A comparison of Billie Jean.

The original was released in 1983 by none other than the King of Pop himself, Michael Jackson (2). The comparing cover was released in 2006 by the late Chris Cornell (3).

The first time listening to the cover version you know the words, but you aren’t used to hearing them in such a different tone and rhythm that your brain takes a minute to realize what song it actually is. It is almost stunning how something that came from one thing can be so similar but so different.

Michael Jackson – Billie Jean

In 1984, just two years after being recorded and one-year post-release, Billie Jean won four big-time Grammy and Juno awards. It was deemed “one of the highest selling singles of all time” (1). The song touched the genres of post-disco, blues, funk and dance-pop. It was originally written to describe situations where women would claim their kids were relatives of his (being the offspring of his also famous brothers), and just the struggle that came with trying to have fun, find love and be famous (2).

Chris Cornell – Billie Jean

Chris Cornell was the lead singer of Soundgarden, on of the biggest grunge bands along side Nirvana and Pearl Jam. Billie Jean sung by Chris Cornell was released in 2006, performed at an acoustic concert in Sweden, and was never officially released but has become widely available and a fan favourite (4).  As most of Cornell’s songs take a more heavy metal/ rock twist he seems to tone it down quite a bit slower with this cover, making it a more alternative/ indie rock song. For the most part, this version is more along the lines of a single vocalist playing in front of a small crowd on a weeknight. It does change slightly with the electric guitar in the chorus and the guitar solo. To pull this kind of a switch off, you have to have a solid talented vocalist, something that Chris Cornell pulls off nicely. Cornell actually comes off quite raspy and smoky, slowing down and really pronounces the words making it easier to hear the story. He sounds almost dreary and sad in the first verses but picks up energy in the bridge before truly letting loose emotionally on the chorus, soon being joined by the electric guitar. The total product makes the song much more emotional than the original.

In a straight lyrically comparison these songs are identical. There was not a single out of place, however, the tempo and backbeat are nothing alike. Jackson’s keeps you peppy and grooving whereas Cornell’s tones you back to a more mellow relaxing vibe. Jackson is there to be a performer and give you a show, which is why the music video is never a dull moment with constant pictures to be looking at, including his incredibly world-renowned dance moves. He backs up the harsh lyrics with a rocking wavy pitch, giving your ears an attentive experience. I do think that the cover and the original give off totally different feels, and I would listen to both but in totally different moods. Attached to these moods, vibes, and feels are different groups of listeners. Cornell took a classic song, sung by one of the worlds’ musical pillars and innovators, and targeted a whole different group of people, in a whole different time. Popular genres of the 80’s were poppy upbeat dance tunes, whereas popular genres of the 2000’s were more alternative and rock-like, meaning that both versions targeted the majority audience. And although Cornell might not have been as successful in his presentation it is still something different and soothing to the ear.

Billy Jean is a name when mentioned is instantly recognized and associated with a certain celebrity, which is what makes this specific cover such an anomaly. The cover is something that gives takes a new take and feels on a classic song.

References

(1) Connelly, CHristopher. "Rolling Stone's Thriller review". February 5, 2007.

(2) Greenberg, Steve. "Michael Jackson's 'Thriller' at 30: How One Album Changed the World". November 29, 2012.

(3) Shteamer, Hank. "Chris Cornell: 8 Great Acoustic Covers". May 18, 2017.

(4) Thbobmaster. "On the Cover: Billie Jean by Chris Cornell". November 28, 2007.

