Editing Selena (section)

=== 1992–1993: Elopement, ''Entre a Mi Mundo'', and ''Selena Live'' ===
[[File:Selena Signature.svg|upright|thumb|Trademark logo used by Selena]]
Selena's sister Suzette claimed to have caught Selena and Pérez flirting with each other and immediately informed their father.{{sfn|Pérez|2012|p=72}}{{Efn|According to Pérez in that book, Suzette freaked out when she got on Big Bertha, the band's tour bus, seeing him and Selena together, but they actually never flirted with each other when they were on the bus alone before Suzette's bare arrival.}} Quintanilla Jr. took Pérez off the bus and told him his relationship with Selena was over.{{sfn|Pérez|2012|p=73}} Selena and Pérez continued their relationship despite Quintanilla Jr's disapproval;{{sfn|Pérez|2012|p=75}}<ref name=hollywoodreporter>{{cite news|last=Aguila|first=Justino|title=Selena's Widower Shows a Different Side of Singer in New Book (Q&A)|url=http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/selena-chris-perez-book-to-selena-with-love-303434|access-date=June 9, 2013|newspaper=[[The Hollywood Reporter]]|date=March 22, 2012}}</ref> Selena's mother Marcella approved of their relationship.{{sfn|Novas|1995|p=53}} Quintanilla Jr. saw Selena and Pérez romantically together on the bus after he informed them of his disapproval; he pulled over and an argument between him and Selena ensued. He called Pérez a "cancer in my family" and threatened to disband the group if they continued their relationship.<ref name="cnn">{{cite news|last=Gostin|first=Nicki|title=Chris Perez on his book 'To Selena, With Love'|url=http://www.cnn.com/2012/03/30/showbiz/celebrity-news-gossip/chris-perez-selena-book/|access-date=June 9, 2013|publisher=CNN|date=March 30, 2012}}</ref>

Selena and Pérez relented; Quintanilla Jr. fired Pérez from the band and prevented Selena from leaving with him.{{sfn|Pérez|2012|p=79}} After his dismissal, Pérez and Selena secretly continued their relationship. On the morning of April 2, 1992, Selena and Pérez decided to [[elopement (marriage)|elope]], believing Quintanilla Jr. would never approve of their relationship.{{sfn|Pérez|2012|p=93}}<ref>{{Cite web |date=April 2, 1992 |title=Selena and Chris' marriage certificate {{!}} State of Texas |url=https://pbs.twimg.com/media/C8dXWJQUIAA4T-2.jpg |website=}}</ref> Selena thought her father would have to accept them if they were married and would not have to hide their feelings for each other. Within hours of their marriage, the media announced the couple's elopement.{{sfn|Pérez|2012|p=99}}

Selena's family tried to find her; Quintanilla Jr. did not take the news well and alienated himself for some time.{{sfn|Pérez|2012|p=99}} Selena and Pérez moved into an apartment in Corpus Christi.{{sfn|Jones|2000|p=26}} In interviews, Quintanilla Jr. expressed how he feared Pérez could be a ''[[machismo|machista]]'' (Spanish for a male chauvinist), who would force Selena to end her career and music goals, a move that prevented Quintanilla Jr. to accept Pérez as being suitable for Selena at the time.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Behar|first1=Deider|title=Exclusive: 'Selena' Turns 20! Her Family Reflects on the Movie and Her Legacy: 'In My Mind, She's Still Alive'|website=E! |date=March 21, 2017 |url=http://www.etonline.com/news/213379_exclusive_selena_turns_20_her_family_reflects_on_the_movie_and_her_legacy_in_my_mind_she_still_alive|access-date=September 13, 2017}}</ref> Quintanilla Jr. later approached Pérez, apologized, accepted the marriage, and took Pérez back into the band.{{sfn|Pérez|2012|p=105}}

