Selena Quintanilla-Pérez was an American singer, songwriter, spokesperson, businesswoman, model, actress, and fashion designer. Referred to as the "Queen of Tejano music", her contributions to music and fashion made her one of the most celebrated Mexican-American entertainers of the late 20th century. Billboard magazine named her the top-selling Latin artist of the 1990s decade, while her posthumous collaboration with MAC cosmetics became the best-selling celebrity collection in cosmetics history. Media outlets called her the "Tejano Madonna" for her clothing choices. She also ranks among the most influential Latin artists of all time and is credited for catapulting a music genre into the mainstream market.
Jose Roberto Pulido Jr., known professionally as Bobby Pulido, is an American singer, songwriter, guitarist, and actor. He is credited for introducing Tejano music to a youthful crowd and became a teen idol and one of the most influential Tejano recording artists among Mexican American teenagers.
María Guadalupe Araujo Yong, better known as Ana Gabriel, is a Mexican singer and songwriter from Comanito, Sinaloa, Mexico. She first sang on the stage at age six, singing "Regalo A Dios" by José Alfredo Jiménez. She moved to Tijuana, Baja California and studied accounting. At age 21, in 1977, she recorded her first song, titled "Compréndeme". During her long career, she has hits in three different genres of music: Latin pop, Latin rock, and Mariachi.
Amor Prohibido is the fourth studio album by American singer Selena, released on March 13, 1994, by EMI Latin. Having reached a core fan base, the label aimed to broaden her appeal with the next studio release. Finding it challenging to write a follow-up hit after "Como la Flor" (1992), Selena's brother A. B. Quintanilla enlisted the assistance from band members Ricky Vela and Pete Astudillo with writing the album's songs. The resulting album has a more mature sound featuring experimental production that blends diverse musical styles from ranchera to hip-hop music. Amor Prohibido is a Tejano cumbia album modernized with a synthesizer-rich delivery using a minimalist style that was quintessential in early 1990s Tejano music.
Entre a Mi Mundo is the third studio album by American singer Selena, released on May 6, 1992, by EMI Latin. In his recording debut with Selena y Los Dinos, guitarist Chris Pérez had fallen in love with Selena—which Selena's father and manager of the group, Abraham Quintanilla, Jr., disapproved of—and Pérez and Selena eloped on April 2, 1992, after Abraham fired Pérez from the band. Abraham later apologized, accepted Pérez and Selena's relationship, and accepted Pérez as a member of the band. Selena's brother and music producer, A.B. Quintanilla, oversaw production of Entre a Mi Mundo. A.B. also composed most of the tracks on the album along with band members Ricky Vela and Pete Astudillo. The group members' diverse backgrounds aided in the diversity of the genres explored on Entre a Mi Mundo, making it the band's most innovative recording. It includes music genres ranging from synthesized, Tejano and Mexican cumbia to R&B and rock music.
Selena is the debut studio album by American Tejano singer Selena, released on October 17, 1989, by EMI Latin. Its music incorporates a range of contemporary genres with a mix of cumbia and regional styles of Mexican music. The album was released following company president Jose Behar's failed crossover request for the singer. The project was denied by the heads of EMI Records' pop division, believing the singer should first strengthen her fanbase. Selena's brother and principal record producer and songwriter, A.B. Quintanilla III fought to remain the singer's producer. The band introduced Pete Astudillo and Joe Ojeda, who contributed to the album's experimental production and songwriting. Aside from A.B., Selena worked with two Mexican songwriters, Alejandro Montealegre and Reinaldo Ornelas.
Live! or Selena Live! is a live album by American Tejano pop singer Selena, which was released on May 4, 1993 by EMI Latin. The album was re-released on September 22, 2002 as being part of the Selena: 20 Years of Music collection; which included spoken liner notes by her family, friends and her former band members Selena y Los Dinos. Live! includes three cumbia-influenced studio tracks, while the rest of the album consists of live versions of previously released songs. The album was recorded during a free concert at the Memorial Coliseum in Corpus Christi, Texas, on February 7, 1993. It was certified gold by the Recording Industry Association of America in its first year, double platinum in 1995, and gold (standard) in 2002.
Dreaming of You is the fifth and final studio album by American singer Selena. Released posthumously on July 18, 1995, by EMI Latin and EMI Records, it was an immediate commercial and critical success, debuting atop the United States Billboard 200—the first predominately Spanish-language album to do so. It sold 175,000 copies on its first day of release in the U.S.—a then-record for a female vocalist. With first week sales of 331,000 units, it became the second-highest first-week sales for a female musician since Nielsen Soundscan began monitoring album sales in 1991. Billboard magazine declared it a "historic" event, while Time said the recording elevated Selena's music to a wider audience. It won Album of the Year at the 1996 Tejano Music Awards and Female Pop Album of the Year at the 3rd annual Billboard Latin Music Awards.
American singer Selena released five studio albums, three live albums, three boxsets, two remix albums, one soundtrack album, and twenty compilation albums. Credited for elevating a music genre into the mainstream market, Selena remains the best-selling Tejano recording artist whose posthumous releases continue to outsell those of living musicians. Selena has sold over 30 million units worldwide, making her one of the best-selling female artists in Latin music. She was named the top-selling Latin artist of the 1990s decade by Billboard magazine.
