biography of selena quintanilla in english

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Quintanilla Perez, Selena [Selena] (1971–1995)

By: Cynthia E. Orozco

Published: January 1, 1996

Updated: December 14, 2020

Singer Selena Quintanilla Perez, known simply as Selena, the daughter of Abraham and Marcella (Perez) Quintanilla, Jr., was born on April 16, 1971, in Lake Jackson, Texas. She married Christopher Perez, guitarist and member of the band Selena y Los Dinos (slang for "the Boys") on April 2, 1992. They had no children. Selena attended Oran M. Roberts Elementary School in Lake Jackson and West Oso Junior High in Corpus Christi, where she completed the eighth grade. In 1989 she finished high school through the American School, a correspondence school for artists, and enrolled at Pacific Western University in business administration correspondence courses.

Her career began when she was eight. From 1957 to 1971 her father played with Los Dinos, a Tejano band. He taught his children to sing and play in the family band and taught Selena to sing in Spanish. They performed at the family restaurant, Pappagallo, and at weddings in Lake Jackson. After 1981 the band became a professional act. In 1982 the group moved to Corpus Christi and played in rural dance halls and urban nightclubs, where Tejano music flourishes. In her late teens Selena adopted fashions sported by Madonna.

Preceded by Lydia Mendoza and Chelo Silva , Mexican-American star vocalists of the 1930s, and by pioneer orchestra singer Laura Canales in the 1970s, Selena became a star in Tejano music. She won the Tejano Music Award for Female Entertainer of the Year in 1987, and eight other Tejano awards followed. By the late 1980s Selena was known as "la Reina de la Onda Tejana" ("the Queen of Tejano music") and "una mujer del pueblo." Her popularity soared with annual awards from the Tejano Music Awards and a contract with EMI Latin Records in 1989. At the 1995 Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo, the band attracted 61,041 people, more than Clint Black, George Strait, Vince Gill, or Reba McEntire.

Selena y Los Dinos recorded with Tejano labels GP, Cara, Manny, and Freddie before 1989. Their albums include Alpha (1986), Dulce Amor (1988), Preciosa (1988), Selena y Los Dinos (1990), Ven Conmigo (1991), Entre a Mi Mundo (1992), Selena Live (1993), Amor Prohibido (1994), and Dreaming of You (1995). The band's popularity surged with Ven Conmigo . Entre a Mi Mundo made Selena the first Tejana to sell more than 300,000 albums. In 1993 she signed with SBK Records to produce an all-English album, but it was eventually replaced with the bilingual Dreaming of You .

Despite her success in the Spanish-language market, mainstream society largely ignored Selena until around 1993. In 1994 Texas Monthly named her one of twenty influential Texans and the Los Angeles Times interviewed her. That same year, Selena Live won a Grammy for Best Mexican-American Album. Also in 1993 and 1995, Lo Nuestro Billboard gave the band awards in four categories. Selena y Los Dinos was a cross-over act in Tejano, romance, cumbia, tropical, pop, rap, and salsa in Spanish and English; Selena was not only bilingual but biethnic. Before her death, the band sold more than 1.5 million records.

By the mid-1980s Selena had crossed into the national Latino and Latin-American market. A recording with the Puerto Rican band Barrio Boyzz furthered inroads into this area. Selena y Los Dinos began to acquire a following in Mexico (Matamoros) as early as 1986. Along with Emilio Navaira, Selena y Los Dinos attracted 98,000 fans in Monterrey, and thus popularized Tejano music in Mexico. In 1994 the band played in New York to a Mexican and Central American audience. The band was the first Tejano group to make Billboard's Latin Top 200 list of all-time best-selling records.

Selena was also known to Latin-American television audiences. At the age of twelve or thirteen she was introduced on the Johnny Canales Show . She appeared on Sábado Gigante , Siempre en Domingo , El Show de Cristina , and the soap opera Dos Mujeres, Un Camino . She also made a cameo appearance in the 1995 film Don Juan DeMarco . Advertisements also made Selena popular. Coca-Cola featured her in a poster, and she had a promotional tour agreement with the company. She had a six-figure contract with Dep Corporation and a contract with AT&T and Southwestern Bell. A six-figure deal with EMI Latin made her a millionaire. In 1992 she began her own clothing line. In 1994 she opened Selena Etc., a boutique–salon in Corpus Christi and San Antonio. At the time of her death she had plans to open others in Monterrey and Puerto Rico. A 1994 Hispanic magazine stated her worth at $5 million. Despite her wealth, however, she lived in the working-class district of Molina in Corpus Christi.

Selena considered herself a public servant. She participated with the Texas Prevention Partnership, sponsored by the Texas Commission on Alcohol and Drug Abuse (Dep Corporation) Tour to Schools, in an educational video. She was also involved with the D.A.R.E. program and worked with the Coastal Bend Aids Foundation. Her pro-education videos included My Music and Selena Agrees . She was scheduled for a Dallas–Fort Worth boys' and girls' club benefit. Selena taped a public-service announcement for the Houston Area Women's Center, a shelter for battered women, in 1993.

On March 31, 1995, Selena was shot fatally in the back by Yolanda Saldivar, her first fan club founder and manager of Selena Etc., in Corpus Christi. The New York Times covered her death with a front-page story, as did Texas major dailies. Six hundred persons attended her private Jehovah's Witness funeral. More than 30,000 viewed her casket at the Bayfront Plaza Convention Center in Corpus Christi. Hundreds of memorials and Masses were offered for her across the country; on April 16, for instance, a Mass was celebrated on her behalf at Our Lady Queen of Angels Church in Los Angeles. Her promotion agency, Rogers and Cowan, received more than 500 requests for information about her. Entertainment Tonight and Dateline NBC ran short stories on her, and People magazine sold a commemorative issue. Spanish-language television and radio sponsored numerous tributes, typically half-hour or hour programs.

Selena's fans compared the catastrophe to the deaths of John Lennon, Elvis Presley, John F. Kennedy, and Pedro Infante. Songs, quilts, paintings, T-shirts, buttons, banners, posters, and shrines honored her. Radio talker Howard Stern of New York, however, snickered at her music and enraged her fans. Bo Corona, a disc jockey at a Houston Tejano radio station, asked him to apologize, and the League of United Latin American Citizens organized a boycott of his sponsors. Selena's death became part of the controversy over the Texas concealed-handgun bill. Her death also fostered greater awareness of Tejano music. According to superstar Little Joe, as a result of Selena's death "the word Tejano has been recognized by millions." Governor George W. Bush proclaimed April 16, 1995, "Selena Day." Selena's family founded the Selena Foundation. Her bilingual album, Dreaming of You , was released posthumously in 1995 and was the first Tejano album to hit number one in the United States.

Selena's killer, Yolanda Saldivar, was convicted by a Houston jury. In 2002 Nueces County Judge Jose Longoria ordered that the murder weapon, a .38-caliber revolver, be destroyed and its pieces scattered in Corpus Christi Bay. Some musicologists and fans felt that the gun should have been preserved in a museum for its historical significance, while others were glad to see the destruction of the instrument of the singer's death.

In the years after Selena's death, the singer's popularity has remained very strong. Numerous honors have been awarded posthumously. The city of Corpus Christi erected a memorial, Mirador de la Flor ("Overlook of the Flower"), which included a life-sized bronze statue, to the fallen singer in 1997. That same year, a movie about her life— Selena —was released and starred newcomer Jennifer Lopez in the leading role. The Quintanilla family opened the Selena Museum in Corpus Christi in 1998, and in 2001 she was inducted into the Tejano R.O.O.T.S. Hall of Fame . She is also a member of the South Texas Music Walk of Fame .

On April 7, 2005, a tribute concert "Selena ¡VIVE!" was broadcast live from Houston's Reliant Stadium. Attended by more than 65,000 fans, the event featured famous artists performing Selena's songs. The live broadcast on the Univision Network became the highest-rated Spanish-language program in American television history. In 2011 the United States Postal Service honored Selena as a “Latin Legend” with the issue of a memorial postage stamp. In April 2015 the city of Corpus Christi hosted the first annual Fiesta de la Flor, a two-day festival celebrating the life and legacy of the singer. A portion of the profits was donated to the Selena Foundation. Selena was inducted into the Texas Women’s Hall of Fame in 2016.

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Dallas Morning News , June 11, 2002. Fiesta de la Flor (http://www.fiestadelaflor.com/), accessed August 25, 2015. Clint Richmond, Selena! The Phenomenal Life and Tragic Death of the Tejano Music Queen (New York: Pocket Books, 1995). Geraldo Ruiz, Selena, La Última Canción (New York: El Diario Books, 1995). Selena (http://www.q-productions.com/selena.html), accessed December 10, 2010. Selena; Her Life in Pictures, 1971–1995 , People , Commemorative Issue, Spring 1995.

Categories:

• Genres (Conjunto, Tejano, and Border)
• Mexican Americans

Time Periods:

• Texas Post World War II

The following, adapted from the Chicago Manual of Style , 15th edition, is the preferred citation for this entry.

Cynthia E. Orozco, “Quintanilla Perez, Selena [Selena],” Handbook of Texas Online , accessed August 19, 2024, https://www.tshaonline.org/handbook/entries/quintanilla-perez-selena-selena.

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• Born April 16 , 1971 · Lake Jackson, Texas, USA
• Died March 31 , 1995 · Corpus Christi, Texas, USA (homicide by gunshot)
• Birth name Selena Quintanilla
• The Queen of Tejano
• La Reina de Tex-Mex
• Queen of Latin Music
• Tejano Madonna
• Queen of Cumbia
• Height 5′ 5″ (1.65 m)
• Selena was born in Lake Jackson, Texas, 50 miles southeast of Houston, to Abraham Quintanilla Jr. and Marcella Quintanilla . Abraham opened a Mexican restaurant, Papagayo, in Lake Jackson. Selena was 9 years old when her father discovered her talent for singing. He formed a band consisting of Selena on vocals, her brother A.B. Quintanilla on bass, and her sister Suzette Quintanilla on drums. The group, called Los Dinos after a band Abraham was a member of in the 1950s and 1960s, frequently performed at the restaurant. In 1981, the family moved to Corpus Christi where Abraham started booking his band for weddings and parties. This became their way of life. Selena and Los Dinos' big break came in 1987, when 15-year-old Selena won the Tejano Music Award for Female Entertainer of the Year. That award led Selena to a major record-label contract with Capitol Records and six very successful albums. By 1992, Selena had branched out and launched her clothing line and married her guitarist, Chris Pérez . In 1994, she was nominated and won her first Grammy for Best Mexican-American album, "Selena Live!" That year, she opened her first boutique in Corpus Christi, Texas. On March 31, 1995, Selena was murdered by Yolanda Saldivar , her friend and president of her fan club. - IMDb Mini Biography By: [email protected]
• Spouse Chris Pérez (April 2, 1992 - March 31, 1995) (her death)
• Red lipstick
• Sequin bras and sequin purple jumpsuit
• Ability to sing pop, cumbia, rancheras, and R&B
• High-waisted pants
• She never refused to sign an autograph.
• In the months following her untimely death, more than 600 baby girls throughout south Texas were named after Selena.
• Once Selena was late for an 8:00 p.m. gig at the Tejano Rodeo in Dallas because her plane was delayed by a snowstorm. When she showed up at 10:00 instead of canceling like many stars would do, she walked out on stage apologizing heavily and then sang and danced all night so her fans wouldn't feel shortchanged.
• Before her untimely death, Selena and Chris were planning to renew their vows on their fifth anniversary since they didn't have a real wedding.
• She was working on her first English album at the time she was killed. She was due in the studio the day of the murder.
• Stay in school, don't drink, don't do drugs, stay chaste, live good, and go to church.
• The impossible is possible.
• Although my Spanish is a little weak, I feel that I am Mexican and I'm proud of my roots.
• I was six and a half when I started singing. I recorded my first record when I was eight and started traveling when I was nine.
• If we got a hundred dollars a gig, we were like, whoa this is cool...but you have to take what you can get when you're first starting out. -on the early years of her career

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Fans remember Selena during Hollywood Walk of Fame ceremony in 2017

Photo: TARA ZIEMBA/AFP via Getty Images

Selena Forever: Remembering The Latin Pop Icon 25 Years Later

On the 25th anniversary of her passing, the Recording Academy honors Selena via an industry round-table tribute featuring the artists, creatives and journalists she inspired through her art

Few artists have transcended genres, decades, languages, cultures and borders like Selena . Born Selena Quintanilla in Lake Jackson, Texas, and reared in the state's Corpus Christi area, the iconic singer is one of the most influential and most successful artists in the wider Latin pop canon.

In her early days, she became a pioneer in the then-male-dominated Tejano music scene, a genre she helped mainstream when she won the GRAMMY for Best Mexican-American Album in 1994 for her 1993 live album, Selena Live! It marked her first, and only, career GRAMMY win and the first time a female Tejano artist won the category, earning her the undisputed title of Queen of Tejano music. It was only one of many accolades for the legendary singer. 

In her short-lived solo career—she released five studio albums between 1989 and 1995—Selena would establish an ever-lasting sound that spanned languages and styles and resonated with fans across a spectrum of cultures and ethnicities. Her multiplatinum 1994 album, Amor Prohibido , gave early indications of her cross-cultural crossover appeal. In addition to topping the Top Latin Albums and the Regional Mexican Albums charts, Amor Prohibido became a top 30 hit on the all-genre Billboard 200 chart. It also received a GRAMMY nomination for Best Mexican-American Performance and spawned four chart-topping hits that conquered the Billboard Hot Latin Songs chart: "Amor Prohibido," "Bidi Bidi Bom Bom," "No Me Queda Más" and "Fotos Y Recuerdos," all considered signature Selena classics today. 

