Selena Quintanilla-Pérez's Family Remembers Her 'Life and Legacy' 26 Years After Late Star's Death (2024)

Selena Quintanilla-Pérez is being honored by her family on the 26th anniversary of her death.

On Wednesday, the Quintanilla family paid homage to the late Queen of Tejano Music by sharing a symbolic video of a glowing purple rose that gradually fades to white.

They captioned the gripping imagery, "Remembering Selena's life and legacy. 💜#Selena26#9497#QueenOfCumbia."

The rose is in remembrance of Selena's favorite flower, as well as a dream that Selena reportedly had many times before she was killed. Several of her longtime music listeners believe it was a premonition of her death. Purple and black were also Selena's favorite colors.

In the repeated dream (which was said to have frightened the late star) Selena reportedly saw a white rose that was thrown at her — but she could never catch the rose, nor see who threw it — and the dream was said to have ended with the appearance of a white light every time.

Additionally, because Selena adored her signature white roses, her dad and former manager Abraham Quintanilla, 82, asked fans to bring them to her April 3, 1995 funeral, where more than 60,000 people were reportedly in attendance.

Selena Quintanilla-Perez 'Would Have Been Very Excited' to Receive Lifetime Achievement Award, Says Dad

An additional significance of the flower stems from a video recording of the Queen of Tex-Mex that was captured as she was driven out of her final televised concert at the Houston Astrodome on Feb. 26, 1995. In it, a fan is seen throwing a white rose to the star, but much like her dream, she does not see, nor catch the flower. It then lands on the ground behind her as she smiles and waves goodbye to the audience at her last major performance. At the time, the concert drew a record-breaking number of attendees to the venue. The Quintanilla family also included a white rose at the end of Selena, the biopic.

On Facebook Wednesday, the Quintanillas live-streamed footage from the concert at which Selena wore the purple jacket outfit that was memorialized in her Madame Tussauds wax figure.

That same day, Selena's sister Suzette Arriaga, 53, shared a photo of a white rose in honor of the Grammy Award winner.

She captioned her Instagram post in her native language, writing, "Te amo y Te extrano ..." which means, "I love and miss you ..."

Selena's brother A.B. Quintanilla, 57, shared a vibrant painting of the songstress and simply captioned it, "Miss ya Sister..."

Her husband and former Selena Y Los Diños guitarist Chris Pérez, 51, marked the anniversary of her death by visiting the Joshua Tree, California locale at which they filmed the music video for their smash hit song titled, "Amor Prohibido," which means "Forbidden Love."

He captioned his Instagram post, "Get away they said.....OK...just me and some music....and a few beers...to the place Selena and I came to film her Amor Prohibido video. 😉."

In past interviews, Selena revealed that the fan-favorite tune was about her grandmother who worked as a maid for a wealthy family and fell in love with their son, but their romance was "forbidden" and frowned upon because of her work. The singer often joked that her grandma's romance was "like a telenovela," or Latin soap opera.

Selena Quintanilla-Pérez's Family Remembers Her 'Life and Legacy' 26 Years After Late Star's Death (2)

Selena Quintanilla's Husband Chris Pérez Says Her Murder 'Was the Hardest Thing' He's Ever Dealt With

Much like her grandmother's romance, Selena and her husband Pérez's relationship was also a forbidden love. When her dad learned they were secretly seeing each other, he kicked Pérez out of the band. Selena insisted that he return. Subsequently, the two eloped on April 2, 1992 to prevent another forced break-up.

The doting lovebirds and bandmates had plans to celebrate their nuptials with an official ceremony on the fifth anniversary of their wedding, but Selena was killed before then.

In a new documentary titled True Hollywood Story: Death of Innocence, Pérez revealed that Selena's death was traumatic for him. He described it as "the hardest thing up until that point that I had ever had to go through."

He was 25 at the time of Selena's death and said in the episode, "I [still] miss her face, her laughter. She was just an amazing soul, an amazing spirit."

Selena Quintanilla-Pérez's Family Remembers Her 'Life and Legacy' 26 Years After Late Star's Death (3)

Selena was fatally shot by her close friend and business partner, Yolanda Saldívar, on March 31, 1995, just two weeks ahead of what would have been her 24th birthday.

Saldívar killed 23-year-old Selena after the late star learned that she had been embezzling money from her clothing boutiques. She lured Selena to visit her at the Corpus Christi, Texas Days Inn where she fatally shot her in broad daylight by lying that she had been raped and said was going to present more documents regarding her misappropriation of funds.

In October 1995, Saldívar, 60, was sentenced to life in prison.

