Selena

The shocking murder of Tejano performer Selena provoked a wave of grief throughout Latino populations in North America that echoed the public mourning sparked by the losses of Elvis Presley and John Lennon. Her recordings, already hugely successful among Spanish-speaking audiences, had begun reaching listeners of every generation and background. Onstage, the exuberant entertainer earned frequent comparisons to the Latina Madonna, yet offstage she projected a grounded image as a devoted family member who championed anti-drug efforts and AIDS education initiatives.

Selena Quintanilla entered the world in Lake Jackson, Texas, to Mexican-American parents. Her father Abraham had performed earlier with the group los Dinos. At age ten she started singing professionally, prompting him to take over management while los Dinos became her regular accompanists. The first recordings appeared in 1983 following a guest spot on L.A. deejay Johnnie Canales’s widely heard radio program. Although English remained her primary language, she initially sang Spanish lyrics phonetically; only after her popularity surged did she pursue formal study, achieving fluency by the time of her death.

In 1987 the Tejano Music Awards named her both Female Vocalist of the Year and Performer of the Year. She joined EMI Latin two years later, and in 1990 she and los Dinos issued their self-titled debut. That same year saw the release of the singles collection Personal Best as well as Ven Conmigo. The title song from the latter became the first Tejano single to earn gold status in 1991; she also put out Baila Esta Cumbia, an album devoted to cumbia rhythms, during that period. In April 1992 she married the band’s lead guitarist, Chris Perez. Other members included her brother Abraham Quintanilla III on bass and frequent songwriting duties, plus her sister Suzette on drums. Her first Grammy arrived in 1993 for Best Mexican American Performance, awarded to the live album Selena Live. That year she also unveiled the ballad collection Quiero and launched the clothing company Selena Etc. Feature-film work followed in 1994 with a role as a singer in Don Juan DeMarco; later she and her band toured New York, Los Angeles, Argentina, and Puerto Rico. Amor Prohibido appeared the same year, its title track securing another Grammy and gold certification. By 1995 she was preparing her first English-language album for mainstream American audiences.

While working on that project, she drove to a Corpus Christi, Texas, motel to dismiss 34-year-old Yolanda Saldivar, who managed the Selena boutique in San Antonio and had founded the official fan club. Days earlier her father had discovered documents showing Saldivar had been siphoning funds from the club. After a heated exchange, the singer was shot in the back as she tried to leave; she managed to reach the lobby, identified Saldivar as the assailant, and was pronounced dead an hour later at a nearby hospital.

The killing sent shock waves through the entire Latino music world. Saldivar was convicted of the murder in November 1995 and received a minimum sentence of thirty years. A memorial service took place at the Los Angeles Coliseum, the venue originally booked for an upcoming concert. Less than a month afterward, Texas governor George W. Bush proclaimed April 16 “Selena Day” in tribute. Her final album, Dreaming of You, reached stores posthumously in early summer and became the first Tejano release to top the national chart; by year’s end it had been certified double platinum.