name	Selena
background	solo_singer
birth name	Selena Quintanilla
alias	Selena
born	April 16, 1971
death date	March 31, 1995
Death place	Corpus Christi, Texas, United States
origin	Lake Jackson, Texas, United States
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, Abraham Quintanilla III, Suzette Quintanilla, Chris Pérez
url	http://www.q-productions.com }}

Selena Quintanilla-Pérez (April 16, 1971 – March 31, 1995), known simply as Selena, was an American singer-songwriter. 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. The singer had the most successful singles of 1994 and 1995, "Amor Prohibido" and "No Me Queda Más". She was called "The Queen of Tejano music" and the Mexican equivalent of Madonna. Selena released her first album, ''Selena y Los Dinos'', at the age of twelve. 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.

Selena was murdered at the age of 23 by Yolanda Saldívar, the president of her fan club. On April 12, 1995, two weeks after her death, George W. Bush, governor of Texas at the time, declared her birthday "Selena Day" in Texas. Warner Bros. produced ''Selena'', a film based on her life starring Jennifer Lopez, in 1997. Selena's life was also the basis of the musical ''Selena Forever'' starring Veronica Vazquez as Selena. In June 2006 Selena was commemorated with a life-sized bronze statue (Mirador de la Flor in Corpus Christi, Texas) and a Selena museum opened there. She has sold over 60 million albums worldwide.

Early life

Selena was born in Lake Jackson, Texas, as the youngest child of a Mexican American father, Abraham Quintanilla Jr. and a half-Cherokee Native American mother, Marcella Ofelia Samora, and was raised as a Jehovah's Witness. She began singing at the age of three; when she was nine her father launched a singing group consisting of several of his children, Selena y Los Dinos. They initially performed at the restaurant operated by the family. The family went bankrupt soon thereafter. They relocated to Corpus Christi, Texas, where they performed wherever they could: at street corners, weddings, ''quinceañeras'', and fairs. As Selena grew more popular as a musical performer, the demands of her performance and travel schedule began to interfere with her education. Her father pulled her out of school altogether when she was in eighth grade. Eventually, at seventeen, she earned a high school diploma by the American School Program.

The band's 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. The album was not sold in stores and her father bought all of the original copies. It was re-released in 1995 under the title ''Mis Primeras Grabaciones''. Over the next three years, while not having a recording contract, she released six more albums.

Success

At the 1987 Tejano Music Awards, Selena won Best Female Vocalist, an award she would dominate for the rest of her life. In 1989, José Behar, the former head of Sony Music Latin, signed Selena with Capitol/EMI. He later said that he signed her because he thought he had discovered the next Gloria Estefan. In 1988, she met Chris Pérez, who had his own band. Two years later, the Quintanilla family hired him to play in Selena's band and they quickly fell in love. At first her father opposed their relationship and went as far as firing Pérez from the band. He eventually came to accept the relationship. On April 2, 1992, Selena and Pérez were married in Nueces County, Texas.

In 1990 the album, ''Ven Conmigo'' was released, written by her brother and main songwriter Abraham Quintanilla III. This recording was the first Tejano album recorded by a female artist to achieve gold status. Around the same time, a registered nurse and fan named Yolanda Saldívar approached Selena's father with the idea of starting a fan club. Her wish was granted and she became the club's president; later she became the manager of Selena's retail enterprises. In 1992, Selena’s stardom got a big boost with the song, "Como La Flor" off a new album, ''Entre a Mi Mundo''. The next album, ''Selena Live!'' won Best Mexican-American Album at the 36th Grammy Awards. The album ''Amor Prohibido'' was released in 1994. It was nominated for a Grammy award for Mexican-American Album of the Year. Selena and her band received yet more accolades in 1994. ''Billboard'''s Premio Lo Nuestro awarded them six awards, including Best Latin Artist and Song of the Year for "Como La Flor". Meanwhile, her duet with the Barrio Boyzz, "Donde Quiera Que Estés", reached number one in the Billboard Latin Charts. This prompted Selena to tour in Latin America. She performed a duet with Salvadoran singer Álvaro Torres, "Buenos Amigos". By fall of 1994, ''Amor Prohibido'' was a commercial success in Mexico and made four number one Latin 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.

Aside from music, she began designing and manufacturing a clothing line in 1994 and opened two boutiques called Selena Etc., 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. Selena briefly played opposite Erik Estrada in a Mexican telenovela titled ''Dos Mujeres, Un Camino''. In 1995 she entered negotiations to star in another telenovela produced by Emilio Larrosa.

At the peak of her career, 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.. These demonstrations of community involvement won her loyalty from her fan base. Selena scheduled her English album for release in the summer of 1995.