Siempre Selena is the second posthumously released album by American singer Selena, released by EMI Latin on October 29, 1996. The album contained mostly unreleased recordings and remixes of previously released content. Songs on the album range from a 14-year old Selena on "Soy Amiga" (1986) to the shelved Don Juan DeMarco (1995) soundtrack song "Siempre Hace Frio". Siempre Selena was a result of the impact of Selena's death in March 1995, where the singer's father and manager Abraham Quintanilla, Jr. began receiving requests from fans of her music. Abraham rediscovered forgotten tapes of songs Selena recorded for various projects. Following her death, Abraham expressed how he wanted to keep the singer's legacy alive and that public knowledge of Selena was very important to him. Critical reception of Siempre Selena was mixed, with varying reviews suggesting that the album was more for Selena's fan base and found no particular track on the album to be of any interest, while others favored its diversity and remastered songs.
"I Could Fall in Love" is a song recorded by American Tejano singer Selena for her fifth studio album, Dreaming of You (1995), released posthumously by EMI Latin on 26 June 1995. "I Could Fall in Love" and "Tú Sólo Tú" were the album's lead promotional recordings, showcasing her musical transition from Spanish- to English-language songs. The lyrics explore feelings of heartbreak and despair and express the singer's fear of rejection by a man she finds herself falling in love with. Composed by Keith Thomas, "I Could Fall in Love" is a pop ballad with R&B, soul and soft rock influences.
"Techno Cumbia" is a song recorded by American singer Selena for her fourth studio album, Amor Prohibido (1994). It was posthumously released as the b-side track to "Dreaming of You" through EMI Latin on August 14, 1995. "Techno Cumbia" was written by Pete Astudillo and co-written and produced by Selena's brother-producer A.B. Quintanilla. The song is a techno-pop cumbia recording with influences of dancehall, rap, Latin dance, and club music. Lyrically, Selena calls on people to dance her new style the "techno cumbia" and calls out those who can't dance.
"Amor Prohibido" is the title song of American Tejano singer Selena's fourth studio album of the same name (1994). Released as the lead single through EMI Latin on April 13, 1994, it was written by Selena, her brother and music producer A.B. Quintanilla, and her band's backup vocalist Pete Astudillo. "Amor Prohibido's" lyrical themes have been analyzed by authors, musicologists, and journalists, who found them relevant to issues facing the LGBT community. A popular interpretation compares it to Romeo and Juliet.
"Buenos Amigos" is a down-tempo, pop ballad duet recorded by Salvadoran recording artist Álvaro Torres and American recording artist Selena for Torres' sixth studio album Nada Se Compara Contigo (1991). The song was released by EMI Latin in 1992, as the album's second single. Its lyrics explore a friendship built on the strong, unrequited feelings of the male narrator. Torres composed "Buenos Amigos" after attending a showcase event at which Selena was performing.
"No Quiero Saber" is a song recorded by American recording artist Selena. It was originally a track on her second studio album Ven Conmigo (1990). It was composed and produced by her brother, A.B. Quintanilla III. Pete Astudillo, a backup singer with Selena y Los Dinos, produced the song with Quintanilla. The recording was later mixed by A.B. for Selena's 1996 first remix album, Siempre Selena. It was released posthumously by EMI Latin in June 1996, as the album's second single, behind "Siempre Hace Frio".
"Donde Quiera Que Estés" is a duet recorded by American Latin pop quintet the Barrio Boyzz and American Tejano singer Selena. Released on the Barrio Boyzz' album of the same name, "Donde Quiera Que Estés" was written by K. C. Porter, Miguel Flores, Desmond Child, and produced by A.B. Quintanilla III, Domingo Padilla and Bebu Silvetti. The lyrics explore feelings felt after a breakup between first-time lovers who hope that their love will one day return. "Donde Quiera Que Estés" is a dance pop song with influences from hip-hop music.
"Angel" is a song recorded by the Cuban recording artist Jon Secada for his first studio album, Jon Secada, and for his first Spanish-language album Otro Día Más Sin Verte (1992). It was released in 1993 as the second single from Jon Secada and from his Spanish-language album. The English version peaked at number 18 on the US Billboard Hot 100 and at number three on the US Billboard Hot Adult Contemporary chart. The Spanish version peaked at number one on the US Billboard Hot Latin Tracks chart. It was composed by Secada and Miguel A. Morejon, and Emilio Estefan Jr. produced the piece. "Angel" is a pop ballad and was nominated for Pop Song of the Year at the 1993 Premio Lo Nuestro Awards. The song was the ninth best-performing Latin single on the Billboard Hot Latin Tracks chart of 1992.
American singer Selena released twenty-four official singles, seven promotional singles. Her career began as the lead vocalist of Los Dinos in 1980. Her albums with Los Dinos on indie labels failed to achieve any chart success. In 1987, her remake of Ritchie Valens' "La Bamba" peaked at number 19 on the United States Billboard Hot Latin Songs chart, her first entry. She signed with EMI Latin nine years later as a solo artist though her band continued to tour with her. Selena appeared on "Buenos Amigos" with Salvadoran singer Álvaro Torres. The track peaked at number one on the U.S. Hot Latin Songs chart in 1991, the singer's first number one song. Subsequent singles, "Baila Esta Cumbia" and "Como la Flor", became popular songs on Mexican radio, with "Como la Flor" launching the singer's career in that country. "Como la Flor" peaked at number six on the Hot Latin Songs chart, despite popular culture claims that it was the singer's first number one single. The track has charted on the U.S. Regional Mexican Digital Songs list since its inception in 2010 and remains the singer's signature number and most popular recording.
