Selena

Birthday: 16 April 1971, Lake Jackson, Texas, USA

Birth Name: Selena Quintanilla

Height: 165 cm

Selena was born in Lake Jackson, Texas, a city 50 miles southeast of Houston, to Abraham Quintanilla Jr. and Marcella Quintanilla. Abraham opened a Mexican restaurant, Papagayo, in Lake Jackson. Selena was 9-years-old when her father discovered her talent for singing. He formed a band consisting of Selena on vocals, her brother A.B. Quintanilla on bass, and her sister Suzette Quintañilla on drums. The group, called Los Dinos after a band Abraham was a member of in the 1950s and 1960s, frequently performed at the restaurant. In 1981, the family moved to Corpus Christi where Abraham started booking his band out for weddings and parties. This became their way of life. Selena and Los Dinos' big break came in 1987, when the then-15-year-old Selena won the Tejano Music Award for Female Entertainer of the Year. That award led Selena to a major record label contract with Capitol Records and six very successful albums. By 1992, Selena had branched out and launched her clothing line and married her guitarist, Chris Perez. In 1994, she was nominated and won her first Grammy for Best Mexican-American album, "Selena Live!" That same year, she opened her first boutique in Corpus Christi, Texas. Then, on March 31, 1995, Selena was murdered by Yolanda Saldivar, her friend and president of her fan club. Show less «

I miss going to school and having friends; that's normal for anyone my age. I had a very boring chil...Show more »

I miss going to school and having friends; that's normal for anyone my age. I had a very boring childhood because I never had the opportunity to associate with anybody my own age due to my career. I miss being around kids my own age. Show less «

I lost a lot out of my teenage hood but I gained a lot too. I can't really say that I lost because I...Show more »

I lost a lot out of my teenage hood but I gained a lot too. I can't really say that I lost because I got ahead of everyone as far as career and being more mature about business, even though I didn't know what the heck was going on. Show less «

Thank goodness we stuck to it because we have come a long way, you know. Really and truly, I can't i...Show more »

Thank goodness we stuck to it because we have come a long way, you know. Really and truly, I can't imagine myself having an everyday job and going into an office. I love business. I have my own business aside from singing, but I can't picture myself going to the same place everyday. I don't know, it would be kind of a drag to me, I guess I have gotten so used to traveling now. When I have the chance to relax, I'm real hyper and ready to go. Show less «

We had these monkey bars in the back of my house and we used to get my mother's sheets and tie them ...Show more »

We had these monkey bars in the back of my house and we used to get my mother's sheets and tie them to the bars and make little cocoons and just hang in there all day. Show less «

Tejano music is a very relaxing style and it reminds me of home.

I was six and a half when I started singing. I recorded my first record when I was eight and started...Show more »

I was six and a half when I started singing. I recorded my first record when I was eight and started traveling when I was nine. Show less «

I think the public plays an important role in supporting an artist in their career. - the 1989 Tejan...Show more »

I think the public plays an important role in supporting an artist in their career. - the 1989 Tejano Music Awards Show less «

Although my Spanish is a little weak, I feel that I am Mexican and I'm proud of my roots.

You have to understand the culture is very conservative, and I think that's why everybody made a big...Show more »

You have to understand the culture is very conservative, and I think that's why everybody made a big stink about Madonna, because she showed a lot of skin, and it was different. I think it shocked a lot of people, and I think it's the same in the Tejano market. Wearing the bras on stage shocked everybody, and that's probably why I got branded for the bra. - about her style Show less «

What's cool about our family is that we don't hold grudges and I think that's sort of been the key t...Show more »

What's cool about our family is that we don't hold grudges and I think that's sort of been the key to the success. Ya know we have our disagreements but whether we're right or wrong we'll just go and apologize. That's just the way we are. Show less «

If we got a hundred dollars a gig, we were like, whoa this is cool...but you have to take what you c...Show more »

If we got a hundred dollars a gig, we were like, whoa this is cool...but you have to take what you can get when you're first starting out. -on the early years of her career Show less «

The reason I'm so appreciative of everything that's going on around me is cause I never expected it....Show more »

