Many times you meet people just once and they stick with you. Something similar happened with Selena Quintanilla, the Tex-Mex singer died 21 years ago and even though she died at the young age of 23, she’s impacted the lives of many artists. Some that had the privilege to meet her and others that simply fell in love with her music, her look and her contagious laugh and personality.
Demi Lovato
“Growing up, I loved Selena’s music…I was really young when she passed, so I didn’t know much about her until I got a little older, and when I saw the movie there was just some sort of connection…There is something about the movie that was really inspiring to me.”
Becky G
“Selena is one of my biggest inspirations. Beyond just her music, her way of being with her family and fans was so special and so relatable. Every show, interview, and song had something special. Something Selena. Thankful for the path she had created for young women like myself to be ourselves.”
Beyonce
“I did actually meet Selena in the Galleria Mall in Houston, but I didn’t say much to her because I wasn’t a celebrity. I think listening to her album—even though I didn’t know exactly what she was saying—it helped me in the studio with my pronunciation. I think she is a legend. I admire her. She was so talented.”
Selena Gomez
She was named after Selena and explains how she’s been such a big influence in her life. “When I went into the studio to record they actually had her vocals in the booth that she was in, so I felt like she was singing right next to me. It gave me chills! It was incredible and it was a great experience and was a great song…it’s such an honor to be named after someone so amazing.”
Jennifer Lopez
Lopez credits the start of her career to Selena, whom she played in the music biopic “Selena.” “The impact that she had on my life, on my career…It was a great thing for her to be my mentor. And it was a great thing to have her teach me so much about how to navigate this business, but also how to navigate through life.”
Those that had the pleasure of meeting her knew that she loved people, loved music and loved life. She always had a smile on her face and was a trend-setter. She wasn’t a size 2 and had a big butt and her favorite food was pizza. Plus she had great outfits, many that she designed herself and that have inspired designers for many years. Her life might have been cut short, but she lives in the hearts of many and for many years to come.
Check out Jlo’s tribute to Selena:
[youtube=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ic1Bo2QNJFk&w=560&h=315]