Coordinates	50°15′″N19°0′″N
name	Selena
background	solo_singer
birth name	Selena Quintanilla
alias	Selena
born	April 16, 1971Lake Jackson, Texas,
died	March 31, 1995Corpus Christi, Texas,
husband	Chris Perez 1992–1995
instrument	Vocals
genre	Tejano, Mexican cumbia, Ranchera, Latin pop, Spanish pop, R&B;, Pop
occupation	Singer-songwriter, record producer, actress, dancer, model, designer
years active	1982–1995
label	Freddie Records, Cara Records, GP Productions, EMI Latin, Q-Productions, SBK Records
associated acts	Selena y Los Dinos, A.B. Quintanilla, Chris Pérez
website	www.q-productions.com }}

Selena Quintanilla-Pérez (April 16, 1971 – March 31, 1995), often known as Selena, was an American singer-songwriter-designer. She was named the "top Latin artist of the '90s" and "Best selling Latin artist of the decade" by ''Billboard'', for her fourteen top-ten singles in the Top Latin Songs chart, including seven number-one hits. She was called "The Queen of Tejano music" Selena released her first album, ''Selena y Los Dinos'', at the age of twelve. She was criticized by Tejano fans and record companies for being a female-lead-singer in a male-dominated genre, she was even booed off stage while food was thrown at her, in one of her concerts. Selena had to face male coliseum in traditional barriers in the Latin music world. She won Female Vocalist of the Year at the 1987 Tejano Music Awards and landed a recording contract with EMI a few years later. Her fame grew throughout the early 1990s, especially in Spanish-speaking countries.

In 1990, Selena's album ''Ven Conmigo'' became the first Tejano album by a female vocalist to be certified gold. Her following album ''Entre a Mi Mundo'' (1992), which included one of her signature songs "Como La Flor" helped Selena to crossover into Mexico. In 1994, Selena won her first Grammy Award in the category "Best Mexican-American Album" for ''Selena Live!''. EMI Latin signed Selena to SBK Records for a crossover attempt. While preparations stalled, Selena released ''Amor Prohibido'' (1994), which was nominated for a Grammy Award. The album remained as the "biggest selling Latin album of all time", being certified double platinum by the RIAA. Around the same time, Selena helped build and operate her own clothing line and boutiques Selena Etc. She had hired Yolanda Saldívar to manage the boutiques, due to her successful work with the fan club, that she founded. Selena possessed a mezzo-soprano and was highly praised by music critics. Selena also had outfits that accented her physical attributes. She was also not afraid to wear costumes or outfits that she liked and designed. Selena's fan base, were people who were identified with having latino roots while being raised in the United States, many were considered minorities. Selena was credited for giving them a voice, and power to do anything that they set their mind to.

Selena was murdered at the age of 23 by Saldívar. Selena's death reaction and impact was as equally compared to those of Elvis Presley and John Lennon. On April 12, 1995, two weeks after her death, George W. Bush, governor of Texas at the time, declared her birthday (April 16th) "Selena Day" in Texas. Warner Bros. produced ''Selena'', a film based on her life starring Jennifer Lopez, in 1997. Selena's family and former band, Los Dinos, held a tribute concert in dedication of Selena. The concert was held live on Univision entitled ''Selena ¡VIVE!'' which achieved a 35.9 household rating. The concert became the highest rated and most viewed Spanish-language television special ever in the history of American television. The special was also the number one program regardless of language among adults 18-34 in Los Angeles, Chicago, and San Francisco while tying for first place in New York, beating that night's episode of Popular Network Television. Selena has been commemorated with a museum and a bronze life-sized statue (Mirador de la Flor in Corpus Christi, Texas), which are visited by hundreds of fans each week and has marked her the city as a popular tourist attraction.

Selena is regarded as one of the most widely known Mexican-American vocal artists and most popular Latin artist in the United States. Selena entered ''Billboard's'' "International Latin Music Hall of Fame" in 1995. Selena's posthumous-crossover album ''Dreaming of You'' debuted at number one on the U.S. ''Billboard'' 200 chart, it sold more than 330,000 units in its first week, making her the first Latin singer to accomplish this feat. To date, Selena has sold over 25 million copies in the United States and continues to impact music charts worldwide.

Life and career

1971–1989: Early life and career beginnings

Selena was born in Freeport Community Hospital in Lake Jackson, Texas, as the youngest child of a Mexican-American father, Abraham Quintanilla Jr. and a half-Cherokee mother, Marcella Ofelia Samora, and was raised as a Jehovah's Witness. Before Selena was born, Marcella was told by doctors that she had a tumor and was subsequently told that it had to be removed. Selena's parents decided to seek for a second opinion before performing the removal. When a second doctor checked Marcella, the doctor found out that she was pregnant. Quintanilla Jr was very strict and forward with his children, he forced his children to perform cover songs every day. Their efforts at spreading their names and talents paid off in 1985 when the fourteen-year-old Selena recorded her first album for a local record company. Selena had to learn Spanish phonetically. The album was not sold in stores and her father bought all of the original copies. Freddie Martinez (CEO of ''Freddie Records'') thought that Selena wouldn't be able to bring in large crowds or be successful, because she was a female lead singer in a male-dominated genre of Tejano music. Selena's second studio album ''The New Girl in Town'' led Selena to appear as musical guests on the Johnny Canales Show, performing the single "Oh Mama". She continued her education on the road; at age seventeen she earned a high school diploma from The American School of Correspondence in Chicago, Illinois. After graduation, Selena applied to take college courses through correspondence from a California school; she was accepted in December 1990. The Quintanilla family traveled in an old refurbished bus and named it "Big Bertha". Selena released her third album, ''Alpha'', in 1986. The following year, Selena released her fourth independent studio album, ''Muñequito de Trapo'' (''"Rag Doll"''). At the 1987 Tejano Music Awards, Selena won Female Vocalist of the Year, and dominated the award for the next seven years. After she had won the award, Selena released ''And the Winner Is...'', that same year. In 1988, she released two albums, ''Preciosa'' (''Precious'') and ''Dulce Amor'' (''Sweet Love''). In 1989, José Behar, the former head of Sony Music Latin, signed Selena with Capitol/EMI. He later said that he signed Selena because he thought he had discovered the next Gloria Estefan. Selena was asked by Sony to sign a contract with them, however Sony had several Tejano artists and at EMI Selena had wanted to be the first artist to sign. Sony offered Quintanilla, Jr. double the amount that EMI was offering. Al Aguilar, president of the Lionel Sosa agency, declared that Selena was the next Janet Jackson. Selena was given $145,000 a year from Coca-Cola USA for three Spanish-language commercials in Mexico, including one in English for the United States. Selena was asked by sponsors to appear in beer commercials, but her father turned each one of them down due to Selena's image, which he wanted to keep clean. At the time, Selena was not at the legal age to consume alcoholic beverages. Two years later, the Quintanilla family hired him to play in Selena's band.

1990–1993: ''Selena'', ''Ven Conmigo'', ''Entre a Mi Mundo'' and Grammy win

Before signing her first major contract with EMI Latin Records in 1989, Behar and Stephen Finfer requested Selena for a major crossover album. Selena recorded "Only Love", "Is It the Beat?", and "Where Did the Feeling Go?" for the heads of EMI Records pop division. Behar's request for a major crossover album was denied by the heads, and Selena was told that in order to sell a major record, she needed a bigger fan base. Behar later stated that he felt that EMI Records and people in general, didn't believe that a Mexican American woman can be of "crossover potential", answering to a question on the reason why the crossover album took so long to be developed. Selena was the first Tejano recording artist to sign a major label and brought other major record labels to sign other Tejano artists. Selena began dominating music awards at the Tejano Music Awards in any nominated work.

Selena released her self-titled debut album with EMI Latin that same year. Her single "Contigo Quiero Estar" ("With You, I Want To Be") charted on Billboard, becoming Selena's first single to have appear in any music chart. Pete Astudillo joined Selena's band in 1989 and became a back-up singer and backup dancer for Selena during her live appearances, he was also in several duets with Selena. By 1990, Selena was a millionaire and became a spokesperson for the Texas Prevention Partnership, sponsored by the TCADA.

Selena released another album, ''Ven Conmigo'' (''Come With Me''), written by her brother and main songwriter A.B., in the same year. This recording was the first Tejano album recorded by a female artist to achieve gold status. The album remained on Billboard's Regional Mexican Albums for fifty-six weeks, an unprecedented feat for a Tejano act. Selena's works pave way for the "Tejano music movement" in Texas, wider audiences and record sales began to expand awareness for Tejano music. The band also was motorizing Tejano music and making it assailable to younger audiences.

Around the same time, a registered nurse and fan named Yolanda Saldívar attended one of Selena's concerts in San Antonio in 1991. Saldivar was convinced by her friends to give Selena a try, since she originally hated Selena due to winning every award at the Tejano Music Awards. While at the concert Saldivar changed her views on Selena and approached Selena's father with the idea of starting a fan club in San Antonio. Her wish was granted and she became the club's president; later she became the manager of Selena's clothing boutiques. By 1993, the fan club reached 1,500 members in less than four years, the fan club grew to over 5,000. The fan club then went to be one of the largest fan clubs throughout the San Antonio-area. In the summer of 1991, La Mafia, Emilio Navaira and Selena's collaboration "Somos Tejanos" ("We Are Tejanos") drew a crowd of nine thousands to the summit in Houston.

Selena released, ''Entre a Mi Mundo'' (''Enter My World'') in 1992, the album sold 100,000 units, it eventually sold 300,000. The album reached number one on ''Billboard's'' Regional Mexican Albums chart, and earned the accolade as the number-one Regional Mexican Album of The Year. ''Entre a Mi Mundo'' also entered the Top Latin 50 chart, it remained there for sixty-two weeks. Songs from that album, such as "Como La Flor" ("Like a Flower"), became one of Selena's signature songs. The single helped Selena to be accepted in Mexico. A duet with Salvadoran singer Álvaro Torres entitled "Buenos Amigos" ("Good Friends") peaked at number one on ''Billboard'' Hot Latin Tracks and became the singers' first number one hit. The single led Selena to tour in South America, while her other singles "Baila Esta Cumbia" ("Dance To This Cumbia") and "La Carcacha" ("The Jalopy") continued to be a demand in venues across Mexico and most parts of the United States. Her next album ''Selena Live!'' won Best Mexican-American Album at the 36th Grammy Awards. The album surpassed Selena's previous LP record, selling more than two million copies.

Selena's and Pérez's relationship became serious, and the two fell in love with each other. Angered and bewildered, Selena's father tried to keep them apart and even went as far as firing Pérez from the band. Quintanilla, Jr. believed that Selena's relationship and potential marriage to Pérez could harm Selena's career. Despite her father's wishes, Selena kept in touch with Pérez and on April 2, 1992, Selena and Pérez eloped in Nueces County, Texas secretly to avoid her father's wrath. Selena confronted her father the next day after radio stations publicity announced Selena's marriage. Selena's father then accepted the relationship and Pérez in the family; and the two moved in adjacent to Selena's parents house. In 1992, "Selena-fever" was spreading south for the first time. She was booked as featured acts at the Enchilada Festival in Las Cruces, New Mexico. The single "¿Qué Creias?" ("What Did You Think?") became a receptive in Mexico. The success from ''Entre a Mi Mundo'' helped EMI Latin to prepare Selena for a press tour, including a high-profile meet-and-greet conference with music media types in Monterrey, Mexico. The next time she visited Mexico, she drew a crowd of over 70,000 people in La Feria de Nuevo León on September 17, 1993. Selena returned back to Corpus on October 5, throughout her stay in Mexico, Selena was the biggest Tejano act.