The reason I'm so appreciative of everything that's going on around me is cause I never expected it. Never dreamed...never in my wildest dreams thought I would come this far and I plan to keep that attitude. Show less «

When dad first introduced us to it we were like, no you can't make us play it. There were times we w...Show more »

When dad first introduced us to it we were like, no you can't make us play it. There were times we would come in to practice and we would start crying, 'We don't wanna learn this music.' But we learned it and now that's all we listen to on the radio and we like to play it. - on Tejano music Show less «

I love Texas. I'm a Texas girl. I am Texan. I really like Corpus because it's really laid back. It's...Show more »

I love Texas. I'm a Texas girl. I am Texan. I really like Corpus because it's really laid back. It's like 385,000 in population. Its very small compared to Los Angeles. I like it. Everybody treats me like I'm nobody. It's like Selena's at the mall. She's shopping again. No biggie. When I go other places, I'm working, and I'm enjoying meeting people, but when I go home, that's my time to be myself, and relax. Show less «

I find it very flattering. I think when people say that, that means it as success goes. Everybody ca...Show more »

I find it very flattering. I think when people say that, that means it as success goes. Everybody can identify my music from Madonna's and Gloria's. My music is totally different. Gloria Estefan has her own style. I admire her and respect her highly because she is an Hispanic woman who's opened doors for everybody else that has come along. I think everyone should respect her for that."-on being compared to Madonna and Gloria Estefan Show less «

We're a very unified family. Within the family we have aggressive and dominating personalities, but ...Show more »

We're a very unified family. Within the family we have aggressive and dominating personalities, but we believe the family is the most important thing of all. Show less «

Tejano music is a combination or should I say fusion of a lot of different types of music all rolled...Show more »

Tejano music is a combination or should I say fusion of a lot of different types of music all rolled into one package. It's country music, it's jazz, it has roots of German polka, it also has Mexican music in it. - on Tejano music Show less «

Stay in school, don't drink, don't do drugs, stay chaste, live good, and go to church.

They're putting more powder on me because I have very oily skin. That's why we're coming out with th...Show more »

They're putting more powder on me because I have very oily skin. That's why we're coming out with the Selena line of makeup. - on filming the "No Me Queda Mas" video Show less «

The family that plays together stays together.

Well, when I'm singing I'm a completely different person. I could be very free, depending on the sit...Show more »

Well, when I'm singing I'm a completely different person. I could be very free, depending on the situation I could do what I want. I would have to deliver, like with many songs, a lot of emotion if a song is very sad, as with a very happy and excited song. It depends, it depends. Compared to when I'm my normal self, like whomever, of the public. - on performing Show less «

I really would not like to portray a bad person. I know I could do it. But I'm not really on the cus...Show more »

I really would not like to portray a bad person. I know I could do it. But I'm not really on the cussing thing and all. I don't really cuss in my personal life. So I couldn't see myself on the screen letting millions of people look at me cuss. I have a lot of fans who are kids and I wouldn't want to disillusion them, especially their parents. Show less «

The life of an artist isn't all glamorous. It's a lot of work. A lot of people think it's very easy....Show more »

The life of an artist isn't all glamorous. It's a lot of work. A lot of people think it's very easy. They think you always stay in good hotels, you buy good things, but it's not like that. You have to work hard like everybody else. Show less «

I think I'm very a kindhearted person. Um, I don't like to hurt people's feelings. If I do, it's not...Show more »

I think I'm very a kindhearted person. Um, I don't like to hurt people's feelings. If I do, it's not intentionally. I'm sincere and very honest. And I feel that nowadays a lot of people have lost that, but I think that starts in the home. My parents have taught me that. Being fair with people. Show less «

I'm nervous because this is something new. I've done Tejano music all my life but from what I unders...Show more »

I'm nervous because this is something new. I've done Tejano music all my life but from what I understand the English market is very different. I'm scared because I don't know what to expect. I'm very happy to be given the oppurtunity. I've always believed in the saying good things come to those who wait and we've been waiting patiently. I'm sure everything is gonna turn out okay. - on her English album Show less «