Murder

In early 1995, the Quintanillas discovered that Saldívar was embezzling money from the fan club, and they decided to fire her. Three weeks later, Selena agreed to meet Saldívar in a Days Inn hotel in Corpus Christi on the morning of March 31, 1995, to retrieve financial records Saldívar had been refusing to turn over. At the hotel, Saldívar once again delayed the handover by claiming she had been raped in Mexico. The singer drove Saldívar to a local hospital, where doctors found no evidence of rape. The two returned to the motel, where Selena again demanded the missing financial papers. Saldívar drew a gun and aimed at Selena. As Selena tried to flee, Saldívar shot her once in her right shoulder, severing an artery. Critically wounded, Selena ran towards the lobby to get help. She collapsed on the floor as the clerk called 911, with Saldívar chasing her, calling her "bitch". Selena died in a hospital there from loss of blood at 1:05 p.m, 16 days before her 24th birthday.She is buried at Seaside Memorial Park, in Corpus Christi, Texas.

Impact

Selena's murder had widespread impacts. 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 drew 60,000 mourners, many of whom traveled from outside the United States. Among the celebrities who were reported to have 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 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''. 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 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 35× Platinum (Latin field) by the Recording Industry Association of America. 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. Under a judge's order, the gun used to kill Selena was destroyed in 2002, and the pieces thrown into Corpus Christi Bay.

Posthumous commemorations and popularity

Jennifer Lopez played Selena in a film about Selena's life. Selena was among two other Latin artists who had the best sales of records for the year 2001. On March 16, 2011, the United States Post Office released a "Latin Legends" memorial stamp to honor Selena, Carlos Gardel, Tito Puente, Celia Cruz, and Carmen Miranda. She has sold over 60 million albums worldwide.

Discography

''Selena'' (1989)

''Ven Conmigo'' (1990)

''Entre a Mi Mundo'' (1992)

''Selena Live!'' (1993)

''Amor Prohibido'' (1994)

''Dreaming of You'' (1995)

Filmography

+ Film
Title	Year	Role	Notes
''Don Juan DeMarco''	1995	Ranchera singer	Minor role

+ Television
Title	Year	Role	Notes
''Johnny Canales Show''	1985–1995	herself
''Tejano Music Awards''	1987–1995	herself
''Dos mujeres, un camino''	1993	herself
! scope="row"	1997
''Por Siempre Selena''	1998
''E! True Hollywood Story: The Murder Trial of Selena''	1998
''VH1 All Access: Selena''	1999
''Para Siempre Selena''	2000
''Por Siempre... Selena''	2001–present
''Selena !VIVE!''	2005	herself	honoree
''Biography''	2008	TV series (2 episodes)
''Top Trece''	2009	TV series (1 episode)
''Historia de una Leyenda''	2009	TV series (1 episode)
''Famous Crime Scene: Selena''	2010	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

Citations

References

Mitchell, Rick. "Selena". ''Houston Chronicle'', May 21, 1995.

External links

Category:1971 births Category:1995 deaths 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 Native American 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 by firearm in Texas Category:English-language singers Category:Grammy Award winners Category:Latin dance singers Category:Latin pop singers Category:Hispanic and Latino American actors Category:Hispanic and Latino American models Category:Murdered actors Category:Mariachi 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:Tropical musicians

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Name	Selena Gomez
Background	solo_singer
Birth name	Selena Marie Gomez
Birth date	July 22, 1992
Birth place	Grand Prairie, Texas, U.S.
Genre	Pop, dance, pop rock
Occupation	Actress, singer, Fashion Designer
Instrument	Vocals, piano, guitar, drums
Years active	2002–present
Label	Hollywood
Associated acts	Selena Gomez & the Scene, Demi Lovato, Taylor Swift
Website	}}

Selena Marie Gomez (born July 22, 1992) is an American actress and singer 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 three RIAA Gold certified studio albums, ''Kiss & Tell'', ''A Year Without Rain'', and ''When the Sun Goes Down'', spawned three RIAA Platinum certified singles, "Naturally", "Who Says" and "Love You Like a Love Song" and charted four No. 1 ''Billboard'' Hot Dance Club Songs. Gomez has also contributed to the soundtracks of ''Tinker Bell'', ''Another Cinderella Story'', ''Wizards of Waverly Place'', and ''Shake It Up'' after signing a record deal with Hollywood Records. In 2008, Gomez was designated a UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador.

Personal life

Gomez was born in Grand Prairie, Texas. She is the daughter of former stage actress Amanda Dawn "Mandy" Teefey (née Cornett) and Ricardo Joel Gomez. Her father is of Mexican ancestry, and her mother is of part 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 barbecues 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 was named after Tejano singer Selena, who died almost three years after Gomez was born. 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.

