Selena Quintanilla-Perez died 30 years ago, but her legacy lives on. The Queen of Tejano music continues to inspire a new generation of Latinas. Selena’s songs are played at quinceañeras and family gatherings across the country.
Young girls have Selena-themed birthday parties. They love her bright red lipstick and joyful spirit. Nine-year-old Trinity Gomez has loved Selena’s music all her life.
“She inspired a lot of people to sing and dance and be very confident,” Trinity said. She dances with the Danzavida de San Antonio Dance Company. They pay tribute to Selena through their performances.
Girls aged 3 to 17 in the dance company wear Selena’s iconic purple jumpsuit. They dance to hits like “Como La Flor” and “Bidi Bidi Bom Bom.” Selena’s last major show at the Houston Astrodome in 1995 has hundreds of millions of YouTube views. Selena was the first female Tejano artist to win a Grammy at only 23.
Selena’s lasting legacy 30 years on
She expanded the reach of the genre. Sonya Alemán teaches a class about Selena at the University of Texas at San Antonio.
She uses Selena’s music to explore Mexican American identity. Selena’s bicultural and bilingual identity resonates with her fans. English was her main language, but she found success singing in Spanish.
She kept going even when she made mistakes in Spanish interviews. Many of Alemán’s students see Selena as someone who has helped them accept their own identities. Trinity finds inspiration in Selena’s language journey too.
Her mom Graciela said sharing her love of Selena with her daughters has been empowering. Selena has become something that brings their family together. Selena’s career ended too soon, but her legacy lives on.
Younger generations of girls embrace her as they pursue their own dreams.