After Selena's Grammy win, becoming a recipient of several accolades, sighing a sponsorship tour with Coca-Cola, dominating the Latin music charts and expanding the "Tejano Movement" across the United States, EMI Latin felt that the moment was right for Selena to release a crossover album.

1994–1995: Selena Etc., ''Amor Prohibido'', films, and Crossover attempt

After Selena's Grammy win, she began designing and manufacturing a clothing line in 1994 and opened two boutiques, one in Corpus Christi and the other in San Antonio. Both were equipped with in-house beauty salons. ''Hispanic Business'' magazine reported that the singer earned over five million dollars from these boutiques. Pérez and co-designer for Selena's clothing, Martin Gomez, elaborated Selena's dream of opening a boutiques, whereas her father and siblings were worried that Selena Etc. would be too hectic to Selena's growing schedule. Several weeks after Selena opened the boutiques, her BMW was stolen and dumped in the ocean. She later replaced the car with a red Porsche Targa. Around the same time, Astudillo left the band to start his own solo career.

Selena released her next album, ''Amor Prohibido'' (''Forbidden Love''), in 1994. The album was nominated for a Grammy award for Mexican-American Album of the Year. The album stood on Billboard's top-fifty albums, taking the number one and two slots, respectively. "No Me Queda Más" ("There's Nothing Left For Me") and "Amor Prohibido" became the most successful singles of 1994 and 1995 in the United States Latino communities and Mexico. She was also called "The Queen of Tejano music". In May 1994 at the Billboard Latin Music Awards, Selena won best "Regional-Mexican Album" for ''Selena Live!'', as well as best "Regional Mexican Female Artist". The following day at Premio Lo Nuestro Awards, Selena won "Best Female Vocalist", both award ceremonies were held in Miami. Later that month, "Amor Prohibido" peaked at number one on ''Billboard Hot Latin Tracks''. In December 1994, the album ''Amor Prohibido'' sold more than 400,000 copies, which was "unheard of" for a Tejano artist, Selena and La Mafia were the only Tejano singers to accomplished this feat. Selena also made appearances alongside Erik Estrada in a Latin soap opera titled ''Dos Mujeres, Un Camino''. The appearances were worth twenty million dollars. Selena and her band continued to receive accolades; ''Billboard'''s Premio Lo Nuestro awarded them six prestigious awards including "Best Latin Artist" and "Song of the Year" for "Como La Flor". Coca-Cola released a commemorative bottle in her honor to celebrate their five-year relationship, 4,900 bottles were distributed in Texas and New Mexico, by October 1994 the bottles were sold out.

Around the same time, Selena was signed by Dep Corporation's Agree shampoo, she was also signed to do commercials for Southwestern Bell's Call Notes voice-mail system. Meanwhile, her duet with the Barrio Boyzz, "Donde Quiera Que Estés" ("Wherever You Are"), reached number one in the Billboard Latin Charts. This prompted Selena to tour in New York City, Argentina, Colombia, Dominican Republic, Puerto Rico and Central America. Selena was given twenty-thousand dollars from Coca-Cola for just saying "I Like Coke". Selena's image helped her to stay in Coca-Cola after the company fired other celebrities only keeping Selena for Coke, Elton John for Diet Coke and Christopher Cross for Sprite. That fall in 1994, Selena was named "La Reina De Tejana" ("''The Queen of Tejano music''") by Vera Cruz upon her arrival for her Mexico tour.

By fall of 1994, ''Amor Prohibido'' was a commercial success in Mexico and made four number one hits, replacing Gloria Estefan's ''Mi Tierra'' on the chart's number one spot. It sold over 400,000 copies by late 1994 in the U.S. and another 50,000 copies in Mexico, reaching gold status. The single "Bidi Bidi Bom Bom" was a song that was not originally planned to be recorded, became one of Selena's most famous songs, winning Bertelsmann Music Group's "Song of The Year". At this point, Selena developed plans to record an English-language album, but continued on her Amor Prohibido Tour, while beginning preparations for the album. In January 1995, Selena approached Leonard Wong, a Chinese-Mexican who set up a company to market products by direct sales to the Hispanic community, with an idea to start the Selena perfume line.

In early 1995, Dawn Soler approached Selena if she could do a cameo appearance in the romantic comedy ''Don Juan DeMarco'', starring Marlon Brando, Johnny Depp and Faye Dunaway; she appeared as a background mariachi singer during the first scene. In February 1995, Selena played a concert at the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo in the Houston Astrodome, which attracted over 65,000 fans—more than country stars such as George Strait, Vince Gill and Reba McEntire. In March she was the headliner at Miami's Calle Ocho Festival, which attracted over 100,000 fans. She was also negotiating to become one of the stars of a new telenovela produced by Emilio Larrosa.

Death

In early 1995, the Quintanillas discovered that Saldívar was embezzling money from the fan club, and decided to fire her. Around the same time, Saldívar tried to walk in to Selena's recording sessions, but was immediately told by Quintanilla Jr that she was no longer allowed on ''any'' premises that Selena was attending. On the same day, Saldívar went to "A Place To Shoot" in south-San Antonio and bought a Taurus 45 snub-nosed .38-caliber revolver. Saldívar told the clerk that she needed protection in her job as an in-house nurse carer for terminally ill patients. Saldívar also told the clerk that a family member of one of her patient had threatened her. Two days later, Selena asked Saldívar to accompany her to a Monterrey, Mexico tour. Saldívar then returned the hand-gun and stated that her father had given her a .22 pistol. While on the trip, Selena began pressuring Saldívar about returning the bank statements that she needed. When they got back, Saldívar bought the gun back. The following week, Saldívar's name was removed as the CEO for Selena's Design House Inc., and she was replaced as fan club president by Irene Herrera. On March 26, 1995, Saldívar stole a perfume sample and more bank statements from Selena in Mexico.

Around midnight on March 30, 1995; Selena and her husband Chris Pérez went by Saldívar's room at the Days Inn hotel in Corpus Christi. Perez waited outside while Selena picked up the missing documents that Selena needed for tax purposes. When Selena and Perez arrived back to their home, Selena found out that there were still some bank statements that were missing. Saldívar later called Selena stating that she had been raped in Mexico, and told Selena to come alone back to the hotel. Selena then agreed to meet up, secretly, with Saldívar the following morning. On the morning of March 31, 1995, Selena met up with Saldivar to retrieve paperwork and missing documents for tax preparations. At the hotel, Selena demanded the missing financial papers. Saldívar delayed the handover by claiming she had been raped in Mexico. The singer drove Saldívar to Doctors' Regional Hospital, where doctors found no evidence of rape. Saldívar returned to the motel where Selena again demanded the missing financial papers.

Selena told Saldívar that she could not be trusted any more. At 11:49 am, Saldívar drew a gun from her purse, pointing it at Selena. As the singer turned and left the room, Saldívar shot her once in the right lower shoulder, severing a major artery which led from Selena's heart, resulting in a massive blood loss. Critically wounded, Selena ran towards the lobby to get help. She collapsed on the floor as the clerk called 911, with Saldívar chasing after her, calling her a "bitch".

Selena ran out of Saldívar's room to the hotel lobby, leaving behind her a trail of blood measuring three-hundred and ninety-two feet. Selena began holding her chest and screaming "Help me! Help me! I've been shot!". Before collapsing to the floor, Selena named Saldívar as her assailant and gave the room number where she had been shot. Meanwhile, Saldivar got into her pick-up truck and attempted to leave the parking lot of the hotel. However, a police cruiser saw the vehicle. Saldivar then backed up and parked her vehicle adjacent to two cars. The police then blocked Saldivar's truck and told Saldivar to come out. Saldivar picked up the pistol and aimed it at her right temple, threatening to commit suicide. The SWAT and the FBI Crisis Negotiation Unit were brought forth.

Selena was pronounced dead at 1:05 p.m due to extensive blood loss and cardiac arrest, two weeks before her 24th birthday and two days before her third anniversary to her husband Perez.

After the stand-off with Saldivar came to its fourth hour, a strategy developed by the FBI helped Saldivar to confess that the shooting was intended for herself. During the sixth hour, Saldivar agreed to give herself up. However, a police officer was aiming a rifle at Saldivar, who then panicked and ran back to her pick-up truck. Saldivar finally gave herself up after keeping police at bay for nearly nine and a half hours. By that time hundreds of fans had gathered at the scene, many of them weeping as police took Saldivar away.

Impact

Selena's death had a widespread impact. Major networks interrupted their regular programming to break the news; Tom Brokaw referred to Selena as "The Mexican Madonna". It was front page news on The New York Times for two days after her death. Numerous vigils and memorials were held in her honor, and radio stations in Texas played her music non-stop. Her funeral, which was held at Seaside Memorial Park, in Corpus Christi, Texas, drew approximately 60,000 mourners, many of whom traveled from outside the United States.

Among the celebrities who were reported to have immediately phoned the Quintanilla family to express their condolences were Gloria Estefan, Celia Cruz, Julio Iglesias and Madonna. ''People'' magazine published a commemorative issue in honor of Selena's memory and musical career, titled ''Selena 1971–1995, Her Life in Pictures''. The issue sold nearly 450,000 copies; two weeks later the company released a special issue for Selena which sold more than 600,000 copies.

A few days later, Howard Stern mocked Selena's murder and burial, poked fun at her mourners, and criticized her music. Stern said, "This music does absolutely nothing for me. Alvin and the Chipmunks have more soul... Spanish people have the worst taste in music. They have no depth." Stern's comments outraged and infuriated the Hispanic community across Texas. After a disorderly conduct arrest warrant was issued in his name, Stern later made an on-air apology, in Spanish, for his comments. Two weeks after her death, on April 12, George W. Bush, then Governor of Texas, declared Selena's birthday April 16 as "Selena Day" in Texas. Selena was inducted into the "Latin Music Hall of Fame" in 1995.

That summer, Selena's album ''Dreaming of You'', a combination of Spanish-language songs and new English-language tracks, debuted at number one on the U.S. ''Billboard'' 200, making her the first Hispanic singer to accomplish this feat and the second highest debut after Michael Jackson's ''HIStory: Past, Present and Future, Book I''. On its release date, the album sold over 175,000 copies, a record for a female pop singer, and it sold two million copies in its first year.

''Dreaming of You'' sold more than 330,000 copies in its first week. The album also was number 75 in the List of BMG Music Club's top selling albums in the United States. Songs such as "I Could Fall in Love" and "Dreaming of You" were played widely by mainstream English-language radio, with the latter reaching number 21 on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100. Meanwhile, "I Could Fall in Love", while ineligible for the Hot 100 at the time, reached number 8 on the Hot 100 Airplay chart and the top 10 on the Adult Contemporary Chart. "Dreaming of You" was certified triple Platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America. She was also the first recording artist to placed five Spanish-language albums simultaneously on ''Billboard'' 200. In October 1995, a Houston jury convicted Saldívar of first degree murder and sentenced her to life in prison, with the possibility of parole in thirty years.

The gun used to kill Selena was later destroyed and the pieces thrown into Corpus Christi Bay in 2002.