She would later go on to fully establish her mainstream crossover appeal with Dreaming Of You , her final album, released posthumously in July 1995, just three months after she was murdered by a former employee. The album would debut at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 chart in the U.S., becoming the first predominately Spanish-language album to accomplish that feat. It would ultimately prove the full potential of just how far the international star was poised to go.

Selena's reach expands far beyond music, too. A multifaceted businesswoman, she owned and operated two boutiques, called Selena Etc., across Texas, with several other locations across Latin America in the works. As a budding fashion designer, she regularly wore her own designs while performing onstage: Her iconic purple jumpsuit she wore at her final concert in 1995 remains an eternal look. In 2016, MAC Cosmetics released a makeup collection inspired by and in honor of Selena. Selling out within a day , the collection is now considered one of the best-selling MAC celeb collaborations of all time . MAC will be releasing a second Selena capsule collection this April.

The story of Selena, forever immortalized in the 1997 biopic starring a then-rookie Jennifer Lopez in the career-making titular role, is one that's continued since her untimely death in 1995. She has since inspired a new generation of artists and fans alike, who carry on her legacy through music, art and fashion, three areas in which she pushed the envelope with her unique style and vision. Much like her music lives on to this day, so too does her never-ending influence. 

On the 25th anniversary of her passing today (March 31), the Recording Academy honors Selena via an industry round-table tribute featuring the artists, creatives and journalists she's inspired throughout the decades through her music and art.

The quotes and comments used in this feature were edited for clarity and brevity.

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She Was A Genuine Soul

Kacey Musgraves (GRAMMY-winning artist; in 2019, she covered Selena's "Como La Flor" at the same site of the Tejano legend's final concert in 1995): Selena had an innate talent for taking something classic and traditional and shaping it with her modern voice. I love when someone has the vision to take something that's been done a million times and knows how to freshen it up in a way that speaks to their generation and also older generations. It's a quality that truly brings people of all ages together. 

Selena was an entrepreneur and woman of business, a songwriter, an iconic vocalist, a trendsetter, and her fashion sense was way ahead of its time. But the attribute I admire most about her was her ability to be real —unabashedly genuine across the board. Being in the spotlight, especially from a young age, can bamboozle people into feeling like they have to shift into something different when the cameras are on. Without ever knowing her, I feel like I can say she never did.

Linda Wilvang (Senior Director, Awards and Latin Genre Manager at the Recording Academy): I have always been attracted to artists who push the envelope, artists who are not conventional, and Selena was one of those artists. She elevated Tejano music to a new high. She successfully blended other musical styles with Tejano and made it her own. She proved to me that you can succeed without compromising your core values, without changing who you are. You can work in any industry and still be real.

John Dyer (photographer; in addition to photographing Selena for several magazine covers in the early '90s, he has contributed images to the Selena Forever/Siempre Selena installation  on display at McNay Art Museum in San Antonio, Texas): I spent the day before the shoot setting up several backdrops in the studio so I could photograph her in a variety of situations and costumes ... She jumped out of her car with a big smile. A naturally beautiful, young Latina with jet-black hair, flawless skin, and a perfect figure. She opened the hatchback. It was crammed full of her performing costumes, many handmade, all of her own design … 

For the cover [Mas Magazine, 1992], we shot in front of a gray background. Then we moved in front of a red curtain above a black and white checked floor. We ended outside the studio against a white seamless in the warm afternoon light. Selena's quick smile, infectious laugh, and unending energy made her a pleasure to work with …

In early 1995, Texas Monthly called and wanted to do a spread on Selena. By now, she had achieved incredible fame and transcended the boundaries of the Texas music scene. 

We met at the Majestic Theater in San Antonio, a favorite place of mine. She had just finished two exhausting days of shooting TV commercials for a corporate sponsor. She was tired. I had brought a beautiful handmade jacket for her to wear. I posed her in the alcove on the mezzanine of the theater where the light is particularly nice. She was subdued and pensive. A far cry from the ebullient, excited young singer I'd photographed three years earlier. Later I thought her mood might have been an eerie harbinger of what was to come.

Between when I photographed her at the Majestic and the Texas Monthly article coming out, she was killed. The art director, my old friend DJ Stout, used one of the more somber shots I had done for his cover chronicling her death. He sent me a handwritten note not too long after the issue appeared saying the cover with my photograph of Selena was one of the strongest he'd ever done. It's a cover I would rather not have had. 

She Represented A Different Kind Of Beauty

Patty Rodriguez (Senior Producer for On Air With Ryan Seacrest; her Los Angeles-based children's book publisher,  Lil' Libros , released a  bilingual picture book biography about Selena ; in 2015, her online petition helped launch the Selena-inspired MAC Cosmetics makeup line): She was unapologetically Latina. She was so proud of her identity and carried it with her everywhere, and that is what resonated with us. Growing up, we had no one to look up to, so then here comes a woman … with black hair, brown skin, that sounds and looks like us. Her flamboyant onstage costumes were designed and created by her, an example of the Latina make-it-happen-with-the-limited-resources-we-have attitude. Her trademark red lipstick and hoop earrings are what you see in our neighborhoods, and she took that with her to the world stage. 

Latina women purchase beauty products three times more than any other group, and it wasn't until MAC released Selena's collection did we feel seen; it's unbelievable to me that it took this long. But I see why: The men and women who grew up with Selena are now adults. She taught us to be unapologetically Latinx, and we are no longer afraid to ask for what we deserve. Thank you Selena.

Read: Remember When? Selena Wins Big At The 36th GRAMMYs 

Leila Cobo (VP Latin Industry Lead at Billboard): I think Selena's particular brand of beauty was essential to her success. In a world (still) of telegenic, imported Latin pop stars, and a time when the standard for Latin beauty were largely white soap opera actresses, Selena was an anomaly. Selena embraced her body, her hair, her voluptuousness. She was so real. I would say that, for the first time, a new generation of U.S.-born Mexican-Americans and Latinas overall had a star that they could intimately relate to at all levels. She was their peer. She was a role model for an entire generation of Mexican-American girls who didn't have a role model before. This was key. Only Jenni Rivera , many years later, would come close.

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Kate Carey (Head of Education at McNay Art Museum in San Antonio, Texas; Exhibition Curator for Selena Forever / Siempre Selena photography installation ): In selecting the photographs on view in Selena Forever/Siempre Selena, I had an opportunity to look through many photos from two different shoots with photographer John Dyer. I recognize that he is a gifted photographer, but her beauty and winning personality were revealed on every frame. I can see why brands wanted to align with her image. Yes, she is beautiful, but she also came across as very real—just like me or you.  

Pabllo Vittar (Brazilian activist, artist and drag queen): Selena embraced her beauty the way it was, not trying to follow the "beauty rules." That's important and it resonates till now, as you can see more and more people feeling good with their bodies and how they look. We are all beautiful in our own way and there's nothing that can tell us otherwise. 

Honey Andrews (transgender performer, based in Corpus Christi, Texas, who's worked as a Selena impersonator for nearly 15 years; "Selena was definitely one of my inspirations and idols and someone I definitely look up to when I began my transition," she says): Selena's fashion was definitely ahead of its time, and she was always up to date on the latest trends. She was an amazing fashion designer. Her amazing onstage costumes are very recognizable, and she has definitely impacted today's women in the music industry; till this day, a lot of women credit her for the fashions they wear ontage and even for just a casual day. She definitely impacted me because she taught me that you can be sexy, even if you're not a size zero. You can still be sexy by having curves, and she definitely embraced her own beautiful body and curves.

Girl Ultra (R&B artist from Mexico City): I feel like she embraced her curves and her body shape so much. She was breaking paradigms about the female body and Latina bodies as well. As Latinas, we have big caderas [hips] and juicy thighs, and when it comes to fashion, it's hard to find the right sizes. And by her designing her own outfits and crafting them, she was breaking all this body stereotyping back in the day. 

Javiera Mena (Chilean electropop artist): She transmitted good vibes with her smile, her eyes, her body—we could feel it. We all feel it when we watch her videos, too. It makes you connect, and that's a real beauty. Also, her mouth and lips were very iconic. I understand MAC [Cosmetics] used it for a [beauty] line, with her big and thick lips, something that influenced me and all the people!

Her Fashion Was Ahead Of The Time

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Kate Carey (McNay Art Museum): Selena Forever/Siempre Selena was conceived at the McNay Art Museum in tandem with the 1990s-focused exhibition,  Fashion Nirvana: Runway To Everyday . Like many of the designers on view in Fashion Nirvana, Selena took fashion risks, embraced body-conscious ensembles and carefully crafted her image. That brand of fearlessness and innovation characterized the 1990s and Selena's fashion sense. The sparkly bustier tops, revealing performance ensembles and cool leather jackets cement her reputation as a style icon, but she presented an authentic and accessible image by wearing jeans, boots and white T-shirts. Personally, I'm a big fan of the accessories: the newsboy hats or big silver belts. She absorbs these elements of menswear and represents them as both tough and feminine. That, to me, is '90s fashion in a nutshell.

Javiera Mena (artist): I love her aesthetic and style. It is a great influence for me. I have been influenced by the high-cut Texan jackets with large shoulder pads and the glitter and reflective accessories. Also, her jeans and thick eyebrows. She was a pioneer. She had an elegance that brightened without limits when she was on stage.

Christian Serratos (actress; she stars as Selena in the forthcoming Netflix series , "Selena: The Series" ): It's amazing to see how many artists, of all backgrounds and genders, have been inspired by Selena. It was her fearlessness and creativity that made her an icon. There are few people who have the power to be remembered by a color or a feeling, or who have become synonymous with an accessory like the hoop earring. The last time I saw what Selena did to the red lip was Marylin Monroe, another icon. I see Selena's influence when I walk down the street, and I know I'll continue seeing that influence for many more generations. 

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María (Lead singer of Los Angeles-based Spanglish indie rock/indie pop band, The Marías ): My first memory of being introduced to Selena was in her biopic film. Thereafter, I listened to her music and watched her music videos nonstop. I remember when I was around 5 or 6, I wanted to wear a bustier just like Selena. I wasn't even old enough to wear a bra! But my mom, being the angel she was, found some tiny training bras at the store and sewed little beads on them for me. This was my earliest memory of being directly influenced by fashion. When I was old enough to really understand, her style represented confidence in your own body. The fact that she could so freely and confidently dance around in a bustier, against her father's wishes, was inspiring. She wasn't doing it for sex appeal, in my opinion. She was doing it because she simply wanted to feel free and in control of her body.

Raquel Berrios (Puerto Rican designer and co-founder/singer of Buscabulla ): Her style sense was very balanced and cool. It was sexy without being slutty, feminine but not fragile. She really created a strong yet down-to-Earth example for Latinas. I personally strive to include that balance in the way that I like to style myself and portray myself as a Latina artist. 

She Was A Multifaceted Businesswoman

Christian Serratos (actress): Selena's ability to create new avenues for herself and work hard to achieve them is inspiring and relatable. We all have the ability to design our own paths. Strong women like Selena show us the power of never giving up and handling adversities with grace. 

Jennifer D'Cunha (Global Head of Latin Music at Apple Music): Selena had an entrepreneurial spirit and extended her self-expression beyond music and into fashion, design and film, while staying true to her personal brand and identity. Her confidence, authenticity and distinctive personal style still resonate and inspire fans all over the world. She had the courage to reinvent herself and the work ethic and raw talent to be successful at anything she committed to. Selena ventured into uncharted territory by expanding her realm of influence outside of music, well before celebrity clothing lines were commonplace and brand partnerships were the norm.

Tatiana Hazel (Mexican-American, Los Angeles-based singer-songwriter, musician, producer and fashion designer): Nowadays, several musicians are starting their own makeup lines, fashion brands, etc. But Selena was definitely a pioneer for this kind of business model. She really was capable of anything she set her mind to accomplish, and I believe that is why she was able to break so many barriers through determination. Also, not only was she determined, but also talented at everything that she pursued.

She Was A Voice For Latinx People Around The World …

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Adrian Quesada (GRAMMY-winning guitarist/producer and founding member of GRAMMY-nominated duo Black Pumas ; he served as the music director for the Selena For Sanctuary tribute concert series in 2018 and 2019): She had a huge impact and influenced many, and still does to this day, because representation is very important for communities and cultures that haven't always had an icon that transcends boundaries to look up to. For people that looked like her, spoke like her, came from places like she did, it let them know that they could do it, too. I feel like her influence continues to grow exponentially, even for generations who weren't alive when she was. She gives hope and inspires because she was bigger than any one genre, culture, region and country, and was a positive role model at that. 

María (artist): When an artist as undeniably talented as Selena comes along, deep down it doesn't matter where she's from. I became a fan of Selena when I was really little, after watching the movie [ Selena ] with Jennifer Lopez. It didn't matter to me what Latin country she was from. What mattered to me was that she was Latin and that she was accomplishing so many amazing things. Of course, Latin communities take pride in their countries and flags, but what unites us all is that we're Latin, that we have similar values and morals and beliefs. I'm from Puerto Rico and my father is from Spain, but growing up, all of my friends were from different Latin countries: Venezuela, Colombia, Mexico, Brazil, Uruguay, Guatemala and more. We learned from each other's unique cultures, but deep down we were all the same. 

La Doña (Mexican-America multi-instrumentalist, producer and singer-songwriter): I think the reason her music was so successful with such a diversity of Latinos is because Tejano music and all of the music she is founded in are tremendously diasporic cultural practices. That means that when she revolutionized Tejano music and prepared it for the pop platform, she is representing and reiterating ancient practices that are not confined to the region of Texas. Similarly, when she presented her style of techno-cumbia, she was not only appealing to a young brown audience, who was excited by their contemporary synthetic sounds mixed with familiar and familial rhythms, but also representing Afro-Latinx and Afro-indigenous art forms that have informed all of the musica tipica and popular of Latin America. This commitment to tradition and bravery in transporting it into a new arena is definitely one of the reasons that Selena's music spoke to such a diversity of Latinx fans across the world.  

