed to meet Saldívar in a ] hotel in Corpus Christi<ref name="DaysInn"> ''Houston Chronicle'', ] ]. Retrieved on ] ].</ref> on the morning of ] ] to retrieve paperwork for tax purposes. | |||
| At the hotel, Selena demanded the missing financial papers. Saldívar delayed the handover by claiming she had been raped in Mexico.<ref name="queen" /> The singer drove Saldívar to a local hospital where doctors found no evidence of rape.<ref name="Rape"> ] ] testimony of Carla Anthony in the Selena trial"]. ''Houston Chronicle'', ] ]. Retrieved on ] ].</ref> Saldívar returned to the motel where Selena again demanded the missing financial papers. | |||
| An argument ensued and Saldívar drew a gun from her purse, pointing it first at her own head and then at Selena. As the singer turned and left the room, Saldívar shot her once in the back. Selena fled to the manager's office in the lobby for help, with Saldívar chasing her, calling her a "bitch."<ref name="Bitch">. ''Houston Chronicle'', ] ]. Retrieved on ] ].</ref> Before collapsing to the floor, Selena named Saldívar as her assailant and gave the room number where she had been shot.<ref name="Assailant">. ''Houston Chronicle'', ] ]. Retrieved on ] ].</ref> After an ambulance and the police arrived on the scene, Selena was transported to a local hospital. She died there from loss of blood at 1:05 p.m., at the age of 23.<ref name="Death">Villafranca, Armando and Reinert, Patty. . ''Houston Chronicle'', ] ]. Retrieved on ] ].</ref> | |||
| ==Aftermath== | |||
| {{sound sample box align right| }} | |||
| {{multi-listen start|Audio sample of:}} | |||
| {{multi-listen item|filename=Selena-DreamingOfYou-wiki.ogg|title="Dreaming of You" (1995)|description=One of Selena's English songs, "] peaked at #21 in the Billboard charts. 34 second sample.|format=]}} | |||
| {{multi-listen end}} | |||
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| Selena's death devastated and saddened ]s and non-Latinos alike across the United States and abroad. Major networks interrupted their regular programming to break the news; ] referred to Selena as "The Mexican ]."<ref name= "Maddona">. by ''Gregory Rodriguez'' ''Pacific News'', ] ]. Retrieved on ] ].</ref> Numerous vigils and memorials were held in her honor, and radio stations in Texas played her music non-stop.<ref name="queen" /> Her funeral drew approximately 60,000 mourners, many of whom traveled from outside the United States.<ref name="queen" /> Among the celebrities who were reported to have immediately phoned the Quintanilla family to express their condolences were ], ] and ].<ref name="Gale" /> '']'' magazine published a commemorative issue in honor of Selena's memory and musical career, titled ''Selena 1971–1995, Her Life in Pictures''.<ref name="queen" /> A few days afterwards, ] mocked Selena's murder and burial, poked fun at her mourners, and criticized her music. Stern said, "This music does absolutely nothing for me. ] have more soul... Spanish people have the worst taste in music. They have no depth." Stern's comments outraged and infuriated the Hispanic community across Texas.<ref name="Stern">Asin, Stephanie and Dyer, R.A. ''Houston Chronicle'', ] ]. Retrieved on ] ].</ref> Two weeks after her death, on ], ], then ], declared Selena's birthday ] as "Selena Day" in Texas. | |||
| That summer, Selena's album ''Dreaming of You'', a combination of Spanish-language songs and new English-language tracks, debuted at number one on the U.S. ], making her the first Hispanic singer to accomplish this feat<ref name="firstHispanicsinger">Hodges, Ann. . ''Houston Chronicle'', ] ]. Retrieved on ] ].</ref> and the second highest debut after ]'s '']''.<ref name="Gale" /> On its release date, the album sold over 175,000 copies, a record for a female pop singer, and it sold two million copies in its first year.<ref name="Copies">. ''Houston Chronicle'', ] ]. Retrieved on ] ].</ref> Songs such as "]" and "Dreaming of You" were played widely by mainstream English-language radio, with the latter reaching #21 on the ]. Meanwhile, "I Could Fall in Love," while ineligible for the Hot 100 at the time, reached #12 on the ] chart and the top 10 on the ]. ] has played homage to Selena on his past tours with Tosca Strings by performing their duo God's Child. "Dreaming of You" has sold approximately five million copies in the U.S. | |||
| In October 1995, a ] jury convicted Saldívar of ] and sentenced her to life in prison, with the possibility of parole in thirty years.<ref name="convicted">Graczyk, Michael. . ''Associated Press'', ] ]. Retrieved on ] ].</ref> The gun used to kill Selena was later destroyed and the pieces thrown into ].<ref name="Gun"> ''The New York Times'', ] ]. Retrieved on ] ].</ref><ref name="Gun2"> ''The Daily Texan'', ] ]. Retrieved on ] ].</ref> | |||
