Selena Quintanilla was Mexican-American singer, songwriter, actress, and a fashion designer. She was born on April 16,1971. She died at the age of twenty three, on March 31, 1995. Her contributions to Tejano music and fashion were so huge that she is considered the Mexican equivalent of Madonna. She was deemed as the 'Top Latin Artist of the '90s', and was the 'Best Selling Latin Artist of the Decade'. The beginning of this 'Queen of Tejano music' were not as glamorous; she had to drop out of school in eighth grade in order to support her family. But it did not stop this young lady, she obtained a high school diploma at seventeen and enrolled at the Pacific West University to pursue her education in business administration. On October 17, 1989 Selena released her debut album and was later signed by Coca-Cola. On April 2, 1992 Selena married Chris Perez, a former member of her band despite the disapproval of her father, this was the inspiration her breakthrough album Entre a Mi Mundo. She won a Grammy for her song Live! In 1994, her album Amor Prohibido no longer kept her confined to the Tejano music genre, an album whose success was unparalleled in the Latin music industry. Her style was described as a cross between Whitney Houston and Janet Jackson. Selena shied away from the epithet of being a sex icon as she believed in being a role model for her fans, that mostly consisted of young children. Her success is said to have paved the way for other Latin artists like Jennifer Lopez, Ricky Martin, and Christina Aguilera into the mainstream music. We can't help but wonder where would she be today if she were with us.