#M9Q1

Selena Quintanilla was a popular singer, actor, and fashion designer born on April 16, 1971, in Lake Jackson, Texas. Selena was introduced to music at a very early age by her father who was a former musician. Selena made her debut as a singer when she was around 10 years old; performing at her father’s restaurant with her siblings accompanying her with musical instruments [1]. Selena’s father recognized the potential Selena had to become a superstar and started to groom her towards that direction. In the eighth grade Selena was pulled out of school by her father so that she could focus solely on her career. This decision was met by protest from her teachers. At this time Selena’s family was constantly on the move. She was the lead vocal in her father’s band called Selena y Los Dinos; touring and doing small gigs at parties, weddings, and fairs. Her style of music was Tejano music or Tex-Mex music which is a fusion of Pop and R&B sung in Spanish. She is accredited with popularizing Tejano music into the mainstream music scene and would come to be known as the “Queen of Tejano” and “The Mexican Madonna” [2]. Selena recorded her first album in 1984. In 1986 her career really began to take off when she released her second album Alpha. In 1987 she was discovered by Rick Trevino (founder of Tejano Music Awards) she would go on to win “Female Vocalist of the Year” at the Tejano Music Awards multiple times [3]. By 1988 she already had 5 albums under her belt. In 1990 she released Ven Conmigo, which included one of Selena’s most popular songs called “Baila Esta Cumbia”. In 1991 she released another album Nada Se Compara Contigo featuring a duet called “Buenos Amigos” with Alvaro Torres. This song went on to become her first number one single on the U.S Billboard Top Latin Songs chart. 1992 was an even more successful year with the release of her album Entre a Mi Mundo, which stayed at the number one position on the Billboard chart for 19 weeks. In 1993 she won a Grammy Award for her album Live! [4]. 1994 was no different than the previous years in terms of success with Amor Prohibido becoming one of the best selling Latin albums in America. Around this time Selena and her managers felt that she had accomplished her musical aspirations in the Spanish market and wanted to shift focus to the English speaking market. By early 1995 she had began crossing over by putting together a crossover album and even making small appearances in movies for example she was seen in “Don Juan DeMarco” which also featured the likes of Johnny Depp and Marlon Bando [5]. Unfortunately her career was cut short on March 31, 1995 when she was shot and killed by her fan base manager Yolanda Saldivar. The death of Selena Quintanilla came as a shock and had a widespread impact on the public. More than 60,000 mourners gathered at her funeral [6]. She was seen as a symbol of struggle, perseverance, and hope in the Latino community because she had broken barriers such as race, gender, and social class in her path to becoming the Queen of Tejano.

Achievements:

1. Several critically acclaimed, successful albums
2. “Ven Conmigo” went platinum
3. “Entre a Mi Mundo” became the first Tejano album by a female artist to sell over 300, 000 copies
4. “Amor Prohibido” was the second Tejano Album to sell 500,000 copies
5. Selena’s 1993 album “Live!” was named Album of the Year by the Billboard Latin Music Awards
6. She won the Grammy for “Live!” in the category of Best Mexican/American Album
7. “Amor Prohibido” won Record of the Year at the 1995 Tejano Music Awards
8. She won the “best Vocalist of the Year award” 10 times at the Tejano Music Awards
9. Inducted into the Billboard Latin Music hall of Fame, Hard Rock Café Hall of Fame, and South Texas Music Hall of Fame.
10. In 2017 Selena was given a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame

Throughout her short yet illustrious career Selena was nominated for 86 awards (winning 67 of them). She won 36 Tejano Music Awards, 14 Billboard Latin Music Awards, 10 Lo Neustro Awards, 5 BMI Awards and 1 award from the American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers [7].

She is one of the most influential Latin artist of all time for many reasons including:

1. She used her music to bring communities together and bridge gaps between American and Mexican culture. Having been born in America she started out her musical career singing in Spanish. Her music had its own twist to it where she would fuse Spanish lyrics with English lyrics. I believe she showed her fans that she could achieve mainstream success in the music industry while still staying true to her roots [8].
2. She engaged in social activism for example other than being a champion for women and particularly colored women in the music industry, Selena also raised awareness about social issues such as performing at charity events to fundraise for AIDS patients, visiting schools to encourage children to make positive life choices, raising awareness about abusive relationships, helping out victims of Hurricane Andrew and assisting at homeless shelters [9].
3. She encouraged people from marginalized backgrounds to never give up on their dreams. She was seen as an example to many as to how a coloured women can also achieve the “American Dream”.
4. Selena helped redefine Latin music by pushing it into the mainstream and bringing attention to genres like Tejano, Cumbia, and Latin Pop while also introducing her own unique style.
5. She is still a major influence in Latino communities and is often said to have “paved the way” for Latino artists like Shakira, Jennifer Lopez, and Ricky Martin.

