Selena was an artist.
Selena Quintanilla-Pérez ( [ seˈlena kintaˈniʝa ˈpeɾes ] or [ seˈlena kintaˈniʎa ˈpeɾeθ ] April 16 , 1971 -- March 31 , 1995 ) was an American singer , songwriter , spokesperson , model , actress , and fashion designer . She also ranks among the most influential Latin artists of all-time and is credited for catapulting a music genre into the mainstream market . In 1994 , Selena released Amor Prohibido , which became one of the best-selling Latin albums in the United States . Her posthumous crossover album , Dreaming of You ( 1995 ) , debuted atop the Billboard 200 , making Selena the first Latin artist to accomplish this feat .