NY- First it was Selena Quintanilla-Pérez, the pioneering Hispanic singer who inspired a generation of artists and was killed on the cusp of fame. Then there was “Selena,” the movie that honed her legend and led another Hispanic artist to stardom.
Tribute albums, a Netflix series, and podcasts followed, and now, more than two decades after the film’s 1997 release, a group of lawmakers is pushing for “Selena” to be added to the National Film Registry, saying her listing it could pressure Hollywood to increase Hispanic representation in the industry ranks. The lawmakers’ effort was welcomed by experts in Hispanic film and studies, who deemed it long overdue.
“It is a recognition of the talent of Chicanas and Hispanics in acting and representation,” said Theresa Delgadillo, a professor at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, “and a woman innovator in music at the center.”
Selena broke into the male-dominated Tejano music industry in Texas, gaining critical adoration, a huge following, and then a Grammy in 1994. The founder of her fan club shot her dead a year later, with only 23 years old. His English debut, “Dreaming of You”, was released posthumously.
More than a quarter of a century after her death, Selena remains a pop culture icon, especially among Mexican Americans and Latinos from her native Texas. On Spotify, she has more than five million monthly listeners. ”This month, the Grammys will honor her with a special award of merit.
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