CELEBRITIES
5 things you probably didn’t know about Selena Quintanilla
Tuesday 16 April 2024 would have been the day that the Queen of Tex-Mex turned 53 years old, so we decided to reflect on some things you may not have been aware of.
On April 16th, Selena Quintanilla would have turned 53 years old. The Queen of Tex-Mex tragically lost her life on March 31, 1995, after being fatally shot by Yolanda Saldívar, whom she believed to be her friend and the president of her fan club, during a confrontation at the Days Inn Motel in Corpus Christi, Texas, United States.
Nearly 30 years after her passing, the legacy of the Lake Jackson native endures. Here are five facts about the “Bidi bidi bom bom” singer that you probably didn’t know.
Things you may not know about Selena Quintanilla
She has her own holiday
Selena Quintanilla has her own holiday in the United States. Following the Texan’s untimely death, thousands of fans gathered at her residence in Texas to leave candles and flowers in order to honour her memory. Due to the significant musical and cultural impact of the artist, the then Governor of Texas, George W. Bush, decreed April 16th as Selena Day in the state.
Selena dreamed of being a fashion designer
In addition to her immense musical talent, Selena was also renowned for her unique fashion style; in fact, the Texan earned the nickname ‘The Mexican Madonna’ due to her impeccable sense of fashion, which was often compared to that of the performer of ‘La Isla Bonita’.
Before her passing, the young star spoke about her aspirations to become a fashion designer, but this dream remained unrealised due to her tragic and premature death.
Quintanilla got married in secret
Due to Abraham Quintanilla’s desire for his daughter Selena to remain entirely focused on her music career, he did not approve of her relationship with Chris Pérez, who served as the lead guitarist in her band.
In 1992, the couple eloped in order to marry secretly, and she became Selena Quintanilla Pérez. The pair remained married until Selena’s passing.
Selena: the reason for creating PEOPLE in Spanish
Surprisingly, Selena Quintanilla is the reason behind the creation of the Spanish edition of PEOPLE magazine.
Following the singer’s murder, the magazine released a special tribute edition to her. This edition was printed in both English and Spanish. The Spanish version sold out quickly, prompting the magazine to reprint it six more times, which inspired the editors to introduce a Spanish-language version permanently.
What was Quintanilla’s worth?
According to Celebrity Net Worth, a website specialising in the fortunes of celebrities, at the time of her death, Selena Quintanilla had a net worth equivalent to $5 million dollars, adjusted for inflation.