10 Ways Selena Quintanilla Continues to Make History

Selena Quintanilla-Perez continues to make a major impact on music, fashion, and pop culture 25 years after her death

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Photo: Flickr/hellboy_93

Selena Quintanilla-Perez continues to make a major impact on music, fashion, and pop culture 25 years after her death. The Queen of Tejano music was just 23 when she died but her music lives on and her legacy continues to make an impact with new generations becoming fans of the icon. The 1997 biopic Selena cemented her status as a beloved singer and since then her image continues to be a staple in pop culture.  From Selena the Series to her MAC makeup collection to countless song covers and books including TKTK, Selena is ever-present and continues to enjoy historic moments like her posthumous Lifetime Achievement Award from the Grammys. In honor of what would’ve been her 51st birthday.

The Selena makeup collection with MAC

In 2016, MAC teamed up with the Quintanilla family and created a 90s-inspired makeup collection that celebrated Selena’s legacy. The beauty line consists of eyeshadows, lipsticks, eyeliners, and mascaras all of which reflect Selena’s personality and culture. The line sold out within hours after launching and remains to be one of the best-selling MAC celebrity collections of all time.

She remains an influential artist

We might not have Jennifer Lopez the singer if it weren’t for Selena. The director of Selena, Gregory Nava, told People  that he believes Selena’s spirit paved the way for JLo’s great success in the entertainment industry. He said that Lopez’s portrayal of the late-singer was “an example of the fact that the light and the spirit of Selena” was with them during filming. Selena not only opened doors for Jennifer Lopez but she created a path of success and opportunity for young Latinas around the world who consider her a role model including Becky G and Selena Gomez.

Her music continues to top music charts

She’s on the Hollywood Walk of Fame

She has a Google Doodle

She inspired several bilingual children’s book

Lil’ Libros published “The Life of – La Vida de Selena,” a bilingual children’s book in 2018. The writers, Patty Rodriguez and Ariana Stein, told NBC News, “It’s a good way to keep her legacy alive and continue sharing her story with the newest generation.” The book allows adults to share their favorite memories of Selena with their children and shares fun facts about her, like that her favorite food was pizza and she loved her family. The book is an Amazon Best Seller in children’s Spanish books. Other children’s books about the singer include Queen of Tejano Music: Selena by Silvia López and Sing with Me: The Story of Selena Quintanilla by Diana López.

She’s the inspiration behind best-selling dolls

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Photo: CelebrityDollMuseum.com

She has received a Lifetime Achievement Award

She’s been inducted into the National Recording Registry

She was inducted into the Star Trail of Fame

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