Isabela Raygoza  ( Latin Music Editor at SoundCloud) : Selena's musical moxie embodied the beautiful complexities of biculturalism. With her insatiable mix of electro-cumbia, ranchera and pop-flavored R&B, Selena went on to represent the experiences and lifestyles of her compatriots: Mexicans (native, first-, second-, third-gen), Texas dwellers and beyond. She was born in the U.S. to Mexican-descendent parents, and she didn't speak fluent Spanish, similar to Chicano rock star Ritchie Valens before her and countless others of Latinx immigrant backgrounds. Brown-skinned, family-oriented, and of humble beginnings, Selena, the pop icon, became the voice of the Latinx diaspora. 

Without Selena's formidable contributions to Latin pop, J.Lo or Becky G 's musical career might've not been what they are today: two U.S.-born Latinas who, too, grew up speaking predominantly English, who embrace their biculturalism with endearment and pride and who uphold the enduring legacy left behind by the Queen Of Tejano Music.  

Although Selena's tragic death cut her potential short, she nevertheless managed to leave an indelible mark on Latin pop, and she will surely continue to do so for newer pop stars to come.

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Raquel Berrios (artist, Buscabulla): Selena was right there doing her Latin thing in the most unique way in a time when we really didn't get to see a lot of Latina role models on mainstream media. She set such a cool example of a super talented, down-to-Earth Latina woman. I loved how she broke language barriers. That was a huge inspiration for me as an artist.

… But She Was A Role Model For All People

Kali Uchis (GRAMMY-nominated artist): Selena will forever be iconic because that's what she was. Her being taken from us is one of the greatest tragedies known to man, but Selena's raw star power, persistence and dedicated fan base are the reason her legacy will be immortal. As a Latin-American woman, she made me proud to be multicultural when at times it never felt I could be American enough or Colombian enough. I've always listed her as one of my greatest inspirations, because she was the first multicultural global sensation on Earth.  

Honey Andrews (performer/Selena impersonator): Selena's music and art influenced me in so many different ways. Her music is timeless. Selena was a piece of art herself. She was very diverse with her wardrobe as well as her music. She means so much to me as a person because she taught me that the impossible is always possible. She was a one-of-a-kind artist and she was such a great cultural figure for the Hispanic and Latino and Mexican-American community.

Marissa Gastelum (Latin Music Artist Relations at Apple Music): Selena is the only Latin artist to have broken cultural barriers the way she has passed the grave. When you have artists like Beyoncé and Kacey Musgraves performing covers of Selena or Drake wearing a shirt with Selena, you know she has transcended culture. Her spirit lives on through her music, and the Selena movie helps new generations get to know her story and connect to her music. Her album Dreaming Of You is a gem, and those songs are timeless. I think these artists connect to Selena because of her music and her sense of style. She was the epitome of cool and an incredible performer. Selena showed that a woman can be strong and graceful and can command a stage and be sexy at the same time.   

iLe (GRAMMY-winning Puerto Rican singer/artist; member of Calle 13 ): I think that when you start something that's so good there is no reason to stop. Selena was that dreamer that we all are when we were young. Listening to her songs today is revitalizing. She and her music reminds us about the importance of being alive, enjoying every moment and to keep dreaming. 

Suzy Exposito (Latin Music Editor at Rolling Stone; her former punk band, Shady Hawkins, covered Selena's "Como La Flor" in the past): I was always a sucker for a forbidden romance like that of [Selena's hit song] "Amor Prohibido." Inspired by love letters Selena discovered from her grandmother to her grandfather—a young maid who fell in love with the wealthy son of her employers—it's a heartrending tale of two young sweethearts, who against the conventions of society, flout their class disparity with love. Selena told it with such verve and conviction that even as a 5-year-old, it just rocked me to my core. Yet the context changed as I grew older, and I began to understand that the love I so desired would probably look very different from that of my parents or most of my peers. So when I came out as a bisexual woman 10 years ago, I braced myself to go through it alone; but the biggest surprise and reward of coming out was that, in fact, I was far from it! In being more present in New York City's LGBTQ community, whether by attending protests, drag nights and punk shows, I was able to find a beautiful community of Latinx people who grew up just like me: bilingual children of immigrants, whose resilience and great capacity for love transcends all kinds of borders.

Suzy Exposito (center) performs with her band, Shady Hawkins

Adrian Quesada (artist/producer): Being from a South Texas border town, cross-cultural and bilingual feels pretty normal and felt so at the time of her music. But I think it gave hope that it could be bigger than that and reach the masses through multiple avenues. They updated the Tejano sound a bit with modern, at the time, R&B influences, which helped it cross over and resonate with people who weren't familiar with regional Tex-Mex music and did so in a way that was seamless and natural. I do believe she was well on her way to even bigger crossover territory, with collaborations with people like David Byrne , and would have continued to push the envelope musically and culturally to this day. She was just beginning to really branch out before her life was tragically taken. 

She Broke Barriers And Opened Doors For Next-Gen Artists

Angie Romero (Senior Editor, U.S. Latin Music Culture and Editorial at Spotify): Back in the day, artists like Selena had to fight hard against systemic barriers, many of which still exist today. But because of artists like Selena, Gloria Estefan and others, the door for the next generation has been cracked open, and it will forever stay open. Young Latinas can dream of doing anything they want to do in the world, and they don't ever have to stay inside a box, either — they can do it all, just like Selena did.

iLe (artist): Society makes us get used to the same things so much that we don't notice what we're seeking until it suddenly appears. We as women have a voice that should be heard and acknowledged. Selena became a female figure that Tejano and Latin pop music needed and I think she succeeded by not being afraid of being herself . 

Jennifer D'Cunha (Apple Music): Selena broke barriers for women in Latin music. She created her own lane in the male-dominated Tejano music scene, and successfully took the genre to new heights. Whether it was cumbias, traditional Tejano or pop, she made her unique sound mainstream in Latin music. She thrived not by trying to conform, but by pushing the boundaries, following her intuition and playing by her own rules. Her spirit lives on and continues to inspire.

Pabllo Vittar (artist): For me, she was the first Latin diva going global! She was gorgeous and unique! I was born a year before she passed away, but I remember my mom listening to her music and I could watch her videos some years later. She was an icon that comes to mind when we talk about letting the uniqueness of your culture shine through you, and she was an example of how you can take a specific and regional rhythm and work your way into the industry. 

Jesse Baez (Guatemalan contemporary urban/R&B artist): I think the most important thing people should know is that you can live forever through music. You know, Selena passed away when she was 23, so she was incredibly young, and in spite of that, she's still relevant in 2020, maybe more than before. I think people should know that you can live forever if you do something with passion and enjoy what you do—that's what I would take from her. 

Girl Ultra (artist): She had such a big female strength that still empowers upcoming generations. She embraced her roots and her femininity in ways that Mexican culture was not very used to. She also gave Mexican weddings and parties many anthems.

La Doña (artist): Selena was able to supersede systemic barriers for many different reasons; one of those is her raw talent and passion. It is impossible to ignore the sheer amount of energy she put behind not only every song and every performance, but also all of her other creative ventures. Unfortunately, however, we have seen that that is rarely enough for a young star such as Selena to achieve success in the way that she did. 

I think that a huge contributor to this success was the support and contributions of her family. Though working with one's family is never simple or easy—speaking from the perspective of someone who grew up playing Tejano music in a family band—it is also grounding and supportive in a way that you won't experience from a different type of team. 

The last element of this perfect storm that vaulted Selena into super stardom is that the music industry needed her. The huge Latinx population within the United States needed her; the market existed but it was largely ignored until Selena revealed it, and then there was no going back. She opened a door to a market and created an entire Latinx enclave within the pop industry that would always exist as her legacy.

Her Music Still Strikes A Chord Today

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Kate Carey (McNay Art Museum): "Como La Flor" is one of the greatest songs ever, and if I have done anything right as a parent, it is that my kids know this song by heart. 

Kali Uchis (artist): My favorite songs are "No Me Queda Más" and "Como La Flor"—because I like to dance and cry.

Angie Romero (Spotify): It's so hard to choose a favorite! But "Como La Flor" is just a perfect song, with the perfect metaphor, and it was also special to her and the band because it was their breakthrough hit in the U.S. and Mexico, reaching No. 6 on Billboard's Hot Latin Songs chart [in 1992]. When she sings the opening notes of that song, live at the Astrodome, and drags out the word "flooor," then moves her hand beautifully like a flamenco dancer, it gives me chills and makes me teary-eyed every time! I also just love that line about "m e marcho hoy, yo se perder " ["I'm leaving today, I know how to lose"]. It's a different take on a broken heart in the sense that you aren't just wallowing in sadness, but you accept it and move on, similarly to other iconic songs that I love that also take the high road, like "I Can't Make You Love Me" by Bonnie Raitt . 

iLe (artist): I have many Selena classics that I love, but I would have to say "Techno Cumbia" [is my favorite] because it reminds me of a little dance that I used to do with my cousin, Beatriz, when we were kids.

Jesse Baez (artist): I feel like "No Me Queda Mas" is the only ballad that I can go back to and not feel weird about liking. It just became a permanent song in connection to my childhood. Even though it's sad, and there are a bunch of other Selena songs that I also love, I like how this song goes against everything else I tend to like, so I will pick that song forever.

Jennifer D'Cunha (Apple Music): Selena's [2003] Live: The Last Concert is one of my favorite concert films of all time. Selena's charisma onstage, her vocals, the energy from her fans and that fierce purple jumpsuit make this one of the most iconic live performances ever.

Leila Cobo (Billboard): "Amor Prohibido" is my favorite Selena song. It's a beautiful story, a timeless song, timeless lyrics. It's a song that will forever be relevant.

A New Generation Of Artists And Fans Continues Her Legacy

Leila Cobo (Billboard): While Selena's music traveled internationally, her real influence lies in her impact within the United States. Because she was a homegrown star, she was widely recognized both by Latin and non-Latin fans. Selena was an anomaly: Bilingual and bicultural, she not only looked like her fans, she was like them. That relatability was transformative for Latin pop culture.

Thanks to Selena, for the first time, perhaps ever, U.S.-born Latinas had a role model they could aspire to be. Two generations later, Selena's impact is tangible. Dozens of prominent figures—from Becky G to Jennifer Lopez to Leslie Grace to Selena Gomez —point to Selena as their direct influence. Selena's legacy has been fundamental in creating a new movement of U.S.-born Latin artists who today, 25 years after her death, are collectively reaping success and still naming her as the precursor of their achievements.

Girl Ultra (artist): I feel like any Latina making music since then is part of her legacy. We're fighting for the same cause: breaking paradigms about how ''Latino music'' should sound or look like and breaking with the objectification and the so-called "fetish" of Latinas all over the world.

Linda Wilvang (the Recording Academy): Selena made Tejano music cool! Moreover, she was able to fiercely and creatively convey her passion for the genre, and this you can attest by watching any of her performances. She truly loved her craft, her fans—she loved life. Selena's legacy has endured to this day and will continue, thanks to her family and fans who lovingly have kept her music and spirit alive for 25 years and beyond. 

Marisol "La Marisoul" Hernandez (Lead vocalist of GRAMMY-winning Los Angeles band La Santa Cecilia ): When I first witnessed Selena, I was blown away by her amazing vocal skills. It was so inspiring to see a brown, curvaceous woman be so confident and commanding onstage. I could see myself in her, and that was so empowering! At that time, as a teenager, I, too, had dreams of one day becoming a singer myself. Her beautiful music introduced me to the Tejano music genre, which I began to follow. I admired her presence in a mostly male-dominated music scene and soon became a loyal fan. 

Watching her interpret regional Mexican music in Spanish really moved me to continue my personal journey. When I saw an interview with her and [saw] the way she spoke Spanish with her Mexican-American accent, that's what really got me. She spoke the way I spoke. She was a Mexican-American female musician dominating the Tejano, regional Mexican music scene, and at the same time, you could hear in her voice that American R&B style that I would hear later in the [1995 album], Dreaming Of You . That's what made her so special to me and such an inspiration.

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Kate Carey (McNay Art Museum):  I love visiting the McNay on weekends when I'm not really working. The first weekend of the Selena Forever/Siempre Selena exhibition at the McNay, my parents were visiting; I wanted to show them what I was working on. We saw visitors throughout the museum wearing Selena fan memorabilia. One older gentleman wore a T-shirt that read, Selena es mi reina [Selena is my queen]. Similarly, a young mother encouraged her daughter to pose like Selena in the photos. I don't know why her music is so timeless, but I know that it is, and it's very obvious to me the reverence Selena fans have for her music and her image. 

The Enduring Beauty Of Selena's Legacy

Photo: Alex Harper

With Her 'Winter's Diary' Return, Tink Is Ready To Rep For "The Girls Going Through It"

On her latest album, 'Winter's Diary 5,' R&B songstress Tink perfects the soul-baring storytelling that put her on the map — and further leans into her purpose.

The first time Tink's name was on a lineup with Jhené Aiko , they were at Sacramento's R&B festival Sol Blume in 2022. Two years later, they're billed together again — this time, as tourmates.

Tink is one of four opening acts for Aiko's Magic Hour Tour, which also features Coi Leray , UMI and Kiana Ledé . As the 27-date trek begins winding down with its final stretch of shows (wrapping in Columbus, Ohio, on Aug. 22), Tink can't help but think about how "full-circle" the tour has felt.

"That was just a real manifestation," Tink tells GRAMMY.com, explaining that she's been "praying" for the opportunity since meeting Aiko at Sol Blume. "There's so many R&B girls that could have been in this position. The fact that she brought me on this tour speaks volumes."