A month after her elopement, Selena released her third studio album, ''[[Entre a Mi Mundo]]'', in May 1992.<ref>{{Cite magazine |author1=Marjua Estevez |author2=Suzy Exposito |author3=Andrew Casillas |author4=Isabela Raygoza |author5=John Ochoa|date=2018-07-09 |title=50 Greatest Latin Pop Songs |url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-latin-lists/50-greatest-latin-pop-songs-695776/selena-como-la-flor-1989-695887/ |access-date=2025-02-09 |magazine=Rolling Stone |language=en-US}}</ref> The album was critically acclaimed as her "breakthrough album".<ref>{{cite news|last=Tarradell|first=Mario |title=Dreaming of Selena A new album celebrates what she was but only hints at what she could have become |url=http://nl.newsbank.com/nl-search/we/Archives?p_product=DM&p_theme=dm&p_action=search&p_maxdocs=200&p_topdoc=1&p_text_direct-0=0ED3D5DDAA01CD52&p_field_direct-0=document_id&p_perpage=10&p_sort=YMD_date:D&s_trackval=GooglePM|access-date=November 18, 2011|newspaper=The Dallas Morning News|date=July 16, 1995|url-access=subscription}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last=Mitchell |first=Rick |date=April 12, 1995 |title=Record company planning Selena retrospective |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/fort-worth-star-telegram-record-company/169967519/ |access-date=2025-04-10 |newspaper=[[Fort Worth Star-Telegram]] |page=A14 |via=[[Newspapers.com]]}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|last=Burr|first=Ramiro|title=Selena crosses over to pop&nbsp;– Posthumous release a reminder of talent cut short|url=http://nl.newsbank.com/nl-search/we/Archives?p_product=SAEC&p_theme=saec&p_action=search&p_maxdocs=200&p_topdoc=1&p_text_direct-0=0EAFE768CABF14E6&p_field_direct-0=document_id&p_perpage=10&p_sort=YMD_date:D&s_trackval=GooglePM|access-date=November 18, 2011|newspaper=San Antonio-Express News|date=July 18, 1995|url-access=subscription|archive-date=July 11, 2012|archive-url=https://archive.today/20120711233500/http://nl.newsbank.com/nl-search/we/Archives?p_product=SAEC&p_theme=saec&p_action=search&p_maxdocs=200&p_topdoc=1&p_text_direct-0=0EAFE768CABF14E6&p_field_direct-0=document_id&p_perpage=10&p_sort=YMD_date:D&s_trackval=GooglePM|url-status=dead}}</ref> The recording peaked at number one on the US ''Billboard'' Regional Mexican Albums chart for eight consecutive months;<ref>{{cite news|last=Burr|first=Ramiro|title=Awards recognize Latin musicians|url=http://nl.newsbank.com/nl-search/we/Archives?p_product=AASB&p_theme=aasb&p_action=search&p_maxdocs=200&p_topdoc=1&p_text_direct-0=0EAD91C1E2B25377&p_field_direct-0=document_id&p_perpage=10&p_sort=YMD_date:D&s_trackval=GooglePM|access-date=November 18, 2011|newspaper=Austin American Statesmen|date=May 20, 1993|url-access=subscription}}</ref> it was certified 10× platinum by the RIAA for sales of 600,000 [[album-equivalent unit]]s,<ref name="RIAA">{{Cite certification|region=United States|artist=Selena|Spanish=yes|access-date=September 5, 2015}}</ref> while in Mexico, the album sold 385,000 units.{{sfn|Arrarás|1997|p=104}} ''Entre a Mi Mundo'' became the first Tejano album by a female artist to sell over 300,000 copies.{{efn|According to a book written by Stacy Lee, she reported sales of 300,000 units,{{sfn|Stacy|2002|p=746}} while [[María Celeste Arrarás]] wrote in her book that the album sold 385,000 units in Mexico.{{sfn|Arrarás|1997|p=104}}}}

Selena was booked for a high-profile border press tour in [[Monterrey]], Mexico, with music media figures in a meet-and-greet conference. At the time, Tejanos were looked down on as "hayseed pochos" among Mexican citizens. The singer's Spanish was far from fluent;{{sfn|Patoski|1996|p=102}} EMI Latin executives were "terrified" about the singer's limited Spanish during the press conference for the album in Mexico.<ref>{{cite news |last=Deggans |first=Eric |date=July 21, 1995 |title=Latin Diva's Legacy Lives Through Music |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/asbury-park-press-latin-divas-legacy-li/169967625/ |access-date=2025-04-10 |work=[[Asbury Park Press]] |page=E5}}</ref> According to Patoski, Selena "played her cards right" during the conference and won over the Mexican media after newspapers hailed her as "an artist of the people". The newspapers found her to be a refreshing change from Mexican [[telenovela]] actors "who were fair-skinned, blond-haired, and green-eyed."{{sfn|Patoski|1996|p=103}}

After her publicity press, Selena was booked to play at several concerts throughout Mexico, including a performance at Festival Acapulco in May 1993, which garnered her critical acclaim.{{sfn|Patoski|1996|p=113}} Her performance in [[Nuevo León]] on September 17, 1993, was attended by 70,000 people, garnering her the title of the biggest Tejano act in Mexico.{{sfn|Patoski|1996|p=103}} The album produced four singles; "[[Como la Flor]]", "[[¿Qué Creías?]]", "[[La Carcacha]]", and "[[Amame (song)|Amame]]". "Como la Flor" became Selena's [[signature song|signature recording]];{{sfn|Clark|2013|p=120}} it was critically acclaimed by music critics as a career launcher for Selena.<ref>{{cite news|last=Tarradell|first=Mario|title=Selena's Power: Culture Fusion |url=http://nl.newsbank.com/nl-search/we/Archives?p_product=DM&p_theme=dm&p_action=search&p_maxdocs=200&p_topdoc=1&p_text_direct-0=0ED3D8F8378AECD7&p_field_direct-0=document_id&p_perpage=10&p_sort=YMD_date:D&s_trackval=GooglePM |access-date=November 18, 2011|newspaper=The Dallas Morning News|date=March 16, 1997|url-access=subscription}}</ref>

