Queen of Tejana, Selena Quintanilla, earns a Hollywood Boulevard star 21 years after her death.
Making a name for herself, Selena Quintanilla brought heart and soul to the ‘80s and became one of the most loved iconic singers of that time. Her fashion sense, the quality of her videos, the manner in which her videos were simply put together: it’s fantastic! Selena loved dancing, and it definitely shows in her videos. Her dancing was not oversexualized as most music videos are today; rather, it was charming.
Selena Quintanilla was not comparable; she was unique. She wasn’t Selena the singer, she was just Selena. Beautiful, young, and talented—she was The Queen of Tejana. As a Latina I grew up learning about this iconic 80s singer that some would go as far as to call the Mexican Madonna. Everywhere she went, someone recognized her. She adored her fans, but she kept in mind that family was important. Selena was family oriented, wherever she went her family would be there with her: at concerts, on tour busses, and at home. Having her family near grounded her; it reminded her where she came from and who she was. Selena and her family refused to let her fame change their traditions. She remained humble and true to herself and others, and people loved her for it.
Sadly, in 1995 Selena Quintanilla was shot at age 24. There was some degree of speculation about her death, but the investigation revealed her killer was Yolanda Saldivar: a close friend and the president of her fan club. Some say she had an unreciprocated love interest in Selena and shot her in confusion, yet others say Selena caught Yolanda stealing money from the Quintanillas and she shot Selena in fear. Still to this day, nobody knows the real reason for her killing. All we know is that her death really hit the heart of millions. Children, elders and family mourned her death, but 21 years later, Selena continues to live in the heart of millions. Through her music, through her story, she is still recognized. She has been revered for so long that Hollywood is finally honoring Selena with a long deserved star.