Her slot on the sold-out tour signals Tink's growing appeal, and the all-female lineup is no coincidence for the singer. Tink's matter-of-fact storytelling and no-holds-barred approach is what made listeners gravitate toward her, especially women. Fans and critics alike praise Tink for her unwillingness to sugarcoat her emotions, particularly on her Thanks 4 Nothing album, and she continued it with her latest release, Winter's Diary 5 , out now.

A long-awaited new installment of her Winter's Diary mixtape series, the project (which, this time, is a studio album) digs deep into her ongoing journey toward self-acceptance in the face of heartbreak and betrayal. From the fed-up lyrics of "Huh," to the sexually charged "Bless Me Don't Stress Me," to the deeply personal "Lows & Highs," Winter's Diary 5 sees Tink holding herself accountable for the failed relationships she sings so honestly about.  

"The past few years have been a lot of isolation, and I've had days where I had to lock myself in my room and kind of recoup and get myself right," Tink says. "This album is definitely for those moments when you have nothing to do but face your own thoughts and your reality."

Tink's music has always mirrored her own life, but the Winter's Diary narratives involve more introspection, bringing another level of rawness and vulnerability — as she said in a teaser for WD5 , "things only a diary knows." As a result, the Winter's Diary series has largely been the reason for Tink's cult following.

Tink was just 16 when she made her debut with 2012's Winter's Diary , releasing iterations 2, 3 and 4 in 2014, 2015 and 2016, respectively. In between, the Chicago native made a name for herself as a rapper in the drill scene with mixtapes Alter Ego , Blunts & Ballads and Boss Up in 2012 and 2013. Early singles like "Finger's Up" and "Bad Girl" showcased her grit, while her viral hit "Treat Me Like Somebody" revealed her angelic singing voice and vulnerability. 

The string of acclaimed mixtapes earned a then 19-year-old Tink a deal with Timbaland 's Mosley Music Group/Epic Records as well as a coveted spot in XXL's 2015 Freshman Class . That same year, her song "Million" (which samples Aaliyah 's "One in a Million") whet fans' appetite for her debut album, Think Tink . The much-awaited project was slated for a July 2015 release before ultimately being shelved due to label issues.

By the end of 2017, Tink took matters into her own hands and reclaimed her narrative. She launched her own label — appropriately called Winter's Diary — in 2019 and hasn't looked back. 

Working independently has brought her greater success, pointing to her resilience, work ethic and prowess as an artist who stops at nothing to get what she wants. It has also sparked quite the creative streak: in those five years, Tink has released five studio albums, one EP and a mixtape.

"I was just really trying to make up for lost time — I want to make sure that I'm keeping my name in the streets and that my fans are fed," Tink says. "As an independent artist, I don't have to adhere to anyone but myself, and that's what's making [the music] feel authentic. What I'm trusting works for me, so the songs I enjoy and feel proud of, I get to push those out. That's the difference."

Now 29, she brings a level of maturity and wisdom with Winter's Diary 5 that can only be learned through trial and error. But even after navigating toxic relationships in the Summer Walker -featuring "Songs About U" and acknowledging her battle scars on "Insane," she ends the album with "Pretty Girls," a powerful self-worth anthem that confidently reminds, "Pretty girls don't beg/ Pretty girls bounce back/ Pretty girls don't trip/ Pretty girls run game/ Pretty girls don't slip." 

Whether or not she keeps adding to the Winter's Diary series, Tink is eager to continue growing her fan base and manifesting more big-name team-ups (she has her eye on Brent Faiyaz , SZA , and Drake next). Wherever her career goes from here, she'll always keep one thing on her mind: those who find the same solace in her music as she does.

"So many women and girls who listen to my music really need these lyrics… that's my reason and my purpose," Tink says. "I know my lane is for the girls going through it. I'm telling women's stories."

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Behind Ne-Yo's Biggest Hits: How Jay-Z, A Wardrobe Malfunction & Stargate Influenced "So Sick," "Closer" & More

As Ne-Yo takes his hit-filled catalog to the Las Vegas Strip, he shares hilarious stories about some of his most popular songs, from a three-minute writing session to a Wembley Stadium moment with Pitbull.

Aug. 7, 2024 was not just another Wednesday in Las Vegas. It was Ne-Yo Day.

No, really: Las Vegas Mayor Carolyn Goodman proclaimed that Aug. 7, 2024 was officially "Ne-Yo Day" in the city, presenting Ne-Yo with a Key to the City during his first night of his three-show Human Love Rebellion residency at the Encore Theatre at Wynn Las Vegas. 

It had already been a full-circle day for the R&B hitmaker, who grew up in Sin City and got his start in the entertainment business as an understudy in the David Cassidy -starring show "EFX." As a hometown boy, Ne-Yo knew there'd be at least a few familiar faces in the crowd — and that makes his Key to the City even more special.

"I've run into a lot of girls that were not interested in me in high school and, yes, it's a totally different story now," Ne-Yo tells GRAMMY.com with a smile. "There's a part of me that wants to be petty, but I can't do that. [But] when I run into those that were mean in high school, those are always fulfilling moments."

Ne-Yo 's career has been full of fulfilling moments — beginning with his 2005 chart-topping smash "So Sick," and followed by two No. 1 albums, 12 Top 10 hits on the Billboard Hot 100, and three GRAMMY Awards. He celebrates it all with his 100-minute show , which features other favorites like "Because of You" and the diamond-certified Pitbull collab "Give Me Everything."

In June, he began his journey as an independent artist after nearly 20 years with Motown and Def Jam Records, releasing the confessional single "2 Million Secrets" alongside a "CSI"-inspired video he directed himself. With a fresh start, Ne-Yo says he rarely feels like he's already two decades into his career. 

"The only time it feels like it's been 20 years is right after a show where my back and my knees are bothering me," he says with a laugh. "If you don't see the age out here, I'm feeling it on the inside!"

Ahead of his Las Vegas residency, Ne-Yo sat down with GRAMMY.com to share his most memorable moments with some of his most beloved hits, from a hilarious wardrobe malfunction with "Because of You" to how Jay-Z helped save "Closer."

"So Sick," 'In My Own Words' (2006)

What instantly comes to mind with "So Sick" is my initial introduction to Stargate . I was at Sony Studios in New York City working with [another] group of producers. [I pass] Stargate's manager — his name is Tim, I met him before briefly. He said, "Hey, are you busy right now? I would love you to come in for a second and meet my producers."

So I walk with him over to the studio — mind you, he says they do R&B, they do hip-hop, they do a little bit of everything. And Tim is Black, so I'm expecting to walk in the room and see two Black guys. I walk in the room and they are absolutely not Black. They are two tall, lanky, white guys with accents. They're from Norway. And I'm like, These guys are gonna do some R&B music for me, huh?

The very first track they played was the music that we now know as "So Sick." I listened to it for like, 10 seconds, and I'm like, "Run it back." So they played it again, and by the time the song finished playing the second time, the song was written. I wrote that song in maybe 3 minutes.

It was a song that needed to be written for a long time. It just hadn't found the right backing music for it yet.

"Sexy Love," 'In My Own Words' (2006)

Here's the first time I realized that Stargate was producing around what I was writing. I wrote "Sexy Love" to the skeletal track they gave me, and then about a week later, I go to the studio and they're like, "You got to hear this." A beat comes on, and it's vaguely what I'd recalled, but completely different. They basically changed the whole beat based around [what] I wrote. So the "Sexy Love" we now know, that was not the original track.

I'm like, "I don't mind, because it sounds great, but why did y'all do that?" And they were like, "We just felt like this direction complemented the song more." They're the only producers that I've ever worked with that do that.

Nowadays, the producer is kind of a celebrity too. Everybody has a tag, and you hear the producer's name before the song starts. You'll never hear that from Stargate. They're like, "You're gonna listen to this song, and you're gonna love it so much that you're gonna ask who did it."

"Because of You," 'Because of You' (2007)

The part in the video where I don't have any shoes on — the performance piece — that was not by design. I don't remember who styled that video, but all the shoes they brought were too big. [They] were 11 1/2, I'm a size 10. But I couldn't do it barefoot, so I'm like, "Alright, let's just do it."

So I'm dancing, and then whoop ! There goes one shoe. I look at the director, and he's like, "Just keep going!" So I kicked the other one off, and just continued doing what I was doing.

I've danced barefoot and in socks in the kitchen, you know, trying to moonwalk and all of that countless times as a kid. But I'd never done it as an adult. It was a bucket-list moment, scratched it off: performed with no shoes.

"Closer," 'Year of the Gentleman' (2008)

I wrote it with the intent of selling it to somebody who would make more sense with that style. We stayed overseas for damn near two years, just touring around. While I was over there, I started listening to a lot of house, techno, EDM. With a lot of those songs, there might be two words in the whole song just repeated over and over. But I'm paying more attention to what the music is doing to the people that are listening… Everybody goes nuts. These people are getting this kind of response with no words!

So I'm like, imagine if somebody took that energy and wrote a song over it that actually means something — it'd be double the effect, right?

Me and Stargate get in the studio. They start putting together the track, I write the song, it's done. We're listening back, and I'm like, "Yeah, we will be able to sell this easy." And they're like, "Sell it? No, no, this is yours." And I'm like, "Nah, I don't think my fan base is gonna understand that."

I let my management hear it, and they're like, "Yeah, this is yours." I let Jay-Z hear it, [and he's like] "Bro, this is the one!" I'm like, "What are y'all hearing? Because I don't get it."

I did not expect the song to do well. And for the first three, four months, it didn't. Here in the States, nobody was feeling it, to the point where we walked into the label one day with the total intention of telling L.A. Reid we should switch to another single. As we're walking to L.A. Reid's office, Jay-Z stops me and goes, "I know you about to tell him that you want to get off that record. Do not get off that record." And I'm like "Bro, it's been four months!"

That same year, we did the BET Awards. I performed "Closer," and the Jabbawockeez was a part of the show. After that performance, that song took off. My manager hits me with the "I told you so" every single time we think of "Closer."

"Miss Independent," 'Year of the Gentleman' (2008)

"Miss Independent" was the first time I ever won a GRAMMY. I learned through winning a GRAMMY for that song that there are GRAMMY wins that are not televised.

I'm walking the red carpet, just soaking it all in, taking pictures, doing interviews, and as I'm talking to some interviewer, this girl blows by me and goes, "Congratulations, you just want a GRAMMY," and keeps walking.

So I go to my manager, I'm like, "Yo, um, did we win?" And he's like, "F—, who told you?" And I'm like, "I don't got my speech!" He's like, "You don't need a speech. You won for a category that's not televised, so you're not gonna get on stage."

It was kind of bittersweet, because I've been dreaming of a GRAMMY since childhood. I have my acceptance speech written already. I was gonna get up on stage and thank my mom, and do the whole thing, like, "Oh wow, this thing's heavy!"

I've won three GRAMMYs, and I've yet to walk across the GRAMMY stage and thank my mom. I might just do a Kanye . I might just walk up on stage when somebody else is accepting their GRAMMY and go, "Hey, congratulations, but while I'm here — um, yeah, never got to do this before, so" and just have somebody bring mine out and do it right then. I think that'd be a moment! And then I'd instantly get arrested and kicked out of the GRAMMYs and banned forever. [ Laughs .]

"Give Me Everything," Pitbull's 'Planet Pit' (2011)

We were in the U.K., Wembley Stadium, 80,000 people, me and Pitbull [for Capital FM's Summertime Ball in 2015]. Right at the part where it says, [ sings ] "Grab somebody sexy tell 'em hey," 80,000 people [are] jumping up and down at the same time. The whole place was shaking. It felt like electricity shooting through you, there was just so much energy coming at the stage. I literally felt sparks.

Pitbull felt it too. After the show, he was like, "Yo, right at the part where we went—" and I was like, "YO I know right! You felt it too?"

Me and Pitbull are actually really good friends. I met him before he became Mr. Worldwide and started wearing the suits and the whole nine. We've actually done a bunch of music together that the world has never heard. 

Pitbull is not your typical celebrity. From a guy who's having the success that he's having, you would expect an ego, a big, huge entourage, and a whole bunch of commotion around him. He doesn't club. He does the most amazing party music ever, and he doesn't go to regular clubs. Pitbull's definition of a club? He has his own island, and he'll just invite you to the island.

"2 Million Secrets" (2024)

The song is about owning your s—. No one is perfect, no one is above making a mistake. But no one is beneath redemption, either. I absolutely made some mistakes in my previous marriage. And, you know, one thing that music has always been for me is therapy. If I have things that I couldn't say out of my mouth, I could write it in a song.

It took a little bit of growing up, maturing, for me to even write that song. For whatever reason, when you do something wrong and you know that you're wrong, my first instance was to place blame on anybody but myself. I quickly realized that that's not the way to heal, that's not the way to move on, that's not the way to receive redemption for what you have done. You have to own your mistakes… and then pray for redemption and acceptance of your apology from the people that you've wronged. 

Writing the song was very much therapeutic for me. I don't even call it a song. It's more of a confessional — it's me confessing to the wrongs that I did, and realizing that the best way to go about it is to get it out and then figure out how to move on. And that's exactly what me and my ex-wife have done. We moved on. We're in a great place now.

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Photo: Xavier Scott Marshall

"I really wanted to give people a glimpse into my life," Lenae says of her new album, 'Bird’s Eye.' The singer/songwriter discusses taking the right risks, and the song that helped repair her relationship with her father.

With massive crowds and countless critics raving about her debut album, Ravyn Lenae knew what she had to do: completely ignore all of the expectations that led to it.

"I knew in order for me to keep evolving as an artist and a person, there was no choice but to let those boundaries go,"she says from her home in Los Angeles.  

