SELENA QUINTANILLA PEREZ (1971-1995)
Selena's long odyssey to super stardom began 18 years ago in Lake Jackson, TX., this is where Quintanilla began rehearsing a timid, but strong-voiced Selena - then 6 years of age, her older brother Abraham 3 (A.B.) played the bass and her older sister Suzette on the drums.
The group was called Selena y Los Dinos, the group started playing at a resturant owned by Quintanilla. In 1981, the Quintanilla family moved to Corpus Christi. Where the band was forced to take the road to be able to put food on the table.
Overcoming her innate shyness, Selena blossemoed into a kinetic stage personality as she began incorporating urban dance moves and r&b vocals into a show whose musical program featured polka-rooted rancheras offset by an occasional pop/funk cover.
Selena had overcome the perception that female performers could not survive in the male-dominated Tejano music world.
What's more, Selena became an inpirational idol for many female fans of Tejano Music.
At this time Selena had set two goals in life: 1. To crossover into the Anglo market. 2. To open her own line of clothing boutiques. With the group signing a record deal with EMI Latin Selena hoped to achieve her first objective.
Selena eventually would get her shot at crossover stardom from EMI Records. But Selena y Los Dinos were beginning to hit in the Latino market via the band's 1991 album Ven Conmigo, which reached the top of Billboard's Mexican chart. The following year Selena was being billed as a solo act with her first album, Entre A Mi Mundo. In a bid to break Quintanilla had made a arangement for Selena to have a press conference in Monterrey, Mexico.
Quintanilla was terrified because Selena didn't know Spanish that well. But come to find out that everyone loved Selena and in the newspaper the following they said Selena "Is an artist of the people."
While Selena was in her press conference in Mexico, EMI Latin was taking Selena into uncharted pop territory with the debut ballad "Buenos Amigos." The emotive ballad would shoot to No. 1 on Billboard's Hot Latin Tracks. (The first of 6 No.1 for Selena) Entre A Mi Mundo ended up scaling Billboard's regional Mexican Chart.
By, 1993, Selena was a bonafide Tejano superstar who was about to enjoy a breakthrough year. Selena continued to develop her profile in the Latin pop market with "Dondequiera Que Estes," which was her pop/dance duet with the New York vocal quintet the Barrio Boyzz that became her second No. 1 smash.
Selena, released another album, Live!, which became her thirs straight album to reach the top of Billboard's regional Mexican Chart. The album not only yielded a Top-five single ("No Debes Jugar"), but also garnered Selena her first Grammy. And in late 1993, secure a deal with EMI Records that promised to introduce her to a much wider audience.
With the release of Amor Prohibido in 1994, Selena revealed a broad interest in many types of music. Proof of her soaring popularity came when Amor Prohibido scaled the Billboard Latin 50, establishing the album as the biggest seller in the U.S.
Selena was finally realized her second career goal upon opening a clothing boutique in Corpus Christi. She obtained a small part as a mariachi singer in the film, "Don Juan de Marco."
Selena also recorded "God's Child (Baila Conmigo)," a English/Spanish duet with David Byrne which is on her album Dreaming of You.
Assembled jointly by EMI Latin and EMI Records, Dreaming Of You contains several of Selena's Latino classics, two previously unreleased Spanish-language, two new English/Spanish duets, and five English-language songs orginally slated to be featured on her English-language debut.
Though always an emotive singer, Selena was scarcely a one dimensional song stylist. She displayed an instinctive ability to convey passion and sentiment in a variety of ways.
Selena was slain by an ex-employee before she was able to realize her long-cherished ambition of becoming a crossover star.
Selena's final performance on February 26, 1995, drew a record crowd of more than 61,000 to the Houston Astrodome. Her status as a top concert attraction was indisputable. Yet Selena insisted of her father that she continue to peform at smaller venues.
Selena always said "These people made us, I don't want to turn my back on them."
And for that, Selena's adoring fans will be eternally grateful and appreciative.
Copyright 1998. This was written from information that I have found. It's only for the fans to have something to read. In no way am I trying to do anything illegal.