Artists Influenced by Selena:

Numerous artists have been influenced by Selena for example: Beyonce, Jennifer Lopez, Selena Gomez, Whitney Houston, Demi Lovato, Lady Gaga, Katy Perry, Daddy Yankee, and Drake. During an interview with People Magazine, Beyonce was quoted saying that “as a child, she listened to Selena’s music and dreamed of fame”[10]. Jennifer Lopez was actually casted to play Selena in a 1997 biopic which would become her breakthrough role. Jennifer Lopez attributed her own success in breaking through as a struggling Latino artist to the charisma and determination displayed by Selena in motivating her to do the same. “She had a sense of living in the moment, living in the present and following her heart” Lopez stated in an interview [11].

Posthumous influence on popular culture:

1. Along with being a singer, Selena was also a fashion icon. Whether it was her outfits or the way she did her makeup and hair it always had her own unique style to it. In 2016 M.A.C. released a makeup line in honour of Selena. The cosmetic items were named after some of Selena’s most famous songs like “Dreaming of You” and “Como La Flor”. Hundreds of fans were seen lined up in front of stores to purchase the collection [12]. Selena was in the process of launching her own perfume and makeup line before her untimely death. It is common to see popular artists wearing clothes sporting her name or face.
2. Selena Gomez was named after Selena and has cited her as being a major influence in her musical style, and image. Selena Gomez was asked to record a song by Selena called “Bidi Bidi Bom Bom” for a remix album. In an interview she stated that “I was completely honored when they asked me to be on the tribute CD and when I went into the studio to record they actually had her vocals in the booth that she was in, so I felt like she was singing right next to me” [13].

I do believe Selena Quintanilla-Perez should be included in the textbook. At the age of 23 she was able to accomplish so much and cement a legacy for herself that takes a lifetime to create. She was able to break racial, social and gender barriers to achieve her goals which serves as an inspiration to many. Her music, style, charisma, dance and fashion continue to influence the entertainment industry today.

My favorite song of Selena’s is “Dreaming of You” from her album Dreaming of You. This album was actually released after her death and went on to become the first Tejano album to reach number one in America. I like this song because it reminds me of the classic 90’s love songs. The song is a mid-tempo pop ballad. When I listen to it I feel like I’m fading away or getting sucked into a dream because the tempo of the song along with the music and vocals give it a “sleepy” vibe almost as if you are actually in a dream.

Bibliography

[1] Selena. (2017, November 08). Retrieved from https://www.biography.com/people/selena-189149

[2] Ilich, T. (n.d.). Who Was Selena Quintanilla-Perez? Retrieved from https://www.thoughtco.com/biography-of-selena-quintanilla-perez-2141134

[3] Staff, L. (2016, March 09). Selena, the Queen of Tejano Music. Retrieved from http://www.legacy.com/news/celebrity-deaths/article/selena-the-queen-of-tejano-music

[4] Flashback: Selenas First GRAMMY Win | GRAMMY.com. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.bing.com/cr?IG=662ECD46293142A39331346F7D74CC3D&CID=0AE98A7A3E1163BD227686323FEC623D&rd=1&h=gYGnkEp998_xOkj4Hcnb7pd_2lgWnKUSd0PL3OMVMew&v=1&r=https://www.grammy.com/grammys/news/remember-when-selena-wins-big-36th-grammys&p=DevEx.LB.1,5069.1

[5] Selena Timeline. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://selenaforever.com/Selena_Timeline/Selena_Timeline.html