After building up a growing following in Chicago alongside other members of the Zero Fatigue Collective (which includes producer Monte Booker and rapper Smino ), Lenae relocated to the West Coast. She made a massive mark on 2022’s Hypnos , which featured a beguiling mix of alt R&B, house and soul alongside Renae’s magnetic vocal presence.

And rather than coast , Lenae dug deeper for the followup , Bird’s Eye (due Aug. 9). Working with frequent Kendrick Lamar collaborator and in-demand producer DJ Dahi , Bird’s Eye flutters across genres and influences — pulling from Fleetwood Mac on one track, drawing in Childish Gambino on another, and adding Jimmy Jam ’s bass elsewhere. Indicative of these multifarious influences are two pre-release singles: the retro pop-leaning "Love Me Not" and the soulfully skipping "Love Is Blind."  

Lenae uses that shapeshifting methodology as a way to interrogate the concepts of love and relationships — never content to rest on her laurels, learning how best to grow and adapt. "Making the songs and getting to the bottom of what they meant for me was me kind of retracing my steps a little bit and really acknowledging all these moments in my life, in my childhood, that were pivotal for me and my identity," she says.  

Nearing the release of Bird’s Eye , Lenae spoke with GRAMMY.com about directing the video for "Love Me Not" in Chicago, blending Brazilian music with Prince inflections, and how the album helped her reconnect with her father.

A lot seems to have happened in the two years since 'Hypnos.' On a month-to-month, day-to-day basis, how much do you shift creatively?

It feels like night and day to me, even though it's been a really short amount of time. During this time between Hypnos and this album — the recording and creating process —  a lot unlocked with me. [There was] a lot of personal growth that happened that allows me to approach music in a much freer and kind of impulsive way.

With the last album and that process, I think I did place a lot of parameters around what I had to be, what I had to sound like, what it had to feel like, who I had to connect with. And I kind of just released all of those expectations with this and made music that I wanted to hear.

How easy was it to actually release those boundaries and work more more in the moment?

I knew in order for me to keep evolving as an artist and a person, there was no choice but to let those boundaries go, if I wanted to keep pursuing music in a way that felt honest. And then being able to collaborate with people such as Dahi, who has kind of mastered that in a lot of ways, and learning from him and seeing his process, seeing how easy and natural it is to just fall into what feels right…

I think the longer you're in an industry or you're in something, the more rules you place on [creativity] and the more you overthink it and try to mold it in a way that doesn't feel impactful. As an artist, being around him and him encouraging that type of process, I think that was a lot of it, too.

Dahi's worked with some incredible artists, and clearly in a way that accentuates that artist rather than making it about DJ Dahi. That must have been so perfectly aligned with your openness, to go in and let yourself learn what you wanted to do. They always say if you know too much and plan everything out, you’ll end up stifled creatively.

It's so true. And that's why I describe it as me kind of returning back to that 12-year-old me, that 13-year-old me, before I cared about opinions, what people thought about me and what I was doing, what I was wearing . I think we start off that way, and then the older we get, the more we get so self-conscious and we judge ourselves more harshly than everyone else.

Why do we do that?!

[ Laughs. ] I think it's just human nature. And then we try to unlearn all of it.

Even just in daily life, it's so hard to not think about what I could have done at any given moment. And when you’re creating music, there are 5 million ways you can create the same idea and you have to just land on that one.

A hundred percent. During this process, we would have a song idea and then three different versions of that song that hit completely different feelings — maybe a more soft rock version of it, maybe a more indie version of it, maybe a more soulful version. Then it was about having to settle into what is "the one" and what feels the best, versus like what's going to chart or what's going to get in the club. Having to release all of that and just really lean into what feels good is what works every time.

That relates even to how the album was announced, with two tracks that almost speak in conversation with one another. Those songs balance such clever hooks with more nuanced conversation about how conflicted and complex love and relationships can be. How did you find that balance between emotional realism and such immediate music?

It was just really feeling empowered and confident in my decision making. And that's something that's developed over time, too. Really listening to my voice and what I want out of music in my career and my rollout, you know?

Listening to that, obviously having people around me who are like-minded in that way like my management and my team. We all kind of empowered each other to lean into those feelings. At no point in this process did anything feel forced or like I was reaching for something.

That’s so interesting. You want your team to feel supportive but you also want to feel empowered to take risks away from that support. And that reminds me of “Love Me Not,” which has some really smart risks. It's that vintage pop feeling, right down to the clap-along beats, and the vocals feel right in your ear. So when you started working on that track, for example, did you always imagine it being that nostalgia, that warmth?  

I thought that there was just something so cool and timeless, a classic feeling about it. And my songs are the ones where you can really pinpoint what the influences are, or when this was made, or the person behind it. Having a song like that, that really reminded me of Outkast . Like, What is this ?

Even before it dropped, I remember having some anxiety around maybe my fans not liking it because it feels a little different from Hypnos . I think anytime you kind of jump outside of the bubble you've kind of created, it's scary because there are people living in that bubble with you who like the temperature in there.  

It’s so important to be constantly revitalized in your work. If you’re doing the same thing, even if your fans are demanding it, you’re not going to get that. And hopefully when your fans see all that you can do, they’ll follow it.  

Yeah. And there's so much left in me to explore into and put out into the world. And look at an artist's career, someone like Tyler, the Creator : Seeing where his sound started and how he's almost trained his fans’ ears to be receptive to something new every time. They've completely grown up with him in a lot of ways and expanded their palate. Kind of forcing the hand of listeners is something that's really interesting to me. [ Laughs. ]

I love that idea of pushing yourself and pushing your fans, but still within the realm of what's good. [Laughs] Not just experimenting for the sake of it. Speaking of growing and experimenting, I wanted to ask about the “Love Me Not” music video that you directed. It feels so well shot but still so intimate and casual.

I knew with the album and how I wanted the imagery to feel, it would be very homey. Making the songs and getting to the bottom of what they meant for me was me kind of retracing my steps a little bit and really acknowledging all these moments in my life, in my childhood, that were pivotal for me and my identity, those first moments where I felt like I was getting closer to myself in a way.  

A lot of that started on the South side of Chicago, at my grandmother's house, in the basement. Even the cover of the album symbolizes that transition for me. That's where I dyed my hair red for the first time in the basement, in the sink, so coming back to the sink and dyeing my hair ginger on the cover was something that felt so powerful and defining for me. It just made perfect sense that we were going to go back to Chicago for the first video, in my grandmother's house, with all my family members involved. Those are my grandparents, my mom, my sisters, so that's why it feels so loose and candid. I really wanted to give people a glimpse into my life and what it felt like walking into my childhood home.

Getting to see a place through someone else’s eyes is so extraordinary. It really makes the little details pop. For example, the plantains cooking on the stove at the beginning.

Yeah. I associate plantains with my grandparents, my family. We’re of Panamanian West Indian descent, so those smells and those sounds, I really wanted to incorporate into the video.

That really speaks to bringing some comfort along with the risk-taking, same as having your family around. The features do a great job of bolstering you, setting up that stability, particularly Ty Dolla $ign on "Dreamgirl."

I think we just had the idea to kind of take the song into a different world in a way. When we first started the first section of the song, I just knew there was magic there. Those Prince drums and that Brazilian guitar — why do those make sense together? It shouldn't ever make sense together. But when I heard it? Oh my god, this feels like something fresh and new, but also like I've felt this feeling before .

Dahi's brain is just incredible, and then even bringing in Jimmy Jam on it to do bass was a dream come true. I knew it kind of felt like it existed in that Janet stratosphere, and I thought it would be such a cool touch for him to do that personally. Dream come true on all spectrums. I love Ty Dolla $ ign , obviously grew up listening to him. He's incredible and I was so honored that he wanted to do it.

Besides Janet, were there any particular artists who were kind of central inspirations for this album specifically?

Sonically, Janet is always in the mix. With this one in particular, some Gwen Stefani , No Doubt , a little bit of Fleetwood Mac in there. I just love taking these worlds that are very different from each other and kind of mashing them and seeing what happens. It's like my favorite thing ever.

You’re trained in classical music, and it's so clear that you understand the range of emotion that you can convey. I'm just curious what happened when you went into recording — or even before that, in the writing. What was it like digging into yourself to find the narrative that matched the mashing?

Honestly, I don't think there was much premeditation with the writing and what I wanted to touch on in a way. Really leaning into those impulsive initial first feelings that a song gives me is something I really valued with this album. And moving forward, that'll be my process.

What was premeditated with the writing process with this album was, with every song, trying to really peel back those layers in my brain and those barriers lyrically. Like, What would I naturally say? Think of that and then think, Okay , how can I make this even more literal, even more personal? Even in working with my girl [songwriter] Sarah Aarons, I learned a lot from her as far as songwriting and how to really paint a picture that feels clear and concise and emotional. Not trying to find the prettiest words or the most interesting words, but really writing what feels real. And that's something that I've really, really valued and learned with this process.

Even with “One Wish” with Childish Gambino, the whole album feels like this big conversation on relationships. Being more direct feels like some advice someone would get with a relationship itself, let alone writing about it. Did that process help you actually process what was happening in your life too?

Oh man, 100 percent. And that's why music is so beautiful to me. It's really a means of opening dialogue between me and myself, and then me and the people in my life. With a song that's so important to me like “One Wish," it’s not just because it's a great song, but because this has really catapulted me into this different part of my life and repairing relationships, opening up difficult conversations — like with my father in particular . Hearing such a simple song and the response I've gotten from it has only validated me much more in the fact that these real stories, real emotions are what connects.

Have you played the album for your father?

We started repairing or rekindling our relationship maybe two years ago. The making of Bird’s Eye was at its peak and I felt like it was important for me to have a song on the album that addressed my relationship with him in order for me to release it and start to move on in a positive way.

So sharing the song with him, inviting him to be in the music video was huge for us. And then even after debriefing about maybe some feelings that came up when he heard certain lyrics or when he saw certain scenes in the video, it just opened up this really honest , candid dialogue between us and I couldn't be more grateful that I have this outlet.

Photo:   Gary Miller/Getty Images

Los Lonely Boys Resurrected: The Sibling Rockers Talk Their New Album, Return To The Road & Family Magic

"When we got back together and started jamming…it just felt right, fresh," says Ringo Garza. Along with brothers JoJo and Henry, Los Lonely Boys share how their love for music and family led to their first album in 11 years, 'Resurrection.'

Los Lonely Boys have found success in spades over the past two decades, thanks in no small part to their familial bonds.

Following in the footsteps of their musician father Enrique Garza, Mexican American brothers JoJo (vocals, bass), Henry (guitar, vocals) and Ringo Garza (drums, vocals) formed Los Lonely Boys in 1997. Their dynamic, "Texican Rock ‘n Roll" sound netted the group a GRAMMY in 2005, as well as five career total nominations. Throughout their career, togetherness has remained an important component of their artistry.

"We're homebodies, we're family men and this is where we're most happy," JoJo Garza tells GRAMMY.com. "But when we get out there and we're on stage and we're in a different city, different state or whatever, the way that people make us feel like family is, it's a home away from home feeling."

That feeling inspired the band to reunite in 2022 after a four-year hiatus. Their return tour, which included several shows with the Who , went so well that they decided to also get back into the studio and record new music. On Aug. 2, the band will release their first album of new music in 11 years, Resurrection . Each song on the album sounds different, highlighting Los Lonely Boys' roots in Texas blues, soul, country, and Tejano music.

"When we got back together and started jamming, I think the rejuvenation, it came natural, the same, and it just felt right, fresh," says Ringo Garza. "I think our playing is the same as anything that gets older. If it doesn't start to rot, it gets better."

The Garza brothers have built their success through belief in one another. It paid off early on, when San Angelo, Texas club owner John R. Steele hired the group as his house band (and later became LLB's road manager). They also supported their musician father before branching out as a trio. In 2003, they struck gold when they got the opportunity to record their self-titled debut album at Willie Nelson 's Pedernales Recording Studio in Austin.

Released in 2004, Los Lonely Boys ' lead single, "Heaven," hit No. 1 on the Billboard adult contemporary chart and reached the top 40 on the Billboard Hot 100. The following year, the song took home a golden gramophone for Best Pop Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal.

Their success allowed them the chance to collaborate with the other musicians. Los Lonely Boys partnered with Santana on 2005's "I Don’t Wanna Lose Your Love," performed with Ronnie Milsap on an episode of "CMT's Crossroads," and released music with Dr. John , Enrique Garza Sr. and Willie Nelson. LLB also released a string of popular studio albums, including 2006’s Sacred , 2008’s Forgiven , 2011’s Rockpango , and 2013’s Revelation .

Recorded in part at Henry’s home studio in Texas, Resurrection finds the trio continuing to channel their love of making music together. Their unique sound continues on the album, featuring everything from the Beatles- eque pop of "Wish You Would" to the smooth R&B and soulfulness of "Dance With Me."

Family continues to be important for the brothers. The album comes at a challenging period as they’ve tried to help and make their father comfortable after he suffered a stroke and heart attack earlier this summer. Ahead of the Resurrection 's release, the group spoke with GRAMMY.com about the importance of their brotherly bond and how music has a magical quality that lets them connect with others.

This interview has been edited for clarity and brevity.

The new album is the band’s first in 11 years and comes on the heels of a recent return to the road. What brought everyone back together?

Henry Garza: We got to give all that credit to the man upstairs, brother. Of course, we could take some little bit of credit for that being brothers and family, but we accredit the higher power man. It's just the way things happen. It's like why are the stars in the places they are and why did that one shine brighter tonight than the last?

JoJo Garza: We need to pay our bills, man. I'm kidding. I mean, it is our livelihood, but it ultimately comes down to realizing that we still have a major purpose. While we have life in our bones, we still have a purpose to express what the creator has given us as a blessing, but also to express purpose in needing to show how important music is and what it means to us to do with it.