"Como la Flor" helped Selena to dominate the Latin music charts and become immensely popular in Mexico—where Mexican-Americans were generally not liked among citizens—and was well received by critics.{{sfn|Malone|2003|p=158}} The track was nominated for [[Tejano Music Award for Song of the Year|Song of the Year]] at the [[1993 Tejano Music Awards]].<ref>{{cite news|title=Music Scene |newspaper=[[The Philadelphia Inquirer]]|url=http://nl.newsbank.com/nl-search/we/Archives?p_product=PI&s_site=philly&p_multi=PI&p_theme=realcities&p_action=search&p_maxdocs=200&p_topdoc=1&p_text_direct-0=0EB2A4E4926B97BE&p_field_direct-0=document_id&p_perpage=10&p_sort=YMD_date:D&s_trackval=GooglePM |access-date=November 18, 2011|date=May 23, 1993|url-access=subscription}}</ref> The single peaked at number six on the US ''Billboard'' Top Latin Songs chart.<ref>{{cite magazine|title=Billboard Charts > Selena > Top Latin Songs|magazine=Billboard|url=http://www.billboard.com/artist/278615/selena/chart?page=1&f=363 |access-date=January 30, 2015}}</ref> In 1994, ''Entre a Mi Mundo'' ranked as the second best-selling regional Mexican album of all-time.{{sfn|Lannert|Bronson|Mayfield|1995|p=72, 80, 82}}

Selena released ''[[Selena Live!|Live!]]'' a year after ''Entre a Mi Mundo''; it was recorded during a free concert at the [[Memorial Coliseum (Corpus Christi)|Memorial Coliseum]] in Corpus Christi, on February 7, 1993.{{sfn|Patoski|1996|p=135}} The album included previously released tracks that were sung live and three studio recordings; "[[No Debes Jugar]]", "[[La Llamada]]", and "Tú Robaste Mi Corazón"—a duet with Tejano musician [[Emilio Navaira]]. The tracks "No Debes Jugar" and "La Llamada" peaked within the top five on the US ''Billboard'' Top Latin Songs chart.<ref>{{cite web|title=Allmusic > Selena Awards |url=http://www.allmusic.com/artist/selena-mn0000004852/awards|website=[[AllMusic]]|access-date=June 21, 2012}}</ref> ''Live!'' won the [[Grammy Award]] for [[Grammy Award for Best Mexican/Mexican-American Album|Best Mexican/American Album]] at the [[36th Annual Grammy Awards|36th Grammy Awards]].{{sfn|Stacy|2002|p=746}}

In May 1994, ''Live!'' was named Album of the Year by the [[Billboard Latin Music Awards|''Billboard'' Latin Music Awards]].<ref>{{cite magazine|last=Lannert|first=John |title=Latin Music Conference|magazine=Billboard|date=May 21, 1994|volume=106|issue=21|page=112 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=TAgEAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA49|access-date=November 6, 2011}}</ref> At the [[1994 Tejano Music Awards]], ''Live!'' won [[Tejano Music Award for Album of the Year — Orchestra|Album of the Year]],<ref name="TMAs">{{cite web|title=Tejano Music Awards Past Award Winners |publisher=TejanoMusicAwards.com |url=http://www.tejanomusicawards.com/winners.html |access-date=August 23, 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100815054136/http://www.tejanomusicawards.com/winners.html |archive-date=August 15, 2010 |url-status=dead}}</ref> while at the [[Premio Lo Nuestro 1994|1994 Lo Nuestro Awards]], it was nominated for [[Lo Nuestro Award for Regional Mexican Album of the Year|Regional Mexican Album of the Year]].<ref>{{Cite news |last1=González|first1= Fernando |title=Lo Nuestro, Billboard Honor Latin Singers |newspaper=[[The Miami Herald]] |date=May 16, 1994}}</ref> ''Live!'' was certified gold by the RIAA for shipments of 500,000 copies, while in Mexico it sold 250,000 units.<ref name="RIAA"/><ref name=phenomenon>{{cite magazine|last=Lannert|first=John|title=The Selena Phenomenon|magazine=Billboard |date=September 2, 1995|volume=107|issue=35|page=120|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=xw0EAAAAMBAJ&q=Selena+Live%21&pg=PA41|access-date=November 6, 2011}}</ref> Selena briefly appeared 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]]. She appeared in two episodes, which garnered record ratings for the series.{{sfn|Patoski|1996|p=134}}