Legacy

Jennifer Lopez played Selena in a 1997 biographical film. Directed by Gregory Nava, the biopic opened with mostly positive reviews. Over 24,000 people auditioned for the leading role in the movie. Selena's fans supported the movie, and Lopez's acting in the film helped elevate her career. Although Lopez succeeded as a pop star a few years later, Selena's voice was dubbed in for all the songs in the movie. For her role, Lopez was nominated for a Golden Globe award for Best Actress in a Musical. Selena was among two other Latin artists who had the best sales of records for the year 1999. Selena's life was also the basis of the musical ''Selena Forever'' starring Veronica Vazquez as Selena.

Reliant Stadium in Houston hosted a tribute concert, ''Selena ¡VIVE!'', on April 7, 2005. Held a week after the 10th anniversary of her death, over 65,000 fans attended the concert, which featured high-profile artists including Gloria Estefan, Pepe Aguilar, Thalía, Paulina Rubio, Ana Bárbara, Alejandra Guzmán, Ana Gabriel, and Fey. The artists performed renditions of Selena's music, as did her brother, A.B. Quintanilla, who performed with his band Kumbia Kings backed with footage of Selena singing "Baila Esta Cumbia". Broadcast live on the Univision network, ''Selena ¡VIVE!'' is the highest-rated and most-viewed Spanish-language show in American television history. The show, which lasted over three hours, scored a 35.9 Nielsen household rating. The American Bank Center in Corpus Christi named their 2,526-seat concert auditorium, Selena Auditorium, in her memory.

Tejano music has not recovered since the death of Selena whose appeal extended beyond the Tejano genre: Such celebrities as Beyoncé, Myra, Paula DeAnda, 3LW, Christina Aguilera, Shakira, Nadia López, Diana Reyes, Ivy Queen, Fanny Lú, Don Omar, Kat Deluna, Eva Longoria, Wyclef Jean, Daddy Yankee, Aventura, Jennifer Pena, David Archuleta, The Cheetah Girls, Lila Downs, Tito Nieves, Manny Manuel, Girl in a Coma, Malverde, Angel y Khriz, Karen Rodriguez, Sara Tavares, Prince Royce, Bruno Mars, Frankie J, Perez Hilton, Katy Perry, Ashlee Simpson, Q'orianka Kilcher, and Enrique Iglesias have identified themselves as fans of her. Selena has retained great devotion from many fans. Mexican-American singer-actress Selena Gomez was named after Selena, and expressed that Selena means a lot to her and her family. Selena's music is also favored among LGBT Americans, as her songs continue to share spins at gay clubs around North America and at gay pride events.

Selena's legacy, music and life have been covered in Oprah Winfrey's ''The Oprah Winfrey Show'', George Lopez's ''Lopez Tonight'', María Celeste Arrarás's ''Selena's Secret: The Revealing Story Behind Her Tragic Death'' and various English and Spanish specials that included Dave Holmes, Nick Lachey, Mariah Carey, Lola Ogunnaike who briefly talks about Selena's death. Selena also has been covered in many documentary shows on VH1, MTV and A&E;, such as, ''E! True Hollywood Story'', and ''Famous Crime Scene''. Selena's life was also covered in The Biography Channel's ''Biography'' and ''Notorious''. In the Spanish market, Selena's biography usually airs annually around the anniversary of her death on the Univision and Telemundo networks.

Selena's music has been covered in Portuguese (by Sara Tavares), Vietnamese (by Phương Thanh), Finnish (by Meiju Suvas), Tagalog (by Filipino singer Quamo), Dutch by Kelly Hensen, and Spanish by various artists. Various artists perform songs that were influenced by or written for Selena, for example, Ana Ortiz and Hip-Hop rapper Ice. The soundtrack song "One More Time" by Lil' Ray was inspired by Selena and was included in the ''Selena'' movie soundtrack in 1997. On March 16, 2011, Selena was honored with a U.S. postage stamp, as part of the Latin Legends Collection. She was named the "top Latin artist of the '90s" and "Best selling Latin artist of the decade" by ''Billboard'', for her fourteen top-ten singles in the Top Latin Songs chart, including seven number-one hits.

On April 13, 2011, A.B. Quintanilla announced that he will use unreleased a cappella tracks of his sister's voice on his upcoming project to help keep her memory alive. Selena is regarded as one of the most widely known Mexican-American vocal artists and most popular Latin artist in the United States. Selena has sold over 21 million copies in the United States.

Artistry

Music and voice

Selena's music is generally Tejano music, she also had incorporated ballads, pop, contemporary R&B;, mariachi, rancheras and cumbia into her songs. While she almost exclusively released Spanish songs, Selena recorded several English songs for her crossover attempt ''Dreaming of You'' (1995). Selena had cited Luis Miguel, Gloria Estefan, Vincente Fernandez, Chelo Silva, The Pretenders, Cyndi Lauper, Donna Summer, Fito Olivares, Lydia Mendoza, Janet Jackson, Paula Abdul, Lisa Lisa and Cult Jam and Madonna as her musical inspirations. Selena's native tongue was English, however her father wanted her to sing in Spanish in order to know where her roots came from. Selena had artistically been involved in her career, even though her brother A.B. writes and produces her music. Selena cited herself and her family as involvements in her music career, stating that "it's a family-thing". A.B.'s role as the producer of Selena's music, was never frustrating because A.B. knew Selena's taste in ballad-influenced grooves with a Latin twist. Although a family-orientated band, Selena and her siblings never tried to be better or competitive with each other and had respect for their parents. Selena's signature themes about living and enjoying life such as Baila Esta Cumbia, "A Million to One", and No Quiero Saber, and personally driven and female-empowerment themed compositions; "Si La Quieres", "Si Una Vez", "¿Qué Creias?", "No Me Queda Más", "Ya Ves" and "Ya No" which talks about how a women are wrongfully treated by men and how women should just forget about their wrongful relationship and just value family and themselves, the singles helped shape her contributions for battered women in abusive relationships, which she was a spokeswomen for in Texas. Some of her songs are autobiographical, which are taken from personal experiences, as well as her relationship with her husband Perez. The single ''¿Qué Creias?'' was noted as showcasing Selena's vocal range and contrasting Lucha Villa, emoting with a complete lack of restraint. Whereas some of her songs were regrets Selena had dealt with like "La Carcacha" which talked about teenage romance. Selena possessed a mezzo-soprano vocal range that spanned two octaves, three notes and A semitone. ''Entertainment Weekly'', David Browne expressed that "[...] whether Selena is belting out at traditional ballads or tropical fantasies that she evokes lust and passion which he believed were both absent from her English tracks."

Browne reviewed "God's Child (Baila Conmigo)" as a playful, galloping duet that hints at what the right producer, a fewer commercial concerns, could have done for Selena's "sadly never-to-be-realized crossover dreams". ''Billboard'' stated that "Dreaming of You" captured Selena stepping from her Tejano roots into today's world of Anglo pop. ''Vibe'' stated that [''Dreaming of You''] was a brief recap of her cumbia flavored, Tex-Mex excellent poignant glimpse of the path the album was taking at the time of its release.

During recording sessions, Selena would usually take less than three attempts to record a single song. Selena told a reporter that her crossover album was taking a year to be produced. She later contrast her Spanish-language albums, stating that her brother; A.B., would produced and arrange her music and that she would later sing her parts. She later said that it would take one month to record a full-length album. Selena also told the reporter that with pressing it would take three months for a full-length album to be released.

During a Coca-Cola television spot, she had done in Los Angeles, California, Selena encountered Timmy T who was a Puerto Rican radio freestyle performer and musician, and another male singer from New York, who were working on a commercial with Ruben Cubillos. Selena, Timmy T and the second male singer were all given segments of a song to sing. Selena only took two attempts and blew out the competition. One day in middle-March 1995, Perez was working with a half-Puerto Rican and half-Dominican singer Nando "Guero" Dominguez for an upcoming Rock project. During the time of recording Dominguez was having problems tuning the song and Selena decided to help him out by recording the song without tune on tape with a record player. Selena added her vocals in less than twenty-four hours. The song "Puede Ser" became Selena's final recorded song. John Lannert, stated that Selena had a voice that was simultaneously virile and vulnerable, he also stated that "if you hear Selena, you would not confuse her with anybody else". During a concert with a crowd mixed with Puerto Ricans, Cubans, Nicaraguans and Caribbean Latinos, who sang along to Selena's songs; Selena was given credit for transcended Tejano music.

Selena displayed the statement that just because she had wore sexy outfits that it shouldn't dictate who she really is as a person. |width = 25% |align = left }} ''People'' editor, Betty Cortina exclaimed that Selena had a glamors, beautiful and young face on a genre that wasn't too big and dusty. Selena had never let fame interfere with spending time with her family, friends, and fans. Selena also never back-down from a single autograph. When asked by Jose Behar, that Selena should be at the Grammy's, Selena responded "That's for Superstars Jose, I'm not that". Behar, stated that Selena wasn't like other high-profile artists who were caught up with the glamours life and forgot their roots, Selena felt that she was never "big" in the music industry and even downed herself as a minority. A photographer, John Dyer, was asked by ''Más magazine'' to shoot several images of Selena for an upcoming front-cover article. Selena was asked to change her traditional make-up to a more dominatrix look, since Selena came in with a tight black-leather pants and a bustier, however, Selena insisted that her make-up should stay apparent in order to calm down her father.

The photographers instated that Selena was great, real, up and bouncy and never made the photographers feel that they were taking advantage of her. They also reinstated that Selena wasn't cynical, standoffish, or haughty, which they said "nothing you'd expect from someone of her stature". During the interview for Más magazine, Selena told the interviewer that she is too open with anybody and that she constantly gets hurt by her friends. She also told the interviewer that she is "stupid" because she trust people so easily. Selena never liked talking openly about religion or politics because of problems that she believed would arise. She also believed in the quote "The family that plays together, stays together". Selena was known to act more like a fan than a Grammy-winner, while be star-struck in front of her idols after winning her first Grammy Award in 1993.

Around 1994, Saldivar began keeping fans away from Selena and pretending to be a body guard for her. Selena's father disliked Salvadar's attitude towards her. Selena's audiences of young girls viewed Selena as a barbie-doll and an idol. Selena was described as the "Mexican siren" with cinnamon skin, arched eyebrows and a painted face to Selena's young female admirers, whereas Selena was described as the sultry temptress, who tantalized the men and boys by exposing her bare midriff and accentuating her breasts with busters and her ''nalgas'' with tight-fitting pants. Selena was also described by others as a businesswomen who sublimated her sexuality to emphasize mind over body. A blind fan who knew Selena's songs by heart sung them at a talent show, and made a wish to feel Selena. When Selena was told about the little girls' wish, Selena immediately went to her and hold the blind girls' hand. While reuniting with an old colleague from the third grade, Selena was asked to talk about her music, Selena then quickly told her "I don't want to bored you with all that" and asked excitedly about their neighborhood friends and how they were doing.

