By Maria Sherman
AP Music Writer
NEW YORK — Thirty years after Tejano music legend Selena Quintanilla-Pérez was killed at 23, regional Mexicana music is now celebrated on the global stage — no doubt a result of her unending influence.
This year, there have been a number of celebrations for the “Bidi Bidi Bom Bom” singer, including the forthcoming Netflix documentary “Selena y Los Dinos.” Now, there’s another reason to celebrate the singer known to fans as Selena: In 2026, the Grammy Museum will launch a special pop-up exhibit celebrating the Latin music icon.
“Selena: From Texas to the World” runs from Jan. 15 to March 16 at the museum in downtown Los Angeles.
Exhibit includes Grammy gown
The exhibit was curated in close collaboration with Suzette Quintanilla, Selena’s sister and president of Q Productions. It will display personal artifacts from the Selena Museum in Corpus Christi, Texas. The exhibit will mark the first time these items have been shown outside of Selena’s home state.
Suzette Quintanilla “really handpicked the items that we’re going to have the pleasure of displaying in the pop up,” said Grammy Museum curator Kelsey Goelz in an interview with The Associated Press. “Selena’s legacy is not going anywhere. The conversation is still going. So, you know, why not start allowing fans to see some more stuff?”
All of the items at the Grammy Museum pop-up have been sourced directly from the Selena Museum, save for guitars lent from the personal collection of Chris Pérez, the lead guitarist of Selena y Los Dinos who was married to the singer.
About 15 items are coming from the Selena Museum, says Goelz.
“I think the most spectacular (item) would be her Grammy gown that she wore to the ’94 Grammys, when she won best Mexican/Mexican American album. It’s a very beautiful white beaded gown,” she says. “And then also the leather outfit she wore on the cover (of her 1994 album) ‘Amor Prohibido,’ the ruffle collar, the hoop earrings. Just, like, these little things, like the hoop earrings, make Selena, Selena. We’re also getting the microphone she used in her final performance that still has her lipstick on it.”
“It’s just so intimate and it’s so special to get to bring this to LA,” she continued.
It’s an appropriate home for a Selena exhibit: In 2017, she received a posthumous star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. At the time, according to a Hollywood Chamber of Commerce spokesperson, the crowd was the largest-ever for a Walk of Fame ceremony, breaking a 1998 record set by onlookers at the unveiling of the star for Mexican singer Vicente Fernández.
Selena’s Grammy and Lifetime Achievement Award will be on display at the Grammy Museum, as well as hand-drawn fashion designs from the singer’s teen years.
All descriptions in the exhibit will be available in English and Spanish, a reflection of Selena’s biculturalism and bilingualism. Attendees can also expect “a fan engagement moment,” says Goelz. “We really want to create an experience that’s interactive.”
“It’s incredibly special to share these treasured items, for the very first time outside of our Selena Museum, at the iconic Grammy Museum in Los Angeles,” Suzette Quintanilla said in a statement. “Selena and our band were extremely proud to receive a Grammy for our live concert. This exhibit is a beautiful tribute to her spirit, her culture and the unwavering love she had for fans.”
A unique blend of styles
Selena’s superstardom arrived in the early 1990s, with her unique blend of Tejano, pop, cumbia and other musical styles manifesting in huge hits like “Bidi Bidi Bom Bom,” “Como la Flor,” “Amor Prohibido,” “No Me Queda Mas” and “Tu Solo Tu.”
Known as The Queen of Tejano, Selena broke barriers for women in Latin music. She opened the floodgates for a new generation of contemporary artists of Latin descent who would go on to enjoy huge popularity with mainstream American audiences. She often sang in Spanish and spoke in English, reflecting a cross-cultural identity that resonated with listeners.
In 1997, a biographical film about her life, “Selena,” would quickly become a classic and boost the career of lead Jennifer Lopez.
Selena was killed by her fan club’s president, Yolanda Saldívar, in 1995. Saldívar is serving a life sentence in Texas. She was denied parole in March of this year.