Henry: Yeah, we’ve got to still keep spreading that message of love through music.

What made the band start thinking about creating new music?

JoJo: We never stopped creating music. Even when we took our much-needed sabbatical, we were still in the process of always writing music. And I think when Covid happened, that really put a halt on what musicians could do as far as touring goes. So, we were able to really sort of almost start over. The songs that we chose for the album were given an ample amount of time to be something we felt really positive about.

Some of [those songs] are about having a good time and a lot of them are about life's lessons, but there's a few tunes in there too that are really, really deep as far as offering some input to the people, to the youth, as well as people in our age bracket as well.

JoJo: We were also personally affected by losing some family members and things like that, just like everyone across the world. Whenever we finally did regroup and saw each other for the first time, one of the first things we did was we gave each other big hugs and big kisses and a lot of crying.

I know that Henry and Ringo had done some work together. One of the first things I told Henry when I had heard "Send More Love" was the last time he had delivered a song like this it went global, we went worldwide. We won a GRAMMY.

It's got the basis of what was going on through Covid and it's kind of like a letter to or a phone call to the man upstairs saying, "Hey, could you send more love down here because this world is going crazy."

Was it challenging starting to play again after a few years apart?

Henry: Oh man. It was hard to remember any of the songs that we had played. It was a really emotional gettogether . When we first started rehearsing again together, every song that we played, even old songs, tears were falling because you just didn't know during that time if and when that was ever going to happen again.

Were there things the band was able to do better or differently on 'Resurrection' with everyone older and wiser?

JoJo: I think as far as the music goes, it’s very apparent that we have matured and grown. We actually embraced a little bit more of the digital aspect of what you can do in a studio.

Henry: There was growth during that period with technology for us and getting into the actual recording part of it ourselves and creating a studio to do the work in. We never had that gift or the comfortableness to be able to do that. We were always recording in somebody else's studio where you're paying a thousand dollars for every second that counts. So, we had some kind of freedom to be able to do that on our own and we grew in that aspect.

JoJo: We were always a live band, [that recorded live to tape]. The magic happens when you're live because then you can't go back and recut it or you can't go back and overdub it. Even when you record a live show, there's just a spark between each of us, a connection that it's really hard to capture. But  building our own little studios and having the ability to do it ourselves, it's actually brought us closer and to the idea of maybe we should do a little more of this or a lot more of this instead of having to tour so much. So, that's in the cards for Los Lonely Boys as well. Squad goals.

My brothers gave me the opportunity to sit in the producer's seat on most of these songs. I was actually mixing some of the record while driving from Texas to California, listening in the car speakers. I was able to tell him, "Oh no, this has too much bass. We need to move that to the left or the right. Let's swap places." The ability to do that. Mix a record while you're driving. Come on man.

The band’s sound has been called "Texican Rock n' Roll" due to the diverse influences and that continues with this new album. Why is it important to have that dynamic, diversified sound?

Henry: We created what we call Texican rock and roll, which is anything and everything that has to do with real music from real musicians. This record really still expresses that about what we're about: family, love, brothers, the message of truth through music and resurrection. There's a little bit of flavor of everything in these songs, so it's kind of hard to just classify it as a certain genre.

Ringo Garza: Every single one of our albums has always had a song that you could put in another genre of music, country or pop or rock.

JoJo: It really is because we don't see or feel the boundaries between music. What we promote is not exclusivity, but inclusiveness because we're all one people…We're the human race and music is food for the soul.

Henry: Our dad taught us that music was the universal language, it didn't matter where you were from even if you didn't understand what they were saying. It speaks to everybody all across the board. I think that's our main focus with music.

Ringo: When I'm recording drum tracks or vocal tracks, I want my brothers to be impressed more than anything in the world. My brothers and my family. When we can get a song together and it brings a tear to our eyes and makes us love each other even more, that's what I strive for.I think my brothers are the same in that aspect of trying to impress and please one another.

You've all followed in the footsteps of your father, who himself had a band with his brothers called the Falcones. Why is that brotherly bond and honoring tradition so important?

Henry: If you can imagine a cup being filled with water and it spills over and there's another cup that takes on that water too. Our dad did it with his brothers, our mom's family did it with their brothers and my grandpa. Music was so natural, we thought everybody did it growing up. We owe all that to our greatest teacher, which of course for us is our dad. It began with him, and he’s our biggest hero.

He's the guy that showed us anything from the Beatles to Willie [Nelson] and Waylon [Jennings] to Richie Valens to Fats Domino. Every song he showed us growing up, we thought he wrote all those songs that he was showing us, and we believed he came on the radio, and we'd be like, "They're playing your song." He didn't deny it either.

Ringo: Having each other to play in this band together, it was just as natural as being brothers. I think when we were younger, we knew that we were brothers and we were a band, but I don't think that really dawned on us until we started playing out everywhere and knowing that there's not too many bands of brothers. I think that's where our strength comes from.

JoJo: We're family first. Even if we were doctors or we were lawyers or roofers, we were always going to stick together because that's the way we were raised. That's part of our destiny and that's part of what we're here to express. As beautiful it is as it is to have friends and extended family or whatnot. There's nothing like having true family, true blood.

This year marks the 20th anniversary of Los Lonely Boys' debut album and one of your biggest hits "Heaven." What do you recall about recording that record?

Henry: The way we grew up, we had zero expectations for anything because it just wasn't in the cards for where we came from. We were completely shocked and completely amazed when we were grabbing success.

Ringo: When we were younger playing and writing and recording, we knew that if we continued something was going to happen. But I don't think that we ever thought to ourselves, Hey , let's put this on the album so we can win a GRAMMY or so that we can sell millions of records .

JoJo: We have a very close connection to all the songs [on our debut album], but when it came to "Heaven," that was the only song that it seemed like everybody would pick on. All the people that were the Lonely team [were] basically saying that they didn't see nothing special in that song. The special thing to us was that it was a prayer that Henry had written that he was instructed to write down as a song. So, what a turn of events for everyone that said "nay" to have it turned up being the song.

Ringo: The first single was supposed to be "Real Emotions," and when we sent out [our music to radio stations in Austin], DJ Jody Denberg played "Heaven" instead. It lit the fire. It stayed up there [on the charts] for a little bit, and it broke. We're still able to reap the benefits of that.

What was your favorite memory of working at Willie's studio?

Henry: We can't talk about that man. Oh man. [ Laughs. ]  

JoJo: The fact that we were there in a place that belonged to Willie Nelson. We had seen him on TV and heard him on the radio or whatever, you don't imagine that you're going to be that close to people. Basically, that was his home away from home. And so that's pretty freaking huge, man.

Henry: I'll never forget him driving up in his pickup and visiting us while we were outside drinking a couple of herbal refreshments. He treated us just like family. There's a lot of things to remember, but I think the fact that Willie was even around or took the time to make that connection with us.

JoJo: We were able to start meeting other artists and things like that, but he was the first one that said "these guys got something special. You might want to check him out."

Henry: Right around that time when we were recording the record, 9/11 had happened. "Heaven" was the only song that was recorded that day, on the day that the Twin Towers were hit and everything, man.

You later recorded a song with Willie and your dad called "Outlaws." What was your favorite memory from working on that song?

Henry: Our dad always considered himself the missing outlaw. So just to be working with Willie and having our dad work with him and be on the same song, man, that was the treat in itself . TWhen we hear that song, it's like tears to the eye because we were given the blessing to help our dad's dream come true a little bit.

Ringo: And it's a rocking song. It's pretty badass.

The album’s title 'Resurrection' continues the trend of using religious terminology. What drew you to that word?

JoJo: You can definitely tie it to religion, but resurrection exists without religion. When you look at how grass dies every winter and comes back to life and how trees, leaves fall through the fall and the winter and then they return. And resurrection is also like music. It's a gift that most people don't recognize as a gift or as something considered resurrection.

The reason we chose the term resurrection is because we were off the road for nearly three years and we weren't even sure we were going to play again. When we finally made that decision to come back I felt like…I mentioned the trees, the grass, how the sun rises and sets every day. It's a constant resurrection.We were given a chance to breathe new life into something.

Ringo: I love the fact that it does bring people closer to our father, closer to the love of this world in just that name.

Henry: When you got a band like us who won a GRAMMY for a song called "Heaven," and I think that speaks all in itself . So, when you hear a name title for a record called Resurrection , it ties into what we believe and how we were brought up, but it's definitely not something that we were going to go off and say that "Hey, this is religious."

What songs from the album surprised you most and how they came together?

Henry: Oh man, all of them. Songs seem to come out of thin air sometimes. Even when you try to write a song, it doesn't [always] happen. So, all of them are really just a surprise.

JoJo: Our song "Natural Thing" is really special because something we had already had [written years ago]. The way Ringo delivered it, I can't wait for the rest of the world to be able to hear this song. Ringo usually sings one song per album or something like that, but this one is very dear to us, but it's also very dear to Ringo because he sang it to his wife at their wedding.

Henry: It's a resurrected song.

JoJo: It really is. That's the true resurrection on the album.

The band's song "Wish You Would" has a pretty encouraging message about going for your dreams, while being careful. And conscient. Has becoming parents and grandparents shifted your perspective?  

JoJo: We've been parents for a long time. Some of our oldest kids are in their twenties...There’s the old saying of "be careful what you wish for." If you're not careful about what you call dreams and aspirations, it can come with some serious consequences.

Another song on the album, "See Your Face" is a very emotional one as it pays tribute to your mother who passed away in 2015 as well as other family and friends. How was it helpful writing that song?

Henry: It's about our mother and how memories are in your head when you haven't seen someone for so long. You don't want to forget their face, but it's crazy how a memory pops up and you wish you could just hold it and control it.

Henry: Our dad had a massive stroke and a heart attack at the same time. And it's been a really tough time right now.

Ringo: It’s crazy how that song came out and the video and everything having to do with our mama and our dad is having a pretty rough time. Nothing is coincidental. Everything is meant to be, there's no such thing as coincidence.

JoJo: "Wish You Would" and "See Your Face" are kind of intertwined. That's one thing we're here to really express to people, is tell the people you love them or you're going to wish you would because someday you're going to be wishing just to see their face.

JoJo: Do it while you have the time, express to the people that mean the most to you, that they mean that to you.

Ringo: I think it ties into even "Send More Love" because I think a lot of that is being forgotten.

Henry: Love is growing cold in this world, man.

JoJo: We do music purely because first off, it's a given to us. Secondly, we do it purely for the music and each song that is given to us sort of appears out of thin air. It's definitely given from the creator of all things. There's nothing greater than being able to have the consciousness that we're given as human beings to be able to express these things so deeply.

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Spanish Mama

Teaching Spanish & Spanglish Living

Selena Quintanilla Biography and Quotes

Inside : Learn all about the famous Tejana singer with this Selena Quintanilla biography and famous quotes.

La reina de la música Tejana  — the Queen of Tejano Music– changed the landscape of American music.  She reached astonishing success in her short life, and was an inspiration to millions.

She was singer, performer, designer, and broke barriers in the music industry.

She was at once traditional and modern, a Mexican-American star who bound together both worlds in a singular way—and brought excellent Tejano music to a mainstream audience. Her untimely death splintered her rising profile and, as often happens when a bright, deeply genial star dies far too young, left many to mourn all the untapped potential. As a result, fans have been inspired over the years to dig in their heels even harder, working to ensure that her achievements will not be forgotten. – Vanity Fair

The story of Selena Quintanilla is fascinating, both to her devoted fans and those just learning about the Latina star. This post introduces her biography, as well as resources for teachers wanting to share her legacy.

Related: Famous Latinos & Hispanic Americans Home Page

Here’s an index of what’s included in the post. You can click on any link to jump straight to that section!

Contents: Quick Facts About Selena Selena Quintanilla Biography Links and Printables to Learn More Books About Selena Quintanilla for kids YouTube Videos 10 Quotes from Selena Quintanilla

Selena Quintanilla Quick Facts

Fast Facts about Selena Quintanilla Birth : April 16, 1971 Birthplace : Lake Jackson, Texas Death : March 31, 1995 Family : Chris Pérez (spouse) Education : Diploma from the American School of Correspondence in Chicago Career : Singer Famous For : Very successful career as a singer with 2 Grammys, called, the  “Queen of Tejano Music “ Solo Albums:

Selena Solo Albums: – Selena (1989) – Ven Conmigo (1990) – Entre a mi Mundo (1992) – Selena Live (1993) – Amor Prohibido (1994 – Dreaming of You (1995)

Top Selena Singles: – “Como la flor” – “Bidi Bidi Bom Bom” – “Dreaming of You” – “Amor Prohibido” – “Tú Solo Tú” – “Baila Esta Cumbia” – “No Me Queda Más” – “I Could Fall in Love”

Selena Quintanilla Biography

Selena Quintanilla was born in Texas on April 16, 1971. She was the third of three children born to Marcella and Abraham Quintanilla, and raised as Jehovah’s Witness. 

Selena’s father Abraham noticed her extraordinary talent for singing when she was still very young. He would have his children perform and Selena sing at the restaurant he managed. For the rest of her childhood, Abraham would arrange their life around making the most of Selena’s talent.

The family suffered from financial difficulties and moved to Corpus Christi after declaring bankruptcy. Abraham created a new family band, Selena y Los Dinos. Selena began singing in the band at just nine years old, accompanied by her brother Abraham (III) on the guitar and her sister Suzette on the drums. Abraham was a musician and managed the band, getting them gigs at weddings and local events or parties.

The band played música tejada, or Tex-Mex music. Selena needed to sing in Spanish, but had grown up only speaking English. Her father began to teach her to speak phonetically, so she could read and pronounce correctly even if she didn’t fully understand the words. 