Selena's old friend later said that Selena was so "down to Earth" and was always asking how their friends were doing, rather than talking about her music. Brain "Red" Moore, who is an employee for Q-Productions, told The Biography Channel that Selena treated everyone equally, and that "you felt that you know her". John Lannert, for ''Billboard'' magazine, also told Biography, that Selena was one of the "good ones" and that she will never die. Coca-Cola admitted that Selena had "unique traits, all of the qualities that we wanted, that Coca-Cola wanted" and also stating during an interview that Selena's contract wasn't like all the other contracts that they had made. Coca-Cola stated that usually when they sign a contract, the contract ends in a year, Selena's contract was extended because Coca-Cola felt that Selena was "enduring". A Coca-Cola Representative remembered Selena as "Where I was was or where I saw her-she would be in a crowd of people or she would be backstage surrounded by a whole bunch of folks-and if I walked into the room she would stand up and come over and shake my hand and hug me ans say 'Mr. Aguilar it is so wonderful to see you again.' With stars, it's usually the complete opposite: they are the center of the universe".

Selena asked her nine-year old neighbor to help her search for her missing dog, she promised to take him out for dinner. She also gave out cup-cakes to children in her neighborhood. One day at Olive Garden in Corpus, Selena encountered an old lady eating by herself, Selena, who felt bad, paid for the lady's meal and told a waitress if she can give the lady a cake that they give out on people's birthdays. During concerts Selena would worry if anyone would show up, she would always ask her father if anyone even showed up, even during her peak as a artist. Selena's fan base, were people who were "shut-off" from the rest of the world, and were minorities. Selena was credited for given them a voice and power to do anything that they set their mind too. She also asked workers there if she could help out with passing food and favors for the passengers, because she was bored and had wanted to help out, she was then allowed and had put on an apron. While serving food, pillows and other asked items from the passengers, Selena gave compliments to each person she had encountered.

Products and endorsements

In 1989, Selena signed a contract with Coca-Cola for televised commercials and bottles under her name. Selena recorded two tracks for Coca-Cola that was televised in both English and Spanish. In 1993, Selena opened her own clothing line in Corpus Christi and in Mexico. The store once sold extensive line of wear for adults, children, and infants that are styled from hats and caps to shirts and sweaters. In 1992, Selena signed a contract for Dep Corporation's "Agree Shampoo" she made several televised commercials in the United States. Robert Trevino signed Selena to the ''Agree shampoo''. The company released a promotional poster, which became one of Selena's final professional photos taken before her death, throughout Mexico and the United States. The poster entitled "She Sings With The Angels" was displayed below the poster in both English and Spanish. After the release of "''Amor Prohibido''" (1994), Selena was asked to appear in a commercial for "Call Notes".

Selena's boutiques began carrying her six sets of perfumes and nail polishes, which some were under the names of Selena's top hits. A total of fourteen phone cards with Selena's picture or logo displayed on them, were sold soon after Selena's death. In 1995, JC Penny released a promotional poster that had a Selena drawing that was featured at all JC Penny stores, the poster also included a brief biography of Selena. Sears began carrying Selena's clothing line. In 1996, an official "Selena Plate" was released to the public. In late 1996, Coca-Cola released four plastic cups which was a promotion to sell Selena's posthumous album "Siempre Selena" (1996) and to help fund The Selena Foundation. In 2006, Premiere Postage released a full line of Selena stamps using both the ''Agree Shampoo'' photo shoot and a ''Simepre Selena'' picture, the stamps had another photo of Selena's "All My Hits" album and a "Classic Series" album photo. The stamps had either "Forever In our Hearts" or the Selena logo.

On March 16, 2011; The United States Post Office released a "Latin Legends" stamp for Selena, Carlos Gardel, Tito Puente, Celia Cruz and Carmen Miranda in memory.

Selena had four first edition dolls and three second edition dolls, which were first released in 1999. The Selena dolls were released under Selena's ''Billboard'' chart hits, similar to her perfumes. In 2008, Q-Productions added several collectible merchandise to their catalog.

Philanthropy

During Selena's childhood, Selena helped out with charities such as Toys for Tots, they gave Selena an award for her outstanding efforts. Selena attended and educated a gathering of two-hundred high school students in Fulmore Junior High School in Austin, about positive attitudes and setting life-goals for achievements in their adult life. She also warned them that if they drop out of high school, they will be frying McDonald's french fries. During the aftermath of Hurricane Andrew in October 1992, Selena organized a benefit concert in Houston for Florida victims. Over 21,000 people attended the concert, while other Tejano artists joined Selena to raise money. Selena urged children to stay in school throughout her talk sessions in school districts in Texas, she also told children that alcohol and drugs will lead them nowhere in life. In August 1994, Selena hosted a charity baseball game to raise money.

Despite her busy schedule, Selena visited local schools to talk to students about the importance of education. She also donated her time to civic organizations such as D.A.R.E. and planned a fund raising concert to help AIDS patients. These demonstrations of community involvement won her loyalty from her fan base. In January 1995, Selena headlined the Teach the Children festival in the Mercado in San Antonio. The concert funded a non-profit program to provide school supplies to needy children. On February 7, 1993, Selena held a free concert to a crowd of over 3,000 in the Memorial Coliseum in Corpus. The concert was later released as "Selena Live!". Selena began performing free concerts for children, elders, and other fans who couldn't show up at Selena's other concerts either because they were poor or couldn't make it. She also held free concerts to students. Selena was a spokesperson for battered woman who were in a abusive relationship. Selena was also giving out funds for the HIV/AIDS research programs. Selena helped out at homeless shelters for children and adults.

Back-up vocalist, Astudillo told in an interview that, Selena would take several hours just signing autographs to everyone who showed up. He also stated that, Selena would also say something nice to every single person who approached her for an autograph. Selena gave children around her neighborhood rides on a go-cart that she had purchased.

Selena Foundation

''The Selena Foundation'' was established in May 1995 by Selena's family, who received donations shortly after Selena's death in 1995. The foundation is a charitable organization with its primary mission of helping children in crisis. The foundation is also involved with the needs of the poor, elderly, and other organizations with regards to improving equipment in local public schools. The foundation raises money through donations, and the sale of Selena albums, and items from the Q-Productions store that are targeted for donations. The foundation operates the Selena Museum in Corpus Christi, Texas.

Discography

;Independent studio albums

''Mis Primeras Grabaciones'' (1984)

''The New Girl in Town'' (1985)

''Alpha'' (1986)

''Muñequito de Trapo'' (1987)

''And the Winner Is...'' (1987)

''Preciosa'' (1988)

''Dulce Amor'' (1988)

;Studio albums

''Selena'' (1989)

''Ven Conmigo'' (1990)

''Entre a Mi Mundo'' (1992)

''Selena Live!'' (1993)

''Amor Prohibido'' (1994)

''Dreaming of You'' (1995)

Filmography

{|class="wikitable" style="font-size: 90%;" ; |- style="text-align:center;" ! colspan=5 style="background:#b0c4de;" | Film |- style="text-align:center;" ! style="background:#ccc;" | Year ! style="background:#ccc;" | Film ! style="background:#ccc;" | Role ! style="background:#ccc;" | Notes ! style="background:#ccc;" | Gross revenue |- |1995 | ''Don Juan DeMarco'' | Ranchera singer |Minor role | $22,150,451 |- |1997 | ''Selena'' | based upon her life |The film was based on Selena's childhood and her young adult life and her struggles to become a professional singer. | $35,281,794 |- style="text-align:center;" ! colspan=5 style="background:#b0c4de;" | Television |- style="text-align:center;" ! style="background:#ccc;" | Year ! style="background:#ccc;" | Title ! style="background:#ccc;" | Role ! style="background:#ccc;" | Notes ! style="background:#ccc;" | Views (millions) |- | 1985–1995 | ''Johnny Canales Show'' |rowspan="3"|herself |rowspan="3"|TV appearances |rowspan="8"|n/a |- | 1987–1995 | ''Tejano Music Awards'' |- | 1993 | ''Dos mujeres, un camino'' |- | 1997 | ''The Making of Selena the Movie'' |rowspan="6"|Special | Jennifer Lopez and the cast of ''Selena'' talk about dance rehearsals, make-up, and other training they had to endure in order to create the film. |- | 1998 | ''Por Siempre Selena'' |rowspan="6"|Specials |- | 1998 | ''E! True Hollywood Story: The Murder Trial of Selena'' |- | 1999 | ''VH1 All Access: Selena'' |- | 2000 | ''Para Siempre Selena'' |- | 2001–present | ''Por Siempre... Selena'' | 3.03m |- | 2005 | ''Selena ¡VIVE!'' | honoree | 35.9m |- | 2008 | ''Biography'' | TV series (2 episodes) |rowspan="4"|Specials |n/a |- | 2009 |Simplemente Selena |Special | 2.2m |- | 2009 | ''Top Trece'' | TV series (1 episode) |rowspan="5"|n/a |- | 2009 | ''Historia de una Leyenda'' | TV series (1 episode) |- | 2010 | ''Famous Crime Scene: Selena'' |TV series (1 episode) |featured |}

Tours

Selena Live! Tour (1993–94)

Amor Prohibido Tour (1994–95)

See also

List of honorific titles in popular music

List of best-selling music artists

List of awards and nominations received by Selena

List of artists who reached number one in the United States

Further reading

References

External links

Official website

Selena at Find A Grave

Category:1971 births Category:1995 deaths Category:A.B. Quintanilla Category:Actors from Texas Category:American child singers Category:American dance musicians Category:American fashion designers Category:American female models Category:American female singers Category:American film actors Category:American folk singers Category:American mezzo-sopranos Category:American murder victims Category:American music video directors Category:American musicians of Mexican descent Category:American people of Mexican descent Category:American people of Cherokee descent Category:American pop singers Category:American record producers Category:American rhythm and blues singers Category:American television actors Category:Capitol Records artists Category:Cumbia musicians Category:Deaths from bleeding Category:Deaths by firearm in Texas Category:English-language singers Category:Grammy Award winners Category:Hispanic and Latino American actors Category:Latin dance singers Category:Latin pop singers Category:Los Dinos members Category:Mariachi musicians Category:Murdered musicians Category:Murdered entertainers Category:People from Houston, Texas Category:People murdered in Texas Category:Performers of religious music Category:Polka musicians Category:Pop folk singers Category:Ranchera singers Category:Rock en Español musicians Category:Spanish-language singers Category:Tejano pop musicians Category:Tropical musicians Category:Hispanic and Latino American female models

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Coordinates	50°15′″N19°0′″N
name	Selena Gomez
background	solo_singer
birth name	Selena Marie Gomez
birth date	July 22, 1992
birth place	Grand Prairie, Texas,
genre	Pop rock, dance-pop, electropop
occupation	Actress, singer-songwriter, musician, fashion designer
instrument	Vocals, piano, guitar, drums
years active	2002–present
label	Hollywood
associated acts	Selena Gomez & the SceneForever the Sickest KidsTaylor Swift
website	}}

Selena Marie Gomez (born July 22, 1992) is an American actress, singer, and entrepreneur, best known for portraying Alex Russo in the Emmy Award-winning Disney Channel television series ''Wizards of Waverly Place''. She subsequently ventured into feature films and has starred in the television movies ''Another Cinderella Story'', ''Wizards of Waverly Place: The Movie'', and ''Princess Protection Program''. She made her starring theatrical film debut in ''Ramona and Beezus''.

Her career has expanded into the music industry; Gomez is the lead singer and founder of the pop band Selena Gomez & the Scene, which has released two RIAA Gold certified studio albums, ''Kiss & Tell'' and ''A Year Without Rain'' and spawned two RIAA Platinum certified singles, "Naturally" and "Who Says". As of April 2011, The band has sold 1,354,000 albums in the United States. Gomez has also contributed to the soundtracks of ''Tinker Bell'', ''Another Cinderella Story'' and ''Wizards of Waverly Place'' after signing a record deal with Hollywood Records. In 2008, Gomez was designated a UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador.