[6] Mendoza, M. (2018, April 06). Photos: Selena was buried 23 years ago this week. Retrieved from https://www.mysanantonio.com/lifestyle/article/Selena-was-buried-23-years-ago-today-12802191.php

[7] List of awards and nominations received by Selena. (2018, July 27). Retrieved from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_awards_and_nominations_received_by_Selena

[8, 9] 5 Reasons Why Selena Quintanilla Remains An Inspirational Latina Today. (2017, November 13). Retrieved from https://www.theodysseyonline.com/5-reasons-selena-quintanilla-remains-inspirational-latina-today

[10] Alvarez, A. (n.d.). That One Time Beyoncé Met Selena. Retrieved from https://www.buzzfeed.com/alexalvarez/memorieeees

[11] Cobo, L. (2018, March 31). Jennifer Lopez on Playing Selena: ‘She Had a Sense of Living in the Present & Following Her Heart’. Retrieved from https://www.billboard.com/articles/columns/latin/7728858/jennifer-lopez-selena-film-anniversary-interview

[12] Shropshire, C. (2016, October 06). Fans wait overnight to purchase MAC’s Selena makeup line. Retrieved from http://www.chicagotribune.com/business/ct-mac-selena-makeup-1007-biz-20161007-story.html

[13] Cerón, E. (2017, May 25). Selena Gomez Opens Up About Meeting Her Namesake’s Family. Retrieved from https://www.teenvogue.com/story/selena-gomez-namesake-selena-quintanilla

Pictures:

https://www.google.ca/url?sa=i&source=images&cd=&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=2ahUKEwiW_YaUguTcAhVxHzQIHc3XA4MQjRx6BAgBEAU&url=https%3A%2F%2Fen.wikipedia.org%2Fwiki%2FSelena&psig=AOvVaw0HYEJVvbbSp6LirCo6EKQd&ust=1534043068723875

https://www.google.ca/url?sa=i&source=images&cd=&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=2ahUKEwigjKaoguTcAhVkIDQIHV2sC-QQjRx6BAgBEAU&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.neontommy.com%2Fnews%2F2014%2F03%2Ftop-5-selena-songs&psig=AOvVaw0HYEJVvbbSp6LirCo6EKQd&ust=1534043068723875

https://www.upi.com/Selena-Quintanilla-honored-with-a-star-on-the-Hollywood-Walk-of-Fame/7441509813039/

#M9Q1- Selena Quintanilla-Perez, also known as the “Queen of Tejano Music”, was an icon and a hero to many. She paved the way for women in Tejano music in a heavily male-dominated genre. [1]

Selena was born on April 16^th, 1971, in Lake Jackson, Texas. [1] At a young age Selena was pulled out of school to perform as the lead singer of her family’s band Selena Y Los Dinos (Selena and the boys), which was founded by her father. Her father, Abraham Quintanilla, Jr, as well as her brothers helped launch her career by helping her compose and write her songs. [4] Though she was brought up speaking English, Selena sung in Spanish which she had to learn phonetically. [1]

Selena and her band were launched into the spotlight when they recordedtheir first album in 1984. From this time on their lives changed. Selena rose to stardom fast and in 1987 Selena won “Best Female Vocalist of the Year” and “Performer of the Year.” [1] They were then signed in 1989 to EMI Records. [2] Being backed by a major record company, Selena recordings led to high amount of sales and her winning Female Vocalist of the Year many times in a row as well as the Grammy Award for her album “Live”.

Selena was known and loved worldwide. After one of the biggest accomplishments an artist can make, winning a Grammy award, Selena set her eyes on making an English Album that would make history. Sadly, her dreams of this album was not seen. She was killed on March 31, 1995 after being shot by Yolanda Saldivar, Selenas biggest fan and the founder of her fan club. [3] This incident traumatized many and she was mourned by the world.

