Joey Guerra
Entertainment Editor
Three years to the day. Three years ago when a single bullet ended the life of Tejano music's brightest and biggest star at the age of 23.
The image of Selena may be a distant, over-hyped musical footnote of a memory to those who weren't familiar with the singer's blend of traditional rhythms and pop sensibilities, but for Texas fans who knew her and loved her before the crossover success, Selena will forever remain a local gem.
Long before the successful big-screen biography and the English-language album, Selena was a phenomenon in the world of Tejano music. Her on stage charisma and sweet personality, along with a highly innovative style of music, propelled her to the top of the regional charts.
Since her death and ascension into the world of popular English music, Selena has become a sort of mystery, an angelic figure captured solely in video performances and photographs. For the Latino community she will be forever emblazoned on our hearts.
With the recent priced-for-sale release of the film Selena, fans of the singer now have the chance to once again witness the magic that Gregory Nava's film captured. From start to finish, Nava and his actors have captured a bit of the spirit of Selena, highlighted by a radiant, star-making performance from Jennifer Lopez.
Critics of the film attacked it for being too simplistic, calling it a sanitized version of the singer's short life. What must be kept in mind, though, is that Selena was 23 when she was killed. 23 years old. What catastrophic, mind-altering events could have possibly occurred in the life of someone so young?
Selena was never envisioned as a strictly biographical, dramatic documentary of a singer's life. That sort of presentation can be found in countless books and documentaries. Rather, Selena was a celebration of life, an homage to a singer whose light was extinguished much too quickly. In that respect, the film was as near perfect as possible.
Packaged with the video is exclusive footage from Selena's last performance at the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo, just a few weeks before her death. The disco medley the singer is seen performing was reborn as a club hit last year, timed with the movie's theatrical release.
Watching Selena smile and swagger for the camera, it's impossible to believe such an electric performer will never have the chance to step on a concert stage again. The energy Selena emanated can still be felt on tape.
Sadly, she'll never be able to fully mature into a full-blooded crossover entertainer or perfect her stage act. Selena was on her way to the bigger and better, but one tragic moment made it all disappear forever. The scope of her talent will remain a mystery.
VH1's informational Behind the Music program explores many of the unanswered questions in its newest edition, dedicated to Selena's life and death. In the end, though, Behind the Music raises more points than it answers.
Perhaps it's best to simply let Selena rest peacefully, to let all the fanfare die down and fade away to a distant memory. In the hearts of her fans, though, Selena will forever remain a living, breathing representation that dreams, for however short a fine, really can come true.