page_title: Selena
section_title: Early success
hierarchical_section_title: Selena / Early success
caption_attribution_description: English: Perez performing with a guitar in May 2012.
context_page_description: Selena Quintanilla–Perez, known as simply Selena, was an American singer-songwriter, actress and fashion designer. She was named the "Queen of Tejano music" and was also known as the "Mexican Madonna". Selena was born as the last child of a Mexican-American father. She released her first LP record at the age of 12 with her Selena y Los Dinos band. At the 1987 Tejano Music Awards, she won the Female Vocalist of the Year award. She won this award eight times in a row. Selena signed a record agreement with EMI Latin in 1989. She released five Spanish-language albums with them, each having chart and sales success.
  "Como La Flor" became one of her signature songs after it got to number six on the US Billboard Hot Latin Tracks chart in 1992. The next year, Selena Live! won a Grammy Award for Best Mexican/American Album. In 1994, Amor Prohibido was released and five of the singles became number one hits. Selena became the first Hispanic singer to do this. The album became the fastest-selling Latin album of all time. Amor Prohibido and the song of the same name were nominated for a Grammy Award.
context_section_description: In 1989, Selena signed a record agreement with EMI Latin. She became the first artist to sign with them. She also made Tejano music popular among younger people. Jose Behar said that he signed Selena because he thought he found the next Gloria Estefan. In the same year, Coca-Cola wanted Selena to become one of their spokespeople in Texas. Behar and Stephen Finfer asked EMI to begin Selena's cross over album. However, EMI did not want to start the crossover, while telling Selena that she needed a bigger fan base. She released her first album that same year. The lead single "Contigo Quiero Estar" got to number eight on the US Billboard Hot Latin Tracks chart in 1989.
  In the same year, Chris Pérez, who was a rock guitarist, was asked to join Selena y Los Dinos. Abraham did not like Pérez because of his image and believed he would be a bad influence on his children. Selena's brother tried to tell Abraham that Pérez would change. Abraham agreed, because they were missing a guitarist. In 1990, Selena released Ven Conmigo. The album became the first album by a Tejano singer to reach gold status. Around this time, Pérez and Selena fell in love with each other. Abraham was angry about this and fired Pérez from the band. Selena was warned never to see him again by her father. The two eloped on 2 April 1992. Abraham accepted the relationship and Pérez into the family. He later said that he felt guilty. He said this because he thought that it was his behavior that Selena and Pérez eloped.
  A registered nurse and fan named Yolanda Saldívar asked Selena's father to start a fan club in San Antonio, Texas. Saldívar had the idea after she had attended one of Selena's concerts. Abraham approved Saldívar's request. Abraham believed the fan club would bring in new fans. Saldívar soon became a close friend to Selena and the family. She was trusted and became the president of the fan club. In 1992, Selena released Entre a Mi Mundo. The song "Como La Flor" became Selena's signature song. The album and the single helped her to tour in Mexico. Selena recorded a duet with Salvadoran singer Alvaro Torres called "Buenos Amigos" in 1991. The song got to number one on the Hot Latin Tracks. This became Selena's first number one song. Because of this, Selena was asked to perform "Buenos Amigos" in El Salvador.
  In 1993, Selena released Selena Live!. The album won a Grammy Award for Best Mexican/American Album. Around this time, Selena opened two clothing stores called Selena Etc. She hired Saldívar as the manger. Hispanic Business magazine wrote that Selena earned $5 million from her clothing stores. Selena also acted in a Spanish soap opera called Dos Mujeres, Un Camino in 1993. When her episode premiered, it had a record rating. In December 1993, Selena was signed with SBK Records to begin her cross over album. However, recording would not begin until late-1994.
caption: Chris Pérez and Selena eloped in 1992.
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