During the 63rd Annual Grammy Awards on March 14, Selena was posthumously honored with the Recording Academy's Lifetime Achievement Award. Ahead of the show, her dad told PEOPLE she "would have been very excited for this honor, just like she was when she won her Grammy back in 1994."

Selena Quintanilla-Pérez's Family Remembers Her 'Life and Legacy' 26 Years After Late Star's Death (2024)

FAQs

What happened to the Quintanilla family after Selena's death? ›

Selena's sister helps run Q-Productions with their parents

Suzette didn't continue pursuing a career in music after her younger sister died. Instead, the eldest Quintanilla sibling chose to put down her drumsticks and move behind the scenes to work at the family's entertainment company, Q-Productions.

What was the life and legacy of Selena Quintanilla? ›

Selena Quintanilla, often referred to as the “Queen of Tejano Music,” was not only a celebrated singer but a cultural icon. Her impact on various industries, including music, fashion, beauty, and culture, resonates even decades after her tragic passing when the president of her fan club murdered her at the age of 23.

How is Selena Quintanilla remembered? ›

Her contributions to music and fashion made her one of the most celebrated Mexican-American entertainers of the late 20th century. Her story has been the subject of multiple film and television adaptations including the film that helped launch Jennifer Lopez's career.

How old would Selena be in 2024? ›

How old would Selena Quintanilla be in 2024? The beloved artist would have been 53 years old, and while she died nearly three decades ago, Selena's iconic Tex-Mex music and chic, distinctive style continue to live on.

What happened to Selena's band after her death? ›

Selena and Chris quickly fell in love and married in 1992. After Selena's death, Chris formed a band called the Chris Pérez Band which he dedicated a song to the Selena called "The Best I Can". After the band broke up in 2002, he formed another band with Selena's brother A.B. called Kumbia All Starz.

What were the obstacles of Selena's life? ›

Through this history of Selena's life and music career, López reminds readers of the challenges she faced: overcoming the language barrier, stepping into a male-dominated music landscape, and her father's initial opposition to Selena's romantic relationship with Chris Pérez.

Is Selena Quintanilla Pérez still alive? ›

On the morning of March 31, 1995, American singer Selena Quintanilla-Pérez was shot and fatally wounded at the Days Inn in Corpus Christi, Texas. Although paramedics tried to revive Selena, she died of hypovolemic shock at Corpus Christi Memorial Hospital at age 23.

How did Selena Quintanilla inspire others? ›

She showed others it's OK to celebrate their identity

Selena was both Mexican and American. She sang in Spanish and spoke mostly in English. She couldn't be prouder of it and people took notice. For many fans, it was the first time they saw someone who looked like them under the spotlight and thriving.

What is a famous quote from Selena Quintanilla? ›

With a positive attitude, you can be anything you want to be.” “If you have a dream, don't let anybody take it away.” “Always believe that the impossible is always possible.” “All I need to do is try and do the best that I can do.”

Did Selena Quintanilla speak Spanish fluently? ›

In real life, Selena learned the words to the Tejano songs phonetically with the help of her father but did not actually become fluent in Spanish.

What is Selena Quintanilla's legacy? ›

Selena's timeless appeal has continued well beyond her death at age 23 on March 31, 1995. Her legacy has not only shined on the charts, but also on social media, street murals, clothing lines, and makeup brands as an example of a true Latin icon in pop culture.

Why was Selena's success so important? ›

Explanation: Selena was a very influential Latina hitmaker from the 1990s due to her ability to write music that appealed to both US and Mexican audiences. She grew up in Texas and lived there for most of her life, despite touring nationally and internationally as she aged.

What is the most interesting fact about Selena? ›

Selena Quintanilla was the first female Tejano artist, and the youngest singer, to ever win the Grammy Award in the Best Mexican-American Album category. She received the award in 1994 for her album Selena Live!

What happened to Selena's sister after her death? ›

However, when Selena was killed at just 23 years old, Suzette's world was turned upside down, and she stopped performing as a musical artist. Since then, Suzette has dedicated her life to commemorating her sister's legacy and creating opportunities for other Latin American musicians.

Why did Selena's family lose their house? ›

Why did Selena's family have to move out of their house? They went bankrupt and lost all their money. Who taught Selena how to do traditional Mexican Dances? Selena's Mom (Marcela).

Who controls Selena's estate? ›

Shortly after Selena's death, her father, Abraham Quintanilla, reportedly got her husband to sign off his rights to the deceased singer's estate, comprising her extensive musical catalog and other assets.

Where did Selena's family moved to? ›

The family declared bankruptcy and were evicted from their home. They settled in Corpus Christi, Texas; Quintanilla Jr. became manager of the newly formed band Selena y Los Dinos and began promoting it.

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