| ==Legacy== | |||
| ] | |||
| In 1997, ] played Selena in ]. Directed by ], the ] opened with mostly positive reviews.<ref name="review">. ''Rotten Tomatoes'', Retrieved on ] ].</ref> Over 12,000 people auditioned for a role in the film.<ref name="tried">. ''Houston Chronicle'', ] ]. Retrieved on ] ].</ref> The film stirred some controversy in the Mexican-American community, since Lopez is Puerto Rican and played the role of a singer of Mexican descent. But Selena's fans supported the movie, and Lopez's acting in the film helped elevate her career.<ref name="elevate">. Thompson Gale (Gale.com). Retrieved on ] ].</ref> Although Lopez succeeded as a pop star a few years later, Selena's voice was dubbed in for all the songs in the movie.<ref name="voice">. ''Roger Ebert'', Retrieved on ] ].</ref> For her role, Lopez was nominated for a ] award for Best Actress in a Musical.<ref name="movieaward">. IMDb.com. Retrieved on ] ].</ref> | |||
| ] in Houston hosted a tribute concert, '']'', on ] ]. Held a week after the 10th anniversary of her death, over 65,000 fans attended the concert, which featured high-profile artists including ], ], ], ], ], ], ], and ]. The artists performed renditions of Selena's music, as did her brother, ], who performed with his band ] backed with footage of Selena singing "Baila Esta Cumbia." Broadcast live on the ] network, ''Selena ¡VIVE!'' is the highest-rated and most-viewed Spanish-language show in ] history. The show, which lasted over three hours, scored a 35.9 ].<ref name="highest-rated">. Univision, ] ]. Retrieved on ] ].</ref> | |||
| ==Selected discography== | |||
| {{main|Selena discography}} | |||
| ===Early releases=== | |||
| {| class="wikitable" | |||
| |- bgcolor="#CCCCCC" | |||
| !align="center"|Year | |||
| !align="center"|Album | |||
| |- | |||
| |align="left" valign="top"|1984 | |||
| |align="left" valign="top"|'']'' | |||
| |- | |||
| |align="left" valign="top"|1985 | |||
| |align="left" valign="top"|''The New Girl in Town'' | |||
| |- | |||
| |align="left" valign="top"|1986 | |||
| |align="left" valign="top"|'']'' | |||
| |- | |||
| |align="left" valign="top"|1987 | |||
| |align="left" valign="top"|'']'' | |||
| |- | |||
| |align="left" valign="top"|1988 | |||
| |align="left" valign="top"|'']'' | |||
| |- | |||
| |align="left" valign="top"|1988 | |||
| |align="left" valign="top"|'']'' | |||
| |} | |||
| ===EMI Music releases=== | |||
| {| class="wikitable" | |||
| |- | |||
| !align="center"|Year | |||
| !align="center"|Re-released | |||
| !align="center"|Album | |||
| |- | |||
| |align="left" valign="top"|1989 | |||
| |align="center" valign="top"|2002 | |||
| |align="left" valign="top"|'']'' | |||
| |- | |||
| |align="left" valign="top"|1990 | |||
| |align="center" valign="top"|2002 | |||
| |align="left" valign="top"|'']'' | |||
| |- | |||
| |align="left" valign="top"|1990 | |||
| |align="center" valign="top"|2002 | |||
| |align="left" valign="top"|'']'' | |||
| |- | |||
| |align="left" valign="top"|1992 | |||
| |align="center" valign="top"|2002 | |||
| |align="left" valign="top"|'']'' | |||
| |- | |||
| |align="left" valign="top"|1993 | |||
| |align="center" valign="top"|2002 | |||
| |align="left" valign="top"|'']'' | |||
| |- | |||
| |align="left" valign="top"|1994 | |||
| |align="center" valign="top"|2002 | |||
| |align="left" valign="top"|'']'' | |||
| |} | |||
| ===Posthumous releases=== | |||
| {| class="wikitable" | |||
| |- | |||
| !align="center"|Year | |||
| !align="center"|Album | |||
| |- | |||
| |align="left" valign="top"|1995 | |||
| |align="left" valign="top"|'']'' | |||
| |- | |||
| |align="left" valign="top"|1996 | |||
| |align="left" valign="top"|'']'' | |||
| |- | |||
| |align="left" valign="top"|1999 | |||
| |align="left" valign="top"|'']'' | |||
| |- | |||
| |align="left" valign="top"|2002 | |||
| |align="left" valign="top"|'']'' (CD/DVD) | |||
| |- | |||
| |align="left" valign="top"|2003 | |||
| |align="left" valign="top"|'']'' (CD/DVD) | |||
| |- | |||
| |align="left" valign="top"|2004 | |||
| |align="left" valign="top"|'']'' | |||
| |- | |||
| |align="left" valign="top"|2005 | |||
| |align="left" valign="top"|'']'' | |||
| |} | |||
| ==References== | |||
| {{reflist|2}} | |||
| ==External links== | |||
| {{Featured article}} | |||
| * - Official web site | |||
| * - Selena Articles | |||
| {{Selena}} | |||
| {{Chicano/Mexican-American}} | |||
| <!-- Metadata: see ] --> | |||
| {{Persondata | |||
| |NAME = Quintanilla-Pérez, Selena | |||
| |ALTERNATIVE NAMES = | |||
| |SHORT DESCRIPTION = Singer | |||
| |DATE OF BIRTH = ] ] | |||
| |PLACE OF BIRTH = ], ] | |||
| |DATE OF DEATH = ] ] | |||
| |PLACE OF DEATH = ], ] | |||
| }} | |||
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