Early life

Gomez was born in Grand Prairie, Texas. She is the daughter of former stage actress Mandy Teefey (née Cornett) and Ricardo Joel Gomez. Her father is Mexican American and her mother is of half Italian descent. Regarding her Hispanic heritage, Gomez said: "My family does have Quinceañeras, and we go to the communion church. We do everything that's Catholic, but we don't really have anything traditional except [that we] go to the park and have barbeques on Sundays after church." Her birth parents divorced when she was five years old, and she was raised as an only child by her working mother. In 2006, Mandy remarried Brian Teefey. She is named after Tejano singer Selena. In a 2009 interview with ''People'', Gomez mentioned that she developed an early interest in acting from watching her mother prepare for and act in theater productions. She earned a high school diploma through homeschooling in May 2010.

Acting career

2002–06: ''Barney & Friends'' and early work

Gomez began her acting career at age seven, playing Gianna on ''Barney & Friends''. She later had minor roles in ''Spy Kids 3-D: Game Over'' and the TV film ''Walker, Texas Ranger: Trial By Fire''. Gomez also starred in the television movie ''Brain Zapped''.

In 2004, Gomez was discovered by the Disney Channel in a nationwide scouting. Gomez appeared as a guest star on ''The Suite Life of Zack & Cody'' and had a guest appearance – that later turned into a recurring role – on ''Hannah Montana'' from seasons two to three. Gomez previously taped two different pilots that were spin-offs to two previous Disney series. The first one, ''What's Stevie Thinking?'', was the spin-off to ''Lizzie McGuire''. Gomez played Stevie Sanchez, Miranda Sanchez's little sister. The other show was titled ''Arwin!'', the spin-off to ''The Suite Life of Zack & Cody'', in which she played Alexa. Neither series was picked up.

2007–09: ''Wizards of Waverly Place'' and rise to fame

In early 2007 Gomez was cast in the Disney Channel series ''Wizards of Waverly Place'' as one of the three main characters, Alex Russo. The show premiered to an audience of 5.9 million, becoming a hit. Many news outlets began dubbing Gomez the next 'Miley Cyrus' causing some controversy and a reported 'feud'. Gomez clarified that there was no feud and that she was flattered by the comparison, saying: "It's a little overwhelming, but I think really, it's a compliment. She's obviously extremely successful, and I think she's a wonderful performer ... So being compared to her, I was very, very flattered."

In 2008, Gomez appeared in ''Another Cinderella Story'', the direct-to-DVD sequel to the 2004 Hilary Duff film, opposite Drew Seeley. She also had a minor voiceover role as one the Mayor's ninety-six daughters in ''Horton Hears a Who!'' which released in March of that year. In April, Lacey Rose, of ''Forbes'' ranked Gomez as being fifth on their "Eight Hot Kid Stars To Watch" list; and Rose described Gomez as having been "a multitalented teen".

In February 2009, Gomez signed on to star as one of the two female leads in ''Ramona and Beezus'', a film adaption of the children's novel series by Beverly Cleary. Gomez stated that she felt no pressure in taking more adult roles: "I think I’m fully aware of my audience and I’m still just a kid myself. I wouldn’t do a role I don’t feel comfortable doing or that my audience wouldn’t feel comfortable seeing."

In June 2009, Gomez did a guest appearance as herself in one episode of best friend Demi Lovato's Disney Channel television show, ''Sonny with a Chance'', entitled "Battle of The Network Stars". That same month Gomez appeared alongside Lovato in the made-for-television Disney Channel movie, ''Princess Protection Program''. The telecast garnered 8.5 million viewers becoming, at the time, the third most watched Disney Channel Original Movie. One month later, Gomez, along with two cast members of ''Wizards of Waverly Place'' appeared in a television three-way cross-over episode with ''Hannah Montana'' and ''The Suite Life on Deck'', entitled ''Wizards on Deck with Hannah Montana''.

On August 28, two months after appearing in ''Princess Protection Program'', Gomez starred in ''Wizards of Waverly Place: The Movie'', a made-for-television film based on the show. The film premiered to an audience of 11.4 million viewers becoming cable's No. 1 scripted telecast of 2009 and Disney Channel's second most-viewed film premiere after ''High School Musical 2''. In 2010, the film adaptation won ''Wizards of Waverly Place'' its second consecutive Emmy for "Outstanding Children's Program" at the 62nd Primetime Emmy Awards over its television series counterpart which had won in the same category at the 61st Primetime Emmy Awards.

2010–present: Focus on film

Gomez's first theatrical film ''Ramona & Beezus'' premiered on July 23, 2010 and met with generally positive reviews. In March 2010, ''Variety'' reported that Gomez was set to star as one of the three lead roles in ''Monte Carlo'', alongside Leighton Meester and Katie Cassidy. In the film Gomez plays Grace, a girl who’s “mistaken for a socialite while on a trip to Paris.” To prepare for the role Gomez learned how to play polo and also took two weeks of vocal training to learn two different British accents. The same year Gomez confirmed that the fourth season of her hit Disney Channel show, ''Wizards of Waverly Place'', would be its last.

In February 2011, Deadline.com reported that Universal Pictures and Strike Entertainment had acquired the novel ''Thirteen Reasons Why'' by Jay Asher with Gomez attached to the lead. That same month TV Guide reported that Gomez would make a cameo in the upcoming ''Muppets'' film. Production for the final season of ''Wizards of Waverly Place'' came to a wrap on May 14, 2011. Gomez co-hosted the 2011 MuchMusic Video Awards on June 19.

Music career

2009: Solo career

In 2008, Gomez recorded a cover of "Cruella de Vil"—which included a music video—for the compilation album ''DisneyMania 6''. Gomez recorded three songs for the ''Another Cinderella Story'' soundtrack, which Gomez appears in. Gomez also recorded "Fly to Your Heart" for the 2008 animated film ''Tinker Bell''. In July 2008, before Gomez' sixteenth birthday, she signed a recording deal with Hollywood Records, a music label owned by ''Disney''. In 2009, Gomez recorded "One and the Same" for ''Princess Protection Program'' as a duet with her co-star Lovato. Gomez recorded four songs, one of which was a cover, for the ''Wizards of Waverly Place'' soundtrack, only one single (Magic) from the album was released. In May, of the same year, Gomez was featured, with Forever the Sickest Kids, on a duet version of the non-album song "Whoa Oh!".

2009–present: Selena Gomez & the Scene

Formed in 2009, Selena Gomez & the Scene (aka Selena & The Scene) is a teen pop band which consists of Selena Gomez on vocals, Ethan Roberts on guitar, Joey Clement on bass, Greg Garman on drums and Dane Forrest on keyboards. ''Kiss & Tell'' is the band's debut studio album and was released on September 29, 2009 by Hollywood Records. On March 5, 2010, the album was certified Gold by RIAA. The album's single, "Naturally", was certified Platinum by the RIAA on July 15, 2010. The band's second album ''A Year Without Rain'' was released on September 17, 2010. The record debuted on the Billboard 200 at number 4, selling 66,000 copies. On January 19, 2011, the album was certified Gold by RIAA. The band's third album ''When the Sun Goes Down'', previously titled ''Otherside'', released on June 28, 2011. The album debuted at Number 4 on the Billboard 200, selling 78,000 copies its first week, becoming their highest sales week ever. The following week the album rose to Number 3 on the Billboard chart and became the band's highest charting album yet. The album's lead single, "Who Says" was certified Platinum by RIAA on June 23, 2011 and has become the bands highest charting song on ''Billboard'' to date peaking at number 21.

Other projects

Philanthropy

Gomez was involved in the UR Votes Count campaign which encouraged teenagers to learn more about 2008 presidential candidates Barack Obama and John McCain. In October 2008, Gomez participated in St. Jude's Children's Hospital "Runway For Life" benefit. Gomez is a spokesperson for Borden Milk; she is featured in the campaign's print and television ads. She is the ambassador of DoSomething.org after being involved with the charity Island Dog, which help dogs in Puerto Rico. She got involved while filming ''Wizards of Waverly Place: The Movie'' in Puerto Rico. Gomez is a spokesperson for State Farm Insurance, and is featured in their TV commercials; which air on the Disney Channel, to raise awareness of being a safe driver. Gomez is also involved with the charity RAISE Hope For Congo, an initiative of the Enough Project, which helps raise awareness about conflict minerals and violence against Congolese women.

In October 2008, Gomez was named UNICEF's spokesperson for the Trick-or-Treat for UNICEF campaign, which encouraged children to raise money on Halloween to help children around the world. She said that she was "extremely excited" to "encourage other kids to make a difference in the world."

In August 2009, a 17-year-old Gomez became the youngest UNICEF ambassador ever, passing fellow songstress Hayley Westenra, who was 18 when she was chosen. In her first official field mission, Gomez traveled to Ghana on September 4, 2009 for a week to witness first-hand the stark conditions of vulnerable children that lack vital necessities including clean water, nourishment, education and healthcare. Gomez explained during an interview with Associated Press that she wanted to use her star power to bring awareness to Ghana: “That’s why I feel very honored to have a voice that kids listen to and take into consideration [...] I had people on my tour asking me where IS Ghana, and they Googled it [...] and because I went there, they now know where Ghana is. So it’s pretty incredible.” Gomez said of her role as ambassador that: "Every day 25,000 children die from preventable causes. I stand with UNICEF in the belief that we can change that number from 25,000 to zero. I know we can achieve this because every moment, UNICEF is on the ground providing children with the lifesaving assistance needed to ensure zero becomes a reality."

Gomez was named spokesperson for UNICEF's 2009 Trick-or-Treat campaign, for the second year in a row. Gomez, who raised over $700,000 for the charity in 2008, stated that she hopes to be able to raise 1 million dollars in 2009. Gomez participated in a celebrity auction and hosted a live web cast series on Facebook in support of the Trick-or-Treat for UNICEF campaign. Gomez returned as the UNICEF spokesperson for the 60th anniversary of Trick-or-Treat for UNICEF campaign in 2010. In celebration of the 60th anniversary, Gomez and her band, The Scene, held a benefit concert donating all proceeds to the campaign.

n February 2011, Gomez traveled to Chile to witness and meet with the families of UNICEF's supported program, "Programa Puente" which helps families better understand and develops skills to deal effectively with early childhood education, development and other issues related to raising children. From her field trip experience, Gomez said "UNICEF is helping Chilean families get out of poverty, prevent violence within the home and promote education. To witness first hand these families' struggles, and also their hope and perseverance, was truly inspiring." In March 2011, Gomez participated in the UNICEF Tap Project's "Celebrity Tap Pack," limited-edition, custom-made water bottles featuring tap water from the homes of each celebrity advocate, in order to raise funds and increase profile for the clean water and sanitation programs. She is also featured in videos promoting the campaign.

Gomez is involved in Disney's Friends for Change, an organization which promotes "environmently-friendly behavior", and appears in its public service announcements. Gomez, Demi Lovato, Miley Cyrus, and the Jonas Brothers recorded "Send It On", a charity single with all of its proceeds to the Disney Worldwide Conservation Fund. It debuted on the Billboard Hot 100 at number 20. Also in 2009, Gomez made a surprise visit to a Los Angeles elementary school as part of the "A Day Made Better" program that was sponsored by OfficeMax. During her visit, Gomez gave the school an award and $1,000 worth of school supplies, and talked to students about the importance of giving back to the community.