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

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''. (Selena Gomez also found out that she wanted to be an actress because in E Special she states that "I would also watch my mom on stage do her lines".)

In 2004, Gomez was discovered by the Disney Channel in a USA-wide 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''

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 September 2009, ''Wizards of Waverly Place'' won "Outstanding Children's Program" at the 61st Primetime Emmy Awards. In 2010, the film adaptation won the series its second consecutive Emmy for "Outstanding Children's Program" at the 62nd 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 ''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. She also hosted the 2011 MTV EMAs on November 6, 2011, in Belfast, Northern Ireland, where she performed her band's new single "Hit The Lights". Near the end of 2011, it was reported Gomez was in talks to star in two upcoming films. Deadline.com announced in October that Gomez would take part in the comedy ''Hot Mess''. In early November, ''Variety'' reported that Gomez was in talks to star in the upcoming film ''Spring Breakers'' alongside James Franco and Vanessa Hudgens. Gomez confirmed to ''MTV'' that she had signed on for the project and that production will begin in early 2012.

In January 2012, Gomez announced that she would put her music career on hold. This was later reaffirmed as Gomez wrote on her Facebook page that she was taking a break from music in order to focus on her acting career, "my band and I are going our separate ways for a while. This year is all about films and acting and I want my band to play music wherever with whoever. We will be back but, it will be a good while." In February 2012, it was announced that Gomez will replace Miley Cyrus in the animated comedy ''Hotel Transylvania'' playing Mavis, the daughter of Dracula who will be voiced by Adam Sandler.

As of March 2012, Gomez has been cast in four upcoming films; in which three of them she has been cast as a lead role. She will first appear in ''Hotel Transylvania'', an animated film, voicing the character of Mavis, who was originally supposed to be voiced by Miley Cyrus, however Cyrus dropped out of the film in early 2012 in order to focus on her music career. The film is scheduled to be released on September 21, 2012. Next, Gomez will appear in ''Spring Breakers'', which is currently being filmed on location in Sarasota, Florida. The film is being written and directed by Harmony Korine. Gomez has also been cast as the main role of Hannah Baker in the film adaptation of young-adult fiction novel, ''13 Reasons Why''. The novel was written by Jay Asher. She will also play the lead role in a film called ''Hot Mess'', a comedy film directed by Dave Meyers. On April 7, 2012, Gomez posted a video for fans in which she revealed that she will be filming a new movie called "The Gateway" in Bulgaria.

Music career

2008-2009: 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!".

2009–2012: Selena Gomez & the Scene and musical hiatus

Formed in 2009, Selena Gomez & 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. As of April 2011, the band has sold 1,354,000 albums in the United States.

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 and the following week, the album rose to number 3 on the Billboard chart, becoming the band's highest charting album to date. On November 17, 2011, the album was certified platinum. The album's lead single, "Who Says" was certified Platinum by RIAA on June 23, 2011 and has become the band's highest charting song on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100 to date, peaking at number 21. The second single, "Love You Like a Love Song", was certified Platinum by RIAA on December 2, 2011, and became the act's first 2-million-seller. In February 2012, Gomez announced that the band would be taking a hiatus, so that she could focus on film for the year. She encouraged her band mates to work with other artists during the hiatus.

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.

In 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 six rescue dogs and describes herself as a "huge animal-lover".

Entrepreneurship and sponsorships

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 May 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

! Year	! Title	! Role	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	Main roleDirect-to-video
2008		96 Daughters	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
2012	''Hotel Transylvania''	Mavis	Voice
2012		Hannah Baker	Main role
2012	''Hot Mess''	TBA	Main role
2013		Faith	Main role, ''finished filming''
2013	''The Getaway''	TBA	Main role

Television

! Year	! Title	! Role	Notes
2002–2003	''Barney & Friends''	Gianna	Recurring role
2006	''Brain Zapped''	Emily Grace Garcia	Unsold pilot
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)
2007–2012	''Wizards of Waverly Place''	Alex Russo	Lead role
2009	''The Suite Life on Deck''	Alex Russo
2009	''Hannah Montana''	Alex Russo	"Super(stitious) Girl" (season 3: episode 19)
2009	''Sonny with a Chance''	Herself
2011	''So Random!''	Herself
2011	''PrankStars''	Herself	"Something to Chew On (Pilot)" (season 1: episode 1)

