It's been a good year for fans of Selena Quintanilla Pérez, the Tejano superstar and pop-culture icon who continues to influence music lovers more than 20 years after her death.
Madame Tussauds Hollywood announced plans this week to immortalize the legend with a wax figure that will be unveiled at the famed Hollywood destination on Aug. 30.
“On behalf of our family, we would like to express a huge amount of gratitude to Madame Tussauds in creating such an amazing lifelike wax figure of our beloved Selena,” Selena’s sister Suzette Arriaga said in a news release. “This is yet another step in making sure that her legacy lives on and that her fans new and old can appreciate her as a person, an artist and one whom we can all identify with.”
In 2015, Selena fans launched a Change.org petition requesting a wax figure for the "Queen of Tejano." Nearly 10,000 people signed and the outpouring of support eventually led Madame Tussauds to partner with the Quintanilla family to create a wax figure with a team of expert sculptors and artists. Together they chose the wardrobe, expression, hairstyle, pose and makeup for the Selena wax figure, according to Madame Tussauds.
The completed figure, which is valued at about $350,000, will feature a re-created 1993 stage look from Selena’s concert performance at Memorial Coliseum in her hometown of Corpus Christi, where she recorded the “Selena Live!” album. The album won a Grammy the following year.
Selena's Facebook page is offering fans the chance to win a VIP pass to the launch party on Aug. 30 as well as a Selena Annual Pass. For a chance to win, fans can upload a video to the Madame Tussauds Hollywood YouTube channel explaining why they are Selena's biggest fan.
News of the wax figure comes after another important recognition for the artist this summer. In June, the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce announced that Selena would receive a star on Hollywood's Walk of Fame, joining other artists such as Ice Cube and John Legend.
In October, Selena fans will have more to celebrate. The late artist, who was also a fashion and beauty icon, will be honored with her own limited-edition MAC cosmetics line, which is expected to release this fall.
Selena was fatally shot by her former fan club president in 1995, but her legacy lives on as she continues to earn honors for her work and gains a new generation of fans.
“At Madame Tussauds, our figures represent icons who have made a significant impact on our culture. That perfectly describes Selena,” Colin Thomas, general manager of Madame Tussauds Hollywood, said in a news release. “Her influence has transcended generations and her passionate fans continue to be inspired by her to this day. We recognize this and in response, we are proud to join her fans in celebrating her legacy by immortalizing her.”
About the Author
