List of people influenced by Selena

Selena (April 16, 1971 – March 31, 1995) was an American Tejano music singer, songwriter, a spokesperson, actress, and fashion designer. Selena was born in Lake Jackson, Texas, 54 miles south of Houston, Texas, the family later relocated to Corpus Christi, Texas after declaring bankruptcy. Her father was a musician before she was born and decided to quit after Selena was born. After discovering her musical abilities, he formed his children into a band called Selena y Los Dinos—his son A.B. Quintanilla III on base, Suzette Quintanilla on drums, and Selena singing. Selena dominated the Tejano Music Award for Female Vocalist of the Year for eight consecutive years starting in 1987. She landed her first major contract with EMI Latin in 1989 and released four Spanish-language albums with them, each achieving a milestone in the Latin music industry. The company then decided that they wanted Selena to release a crossover album, which would enable Selena to transition from Spanish to English-language pop songs. On March 31, 1995, Selena was shot and killed by Yolanda Saldivar, her former friend and manager of her boutiques. Her death reactions was compared to American musicians John Lennon, Elvis Presley, and former US president John F. Kennedy.

During Selena's career, her biggest influences were Donna Summer, Madonna, Gloria Estefan, Paula Abdul, Michael Jackson, and Janet Jackson. According to music critics, Selena's basic Tejano sound composed of African American music styles of contemporary R&B, disco, and funk music. Her upbringing in American pop music was believed by Ed Morales, to have been inspired by Summer and Diana Ross. Selena cited Michael Jackson for her desire to follow his footsteps after watching him perform at the 1984 Houston Astrodome concert. On stage, Selena often wore fashion trends that were inspired by Abdul, Madonna, and Janet Jackson. Selena's widower, Chris Pérez, stated that Selena was "open mined" to all music genres, especially Rock music. Since Selena's death in 1995, people from the entertainment industry expressed how Selena was influential to their musical careers in interviews, speeches, books, and in music.

Influences for Selena

Selena had cited Donna Summer, Madonna, Gloria Estefan, Paula Abdul, Michael Jackson, and Janet Jackson, as her main influences to her dance moves, her music and fashion careers. According to Michelle Habell-Pallán, who wrote in her book Latino/a Popular Culture (2002), Selena's music was influenced by African American music genres such as disco, R&B, and funk music. Habell-Pallán asserted that Summer and Gloria Gaynor's music were "drawn into" Selena's Tejano music sound. Before recording sessions began for Selena's first LP record in 1984, her father and manager Abraham Quintanilla, Jr. discouraged Selena from recording compositions like "Donna Summer's style", he believed that his children should record music genres of their heritage. According to Ed Morales, Selena's upbringing in American pop music had influenced her work and believed that her 1995 sampled single "Fotos y Recuerdos", was one of her recordings inspired by Summer and Diana Ross.

In the early 1990s, Selena began wearing suggestive outfits during her concerts, despite being a role model for young women. She was emulating the fashion trend, at the time, which were inspired by Madonna, Janet Jackson, and Paula Abdul. Because of her choice of outfits and dance moves, she was named by her fans as the "Mexican Madonna". Selena was credited as being the first women to change the minds of people about feminine beauty, she also started that movement, and was also trailblazing for other female artists during her career. Cordelia Candelaria commented in her book Encyclopedia of Latino Popular Culture (2004), on Selena's choice of clothing during her concerts as an "independence from a more rural image" and "was the provocative sexuality of her dress and her creation of a contemporary sexy Latina style in the manner of Madonna."

During an interview, Selena cited that Michael Jackson's performance at the Houston Astrodome in 1984, influenced her in following Michael Jackson's footsteps. In February 1995, Selena performed at the Houston Astrodome, breaking their record attendance. Selena's widower, Chris Pérez, wrote in his book on his and Selena's relationship entitled To Selena, with Love (2012), that Selena's favorite artists were Bonnie Raitt, Janet Jackson, and Whitney Houston. He informed that Selena's favorite song was "Black Cat", from Janet's fourth studio album Rhythm Nation 1814 (1989). He also wrote that Selena was "open minded" to all music genres, especially Rock music recording artists such as Alice in Chains, Pearl Jam, and Green Day. According to Pérez, Selena often sung "More Than Words" by rock band Extreme.

Inspired by Selena

Musicians inspired by Selena

Non-musicians inspired by Selena

Sources

External links

• Fiesta de La Flor (annual festival held by the Quintanilla family)
• Selena at Rotten Tomatoes
• Selena at Biography.com