Selena Quintanilla-Pérez was an American singer who was born on April 16, 1971, in Lake Jackson, Texas. She was known as the "Queen of Tejano Music" and her contributions to music and fashion made her one of the most celebrated Mexican-American entertainers of the late 20th century. Selena began singing as a child and when she was nine years old, her father formed a family band called Selena y Los Dinos, which included her sister Suzette and her brother A.B. In the 1980s, Selena was often criticized and refused bookings at venues across Texas for performing Tejano music, which was a male-dominated music genre. However, her popularity grew after she won the Tejano Music Award for Female Vocalist of the Year in 1987, which she won nine consecutive times. Selena was offered sponsorship from beer companies in 1989, but her father turned them down as he sought to maintain her image clean and family-oriented.

Selenas name derives from the Greek word Selene, meaning "moon goddess". She was raised as a Jehovahs Witness and her father noticed her musical abilities when she was six years old. Selenas father wrote many of the Spanish-language songs that the group performed in the family’s restaurant. In 1986, when Selena was 15 years old, she won female entertainer of the year at the Tejano Music Awards, and her songs with Los Dinos began soaring on Latin music charts. In 1989, Selena signed a contract with EMI Latin, with whom she released her debut solo album, Selena, that same year. Several albums followed, including Ven Conmigo (1990; “Come with Me”) and Entre a Mi Mundo (1992; “Enter My World”). Her pop duet single, “Buenos Amigos” (“Good Friends”), with Salvadoran singer Álvaro Torres introduced her to a broader audience. In 1992, Selena married Chris Pérez, the lead guitarist of Los Dinos.

Selena was working on her first English-language album when she was shot by the founder of her fan club on March 31, 1995, in Corpus Christi, Texas. She was only 23 years old at the time of her death. Selenas legacy continues to live on, and she is still celebrated as one of the greatest Latino artists of all time[[6]](https://nationaltoday...