Though she died at the young age of 23, she still influences and inspires many people, fans and the music industry, to this day. Selena posthumously beat the female vocalist record when her last recording of her first English album “Dreaming of You” was released. [1] It instantly became a hit and rose to the top of Billboards. Selena took over the man dominated industry of Tejano music which helped open the pathway for other female artists. Selena was a huge role model to everyone.

Many artists have been influenced by Selena. After the release of her Album “Live”, Selena’s life story become known through the film Selena, which stared Jennifer Lopez. In an interview Jennifer Lopez went on to say that Selena was an inspiration to the music industry because of her music, spirit and her heart and how she really touched the lives of people. [5] Posthumously Selena launched Jennifer Lopez’s career through her role in the film. Jennifer viewed Selena as her mentor that helped her get through the industry as well as life. Jennifer believes that Selena is still a mentor to everyone and that she stayed true to herself

Another artist inspired by Selena is Beyoncé. Beyoncé is also famously known and is an inspiration to many. While talking to MTV, she told them that she had in fact met Selena but did not end up speaking very much. [5] She told them that she had said hello and continued on her way. Beyoncé said that even though she did not know what she was saying, that it helped her in the studio with learning pronunciation. [5] Beyoncé admired her and thought she was talented and an inspiration.

Selena not only inspired artists but she also made other huge impacts. Selena’s legacy continues to grow. M.A.C released a makeup line inspired by Selena, which was petitioned by her fans. [3] These cosmetics sold out instantly, showing the huge impact Selena had. Selena was also awarded a posthumous star on the Walk of Fame. [3]

Selena’s legacy will always shine on. Her music will always be known and celebrated worldwide due to her ability to connect with her audience and for you to be able to feel the emotions she is trying to portray. I enjoy “I could Fall in Love”, her voice in this is so beautiful and you feel her emotion and passion in this song. The song puts you in a trance and you just can’t stop listening. She also sings about something that everyone feels in their lifetime so you can really connect to the words. Though she is barely mentioned in the text, I believe she should be talked about more due to her impact on Tejano music and the doors she opened for many women.

Sources:

[1] Selena. (2017, November 08). Retrieved from https://www.biography.com/people/selena-189149

[2] Selena Biography. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.notablebiographies.com/Sc-St/Selena.html

[3] Desta, Y. (2017, March 22). Forever Selena: How a Fallen Icon’s Legacy Has Kept Her Alive. Retrieved from https://www.vanityfair.com/hollywood/2017/03/selena-film-anniversary

[4] Saez, C. (n.d.). Iconográfica: How Selena Went From Pop Star to Patron Saint. Retrieved from http://remezcla.com/features/music/iconografica-santa-selena/

[5] Wurzburger, A. (2017, October 17). 15 Celebrities Who Are Totally Inspired By Selena Quintanilla. Retrieved from http://www.vh1.com/news/330781/celebrities-inspired-by-selena-quintanilla/

Aubrey Drake Graham, or as he is most commonly called Drake, is a very well known name around the world. Born on October 24, 198,6 in Toronto Ontario, makes Drake a proud representative of the musical talent that blossoms from Canada. Starting back in late 2003, Drake made his first appearance on the Canadian TV show ”Degrassi”. (Hiphop Guru) Five years later is when Drake began entering the music scene where he releases “Room for Improvement” which would be his first ever released mixtape. As a few more years went by, where he released multiple songs and albums, nothing quite landed Drake on the top charts, which the dream of all musicians. Now in 2009 Drake releases two top 100 songs, which was a huge milestone in his very successful career. These songs we “Best I Ever Had” (Which we will look into later on) and “Everygirl”. (Hiphop Guru) Now skipping ahead once again to more recent years, Drake is arguably the most successful modern-day musician to be from Canada.

The first song I chose is “Best I ever Had”. I chose this song because this song is what made Drake into who he is today. As you listen, listen to how upbeat and the mood that is expressed within the song. The main focus of this song is talking about losing his girlfriend yet talking himself up as the best she ever had. Even though the song is rather depressing about what is going on in his life, the rhythm makes you want to move to the beat. Drake’s style of music completely changes in recent years as the majority of his songs have a slower rhythm.