Gomez is also the owner of five rescue dogs and describes herself as a "huge animal-lover".

Entrepreneurship and sponsorships

thumb|left|170px|Gomez on the set of her music video for "Tell Me Something I Don't Know" in July 2008 Gomez was part of Sears back-to-school fashion ad campaign. As part of the campaign Gomez was featured in the television commercials. In August 2009, Gomez also hosted the "Sears Arrive Air Band Casting Call" – to select five people for the first-ever "Sears Air Band", which performed at the 2009 MTV Video Music Awards.

In October 2008, Gomez launched her own production company, July Moon Productions, and partnered with XYZ Films to create star vehicles for Gomez. As part of the agreement Gomez will have the opportunity to be able option articles, hire writers and create talent packages to shop to studios. Also, as part of the deal, "XYZ Films will allow Gomez to star in and produce at least two films. ''Variety'' reported that: "In August, XYZ [Films] inked a similar deal with Time Inc. and management-production company the Collective to finance the development of the print media giant's content for the bigscreen [...] As part of the July Moon-XYZ deal, [Selena] Gomez will have the ability to cherry-pick projects from the vast Time Inc. library, which includes Time, Sports Illustrated, Fortune and Life."

In October 2009, Gomez announced her plan to launch her own fashion line, called "Dream Out Loud by Selena Gomez". The clothing line launched in the fall of 2010. The collection consists of and features bohemian dresses, floral tops, jeans, skirts, jackets, scarves and hats, all made from recycled or eco-friendly materials. Gomez said that the line will reflect her own personal style and described the clothing as being "pretty, feminine, and bohemian," and: "With my line, I really want to give the customer options on how they can put their own looks together [...] I want the pieces that can be easy to dress up or down, and the fabrics being eco-friendly and organic is super important [...] Also, the tags will all have some of my inspirational quotes on them. I'm just looking to send a good message." Gomez, who has no background in fashion, teamed up with designers Tony Melillo and Sandra Campos, both who have worked with big-name fashion houses. Gomez said of the partnering: "When I met Tony and Sandra, I was instantly comfortable with them and now they are just like family to me [...] They are so creative and I love how I can just call them up whenever and talk to them about everything, even if it's just about changing a button [...] They've been so cool about everything." The brand will be manufactured by, Melillo and Campos teamed with New York-based Adjmi Apparel and formed by Adjmi CH Brands LLC; which is the holding company for the brand.

It was announced on July 14, 2011, that Gomez had signed a license agreement with Adrenalina, an extreme sports and adventure-themed lifestyle brand, to develop, manufacture, and distribute the actress' fragrance. It is expected to debut in the spring of 2012. Chairman and C.E.O. of Adrenalina, Ilia Lekach, said, "We are incredibly enthused to be working with Ms. Gomez and will reveal more details pertaining to the fragrance as we get closer to the launch date."

Filmography

Film

Notes
2003	''Spy Kids 3-D: Game Over''	Waterpark Girl	Minor role
2005	''Walker, Texas Ranger: Trial by Fire''	Julie	Television movie
2008	''Another Cinderella Story''	Mary Santiago	Direct-to-videoMain role
2008		Helga	(Voice)
2009	''Princess Protection Program''	Carter Mason
2009	''Wizards of Waverly Place: The Movie''	Alex Russo
2009	''Arthur and the Vengeance of Maltazard''	Princess Selenia
2009	''Arthur 3: The War of the Two Worlds''	Princess Selenia	(Voice)
2010	''Ramona and Beezus''		Main role
2011		Grace Bennett/Cordelia Winthrop Scott	Main role
2011		Herself	Cameo appearance

Television

Notes
2002–2003	''Barney & Friends''	Gianna	Recurring role
2006	''Brain Zapped''	Emily Grace Garcia	Only Pilot was made
2006	''The Suite Life of Zack & Cody''	Gwen
2007–2008	''Hannah Montana''	Mikayla	"I Want You to Want Me... to Go to Florida" (Season 2, episode 13)"That's What Friends Are For?" (Season 2, episode 18)"(We're So Sorry) Uncle Earl" (Season 2, episode 22) (uncredited)
2007–present	''Wizards of Waverly Place''	Alex Russo	Lead role
2009	''The Suite Life on Deck''	Alex Russo
2009	''Sonny With a Chance''	Herself
2011	''So Random!''	Herself
2011	''PrankStars''	Herself	Guest Star

Music videos

Notes
2008	"Burnin' Up"	Jonas Brothers	Played Nick Jonas' love interest
2011	"The Dance Routine"	The Midnight Beast	Cameo

Discography

Singles

rowspan="2"	Year	Song	Chart positions		Album
US	CAN
2008	"Tell Me Something I Don't Know"
2009	"
rowspan="2"	Year	Song	Chart positions		Album
US	CAN
2009	Whoa Oh!">Magic (Pilot song)

Guest singles

rowspan="2"	Year	Song	Chart positions		Album
US	CAN
2009	Whoa Oh!" (with Forever The Sickest Kids)			Non-album single
2009	"One and the Same" (with Demi Lovato)	style="text-align:center;">82		''Disney Channel Playlist''
2009	Send It On (song)>Send It On" (with Demi Lovato, Jonas Brothers, and Miley Cyrus)			Non-album song

Other songs

"Magic (Pilot song) "Trust in Me (The Python's Song)

Year !! Song !! Album
2006	"Brain Zapped"	''Brain Zapped''
2008	Cruella De Vil (Selena Gomez Song)>Cruella de Vil"
2008	Tell Me Something I Don't Know" >
2008	Drew Seeley) >
2008
2008
2008
2009	"One and the Same" (with Demi Lovato)
2009
2009
2009
2009	Magic" || ''Wizards of Waverly Place''
2010	Trust in Me" (From Disney's ''The Jungle Book'') || ''Disneymania 7''
2010	"Shake It Up"

Music videos

{|class="wikitable" |- ! Year || Title |- | 2008 || Cruella de Vil |- | 2008 || Tell Me Something I Don't Know |- | 2008 || Fly to Your Heart |- | 2009 || One and the Same |- | 2009 || Magic |- | 2009 || Send It On |- | 2009 || Falling Down |- | 2009 || Naturally |- | 2010 || Round & Round |- | 2010 || A Year Without Rain |- | 2011 || Who Says |- | 2011 || Love You Like a Love Song |}

Awards and nominations

! Year	! Award	! Category	! Work	! Outcome
	Alma Award	Outstanding Female Performance in a Comedy Television Series		rowspan=3
Imagen Awards	Best Actress – Television
	NAACP Image Awards	Outstanding Performance in a Youth/Children's Program – Series or Special
	Favorite TV Actress	rowspan=2
	Best Performance in a TV Movie, Miniseries, or Special – Leading Young Actress	''Another Cinderella Story''
Best Performance in a TV Series – Leading Young Actress	''Wizards of Waverly Place''	rowspan=2
Best Performance in a Voice-over Role
	"Choice Summer- Celebrity Dancer"	''Another Cinderella Story''	rowspan=3
"Choice Summer – TV Star-Female"	''Princess Protection Program''
"Choice Other Stuff – Red Carpet Icon: Female"	Herself
Hollywood Style Awards	Style Igenue	Herself
Imagen Awards	Best Actress – Television
Alma Award	Special Achievement Comedy – Television – Actress
Nickelodeon Australian Kids' Choice Awards	Fave International TV Star
	Gracie Award	Outstanding Female Rising Star in a Comedy Series
NAACP Image Awards	Outstanding Performance in a Youth/Children's Program – Series or Special
	Favorite TV Actress
Young Artist Award	Best Performance in a TV Movie, Miniseries, or Special – Leading Young Actress	''Princess Protection Program''	rowspan=3
BET Awards	YoungStars Award
American Latino Awards	Favorite American Latino Actor
rowspan="3"	Choice TV Actress: Comedy	rowspan=2
Choice Red Carpet Fashion Icon: Female	Herself
Choice Summer: Movie Star- Female	''Ramona and Beezus''	rowspan=2
Imagen Awards	Best Actress – Television	''Wizards of Waverly Place: The Movie''
Nickelodeon Australian Kids' Choice Awards	Fave TV Star
	NAACP Image Awards	Outstanding Performance in a Youth/Children's Program – Series or Special
rowspan=2	Favorite TV Actress
Favorite Female Singer
rowspan=4	Choice Female Hottie	rowspan=2
Choice TV Actress: Comedy	''Wizards of Waverly Place''
Choice Summer: Movie Star- Female		rowspan=2
Choice Summer: Music Star- Female	Herself
Imagen Awards	Best Young Actress – Television
	Favorite TV Actress – Leading Role in a Comedy	rowspan=3
Favorite Movie Actress – Comedy/Musical	''Monte Carlo''
Favorite Female Music Artist	Herself

References

External links

Selena Gomez at Disney.com

Category:1992 births Category:Living people Category:People from Grand Prairie, Texas Category:Actors from Texas Category:American bloggers Category:American child actors Category:American child singers Category:American dance musicians Category:American female singers Category:American film actors Category:American television personalities Category:American pop singers Category:American rock singers Category:Pop rock singers Category:American Roman Catholics Category:American television actors Category:American voice actors Category:Female American rock drummers Category:Child pop musicians Category:Child electronic musicians Category:American people of Italian descent Category:American musicians of Mexican descent

Category:Musicians from Texas Category:UNICEF people

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Coordinates	50°15′″N19°0′″N
name	Hit the Lights
background	group_or_band
origin	Lima, Ohio, USA
genre	Pop punk
years active	2003–present
label	Universal Republic RecordsTriple Crown RecordsSilent Movie Records
current members	Nick ThompsonOmar ZeheryDavid "Dave" BermoskNate Van DameKevin Mahoney
past members	Colin RossRyan Radebaugh}}

Hit the Lights is a pop punk band from Lima, Ohio, signed to Universal Republic Records.

History

Early years

Hit the Lights formed in 2003, taking their name from an 80's skate flick called ''Gleaming the Cube'' according to their Warped Tour interview, not the previously believed Metallica song on the album ''Kill 'Em All''. Band members Colin Ross and Omar Zehery performed first as Headliner, then The Goodbye Session with then-drummer Reymundo Ortiz Jr. Nick Thompson was in a group called The Summer Departure. Nate Van Dame had worked for Hawthorne Heights as a drum tech. They quickly found a devoted following with their energetic live performances.

Commercial success

They have taken part in numerous national tours, including the spring 2006 Sub City Take Action tour with Matchbook Romance and the 2005 and 2006 Vans Warped Tours. They were named SPIN Band of the Day on April 11, 2006. They also toured with Paramore, Cute Is What We Aim For, and This Providence in the summer of 2006. After the Paramore tour, they started on tour with New Found Glory, Cartel, and The Early November. They toured in the UK during December 2006. The band ventured on its first headlining tour in March and April 2007, with supporting acts Valencia, All Time Low, Just Surrender, Forgive Durden, and Love Arcade. In late 2008, they supported major acts Motion City Soundtrack and Chiodos, then went to the UK, co-headlining with Bayside. After the headlining tour, the band took the summer off to write and record for their second album (Skip School, Start Fights), which was recorded with Rob Freeman at the Pilot Studios in Boonton, New Jersey. Hit the Lights was one of five featured bands in the 2009 Alternative Press Tour.