The band began experiencing some success during Selena’s early teen years. They produced their first album in 1984 ( My First Recordings ). All the traveling affected her studies, however, and Selena dropped out of school in eighth grade to continue her studies by correspondence.

She earned her high school diploma at age 17, and began studying business at Pacific Western University.

Early Musical Success

Meanwhile, Selena was beginning to earn more widespread recognition. In 1987, she won top Performer of the Year and Best Female Vocalist of the Year at the Tejano Music Awards (a title she won successively for the next nine years). 

While Selena wanted to sing in English, they were releasing Spanish albums. Her success in the male-dominated genre of Tejano music surprised many people.

While performing at the Tejano Music Awards, she was spotted by José Behar from EMI Latin Records. Everything changed for Selena when she signed with the label EMI in 1989. 

What is Tejano Music?

Selena Quintanilla-Perez was known as the Queen of Tejano because she single-handedly revolutionized the genre, fusing her Mexican roots with bold new sounds. With her brother A.B. Quintanilla, who produced her biggest hits, and her band Los Dinos, they made music on their own terms, adding a hint of pop and rock to the classic cumbia, mariachi, rancheras, and tejano rhythms. – Billboard

Tejano music (or Tex-Mex ) is a style of music that originated in Texas among Mexican-American communities in the early 1900s. It’s an interesting fusion of styles: traditional Mexican norteño music, brass sounds from local German and Czech immigrants, and influences from the U.S.

Tejano music is typically characterized by its lively rhythms, accordion and bajo sexto (a type of 12-string bass guitar) melodies, and Spanish-language lyrics that often focus on themes of love, family, and community. As Selena’s career progresses, she sought to incorporate more pop and English and produce a true crossover album.

Main Career

Selena debuted her first solo album in 1989, titled  Selena . It was her first crossover albums, with three English songs on it. The album  Ven Conmigo  released in 1990. The track “Baila Esta Cumbia” became very popular. 

Selena also began dating her new guitarist Chris Pérez during this time. Though they kept their relationship secret for a while, they eventually eloped in 1999. Though Abraham Quintanilla opposed the relationship, he eventually accepted the marriage. 

Selena recorded the song “Buenos Amigos” with Álvaro Torres in 1991. This was her first single to hit number on the US  Billboard  Top Latin Songs chart, and gave her more exposure. 

The album  Entre  a  Mi Mundo  released the next year, and was her first one to top charts. She topped the US  Billboard  Regional Mexican Albums chart for eight months, was certified platinum 10 times, and was the second top-selling Mexican album at that time. 

Selena toured Mexico and garnered thousands of new fans, debuting the hit song “Como la flor.” The song hit number six of the US  Billboard  Top Latin Songs chart. Her concert in Monterrey drew a crowd of almost 100,000. 

Her 1993 album  Live!  won even more recognition, named Album of the Year by Billboard Latin Music Awards and certified gold. She won a Grammy Best Mexican American Album at the 36th Grammy Awards. 

The album  Amor Prohibido  came out in 1994 and again topped the Latin charts, becoming one of the best-selling albums in the United States. The songs “Amor Prohibido” and “No Me Queda Más” were the top Latin singles in 1994 and 1995.

“I want to be remembered not only as an entertainer but as a person who cared a lot, and I gave the best that I could. I tried to be the best role model that I possibly could.” – Selena Quintanilla

Other Ventures

Selena loved designing clothing, and usually modeled the clothing for her performances. She was called the Mexican Madonna for her signature style, a fusion of American and Mexican styles. 

In 1994, she launched her own line of clothing and opened two successful boutiques in Texas, earning millions from her designs. 

Selena also began acting, with some appearances in Mexican novelas, including Siempre en Domingo and Sábado Gigante. She also had a cameo in a 1995 film with Marlon Brando and Johnny Depp. She also appeared in a Coca-Cola poster.

End of Life

Selena’s life was tragically cut short when she was only 23 years old, by the president of Selena’s fan club.

Yolanda Saldivar was known to Selena and her family, and worked managin the fan club and the San Antonio boutique. She had secretly been embezzling funds, but asked Selena to meet in her at a hotel in Corpus Christi, Texas. When Selena confronted her about the missing money, Yolanda shot Selena in the shoulder. Selena tried to flee to the hotel lobby, but the blood loss was too great. 

Millions of fans the world around were shocked by the terrible tragedy. Major networks interrupted their programming to share the news and Selena was featured on the covers of People and The New York Times. George W. Bush– the then-governor of Texas– declared April 16th, her birthday, “Selena Day.”

Yolanda Saldívar was convicted of first-degree murder and sentenced 30 years in prison (and up for parole in 2025). 

Selena had originally signed with SBK records to fulfill her dream of an English album. It was postponed, and the English album  Dreaming of You  released after her death. It debuted at number one on the U.S. Billboard 200 and immediately sold millions of copies. It it still the best-selling album of all time in the United States. 

Billboard magazine named Selena Quintanilla the best Latina artist of all time. She was inducted into the Houston Star Trail of Fame, the Billboard Latin Music Hall of Fame, 

In 1997, Jennifer Lopez starred in the movie  Selena , a biographical tribute to the singer’s life. Netflix also released a series based on her life in 2020, called  Selena: The Series .

• 67 Tejano Music Awards
• 14 Latin Billboard Awards
• 10 Lo Nuestro Awards
• Star in the Hollywood Walk of Fame

Interesting Facts about Selena Quintanilla for Kids:

Growing up in Texas, Selena learned only English. When she began to sing for the band, her father taught her Spanish phonetically (so she could read and pronounce the words even if she didn’t know the meaning yet). She later did become fluent in Spanish!

Selena once said, “ I feel very proud to be Mexican. I didn’t have the opportunity to learn Spanish when I was a girl, but it’s never too late to get in touch with your roots. “

Printables and links to learn more

There are some great ready-to-go printable and lessons for teaching more about Roberto Clemente. Check these out:

• Free Selena Quintanilla coloring page
• An extensive activity pack with a reading passage, graphic organizers, and writing templates for elementary students.
• Printable Selena worksheet for young Spanish learners on TpT
• Comprehension questions in Spanish to go with the video Selena from Draw My Life (video is 4min. 15s).
• Short elementary reading passage about Selena in English.
• A reading passage about the woman who killed Selena Quintanilla, in English. I am not sure if this is something you will want to investigate with your high school students or not, but here is the link.

More resources for learning about Selena Quintanilla:

Books FOR kids to adults

These links are affiliate links.

• Here is a PDF lesson plan to go with the book “ Queen of Tejano Music: Selena .”

Videos About Selena Quintanilla

First, to get to know Selena, you have to see her perform and hear one of her most famous songs:

A short Selena Quintanilla biography in English (2min 43s):

A 12-minute biography in Spanish:

This bio in Spanish might be more comprehensible to Spanish students (5min. 34s):

10 Famous Selena Quintanilla Quotes

Here are some Selena Quintanilla quotes that give us a peek into how she thought about herself, her music, and her family.

1. “We went through a hard time, and we had to turn to music as a means to putting food on the table. And we’ve been doing it ever since. No regrets, either.”

– Selena Quintanilla

2. “I’m very real, very sincere, and honest, and that’s how I’ll always be.”

3. “Tejano music was hard for us because I was a girl. My dad had a lot of problems while trying to set up shows for us or presentations because there are a lot of men who don’t think that women can get the attention of the public. But… wrong!”

4. “I don’t feel pressure because I’m not trying to portray something that I’m not.”

5. “The reason I’m really appreciative of everything that’s going on around me is because of the fact that I never expected it, and I want to keep that attitude.”

6. “If you have a dream, don’t let anybody take it away.”

7. “Music is not a very stable business, you know, he comes, and he goes, so does money. But your education stays with you for the rest of your life.”

8. “The family that plays together stays together.”

9. “We got laughed at. My father was told that we would never make it. It’s gradual, a growing process. It’s not like it came overnight.”

10. “Anybody can be a role model. Anybody can.”

I hope these ideas and resources were helpful to you! If you have more ideas for Selena Quintanilla lessons, let me know in the comments below!

Image Sources:

“ Selena_Quintanilla ” ( CC BY 2.0 ) by  davi151098

“ Selena ” ( CC BY-ND 2.0 ) by  hellboy_93

“ Selena Quintanilla (1994) ” ( CC BY 2.0 ) by  davi151098

“ Selena at Alamo Candy ” ( CC BY-NC 2.0 ) by  NoNo Joe

“ Selena Quintanilla ” ( CC BY 2.0 ) by  davi151098

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Selena Research Collection

Joe Nick Patoski was born in 1951 in Allentown, Pennsylvania. He moved with his family to West Fort Worth in 1953, at the age of two.  He attended the University of Texas at El Paso, the University of Minnesota, and the University of Texas at Austin, where he began his writing career in 1972  as a columnist with the Daily Texan, the newspaper of the University of Texas at Austin. That same year he became a consultant in the music business and had soon earned a reputation as one of the most respected critics of pop culture in the Southwest.  Patoski worked as a stringer for Rolling Stone from 1974 to 1980, and as a contributing editor for Texas Monthly from 1975 to 1980.  During the early 1980s, he was the manager and executive producer for several top Texas rock and roll bands, and toured the United States, Europe and South America.  In 1985, Texas Monthly named Patoski an associate editor.  He is currently senior editor for Texas Monthly.  Patoski has written books and articles on various topics covering the entire range of Texas culture.  His work has also appeared in Mother Jones, Village Voice, Waterways, and Condé Nast Traveler, as well as many other publications.  Scope and Content Note This collection was created and maintained by Joe Nick Patoski in the process of writing the biography of Tejano singer, Selena Quintanilla Perez.  The collection is compiled of news clippings, manuscripts, interviews, photographs, court documents, notes, publicity materials, computer disks and ephemera.  Dates range from 1961 to 1997 (bulk 1995-1996). The collection is arranged into eight series: I. Clippings (1971-1997, n.d.), II. Subject Files (1961-1996, n.d.), III. Court Documents (1995), IV. Notes (1995, n.d.), V. Interviews (1992-1995), VI. Manuscripts (1995-1996), VII. Correspondence (1995-1996), and VIII. Publicity (1995-1996).  The materials arrived with little discernible order and have been arranged by the cataloger.   The author’s year long research and writing processes, which began the day after Selena’s death on March 31, 1995 and continued until January 1996, are reflected in this collection.  Patoski, working under his publisher’s deadline of the first anniversary of Selena’s death (March,1996), delegated a portion of the Selena research to friends and colleagues. Richard and Mary Zelade, among others, conducted interviews and research, adding significantly to the information Patoski was able to gather in this short amount of time. Series Descriptions Series I: Clippings (1971-1997, undated) Boxes 1-3 This series contains coverage of Selena mainly in the form of newspaper and magazine clippings.  However, there are other items such as scholarly papers and rough drafts of Patoski’s magazine articles for Texas Monthly.  This material has been arranged in chronological and subject order by the cataloger. Lake Jackson (1971-1985, undated) The clippings cover Selena’s beginnings in Lake Jackson.  Under this topic is her birth announcement, news about the Dow Chemical plant where her father worked, and advertisements for the family restaurant.  Pre-Shooting (1983-1995, undated) This folder includes Selena’s musical and personal accomplishments before her murder.  Shooting (1995) Found in this folder are items relating to the events immediately following Selena’s murder:  the standoff between Yolanda and Corpus Christi Police, a transcript of the 911 call from the Days Inn Hotel lobby where Selena collapsed after running from Saldivar, and publication of Selena’s autopsy photographs in the tabloid magazine the Globe. Veneration (1995-1996) This folder involves the public and media expressions of grief, veneration of a pop icon, tributes, and look-alike contests.  Media Fact Finding Folder (1995) This folder contains the media’s attempt to piece together events that led up to the shooting and possible reasons and motives for why the shooting took place.  The folder also features background information on Yolanda Saldivar, reports on Selena’s net worth before and after her death, and gossip generated by the National Enquirer and the Globe.  Culture of Death (1995) Compiled in the Culture of Death folder is the media’s attempt to analyze the violent episodes of Selena’s murder and an unrelated office shooting in Corpus Christi.  Posthumous CD: “Dreaming of You” (1995) This contains information about the songs on the CD, the release dates, and reviews of the CD.  Cashing in on Selena’s Death (1995-1997) This folder includes clippings covering Abraham Quintanilla’s legal battle to stop unauthorized selling of Selena memorabilia such as T-shirts, pictures, and bootleg tapes of her music.  Criticisms of Public Grief folder (1995) This folder includes clippings regarding Howard Stern’s insults regarding Tejano music and Selena, and LULAC’s response to Stern and their boycotts of products advertised on his  radio program. Also included are letters to the editors of various newspapers stating that the Selena veneration of Selena is excessive.  Trial (1995) The trial folder includes media coverage of the State of Texas vs. Yolanda Saldivar in October of 1995, and the public’s reaction to the outcome of the court case.  Selena: Como la Flor (1996) Within the folder are book reviews (mainly favorable), excerpts of the book in various newspapers, a piece by Don McLeese of the Austin American-Statesman questioning Patoski's right to pen an unauthorized biography of Selena, and Abraham Quintanilla Jr.’s public denouncement of Patoski’s book.  Selena the Movie (1995-1997) This folder contains reviews of the movie (mostly unfavorable) as well as reviews of the movie’s soundtrack.  Hispanics in the Media (1991-1995) Topics include: Hispanic celebrations, folklore, discussion in the media about the growing Hispanic population in Texas, the increasing economic power of Hispanics, Catholic religion, coverage of Hispanics portrayed in the media, and information of Hispanic success stories such as entertainers and business people. Tejano Music (1993-1996, undated) News of Tejano stars, music and awards is included in this folder along with selected coverage of Selena’s awards, appearances, music, and concerts. Series II: Subject Files (1961-1995, undated) Boxes 3-5 This series contains research on various people and places (arranged in alphabetical order), in the form of typewritten notes, photographs, scholarly papers, Tejano Press kits, Abraham’s military records, a Selena Boutique catalog and information on Texas radio stations.  Yolanda Saldivar’s folder within this series contains her signed murder confession with the Corpus Christi police.  In addition, there is extensive information collected on Tejano music and Tejano stars.  Series III: Court Documents (1995) Box 5 This series consists mainly of photocopies of typed court documents.  Additionally, there are artist renditions of the State of Texas vs. Yolanda Saldivar trial and an identification card for Patoski to attend the hearing.  Other court documents in this series include 1.) Ramiro Burr’s (a writer for San Antonio Express News) lawsuit against Abraham Quintanilla, Jr. and his associates for breach of contract to ghost write a biography of Selena, and 2.) the family settlement of Selena’s estate. Series IV: Notes (1995, undated) Boxes 6-7 This series is comprised of notes handwritten by Patoski on legal and spiral bound notebooks, as well as notes written and typed from Richard and Mary Zelade.  The Zelades interviewed people who could offer insight into Selena and her family before she became famous.  The researchers also investigated bank records and places of employment for the Quintanilla family before they moved to Corpus Christi, Texas. Series V: Interviews (1993-1995, undated) Boxes 8-12 This series contains various interviews with people related to or who had contact with Selena.  The interviews consist of conversations recorded on audio cassettes, both in person and by telephone.  Some interviews have both audiotapes and transcriptions, while others exist only in one format or the other. Interview subjects include Tejano artists, people in the music business, music critics, family, friends, fans, and acquaintances. Because Patoski’s book was an unauthorized biography, he could not contact any of the Quintanilla family or close friends.  However, interviews with Chris Perez (Selena’s husband), Selena’s father, and her siblings were given to Patoski by the interviewer, John Morthland.  One interview of particular interest features Selena discussing her relationship with Yolanda Saldivar and her own naivete about people’s motives to be her friend. Series VI: Manuscripts (1995-1996, undated) Boxes 12-16 This series includes typed rough drafts of Selena: Como la Flor.  The various drafts include editor’s corrections and questions either typed or hand-written on the pages of the manuscripts.  In addition, some of the editor’s comments are written on small notes.  Correspondence between Little, Brown and Company and Patoski concerning his manuscript is also included in this series.  Along with the manuscripts is a paper back book copy of Selena and examples of the book cover. Series VII: Correspondence (1995-1996, undated) Box 16 Included within this series is various correspondence related to or peripheral to Patoski’s research.  It is organized in alphabetical order by author.  Of special note are correspondence from Little, Brown & Company to Patoski concerning legal issues related to the publication of the book.  Also of special interest is the correspondence between Patoski and Selena’s father concerning Abraham’s wish for Patoski to ghost write a biography of Selena. Series VIII: Publicity (1995-1996, undated) Boxes 16-17 In April of 1996 Little, Brown and Company administered a book signing tour for Selena: Como la Flor.  In addition, Patoski attended lectures and discussions about his book and about biographical work in general.  A special event called Selena Trial Revisited was a stage for Patoski to promote his book.  Found in this folder are faxes to Patoski from his publisher, brochures of the special events he attended, schedules for his appearance, a audio tape of a radio talk show where he was the guest, and fliers.  Administrative Information Access Restrictions: Open for research. Photocopying allowed. JNP holds copyright for Selena materials he wrote and created. Other items will require copyright status determined on a case by case basis. Preferred Citation: The Joe Nick Patoski Collection for the Selena Quintanilla Biography, Southwestern Writers Collection, Texas State University-San Marcos Acquisition Information: Donated by Joe Nick Patoski, 1996. Processing Information: Processed by:  Meredith Summers, 1999. Finding aid revised by Alan Schaefer, 2010.