We were friends. I never thought I'd wanna marry a musician. - on Chris

Well, I think that's cause of my dad and his belt, (imitates her father) 'You're gonna sing little g...Show more »

Well, I think that's cause of my dad and his belt, (imitates her father) 'You're gonna sing little girl!'. Boy, I was very shy but when a person grows up you change and those things do too. - on overcoming shyness Show less «

What I do on stage, you won't catch me doing off stage. I mean, I think deep down I'm still kind of,...Show more »

What I do on stage, you won't catch me doing off stage. I mean, I think deep down I'm still kind of, like, timid and modest about a lot of things. But on stage, I release all that; I let it go. Show less «

I loved Lake Jackson because of the green grass, the trees. I remember eating at the Sonic and Dairy...Show more »

I loved Lake Jackson because of the green grass, the trees. I remember eating at the Sonic and Dairy Bar. I remember how it would flood where I lived, and my friends and I would play in the water. I was a little tomboy when I was growing up. I used to like to play football with the guys and you know, normal things like hide-and-seek, and get ahold of my brother's bike and try to teach myself how to ride it. Show less «

I love to wear hats. And I like to wear coordinated outfits, so I stared wearing the hats and the ti...Show more »

I love to wear hats. And I like to wear coordinated outfits, so I stared wearing the hats and the tight pants. And I started wearing the pants, the black pants because I have very big hips and every woman knows that it is a very slimming color and that's how I got into wearing the high wasted pants because it makes your waist look smaller and your hips go down and makes you look a little bit more look curvy. Show less «

I'm spoiled in the sense that now I get what I want but it's because I work for it.

I'm in charge of the uniforms and outfits. I design clothes and jewelry on the side. So we make our ...Show more »

I'm in charge of the uniforms and outfits. I design clothes and jewelry on the side. So we make our own things, which I love to do. I love shiny things and clothing. - on fashion business Show less «

As for dancing, I only dance with people I know. I don't dance with strangers unless they ask my dad...Show more »

As for dancing, I only dance with people I know. I don't dance with strangers unless they ask my dad for permission. I also enjoy seeing other people dance. Then I go backstage and practice the steps I saw. on dancing Show less «

We got up and we screamed. It was the pre-telecast part of the awards and there was maybe like 10 of...Show more »

We got up and we screamed. It was the pre-telecast part of the awards and there was maybe like 10 of us sitting in one row towards the back of the place, showed up kinda late. Like always, I'm always late for everything and they announced uh me as the winner and I was like oh my God and we all stood and we screamed and I was wearing this like crystal beaded gown and I remember going down, cause it's kind of on a slant, and thinking gee Selena if you fall..you are gonna be so embarrased don't fall cause it had like this fishtail in the back of it and I was trying to be all cool walking up there, but it was great and thinking back now...it's just an experience I will never forget. -on her Grammy Experiences Show less «

One thing is that if I ever have children later on, for sure I want my children to know Spanish. It ...Show more »

One thing is that if I ever have children later on, for sure I want my children to know Spanish. It only makes you a better person or even a smarter person to know 2 languages. If that barrier is not there you can cross both lines, talk to English and Spanish people and it gets you a lot farther in business and personal communication. - on Spanish Show less «

The impossible is possible.

My philosophy could be resumed as: Life would be very boring if people don't try to do new things.

Ever since I was a little girl I dreamed of having a big wedding, with a long white gown and a bouqu...Show more »

Ever since I was a little girl I dreamed of having a big wedding, with a long white gown and a bouquet of flowers but my love for Chris was so strong. I couldn't wait any longer for us to be together as husband and wife. I couldn't even wear my nicest dress because that would've made my father suspicious. Show less «

A lot of people say..ya know that it's hard to work with family and what's good about our family is ...Show more »

A lot of people say..ya know that it's hard to work with family and what's good about our family is that we've all had the same goal and we all have the same respect for my father...so when we get into a discussion, there's dad like good old times with a belt. I think a lot of the musical talent came on my father's part because he used to be a musician many years ago when he had his own band named Los Dinos. Show less «

Selena

Selena's FILMOGRAPHY

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