2007-2008

They were slated to embark on a headlining tour in the United Kingdom in October 2007, but had to cancel due to not being able to find a permanent lead vocalist after Colin Ross left in June 2007. Ross stated that he could no longer be a part of the band because his heart just was not in it. The other members said they noticed that Ross did not seem to be as into performing and being part of the band the better part of the last year.

They played their last show with Colin on September 15, 2007, at The Axis in Lima, Ohio. After that show, the remaining four members went into recording and recorded a cover, "The Warrior", with Nick Thompson on lead vocals. They posted a new demo entitled "Stay Out", on January 31, 2008. Notably, their first single without former lead vocalist Colin Ross. On February 19, 2008, they announced that guitarist/backing vocalist Nick Thompson was taking over the lead vocalist role for the band.

''Skip School Start Fights''

Hit The Lights latest record was released on July 8, 2008, titled ''Skip School, Start Fights''. The band shot a music video for the song "Stay Out" in the San Francisco Bay Area on May 27, 2008.

The same day, they added the new song, "Drop The Girl", to their MySpace profile. The band shot a new music video for single "Drop The Girl" on October 6, 2008 in Van Nuys, California. The video includes ''Glee'' star Heather Morris in a small role. By coincidence, "Glee" is set in Lima, Ohio.

They supported Cobra Starship on the SassyBack Tour in 2008, along with Forever the Sickest Kids and Sing It Loud.

The band recently completed a tour of the United Kingdom with Oh No Not Stereo, supporting Bayside.

On Friday December 5, 2008 after a week of clues, Hit the Lights was the second confirmed band on the 2009 AP Tour.

Hit the Lights played on the entire Warped Tour 2009. At Cincinnati's Warped Tour, former vocalist Colin Ross joined Hit the Lights on stage for one of their older songs "Bodybag".

Hit The Lights embarked on the "Manatour" in late 2009 along with There For Tomorrow, Fireworks, Sparks The Rescue, This Time Next Year, Vinnie Caruana, and Oh No Not Stereo.

Hit The Lights will tour Australia nationally during April 2010 in support of New Found Glory. Joining New Found Glory and Hit The Lights were pop-punk band Fireworks.

Hit The Lights toured with HelloGoodBye. Their last show was performed at Mercyhurst College in Erie, PA. The event was held on May 7, 2010.

''Coast to Coast'' and onwards

In late 2009 Hit The Lights released an EP titled "Coast to Coast". Nick said "We just wanted to keep the fans happy for now, we are working on a new album and will be released in 2010". The Album "Coast to Coast" had hit songs such as "Pulse", "Coast to Coast", and a remix on old classics such as "Tell Me Where You Are".

The band's new record is slated for late 2010 or early 2011. Updates show they have been writing and demoing with Kenny Vasoli of The Starting Line, Justin Richards of Brighten; A Rocket to the Moon, Ryan Key of Yellowcard, Jeff Schneeweis of Number One Gun, and Steve Klein and Cyrus Bolooki of New Found Glory. They plan to enter the studio in July 2010 with Mike Green (Set Your Goals, The Matches, Over It).'

Upcoming Third Studio Album

Is was confirmed that Hit The Lights entered the studio on June 1 to begin recording their new record. Guitarist Omar has said that they have collaborated with Ryan Key from Yellowcard, Tim Pagnotta from Sugarcult, and Kenny Vasoli from The Starting Line, and possibly others.

Band members

Current members

Nick Thompson – lead vocals (2008–present) guitars, backing vocals (2003–2007)

Omar Zehery – guitars (2003–present)

Kevin Mahoney – guitars, backing vocals (2008–present)

David Bermosk – bass, backing vocals (2003–present)

Nate Van Damme – drums, percussion (2005–present)

Former members

Colin Ross – lead vocals (2003–2007)

Ryan Radebaugh – drums, percussion (2003–2005)

Discography

Studio albums

''This Is a Stick Up... Don't Make It a Murder'' (2006)

''Skip School, Start Fights'' (2008) U.S. #97

''Third Studio Album'' (2011)

EPs

''Leaving Town Tonight'' (2004)

''Until We Get Caught'' (2005)

''Coast to Coast - EP'' (2009)

Splits

''From Ohio with Love'' (2004)

References

External links

Hit the Lights' profile at MySpace

Hit the Lights' profile at PureVolume

Hit the Lights' profile at YouTube

Complete Hit the Lights Discography

Category:Musical groups from Ohio Category:Musical groups established in 2003 Category:People from Lima, Ohio Category:Photo Finish Records artists Category:American pop punk musical groups

da:Hit The Lights de:Hit the Lights es:Hit the Lights fr:Hit the Lights ja:ヒット・ザ・ライツ no:Hit the Lights tr:Hit the Lights

Coordinates	50°15′″N19°0′″N
name	Justin Bieber
background	solo_singer
birth name	Justin Drew Bieber
birth date	March 01, 1994
birth place	London, Ontario, Canada
origin	Stratford, Ontario, Canada
instrument	Vocals, guitar, piano, percussion, trumpet
genre	Pop, R&B;, teen pop
occupation	Singer, musician, actor
years active	2009–present
label	Island, RBMG
associated acts	Usher
website	justinbiebermusic.com }}

Justin Drew Bieber ( , born March 1, 1994) is a Canadian pop/R&B; singer, songwriter and actor. Bieber was discovered in 2008 by Scooter Braun, who came across Bieber's videos on YouTube and later became his manager. Braun arranged for him to meet with Usher in Atlanta, Georgia, and Bieber was soon signed to Raymond Braun Media Group (RBMG), a joint venture between Braun and Usher, and then to a recording contract with Island Records offered by L.A. Reid. Bieber's debut single, "One Time", was released in 2009 and peaked in the top ten in Canada and charted in the top thirty in several international markets. His debut album, the seven-track EP ''My World'', followed in November 2009, and was soon certified platinum in the United States (it was later reissued with two bonus tracks). He became the first artist to have seven songs from a debut album chart on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100.

Bieber's first full-length studio album, ''My World 2.0'', was released in March 2010. It debuted at number one or within the top ten in several countries and was certified platinum in the United States. It was preceded by the worldwide top-ten single, "Baby". The music video of "Baby" is currently ranked as the most viewed and most discussed YouTube video. Bieber followed-up the release of his debut album with his first headlining tour, the My World Tour, the remix albums ''My Worlds Acoustic'' and ''Never Say Never – The Remixes'', and the 3D biopic-concert film ''Justin Bieber: Never Say Never'' – which had an opening weekend gross that nearly matched the record for the biggest opening weekend for a concert-film. Bieber released his second studio album, ''Under the Mistletoe'' in November 2011, which debuted at number one on the ''Billboard'' 200. Bieber has received numerous awards, including Artist of the Year at the 2010 American Music Awards — and has been nominated for numerous awards, including Best New Artist and Best Pop Vocal Album at the 53rd Grammy Awards.

Life and career

1994–2007: Childhood and youth

Bieber was born on March 1, 1994, in London, Ontario, and was raised in Stratford, Ontario. Bieber's mother, Patricia Lynn "Pattie" Mallette, was 18 years old when she became pregnant with her son. Mallette, originally from Stratford, raised her son with the help of her parents, Bruce and Diane. Mallette worked a series of low-paying office jobs, raising Bieber as a single mother in low-income housing. Bieber has maintained contact with his father, Jeremy Jack Bieber, who married another woman and had two children. Bieber's paternal great-grandfather was a German immigrant to Canada. His mother's ancestry is French Canadian. Bieber attended French immersion school at Stratford school Jean Sauve.

During his childhood, Bieber was interested in hockey, soccer, and chess; he often kept his musical aspirations to himself. As he grew up, Bieber taught himself to play the piano, drums, guitar, and trumpet. In early 2007, when he was twelve, Bieber sang Ne-Yo's "So Sick" for a local singing competition in Stratford and placed second. Mallette posted a video of the performance on YouTube for their family and friends to see. She continued to upload videos of Bieber singing covers of various R&B; songs, and Bieber's popularity on the site grew. Chris Hicks, Bieber's A&R; at Island/Def Jam, explained the young artist's huge online following to HitQuarters by saying:

"He was doing something different. He was an attractive white kid singing very soulful R&B; hits. That set him apart immediately from anyone in his range because no one was covering or singing these kind of records. But equally important was that you believed in these songs – it was real. And you wanted to hear more."

2008–10: Discovery, ''My Worlds'', and subsequent releases

While searching for videos of a different singer, Scooter Braun, a former marketing executive of So So Def, clicked on one of Bieber's 2007 videos by accident. Impressed, Braun tracked down the theater Bieber was performing in, located Bieber's school, and finally contacted Mallette. Mallette was reluctant because of Braun's Jewish religion; she remembered praying, "God, I gave him to you. You could send me a Christian man, a Christian label! ... you don’t want this Jewish kid to be Justin’s man, do you?" However, after praying with her church elders and receiving their encouragement, she permitted Braun to fly Bieber, then 13, to Atlanta, Georgia, to record demo tapes. A week after arriving, Bieber sang for R&B; singer/songwriter Usher. Bieber was soon signed to Raymond Braun Media Group (RBMG), a joint venture between Braun and Usher. Justin Timberlake was also reportedly in the running to sign Bieber, but lost the bidding war to Usher. Usher then sought assistance in finding a label home for the artist from then manager Chris Hicks, who helped engineer an audition with his contact Antonio L.A. Reid of Island Def Jam Music Group. Reid signed Bieber to Island Records in October 2008 (resulting in a joint venture between RBMG and Island Records) and appointed Hicks as executive Vice-President of Def Jam where he would be able manage Bieber's career at the label. At that point, Bieber and his mother moved to Atlanta temporarily, also the home of Usher and Braun, to record and get counseling from Braun. Braun became Bieber's manager.

Bieber's first single, "One Time", was released to radio while Bieber was still recording his debut album. The song reached number 12 on the Canadian Hot 100 during its first week of release in July 2009, and later peaked at number 17 on the Billboard Hot 100. During fall 2009 it had success in international markets. The song was certified Platinum in Canada and the US and Gold in Australia and New Zealand. Bieber's first release, an extended play entitled ''My World'', was released on November 17, 2009. The album's second single, "One Less Lonely Girl", and two promo singles, "Love Me", and "Favorite Girl", were released exclusively on the iTunes store and charted within the top forty of the Billboard Hot 100. "One Less Lonely Girl" was later also released to radio and peaked within the top fifteen in Canada and the US, being certified Gold in the latter. ''My World'' was eventually certified Platinum in the US and Double Platinum in both Canada and the UK. To promote the album, Bieber performed on several live shows such as mtvU's VMA 09 Tour, European program ''The Dome'', YTV's ''The Next Star'', ''The Today Show'', ''The Wendy Williams Show'', ''Lopez Tonight'', ''The Ellen DeGeneres Show'', ''It's On with Alexa Chung'', ''Good Morning America'', ''Chelsea Lately'', and BET's ''106 & Park'' with Rihanna. Bieber also guest starred in an episode of ''True Jackson, VP'' in late 2009.

