National Selena Day: Celebrating the Queen of Tejano on what would have been her 50th birthday

Today, April 16, is National Selena Day in the United States.

It is a day where fans will put on some Selena songs and remember the impact she had on Tejano music.

Selena Quintanilla was born on April 16, 1971, in Lake Jackson, Texas, just outside of Houston.

At just 10 years old, Selena became the lead singer of the group Selena y Los Dinos.

In 1987, at just 15 years old, Selena won the Tejano Music Award for Female Vocalist. She went on to win that award nine consecutive times, making waves in the male-dominated world of Tejano music.

In April of 1992, Selena married guitarist Chris Perez, continuing to perform and pursue a successful fashion venture.

Selena was just 23-years-old when she was killed by the president of her fan club at a Corpus Christi motel on March 31, 1995. The young star confronted the president of her fan club, Yolanda Saldívar, and accused her of mishandling the club’s money. An argument ensued and ended with Selena being fatally shot.

Afterward, Saldívar held police at bay for hours. She was in her car threatening to take her own life. Ultimately she surrendered, was tried for murder, and sentenced to life in prison.

Her appeal is as big as ever among those who were fans before her death and even among those born long after. Somehow, in her own way, she managed to endear not only Latinos and Mexican Americans but generations around the world.

Source: www.kvue.com