Selena

Selena (born April 16, 1971, Lake Jackson, Texas, U.S.—killed March 31, 1995, Corpus Christi, Texas) was an American singer who was a vivacious entertainer and whose fluid voice celebrated the sound of Tejano, a fast-paced, accordion-based Latin dance music that combines elements of jazz, country, and German polka. It is sung in Spanish and is rooted in the Hispanic community in South Texas. Fans dubbed Selena the Queen of Tejano and the Latin Madonna, the latter referring to the famed pop star. She was poised to achieve crossover success with the release of her first English-language album before she was murdered in 1995.

Early life and performing with Los Dinos

Selena Quintanilla was born the youngest of three children to Abraham, Jr., and Marcela Quintanilla in Lake Jackson, Texas. She began singing as a child, and, when Quintanilla was nine years old, her father formed a family band called Selena y Los Dinos. Her sister, Suzette, played drums and her brother, Abraham III (“A.B.”), played bass guitar. Her father wrote many of the Spanish-language songs that the group performed in the family’s restaurant. At that time Selena was not fluent in Spanish, so she had to learn the language.

Los Dinos traveled throughout Texas to perform, usually as the opening act for Tejano bands. Because of the band’s popularity, Quintanilla stopped attending school in eighth grade, but she later earned a General Educational Development (GED) credential. The band recorded its first album, Mis Primeras Grabaciones (“My First Recordings”), in 1984, followed by the albums Alpha and Muñequito de Trapo (“Rag Doll”) two years later. In 1986, when Quintanilla was 15 years old, she won female entertainer of the year at the Tejano Music Awards, and her songs with Los Dinos began soaring on Latin music charts.

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Success as a solo artist and murder

In 1989 Quintanilla signed a contract with EMI Latin, with whom she released her debut solo album, Selena, that same year. Several albums followed, including Ven Conmigo (1990; “Come with Me”) and Entre a Mi Mundo (1992; “Enter My World”). Her pop duet single, “Buenos Amigos” (“Good Friends”), with Salvadoran singer Álvaro Torres introduced her to a broader audience. In 1992 Selena married Chris Pérez, the lead guitarist of Los Dinos.

With Selena Live! (1993), Selena won the 1994 Grammy Award for best Mexican-American album, becoming the first female Tejano singer to win a Grammy in that category. Her expanding interests in 1994 included beginning a clothing line and opening two boutiques. That same year she released the album Amor Prohibido (“Forbidden Love”), featuring the popular songs “Amor Prohibido” and “Bidi Bidi Bom Bom.” The album was nominated for a 1995 Grammy Award for best Mexican-American performance.

Selena was working on her first English-language album when she was shot by the founder of her fan club, Yolanda Saldívar, who was suspected of embezzlement. The incident occurred on March 31, 1995, when Selena met Saldívar at a Days Inn motel in Corpus Christi. There Saldívar was supposed to turn over missing financial documents. Instead she shot Selena, who fled to the hotel lobby and collapsed. Before losing consciousness, she named Saldívar as her attacker. Selena died hours later at a local hospital. Her death sparked an outpouring of grief, and thousands of fans attended a public viewing.

In October 1995 Saldívar was found guilty of first-degree murder. She was sentenced to life in prison with the possibility of parole in 30 years. In March 2025 Saldívar made her first attempt at parole but was denied.

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Legacy

The album Dreaming of You (1995) was released a few months after Selena’s death and includes several completed English songs as well as previously recorded and new Tejano songs. The album debuted at number one on the Billboard 200 chart, the first album by a Latina artist to achieve that goal. In addition, Selena’s first feature film, Don Juan DeMarco, was released in theaters in April 1995. She made a cameo appearance in the romantic comedy, which starred Johnny Depp, Marlon Brando, and Faye Dunaway.

In the ensuing years, a number of compilation albums also appeared, including Unos (2002) and Greatest Hits (2003). In addition, Moonchild Mixes was released in 2022. The 13-track album featured previously released songs that were digitally altered to age her voice.

The continued interest in Selena has resulted in a number of books and movies about her life. These include the film Selena (1997), which starred Jennifer Lopez in her breakthrough role. A Netflix show, Selena: The Series, premiered in 2020 and ran for two seasons.