The Role of the Performer- Selena Quintanilla

    For this blog post I decided that I would like to discuss the role of Selena Quintanilla, also known as Selena. I first learned about Selena in 8th grade during Spanish class and thought her story was very interesting and so I wanted to revisit it today. 

    Selena was an American singer who was famous for her music and performing. She sung Tejano music which is a "fast paced, accordion-based Latin dance music that combines elements of jazz, country, and German polka" (Britannica, 2026). She sung her songs in Spanish and was called the Queen of Tejano. Selena started singing in her family band called Selena y Los Dinos and it later became known as Los Dinos. Selena would travel all throughout Texas as a kid because she was so popular and in 1986 she won the female entertainer of the year award at the Tejano Music Awards. Her band recorded its first album in 1984 called "My First Recordings" and from then on she would release many more as a solo artist. She would go on to be very popular and win a Grammy Award before she was shot and killed in 1955 by Yolanda Saldivar who was the founder of her fan club (Britannica, 2026).


 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dvfZ95ueOcQ

    The first song I selected to listen to is Amor Prohibido. In this song Selena is singing about "Prohibited Love" and that no matter what society says, her love shouldn't be held back. I like this song because its not to fast, the various sounds played by the instruments are enjoyable, and it's easy for me to understand. The first thing that stands out to me in terms of musical elements is that there is a constant shaking sound played in the background as accompaniment for the entire song. It sounds like a rattle. The second thing I noticed is that the instruments are quiet so that the song is really centered on Selena's singing. Her role in this song is to really get into the emotions someone might feel when singing this song.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RKGbjJarMeA

    The second song that I chose to listen to is Bidi Bidi Bom Bom. In this song Selena is singing about her love for a handsome man whom she sees all the time. I also like this song because this is the first song I ever heard her sing back in 8th grade. It brings back good memories and overall I like the repetitive "Bidi Bidi Bom Bom" that she sings. The first thing I noticed about this song in terms of musical elements is that there is a really nice electric guitar solo about halfway through the song. I like it and it reminds me of Hawaiian music or tropical music. The second thing I notice and really like was the lyrics to the song. I think its fun to say "Bidi Bidi Bom Bom." Her role in this song is to just move with the music and get people to enjoy it.


Britannica Editors. "Selena". Encyclopedia Britannica, 17 Jan. 2026, https://www.britannica.com/biography/Selena-American-singer. Accessed 26 March 2026.

‘Tejano’ (no date a) Dictionary.com. Available at: https://www.dictionary.com/browse/tejano (Accessed: 2026).


Comments

  1. ABMarch 30, 2026 at 10:30 AM

    I think one of the most inspiring things about Selena is that she didn’t speak Spanish at the beginning of her career, yet became a massive success singing songs in Spanish. This elevates her role as a performer even more because she was singing in a language she didn’t know and yet still connected and delivered the music flawlessly. It was interesting to hear what Tejano music is made up of. I can now hear those different genres within her music. Lastly, I’d like to thank you for paving the way for me to rediscover Amor Prohibido! I completely forgot about that song and will now be vibing to it all summer with my husband, 10/10.

    ReplyDelete
  2. NolabearApril 2, 2026 at 12:48 PM

    I had heard of Selena before but never really knew who she was or what kind of music she performed. I had never heard of Tejano music before, I really enjoyed the fast pace of it. The music's origins are really fascinating, being pulled from so many different cultures. I totally agree that “Bibi Bibi Bom Bom” has a similar style to Hawaiian music especially with the music video being set at a tropical location. Overall, I enjoyed learning about a performer that I didn’t really know and their music.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Tommy CroninApril 2, 2026 at 5:41 PM

    This comment has been removed by the author.

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  4. Tommy CroninApril 2, 2026 at 5:41 PM

    I agree with a lot of what you said about Selena Quintanilla, especially how her role as a performer is to connect emotionally with the audience. I also liked how you pointed out that in “Amor Prohibido,” the instruments are quieter so her voice stands out more. That really shows how important the performer is in shaping how the song feels, not just the music itself. From looking up some stuff on Selena, one thing I might add to the discussion is how her stage presence and energy also played a huge role. Even beyond the songs themselves, Selena was known for how she performed live and how she connected with crowds. That’s something that might not always come across just from listening to the recordings, but it’s a big part of her impact as a performer.

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