Getting Familiar with Selena Quintanilla-pérez: a Biography

Born the sixteenth of April 1971 in Lake Jackson, Texas, Selena was the youngest of three children to Marcella and Abraham Quintanilla II. Being a part of a musical group already (Los Dinos), Abraham often practiced music in his home. He never really tried giving Selena a chance at singing or playing an instrument and focused mainly on Selenas older brother and sister, Abraham III and Suzette. At the age of 3, the young girl wanted to be a part of what the rest of her family (except the mom) was doing and began singing to her father out of a childs book of songs. Immediately, Abraham knew that his child had a unique talent: she had a voice for singing. Abraham began practicing as much as he could with Selena and her siblings, soon beginning his own family group when Selena was 9 years old and renaming it Selena y Los Dinos after his former group. At this time, Selena was singing only in Spanish, since that is what her father taught her (though she spoke English originally), and mastered it so well that they wanted to perform publicly. In 1980, Abraham opened Papagallo where Selena y Los Dinos would perform. With Suzette at the drums, Abraham at the bass, and Selena at the microphone,Selena y Los Dinos was sizzling and performed many times, mostly on weekends.

Though this lasted for quite a while, Papagallos went out of business, which caused the family to be broke and to move to Corpus Christi. Now in Corpus Christi, Texas, Selena y Los Dinos didnt give up. They traveled around Texas playing at weddings, small clubs, on the streets, basically everywhere they could to earn money. By now, they, especially the delightful voice of Selena, were becoming well known to many. In 1984, many Texan record labels heard and wanted Selena y Los Dinos to start recording songs. Choosing the Freddie label, they came out with their first album. (They usually label the albums as Selenas and not Selena y Los Dinos since she was the lead singer). Though she had her first album recorded, it didnt come out until 11 years later, due probably to individual songs on the album being repaired. In the mist of all her fame, Selena met Chris Perez in 1988 and had a special relationship with him just as friends. After a while, Selena and Chris started feeling other emotions toward each other. Knowing Chriss history of fines and arrests even though he was considered the inward type, Abraham fired Chris Perez for getting emotionally involved with Selena, leaving Selena heart-broken. Seeing the damage he caused between the couple, Abraham rehired Chris not too long after. Since Selena and Chris were together again, they felt they were ready for marriage and knew they had fallen in love. At the Nueces County Courthouse on April 2, 1992, Selena, at the age of 20, secretly married Chris. Abraham, once he found out about the two, was all right with the marriage, believing if they truly cared for one another that much, they actually should be married. The once Selena Quintanilla was now Selena Quintanilla Perez to the public.

In 1990, a fan from San Antonio, Texas eagerly wanted to open a fan club in honor of Selena. Since this fan, Yolanda Saldivar, knew Selena personally through a friend of hers, her request was approved and granted. The prosperous fan club was set up, but later the club along with another company started many troubles between Yolanda and Selena, leading to Selenas death. In 1995, Selena was approached by a record label to start recording her first English album. Thrilled as she was, she accepted and began recording as soon as she could. It was what she had wanted for a long time because English was her native language and it would be more logical for her to sing in English instead of in a language she really couldnt understand and didnt speak fluently in. Also in this year, Selena Ect. Inc. was soaring. Another boutique was opening up in San Antonio. Up to this year, everything seemed to be going right. Selena had a wonderful career in singing Spanish and now English albums, and her fashion business was expanding. Though, this same year, problems originated with Yolanda Saldivar leading to her death.