12 Surprising Facts About Selena

By the time of her tragic death at the young age of 23, Selena Quintanilla—better known simply as Selena—was already an American icon. Born in Lake Jackson, Texas, on April 16, 1971 and raised in Corpus Christi, Selena began her professional career at the age of 10, when she performed with her siblings in Selena y Los Dinos, a band that was managed by her father, Abraham Quintanilla Jr. Given her obvious talent for music, Abraham—much to the disappointment of some of Selena's teachers—decided to take his daughter out of school when she was in the eighth grade in order to focus on her musical career full-time.

In 1989, EMI Latin signed Selena to their label, Capitol Records, offering her twice the regular signing fee. Unfortunately, her career was cut tragically short just six years later when she was killed by Yolanda Saldívar, an obsessive fan-turned-employee. More than 25 years later, Selena's impact is still being felt: She has sold more than 30 million records and continues to be referred to as the “Queen of Tejano Music.” Earlier this year, a Selena-inspired collaboration with MAC cosmetics sold out in a matter of hours and on December 4, Netflix dropped Selena: The Series —all of which indicate the extent of Selena's continued success in both Spanish- and English-speaking markets.

1. April 16, 1995 was Selena Day in Texas.

Just a few weeks after her death, George W. Bush, Texas's then-governor, officially declared April 16, 1995—which would have been Selena's 25th birthday—Selena Day in the Lone Star State. More recently, Dallas Democrat Ana-Maria Ramos sought to make the date an annual remembrance. In February 2019, Ramos introduced House Bill 2492 in the Texas state Legislator, which would designate April 16 as Selena Quintanilla-Pérez Day in Selena's home state. Unfortunately, the bill was never passed .

2. Singing was only one of Selena's many talents, or professions.

Aside from singing, Selena was a composer , producer, fashion designer, and model. At the time of her death, she owned two clothing boutiques in Texas, named Selena Etc , each housing a full-service beauty salon. Her signature dark lipstick, big hair, oversized jeans, and glitzy jumpsuits earned Selena the nickname “Tejano Madonna.” Many of her costumes can now be viewed as part of the Selena Museum ’s permanent collection in Corpus Christi, Texas.

3. In college, Selena majored in business administration—a skill that came in handy in her multifaceted career.

After earning her high school diploma from the American School of Correspondence at 17, Selena enrolled at Pacific Western University as a business administration major. Though she originally left school in the eighth grade to focus on her career, she graduated from high school before turning 18, and had also been accepted into Louisiana State University.

4. Selena is the first major performer to record in both English and Spanish.

Selena is considered the first major artist to sing in both English and Spanish, which is one of the elements that made her quintessentially “ Tex-Mex .” However, she did not grow up speaking Spanish; she learned it as a teenager—at the request of her father-manager—in order to record her first songs.

5. Selena is credited with spearheading a bilingual genre of music.

Selena is known as the “queen of cumbia” because she was one of the first musicians to sing in a tecnocumbia style, which incorporated hip-hop beats and disco-style dance movements. Many music historians and critics believe that, without Selena, the success had by today’s bilingual reggaeton artists would not have been possible. Indeed, Selena was the first major recording artist to sing in both English and Spanish.

6. Selena's album Amor Prohibido has received some serious accolades.

In addition to being a singer, Selena was also a songwriter and wrote her own hit, “Bidi Bidi Bom Bom”—one of the four No. 1 singles from the album  Amor Prohibido (“Forbidden Love.”) NPR ranked Amor Prohibido as No. 19 on its list of the 150 greatest albums made by women.

7. Selena was featured on a U.S. postage stamp.

In 2011, the United States Postal Service paid homage to Selena by issuing a memorial “Latin Legend” postage stamp with her image. This is an honor Selena shares with four other Latino musicians: Tito Puente, Carmen Miranda, Carlos Gardel, and Celia Cruz.

8. Selena has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

In 2017, more than 20 years after her death, Selena was honored with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame .

9. San Diego State University's School of Journalism and Media Studies offers a class on Selena.

Dr. Nathian Shae Rodriguez , assistant professor at San Diego State University’s School of Journalism and Media Studies, teaches a class called “Selena and Latinx Media Representations.” The class description reads as follows : "Mediated representations of intersectional Latinx identities by analyzing the Tejano singer Selena. Latinx media, audiences, and niche marketing. Historical and contemporary issues of Latinx representation and identity formation/maintenance on digital media."

10. Selena was killed by a fan-turned-employee whom she trusted.

On March 31, 1995, Selena visited the hotel room of her former assistant, Yolanda Saldívar, who had been managing the Selena Etc. clothing stores in Corpus Christi and San Antonio and working with Selena's fan club. Selena and Saldívar had been experiencing some personal and professional issues, as it was believed that Saldívar had embezzled more than $60,000 from Selena's businesses. Other guests at the hotel where Saldívar was staying reported hearing an argument between the two women, with Selena reportedly telling Saldívar she could no longer be trusted.

Saldívar then brandished a gun she had purchased two weeks earlier and fired at Selena, who had been attempting to flee the room. As she collapsed in the lobby, Selena was able to identify her shooter, sharing Saldívar's name and room number with the police.

Former friends and associates have since stated that Saldívar’s love for Selena was “obsessive,” describing her apartment as practically “shrine-like.” Saldívar initially came into Selena’s life after she approached the singer’s father-manager about founding a Selena fan club.

11. Selena's father has spent years fighting against gun laws in Texas.

Since Selena's murder, her father has openly advocated against Texas’s concealed-weapons bill. In a 1995 profile about his daughter in Texas Monthly , Quintanilla said , “We live in a dangerous world. Why make it worse? My God, everyone’s armed to the teeth. Anybody is liable to kill you for a minute thing.”

12. Selena's impact is still being felt today.

Even today, Selena is still a major force in the entertainment industry. In addition to being the only female artist to have five albums on the Billboard 200—all at the same time—she is still one of the all-time best-selling female artists in Latin music. Her 1995 album, Dreaming of You , which was released posthumously, debuted on the Billboard 200. In 1997, Jennifer Lopez starred in a biopic about the singer and the new Netflix show Selena: The Series is just the latest tribute to the singer.

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The Story of Selena Quintanilla: An Inspiring Biography for Young Readers (The Story of Biographies) Paperback – June 28, 2022

Discover the life Selena Quintanilla―a story about breaking down barriers in music, for kids ages 6 to 9

Selena Quintanilla was the queen of Tejano music. Before she became a star, Selena was a charismatic young girl who loved singing and performing. She made a lot of sacrifices to become a famous musician, rehearsing her songs and dance moves for hours at a time. Her hard work paid off―she became the first 15-year-old girl to win a Tejano music award and went on to break many records during her career. Explore how she went from being a talented girl growing up in Texas to a fashion icon and a world-famous singer.

• Independent reading ―This Selena biography is broken down into short chapters and simple language so kids 6 to 9 can read and learn on their own.
• Critical thinking ―Kids will learn the Who, What, Where, When, Why, and How of Selena's life, find definitions of new words, discussion questions, and more. 
• A lasting legacy ―Kids will find out how Selena changed the world of music and why she continues to be a role model for many women and people of color around the globe.

How will Selena's big spirit and passion for music inspire the child in your life?

Discover activists, artists, athletes, and more from across history with the rest of the Story Of series, including famous figures like: Marie Curie, Amelia Earhart, Frida Kahlo, Helen Keller, and Jane Goodall.

• Part of series The Story of Biographies
• Print length 64 pages
• Language English
• Grade level 2 - 3
• Lexile measure 860L
• Dimensions 5.83 x 0.16 x 8.27 inches
• Publisher Callisto Kids
• Publication date June 28, 2022
• ISBN-10 1638782342
• ISBN-13 978-1638782346
• See all details

From the Publisher

Meet impressive people from across history with more books from The Story Of biography series for kids:

Editorial Reviews

About the author.

GLORIA ARJONA teaches Spanish at the California Institute of Technology and is the author of Posadas Unknown Calaveras and ¡Lotería! . She’s also a musician who sings and plays guitar. Learn more at GloriaArjona.com.

Product details

• Publisher ‏ : ‎ Callisto Kids (June 28, 2022)
• Language ‏ : ‎ English
• Paperback ‏ : ‎ 64 pages
• ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1638782342
• ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1638782346
• Reading age ‏ : ‎ 6 - 11 years, from customers
• Lexile measure ‏ : ‎ 860L
• Grade level ‏ : ‎ 2 - 3
• Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 4.5 ounces
• Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 5.83 x 0.16 x 8.27 inches
• #49 in Children's Musical Biographies (Books)
• #146 in Children's Women Biographies (Books)
• #161 in Children's Multicultural Biographies

About the author

Gloria arjona.

A native of El Paso, Texas, Gloria Arjona received her PhD in Spanish from the University of Southern California. She currently teaches Spanish at the California Institute of Technology. Gloria has published three books: Posadas Unknown Calaveras (Floricanto Press, 2020), where she addresses the connection of the work of Mexican artist José Guadalupe Posada with the European medieval The Dance of the Death, as well as the Day of the Dead narrative tradition known as “Literary Calaveras”; ¡Lotería! Origins and Uses of the Mexican Bingo (Floricanto Press, 2020), where she explores the European history of "la lotería", the most popular Mexican and Central American board game; and The Story of Selena Quintanilla. A Biography Book for New Readers (Rockridge Press, 2022), a biography of the late Tejana singer and role model intended for young children. Gloria is also an accomplished translator, having among her published work important authors, like Rosario Castellanos, Benito Pérez Galdós, Ricardo Rojas González, and Cristina Peri-Rossi.

Gloria has a special passion music. She sings in a Brazilian jazz band called Along for the Ride, with whom she has two albums, Cromático (2008) and Jobim & Vinicius Across Languages, (2015), and a third one is on the way. Gloria also sings in libraries and museums as part of her multimedia lectures in which she includes live music and images, and with which she aims to educate on Mexican traditions as well as to empower the underrepresented communities. You may find more about Gloria at www.gloriaarjona.com

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