Bieber performed Stevie Wonder's "Someday at Christmas" for U.S. President Barack Obama and first lady Michelle Obama at the White House for ''Christmas in Washington'', which was broadcast on December 20, 2009, on U.S. television broadcaster TNT. Bieber was also one of the performers at Dick Clark's New Year's Rockin' Eve with Ryan Seacrest on December 31, 2009. Bieber was a presenter at the 52nd Grammy Awards on January 31, 2010. He was invited to be a vocalist for the remake of We Are The World (a song written by Michael Jackson and Lionel Richie) for its 25th anniversary to benefit Haiti after the earthquake. Bieber sings the opening line, which was sung by Lionel Richie in the original version. On March 12, 2010, a version of K'naan's "Wavin' Flag" recorded by a collective of Canadian musicians known as Young Artists for Haiti was released. Bieber is featured in the song, performing the closing lines.

"Baby", the lead single from his debut album, ''My World 2.0'', which features Ludacris, was released in January 2010 and became his biggest hit thus far, charting at number five in the U.S. and reaching the top ten in seven other countries. Two promo singles "Never Let You Go", and "U Smile" were top thirty hits on the U.S. Hot 100, and top twenty hits in Canada. According to review aggregator Metacritic, the album has received "generally favorable reviews". It debuted at number one on the U.S. ''Billboard'' 200, making Bieber the youngest solo male act to top the chart since Stevie Wonder in 1963. ''My World 2.0'' also debuted at number one on the Canadian Albums Chart, Irish Albums Chart, and Australian Albums Chart, and the New Zealand Albums Chart and reached the top ten of fifteen other countries. To promote the album, Bieber appeared on several live programs including ''The View'', the 2010 Kids Choice Awards, ''Nightline'', ''The Late Show with David Letterman'', ''The Dome'' and ''106 and Park''. Bieber collaborated with Sean Kingston on his single "Eenie Meenie" which also appeared on Bieber's debut album. The song reached the top ten in the United Kingdom and Australia, and the top-twenty of most other markets. thumb|left|Bieber performing at the Conseco Fieldhouse, in August 2010 On April 10, 2010, Bieber was the musical guest on ''Saturday Night Live''. On July 4, 2010, Bieber performed at the Macy's Fourth of July Fireworks Spectacular in New York City. The second single from ''My World 2.0'', "Somebody to Love", was released in April 2010, and a remix was released featuring Bieber's mentor Usher. The single reached number ten in Canada, number fifteen in the United States, and the top twenty in multiple international countries.

On June 23, 2010, Bieber went on his first official headlining tour, the My World Tour, starting in Hartford, Connecticut, to promote ''My World'' and ''My World 2.0''. In July 2010, it was reported that Bieber was the most searched for celebrity on the Internet. That same month his music video, "Baby", surpassed Lady Gaga's "Bad Romance" to become the most viewed, and most disliked YouTube video ever. In September 2010, it was reported that Bieber accounted for three percent of all traffic on Twitter, according to an employee of the social-networking site.

Bieber began recording his second album in July 2010 in New York City. At this point, because of puberty, his voice was deeper than it was when he recorded his first album. In April 2010, the singer discussing his vocals remarked, "It cracks. Like every teenage boy, I'm dealing with it and I have the best vocal coach in the world. [...] Some of the notes I hit on "Baby" I can't hit anymore. We have to lower the key when I sing live." British singer/songwriter Taio Cruz confirmed in July 2010 that he is writing songs for Bieber's next album. Hip hop producer Dr. Dre produced two songs with Bieber in July 2010 but it is unknown if they were made for the album, which is currently due for a 2011 release. Bieber guest-starred in the season premiere of the CBS crime drama ''CSI: Crime Scene Investigation'', aired on September 23, 2010. He played a "troubled teen who is faced with a difficult decision regarding his only brother". Bieber was also in a subsequent episode which aired on February 17, 2011, in which his character is killed. Bieber performed a medley of "U Smile", "Baby", and "Somebody to Love" and briefly played the drums at the 2010 MTV Video Music Awards on September 12, 2010. Bieber announced in October 2010 that he would release an acoustic album, called ''My Worlds Acoustic''. It was released on Black Friday in the United States and featured acoustic versions of songs from his previous albums, and accompanied the release of a completely new song titled "Pray".

2011–present: ''Never Say Never'' film, ''Under the Mistletoe'' and ''Believe''

A 3-D part-biopic, part-concert film starring Bieber entitled ''Justin Bieber: Never Say Never'', was released February 11, 2011, directed by ''Step Up 3D'' director Jon Chu. It topped the box office with an estimated grossing of $12.4 million on its opening day from 3,105 theaters. It grossed $30.3 million for the weekend and was narrowly beaten by the romantic comedy ''Just Go With It'', which grossed $31 million. ''Never Say Never'' is said to have exceeded industry expectations, nearly matching the $31.1 million grossed by Miley Cyrus's 2008 3-D concert film, Hannah Montana & Miley Cyrus: Best of Both Worlds Concert, which holds the record for the top debut for a music-documentary. The film is accompanied by his second remix album, ''Never Say Never – The Remixes'', released February 14, 2011, and features remixes of songs from his debut album, with guest appearances from Miley Cyrus, Chris Brown, and Kanye West, among others.

On February 27, 2011, Bieber attended the 2011 Vanity Fair Oscar Party with American actress and singer Selena Gomez, confirming several months of media speculation about a romantic relationship between the pair. The relationship has since continued to garner significant media attention.

In June 2011, Bieber was ranked number 2 on the Forbes list of Best-Paid Celebrities under 30. He is the youngest star and 1 of 7 musicians on the list raking in with $53 million earned in a 12 month period. On November 1, 2011, Bieber released ''Under the Mistletoe'', his second studio album. It debuted at number one on the ''Billboard'' 200, selling 210,000 copies in its first week of release. Bieber is currently recording his third studio album entitled ''Believe''. Kanye West and Drake are confirmed to be featured on the album.

Image

''The Observer'' newspaper in the UK published a report indicating that Justin Bieber is more influential in the social networking sphere than Barack Obama or The Dalai Lama. According to Jan Hoffman of ''The New York Times'', part of Bieber's appeal stems from his YouTube channel. Long before he released his EP, ''My World'', in mid-November, the YouTube videos attracted millions of views. Braun recognized the appeal. Prior to flying him to Atlanta, Braun wanted to "build him up more on YouTube first" and had Bieber record more home videos for the channel. "I said: 'Justin, sing like there’s no one in the room. But let's not use expensive cameras.' We'll give it to kids, let them do the work, so that they feel like it's theirs", recalled Braun. Bieber continues to upload videos to the same channel and has opened a Twitter account, from which he interacts with fans regularly; his account was reported in November 2010 to have over 6 million followers. Since then he has been consistently gaining followers at an average of 24,000 per day. The accounts also serve marketing purposes; for example, Bieber's music video for "One Time" only began selling quickly after it was uploaded to YouTube. Usher comments that while he and Bieber were both signed at the same age, "I had the chance to ramp up my success, where this has happened to Bieber abruptly." As a result, Usher, Braun, Bieber's bodyguard Kenny, and other adults surrounding Bieber constantly coach him on handling fame and his public image. After signing Bieber, Usher appointed one of his former assistants, Ryan Good, to be Bieber's road manager and stylist. Good, once nicknamed Bieber's "swagger coach", created a "streetwise look" for the singer which consisted of baseball caps, hoodies, dog chains and flashy sneakers. Amy Kaufman of ''The Los Angeles Times'' comments, "Though a product of a middle-class suburban upbringing in Stratford, Ontario, Bieber's manner of dress and speech ("Wassup man, how you doin'?" or "It's like, you know, whateva' ") suggest he's mimicking his favorite rappers."

Bieber is often featured in teen magazines such as ''Tiger Beat'', and has been labeled as a "teen hearthrob". Bieber has released a collection of nail varnishes to raise awareness for charity. Wax statues of Bieber are on display at Madame Tussauds wax museums in New York, Amsterdam and London. His change of hairstyle in 2010, and the consequent alterations to Bieber products, led to it being called 'the most expensive musical haircut of all time; one company spent $100,000 to fix its dolls for the 2011 Christmas season.

Personal views

Bieber is a Christian, and said he has a relationship with Jesus, talks to him and that "he's the reason I'm here".

Bieber's comments in a February 2011 profile in ''Rolling Stone'' sparked controversy. Asked whether a person should wait until marriage to have sex, Bieber responded, "I don't think you should have sex with anyone unless you love them." Asked about his opinion on abortion, Bieber said he does not "believe in abortion" and that it is "like killing a baby". When asked about abortion in cases of rape, he said, "Well, I think that's really sad, but everything happens for a reason. I don't know how that would be a reason. I guess I haven't been in that position, so I wouldn't be able to judge that." In the same interview, Bieber talked about homosexuality, stating that "It's everyone's own decision to do that. It doesn’t affect me and shouldn't affect anyone else", and ''Rolling Stone'' commented, "It is not clear whether he intended to label homosexuality as a lifestyle choice." However, Bieber has also contributed to the It Gets Better Project, a project started in response to the suicide of Billy Lucas, a teenager who was the target of anti-gay bullying.

Bieber has said he is not interested in obtaining United States citizenship, praising Canada as being "the best country in the world", citing its health care system as an example.

Criticism

Bieber has been criticized for looking and sounding younger than his age, his teen-pop music, image, and frequent media attention. He has been a frequent target of Internet bloggers and message board posters, notably by users of Internet message board 4chan and users of YouTube. Nick Collins of ''The Daily Telegraph'' speculated that "Bieber's character also appears to strike a particularly sour note with his Internet critics, with many remarks commenting on his youthful appearance, his teen-pop songs, his image as a heart-throb to young teenage girls and his manner of speech".

Discography

''My World 2.0'' (2010)

''Under the Mistletoe'' (2011)

''Believe'' (2012)

Tour

2009: Urban Behavior Tour

2010–2011: My World Tour

Filmography

rowspan="4" ''Extreme Makeover: Home Edition'' Himself

Year !! Title !! Role !! Notes
rowspan="2"	2009	''True Jackson, VP''	>rowspan="3"| Guest star
''My Date With...''
	Silent Library (MTV series)>Silent Library''
''School Gyrls (film)	School Gyrls''	Cameo
''Saturday Night Live''
''CSI: Crime Scene Investigation''	Jason McCann
''Hubworld''	Guest star
''The X Factor (UK)''	Performer
rowspan="9"	2011	|	Guest star
''CSI: Crime Scene Investigation''	Jason McCann
''Khloé & Lamar''	|Episode:The Father In Law (uncredited) Himself playing the NBA Celebrity All Star Game
''Saturday Night Live''
''Justin Bieber: Never Say Never''	Himself
''Dancing With The Stars''	Guest star
''So Random!''	Himself
''Disney Parks Christmas Day Parade''	Guest star
''The X Factor (UK)''	Performer

Awards and nominations

References

Further reading

External links

Category:1994 births Category:Canadian child singers Category:Canadian Christians Category:Canadian dance musicians Category:Canadian expatriate musicians in the United States Category:Canadian Internet personalities Category:Canadian male singers Category:Canadian people of French descent Category:Canadian people of German descent Category:Canadian pop singers Category:Canadian rhythm and blues singers Category:Child pop musicians Category:Hip hop singers Category:Island Records artists Category:Musicians from Ontario Category:People from Stratford, Ontario Category:Living people

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