HARLINGEN, Texas (ValleyCentral) — She’s a legendary singer, whose songs like “Como La Flor” and “Bidi bidi bom bom” touched millions.
Selena Quintanilla is known to many as the queen of Tejano Music.
Pandora describes Tejano Music as “one of the most iconic genres of regional Mexican music, with its distinct bi-cultural flavor that could only have been born in Texas.”
“It’s just music that you always heard around your house,” said Dallas native Daniel Cavazos.
Selena was born in April 1971 in Lake Jackson, Texas. But her family settled in Corpus Christi, her now resting place.
She was a rising star within the music industry for her singing and fashion style.
It was in 1995, at the age of 23, that she was shot and killed. It would later be found that her friend, and former manager, would be found guilty of her murder.
More than 25 years after her death, her music still inspires people today.
“I have been a fan of Selena since I was a kid. My friends and I use to do competitions singing and dancing as Selena,” said Singer Carymel Rodriguez.
She is the lead singer for the Selena Forever Tribute Band.
Band leader Esteban Rojas and Rodriguez bring passion and energy to pay homage to the late singer.
“It has a lot of energy. It gets you right away. It gets your attention,” Rojas said when speaking on Selena’s music. “On her voice, I’m talking about her voice only, and man that impacted me. I was like, what is this!”
The band has toured all over Texas and most recently played in the city of Elsa.
Selena’s roots in South Texas are strong.
In her hometown of Corpus Christi, her presence and impact are forever memorialized. A statue stands overlooking the Corpus Christi Bay. Her family created a museum to keep the legacy alive. Both locations attracting people from all over the world.
If you stop by the statue, on the ground there are bricks where fans leave messages of love and admiration.
“I love her music. I feel like her music has a lot of meaning to it,” said Valley native Veronica Gutierrez.
We caught up with the McAllen native and her daughter in Corpus Christi.
“She follows all the videos and history on Tiktok. I thought it would be something cute we could do, a mommy and me type of day,” she said.
While enjoying the legacy Selena has left behind, she adds it was sad the way Selena died but her music will continue to inspire generations.
“Selena left an impact on everybody… She died the year I was born. She was just one of a kind, very different than others,” she said.
Another popular tourist spot in Corpus Christi is Selena’s final resting place at Seaside Memorial Park Cemetary.
The grave is sectioned off, surrounded by flowers and a community that will keep her legacy alive.
