Selena

Selena Quintanilla Pérez or simply Selena was born in Lake Jackson, Texas on April 16, 1971. Her father, being a musician himself founded the group Selena Y Los Dinos in which she started to participate since she was 5. The Quintanilla family had to move to Corpus Christi, Texas, after going bankrupt and being evicted. There, they performed at every chance they got, eventually being able to record an album in 1984. Two years later, Selena’s career started to take off as she released her second album, Alpha. She even won the Female Vocalist of the Year award at the Tejano Music Awards.

In 1988, Selena released two more albums, Preciosa (Precious) and Dulce Amor (Sweet Love). The following year, Selena signed with Capitol/EMI records and Pete Astudillo joined Selena Y Los Dinos. Pete collaborated with Selena’s brother A.B. songwriting in songs like “Como La Flor” and even sang along with Selena on songs like “Yo Te Amo” and “Siempre Estoy Pensando En Ti”. In 1990, The Quintanilla Family hired guitarist Chris Perez (who performed with Shelly Lares). That same year Selena launched her album Ven Conmigo (Come with Me) featuring hits like “Baila Esta Cumbia”. That same year a fan named Yolanda Saldívar started a fan club and became its president under Selena’s father, Abraham's, consent; becoming very close to the family.

In 1992, Selena released another successful album, Entre A Mi Mundo, featuring famous hits like “Como La Flor” and “Carcacha”. That year she married guitarist Chris Perez. Her 1993 Live album won her a Grammy award for Best Mexican American Performance. Her 1994 album, Amor Prohibido, became a huge commercial success and won the Grammy for best Mexican-American Album of the Year. In 1995, while working on her first English album and another Tejano Album simultaneously, she earned a second Grammy nomination for Amor Prohibido. In March that same year, Selena met with Saldívar (with whom the family had some disputes and fired her) to retrieve paperwork for tax purposes. The meeting resulted in fatality, as Saldívar shot Selena causing her death from loss of blood.