Music videos

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

Discography

Soundtrack albums

+ List of albums, with selected chart positions	scope="col" rowspan="2" style="width:15em;"	Title	Album details	Peak chart positions
! scope="col" style="width:3em;font-size:90%;"	! scope="col" style="width:3em;font-size:90%;"	! scope="col" style="width:3em;font-size:90%;"		! scope="col" style="width:3em;font-size:90%;"
! scope="row"		* Released: August 26, 2008	* Formats: CD, digital download	* Label: Walt Disney Records	116	8	—
scope="row"	''Wizards of Waverly Place''		* Released: August 4, 2009	* Formats: CD, digital download	* Label: Walt Disney Records	24	4	2

Singles

+ List of singles, with selected chart positions	scope="col" rowspan="2" style="width:16em;"	Title	Year	Peak chart positions			Album
! scope="col" style="width:4em;font-size:90%;"	! scope="col" style="width:4em;font-size:90%;"	! scope="col" style="width:4em;font-size:90%;"
"Tell Me Something I Don't Know"	2008	58	—	—	''Another Cinderella Story#Soundtrack	Another Cinderella Story''
scope="row"	"Magic"	2009	61	86	5	''Wizards of Waverly Place (soundtrack)	Wizards of Waverly Place''
scope="row"	"Shake It Up"	2011	—	—	—	''Shake It Up: Break It Down''

Featured singles

+ List of singles, with selected chart positions	Title	Year	Peak chart positions	Album
! scope="col" style="width:6em;font-size:90%;"
! scope="row"		—	non-album song
! scope="row"	20	non-album song

Other charted songs

+ List of singles, with selected chart positions	Title	Year	Peak chart positions	Album
! scope="col" style="width:6em;font-size:90%;"
"One and the Same" (with Demi Lovato)	2009	82	''Disney Channel Playlist''

Other appearances

Song	Year	Album
! scope="row"		''Disneymania 6''
"Fly to Your Heart"
"Everything Is Not What It Seem"		''Disney Channel Playlist''
"Everything Is Not What It Seem"	''Pop It Rock It!''
! scope="row"		''Disneymania 7''
"Winter Wonderland"	''Family Holiday, Vol. 2''

Music videos

Song	Year	Album
"Cruella De Vil"		Unknown
"Tell Me Something I Don't Know"	Unknown
"Fly to Your Heart"	Unknown
"One and the Same"		Unknown
"Send It On"	Unknown

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=4
"Choice Summer – TV Star-Female"	''Princess Protection Program''
"Choice Other Stuff – Red Carpet Icon: Female"
Hollywood Style Awards	Style Igenue
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=4
Favorite Movie Actress – Comedy/Musical	''Monte Carlo''
Favorite Female Music Artist
	Biggest Fans
Nickelodeon Australian Kids' Choice Awards	Fave TV Star	''Wizards of Waverly Place''	rowspan=2
Nickelodeon Argentina Kids' Choice Awards	Favorite International Singer	''Selena Gomez & the Scene''
	rowspan=2	Favorite TV Actress	''Wizards of Waverly Place''	rowspan=2
Favorite Female Singer	Herself

References

External links

Selena Gomez at Disney.com

Category:1992 births 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 musicians of Mexican descent Category:American musicians of Italian descent Category:American pop singers Category:American rock singers Category:American television actors Category:American television personalities Category:American voice actors Category:American women in business Category:Barney & Friends Category:Child pop musicians Category:Living people Category:Musicians from Texas Category:People from Grand Prairie, Texas Category:Pop rock singers Category:UNICEF people Category:Young Artist Award winners Category:American rock drummers Category:Female drummers

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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
associated acts	Paramore, New Found Glory, Cartel
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 Razor & Tie.

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.

''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).'

''Invicta''

It 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.

On September 13, 2011, Hit the Lights announced the band signed to Razor & Tie Records.

On September 19 2011, the band announced a tour with The Dangerous Summer, Divided By Friday, and The Story So Far.

On October 21 2011, Hit The Lights announced that they would be releasing a new 3 track EP, ''Invicta'' on November 1 2011.

On November 1 2011, Hit The Lights announced via their Twitter page that their third studio album, also titled ''Invicta'', will be released on January 31, 2012.

Band members

Current members

Nick Thompson (Paul Africa) – 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

Year	Album	Chart positions
		! width="50"	! width="50"	! width="50"
2006	''This Is a Stick Up... Don't Make It a Murder''			*Released: April 11, 2006	Triple Crown Records>Triple Crown
2008	''Skip School, Start Fights''			*Released: July 8, 2008	Triple Crown Records>Triple Crown
2012				*Released: January 31, 2012	Razor & Tie / Sony Music Entertainment>Sony

EPs

''Leaving Town Tonight'' (2004)

''Until We Get Caught'' (2005)

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

''Invicta EP'' (2011)

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

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

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