Selena Quintanilla (born Selena Quintanilla-Pérez on April 16, 1971, in Lake Jackson, Texas) was a teenager throughout most of the 1980s, starting her professional music career as a young girl in her family’s band, Selena y Los Dinos. Her father, Abraham Quintanilla Jr., managed the group, which included her older brother A.B. on bass and sister Suzette on drums. They performed Tejano music, blending Mexican, country, and pop influences.
Selena began singing as a child. Around age 9 (around 1980), she performed at her family’s Tex-Mex restaurant, Papa Gayo’s, in Lake Jackson. The restaurant closed due to the 1980s oil glut recession, leading the family to move to Corpus Christi, Texas, declare bankruptcy, and hit the road with the band. They played at weddings, quinceañeras, fairs, nightclubs, and small venues across Texas.
In 1984 (age 13), the band recorded their first LP for Freddie Records (Selena y Los Dinos, later re-released as Mis Primeras Grabaciones). Selena initially sang English songs and learned Spanish lyrics phonetically before becoming fluent. Tejano music was male-dominated, so Selena often faced criticism and was refused bookings at some Texas venues.
Her popularity surged when she won Female Vocalist of the Year at the Tejano Music Awards in 1987 (at age 15), the first of nine consecutive wins. This helped legitimize her in the genre. In 1989, she signed with EMI Latin and released her self-titled debut album, with A.B. becoming her main producer and songwriter.
Selena’s 1980s look reflected the era’s trends with big hair, bold makeup, and flashy stage outfits—often sequined, sparkly tops or dresses with shoulder pads, mixed with Western/Texan elements like belts or boots. Off-stage, she wore casual 1980s fashion like high socks, sneakers, jeans, and colorful tops. Her stage presence was energetic even as a teen, performing with Los Dinos in matching or coordinated outfits that evolved into more glamorous, bedazzled looks by the late 1980s.
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