On July 12 and 13, the Houston Symphony pays tribute to the Queen of Tejano Music, Selena Quintanilla. Learn more about this iconic Texan with these fun facts as we prepare to celebrate her legacy of with special guest vocalist Isabel Marie Sánchez! Find information and tickets about the concert here.
- 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!
- Houston natives Beyoncé and Solange Knowles are fans! Before becoming a celebrity, Beyoncé met Selena at Houston’s Galleria. Beyoncé said, “Definitely growing up in Texas, I heard her on the radio. And I think listening to her album, even though I didn’t know exactly what she was saying, helped me in the studio with my [Spanish] pronunciation.” Beyoncé interviewed Solange for Interview Magazine and asked her to pick her favorite Selena song between “No Me Queda Mas” or “I Could Fall in Love.” Solange replied, “This is so unfair! ‘No Me Queda Mas.’”
- Selena had an extensive collection of lookalikes of Fabergé eggs and kept about 500 in glass cabinets in her living room. They ranged from gold to diamond eggs of all sizes. Her collection is now displayed at the Selena Museum in Corpus Christi.
- For three consecutive years, the superstar broke her own attendance records at the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo in the Astrodome: in 1993, she set an attendance record of 57,894 fans; the following year, Selena performed for 60,081; and her final appearance drew a crowd of 67,000. The 1995 performance was recorded and televised live on Univision.
- Selena was recognized for her contributions to Latin music when she received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame on November 3, 2017. The ceremony attracted a record crowd of about 4,500 fans—breaking a 1998 record set at the unveiling of the star for Mexican singer Vicente Fernández. As of 2015, she has sold more than 65 million units worldwide, making her the best-selling female artist in Latin music history.
—Mireya Reyna
Don’t miss The Music of Selena on July 12 and 13! Learn more and get tickets.
