Grammy award-winning Tejano music queen Selena Quintanilla is among the stars. She was honored on Friday night when her star was unveiled on Hollywood’s world-renowned Walk of Fame near the landmark Capitol Records building. Suzette Quintanilla, Selena’s sister, accepted the star memorializing the late singer and songwriter.
The significance of the Latina star’s placement near Capitol Records was not lost on fans or event attendees. Selena once signed a recording contract in the iconic building. Almost 4,500 Selena fans were on-scene to witness the posthumously placed, long-awaited star take its rightful place among 2,621 additional stars, 89 of which honor Latino artists, according to the Chamber of Commerce and ABC News.
On March 31, 1995, the 23-year-old singer was shot and killed by the president of her fan club, Yolanda Saldivar in Corpus Christi, TX. The murderer, who was embezzling from Selena’s clothing boutiques, is currently serving a life sentence in prison at the Mountain View Unit in Gatesville, Texas.
Remarkable ceremony honoring award-winning artist
During the nighttime ceremony, the timing of which was remarkable in itself, Suzette Quintanilla quoted her younger sister before the star was revealed. “Selena said the goal isn’t to live forever,” she stated, “but to create something that will,” KTLA reported. Friday night, according to Suzette, epitomized her sister’s belief.
Not since the Beatles’ drummer, Ringo Starr, was honored on the Walk of Fame on February 8, 2010, has an unveiling ceremony been held at night, according to CBS 8 and Leron Gubler, who is the president and CEO of Hollywood’s Chamber of Commerce – responsible for the Walk of Fame.
Star’s beginnings blazed path to coveted Grammy
Selena Quintanilla was born on April 16, 1971. At 10-years-old, she was the lead singer of Selena Y Los Dinos, her family’s band, which also included her older brother, A.B. Quintanilla, and her sister, Suzette. The trio's father, Abraham Quintanilla, guided his children and the band through his management.
By 1986, Selena garnered 10 consecutive “female vocalists of the year awards” at the Tejano Music Awards, CBS 8 denoted. At the 36th Grammy Awards in 1994, Selena took home a Grammy for the self-titled and the Best Mexican/American Album, “Selena Live!”
Worldwide, Selena has sold over 65 million albums (at last count in 2015), several news agencies reported.
“Selena,” the 1997 biographical film featuring Jennifer Lopez as Selena and James Edward Olmos as her father Abraham, is reportedly the 12th “highest-grossing musical biopic of all time,” NBC News noted. Hits such as “Dreaming of You,” “Como La Flor,” “Bidi Bidi Bom Bom,” and “No Me Queda Mas” are among some of Selena’s best-known songs.
Mayor announces November 3 now belongs to acclaimed singer
In addition to Selena’s husband, Chris Perez, her family, band members, and thousands of fans attending Friday’s ceremony, Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti and actress Eva Longoria were present. Garcetti announced that November 3 is now formally known as “Selena Day,” media reported.
Eva Longoria says Selena’s star ‘for every Latina’
Eva Longoria, also from Corpus Christi, delivered the most heartfelt thoughts and words. “It’s beyond humbling to stand here,” she stated and NBC reported. She fought back tears, despite telling everyone that she made a promise to herself not to cry.
She said that Selena’s star is “for every Latina who’s out there, who has ever had a dream,” NBC relayed. “Growing up,” Longoria shared, "there was no reflection of me.” She stated that Latinas didn’t exist in mainstream media in America. “That all changed,” the actress said, “when a bright young singer named Selena changed the music landscape.”
Selena Quintanilla has become a member of an elite, unforgettable, and undeniable “constellation of stars,” as CNN expressed. She has a place on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. People noted, “I think Selena said it best,” her sister Suzette shared. “The impossible is possible.”
