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Use Cases
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Resources
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Pricing
1980
Abraham Quintanilla Jr. formed the family band Selena y Los Dinos in Lake Jackson, Texas, with his children Selena, A.B., and Suzette. Selena became the group's lead singer while still a child, beginning the professional musical path that would define her life.
Image source: Selena y Los Dinos
1981
Selena began performing regularly at her family's restaurant, Papagayo's, in Lake Jackson. The restaurant's financial difficulties helped push the family toward full-time touring and performing.
Image source: Selena
1981
After the family restaurant failed, the Quintanillas relocated to Corpus Christi, Texas. Selena y Los Dinos continued performing at weddings, fairs, clubs, and other venues across Texas.
Apr 2, 1992
Selena eloped with guitarist Chris Pérez in Nueces County, Texas. Her father and manager, Abraham Quintanilla Jr., later accepted the marriage, and Pérez remained a member of Selena y Los Dinos.
1987
At the third annual Tejano Music Awards, Selena won Female Vocalist of the Year. The award established her as one of the leading young performers in Tejano music.
1989
Selena signed with EMI Latin, a major new label created to serve the Latin music market. The agreement gave her access to wider distribution and professional resources as her popularity expanded.
Oct 17, 1989
Selena released her self-titled debut album on EMI Latin. The record introduced her to a larger audience and included early recordings that helped define her Tejano sound.
Image source: Selena (album)
1990
Selena received the Tejano Music Award for Female Vocalist of the Year in 1990. It was the first of several consecutive victories that reflected her growing dominance in the genre.
Sep 6, 1990
Selena released Ven Conmigo, her second album for EMI Latin. The album became a major Tejano success and helped make Selena the first female Tejano recording artist to receive a gold record certification.
1991
Selena and Salvadoran singer-songwriter Álvaro Torres recorded the duet "Buenos Amigos." The song reached number one on Billboard's Hot Latin Songs chart and became Selena's first major national Latin-chart breakthrough.
Image source: Buenos Amigos
1991
Selena recorded "Bidi Bidi Bom Bom," a song written by Pete Astudillo and Selena. Its buoyant rhythm and romantic lyrics later made it one of her signature recordings.
1992
"Como la Flor" became one of Selena's defining songs. Its dramatic heartbreak narrative, memorable cumbia arrangement, and Selena's expressive performance made it an enduring standard of her repertoire.
1992
Selena again won Female Vocalist of the Year at the Tejano Music Awards. Her continuing victories demonstrated her growing influence among both Tejano audiences and the broader Latin music industry.
Image source: Tejano Music Awards
May 6, 1992
Selena released Entre a Mi Mundo. The album became one of the most successful Tejano albums ever, included "Como la Flor," and made Selena a central figure in the expansion of Tejano music beyond Texas.
Image source: Entre a Mi Mundo
1993
Selena began recording English-language material for a planned crossover album with EMI's SBK Records. The project was intended to introduce her to the mainstream United States pop market while maintaining her Latin audience.
Image source: Dreaming of You (Selena song)
Feb 28, 1993
Selena performed a major concert at the Houston Astrodome during the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo. The performance drew a record-setting crowd for the venue's Latino entertainment program and illustrated her exceptional regional popularity.
Mar 1, 1993
Selena won the Grammy Award for Best Mexican-American Album for Selena Live! at the 35th Annual Grammy Awards. She became the first female Tejano artist to win in the category.
Image source: Selena Live!
May 4, 1993
Selena Live! captured performances recorded in Corpus Christi, Texas. The album combined concert energy with several studio tracks and became a landmark recording in Tejano music.
1994
The title track "Amor Prohibido" became a major hit for Selena. Its story of lovers separated by social class resonated widely and helped make the song one of the most recognizable recordings in Latin pop.
1994
The single release of "Bidi Bidi Bom Bom" brought the song to an even wider audience. It topped Latin radio and became a signature example of Selena's ability to combine cumbia, pop, and Tejano influences.
1994
Selena released "No Me Queda Más," a ballad written by Ricky Vela. The song became a major hit and showcased a more mature, orchestral side of her vocal style.
1994
Selena received major recognition at Premio Lo Nuestro, including honors as a leading female Latin performer. The awards reflected her growing reach beyond the Tejano market.
Image source: Lo Nuestro Awards
1994
Selena continued her run of Tejano Music Awards victories in 1994. Her repeated recognition as Female Vocalist of the Year confirmed her status as the genre's most prominent star.
Mar 13, 1994
Selena released Amor Prohibido, an album that became one of the best-selling Latin albums in the United States. Its songs addressed romance, class, independence, and family expectations through a polished Tejano-pop sound.
Image source: Amor Prohibido
Feb 26, 1995
Selena returned to the Houston Astrodome for the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo. Her performance drew more than 60,000 people, setting a venue attendance record for the event and becoming one of her final major concerts.
Mar 11, 1995
Selena performed at the 1995 Tejano Music Awards in San Antonio. The appearance came near the height of her popularity and shortly before the events that ended her life.
Mar 20, 1995
Selena recorded vocals for "I Could Fall in Love" at a studio in Corpus Christi. The session produced material for her forthcoming English-language crossover album and represented some of her final professional work.
1994
Selena made a brief screen appearance in the film Don Juan DeMarco, starring Marlon Brando, Johnny Depp, and Faye Dunaway. The role was part of her increasing visibility beyond the music industry.
Image source: Don Juan DeMarco
1994
Selena opened Selena Etc. boutiques in Corpus Christi and San Antonio, Texas. The stores sold clothing and accessories and reflected her ambitions as a fashion designer and entrepreneur.
1994
The Selena Etc. businesses expanded beyond retail to include a beauty salon and related services. Selena participated in the design and branding, developing a commercial identity separate from her recording career.
Mar 30, 1995
Selena met Yolanda Saldívar at a motel in Corpus Christi after financial records connected to the Selena Etc. boutiques were disputed. The meeting was intended to resolve concerns about missing documents and funds.
Image source: Murder of Selena
Mar 31, 1995
Selena was fatally shot by Yolanda Saldívar at the Days Inn in Corpus Christi, Texas. She was transported to Christus Spohn Hospital Corpus Christi, where she was pronounced dead at age 23. Her death shocked fans throughout the United States and Latin America.
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