Selena's fans cancelled their gathering yesterday for the singer's 25th death anniversary due to the coronavirus pandemic. Instead, they paid tribute to her life and career through social media. Selena's fans go to Walk of Fame in Hollywood or her museum in Corpus Christi, Texas yearly since her death, except for this year.
An NBC article reported that Selena's sister Suzette Quintanilla, a businesswoman, led the memorials with a post of Selena's name with a white rose in the background. The post on Facebook is a tribute to "Como La Flor", one of Selena's hit singles. "To a beautiful person who lives on...WE LOVE YOU AND MISS YOU! #SELENA25," Quintanilla said on her Facebook post.
Fans also dug up clips with inspiring words from the singer who took Tejano music and musicians to the world stage and opened doors for female singers in the said genre. One fan said in his tweet that the singer's popularity made him connect with his Hispanic heritage.
The Quintanillas planned a tribute concert in the Alamodome in San Antonio and free tribute concerts at the SXSW in Austin. However, the coronavirus pandemic and quarantine protocols issued by the city government led to the cancellation of said events.
About Selena
Selena Quintanilla-Perez was born on April 16, 1971. She got her musical talent from her father Abraham, a former musician. Abraham formed a band named "Selena Y Los Dinas" consisting of his family. Selena was the lead singer at age ten. Her older siblings played instruments.
Selena started her career in 1989 when she released her first self-titled album. Selena's album landed at the seventh place in the Top 20, Regional Mexican Albums.
In 1994, her fourth album "Amor Prohibido" reached the 29th spot on 200 chart list on Billboard. The album went double-platinum when it sold 2 million copies and even earned a Grammy nomination. Selena also won a Grammy in 1994 for best Mexican-American album for Selena Live!
Selena was shot by Yolanda Saldivar, her fan, on March 31, 1995. The reason behind the shooting was allegedly missing financial records. Selena was supposed to bring the document to Days Inn. Saldivar, meanwhile, claimed she was planning to take her own life in front of Selena. Selena was aged 23 when she was killed, according to a summary of Selena's life on Newsweek.
Saldivar is now serving a life sentence in Texas.
Impact
Selena's death shocked the industry, and 25 years later, her legacy is still in place. Fredy Correa, a member of the band Barrio Boyzz, said that Selena enjoyed being an entertainer and expressing her art to people who appreciated her acts, according to an interview from Billboard.
"Her personality is larger than life", Correa added. He collaborated with Selena in the single "Donde Quieras Que Estes".
Correa also added that Selena contributed to a musical movement that represented young and aspiring Latinos who want to combine cultural heritage and American influence in their music.
Celebrity Tribute
Celebrities also paid tribute to the late Tejano singer on her 25th death anniversary. Jennifer Lopez, who played Selena in the biopic, said in her Instagram video, "God sent me that role for a reason so I could learn from her, so I could always have her as an inspiration."
Popstar Demi Lovato also said on an an IG post that Selena is one of her inspirations.
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