Photo: TARA ZIEMBA/AFP/Getty Images
28 years ago, Selena Quintanilla, vocalist of the family musical group Selena y Los Dinos, died from a gunshot given by his personal assistant Yolanda Saldívar at a hotel in Corpus Christi, Texas. Despite her tragic death, Selena left behind a musical and fashion legacy that has influenced several female artists in the regional Mexican industry.
Between 1981 and 1987, the privileged voice of ‘La Reina del Tex-Mex’ permeated the public that at first did not accept the proposal of the family band. For that reason, EMI Music signed Selena along with her band in 1989, but with a special eye on her.
Selena then became one of the most important exponents of vernacular Mexican music thanks to her vocal talent. Songs like ‘Bidi Bidi Bom Bom’, ‘Amor Prohibido’, ‘Como La Flor’, among others, became hits that have lasted through several generations.
Selena sought to break away from the norteño star archetype and from the line that Abraham Quintanilla set, so she incorporated elements of disco and pop music in her wardrobe and mixed rhythms in her albums.
When he won the Grammy for Best Mexican-American Album in 1993, she became the first female artist from Texas to receive that award.
Selena’s influence allowed more female vocalists to venture into this genre.and figures such as Alicia Villareal, Ana Bárbara, Priscila Camacho, Pilar Montenegro, Zayda, Jenni Rivera and the sisters Vicky and Marisol Terrazas from Horoscopos de Durango.
Her iconic red lipstick, her long hair and the bustiers she wore became fashionable for young people who consumed her music, even for those who did not speak Spanish. Selena’s foray into the field of fashion allowed other singers of the genre to decide to join the industry after trying success in music.
In addition, Selena expressed her intention to experiment with other musical genres such as pop and rock, also influenced by her husband Chris. His legacy has inspired several artists to diversify their music and enter other fields.
Nearly three decades after his death that Friday, March 31, 1995, Selena Quintanilla continues to be a musical and femininity icon in the entertainment industry who still wonders what reach she would have had if her talented voice hadn’t been turned off.
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Follow legend:
– Selena Quintanilla: 28 years after her death, Yolanda Saldívar would be about to request parole
– Selena Quintanilla: What happened to her husband Chris Pérez, with whom she was married for only three years
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