The fan base that surrounds Drake come from a variety of different backgrounds which is why I believe he has such a mass influence on modern day society. The second song I would like you to listen to is “Don’t matter to me”. Now I chose this as the first song to listen to because although it is one of his most recent songs, he features the world-famous Michael Jackson. Within this song are unreleased Michael Jackson vocals which I find to be very interesting. It proves that even after an artist dies, they always live on and continue to influence new generations. This was the main reason I chose this song and I bet you might be asking yourself “You are talking about Drakes influence not Michael Jackson’s”, and that is absolutely right. However, by gaining permission to use his exclusive vocals, Drake has in a way recreated yet supports Michael Jacksons unique sound that appealed to fans across the world and in a way combined his legacy with Michael Jacksons.

The third and final song Is “God’s Plan” This song sends a powerful message to people across the world. This song shows the strong connection Drake has with his local community along with the fans across the globe. Now along with the catchy song and very strong lyrics such as “Bad things. It’s a lot of bad things” This expresses the negatives that people face on a day to day basis and some less fortunate people face this more regularly. Now along with modern day songs comes the music video to place a visual and “God’s plan” was a very special case. Drake was given 1,000,000 to make the video and instead of using the money for the video, Drake gave it all away in the form of tuition, cash, school funding groceries and many more ways. I believe this was a great selfless act and it did not go unnoticed.

The reason I believe Drake should be in the textbook is that not only is he a successful Canadian Musician but he also does things in a special and unique way. Drake has a relaxed timbre with a variety of different moods and rhythms. In Drakes’ songs he focuses more on the message and what is being said rather than rapping. Drake has a unique sound that no matter how hard people try it cannot sound the same. Drake has a soft side to him and sings about relatable moods that people can feel on a daily basis. Drake who is a well-known Canadian figure has went down his own path of unique sounding rhythms and style that has already began to rub off on up incoming talent and will continue to motivate and have a strong impact of the genre of Hip-Hop in the years and generations to come.

Cites used:

Drake – Don’t Matter To Me ft. Michael Jackson (Official Music Video). (2018, July 05). Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cY5qcEyUZfE

D. (2018, February 16). Drake – God’s Plan. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xpVfcZ0ZcFM

M. (2009, October 11). Drake Best I Ever Had Official Video UNCENSORED. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KbjaLGsOHaE

Drake’s Career Timeline. (2014, March 26). Retrieved from http://www.thehiphopguru.com/drakes-career-timeline/

HOW DRAKE BECAME THE MOST DOMINANT FORCE IN HIP-HOP. (2017, October 31). Retrieved from http://www.shiftermagazine.com/music/drake-most-creative-force-hiphop

Is Drake the Artist of the Decade? (n.d.). Retrieved from https://pipt.com/p/is-drake-the-artist-of-the-decade

Selena Quintanilla-Perez, also known as the Queen of Tejano Music, was born in Texas in 1971. (Editors, 2017) In 1995, her life came to the end when she was shot by her fan club manager.(Editors, 2017) Selena has been singing since she was six years old. Before Selena signed her recorded deal with Capitol/EMI, she played with her family’s band called Selena Y Los Dinos.(Editors, 2017) They started playing at weddings and clubs in Texas. Selena would sing all her songs in Spanish but was brought up speaking English.(Editors,2017)

Selena is considered to be one of the most influential Latin artists of all time. The first reason why Selena has a title of one of the most influential Latin artist of all time is that she was culturally influenced.(Saucedo, 2016) She is Mexican American which brought together Latinos by her music.(Saucedo, 2016) Selena’s music was influenced by Tejano Music with an influence of Latino which created new genres of music.(Saucedo, 2016) Selena sang her songs in Spanish but in her later years, she made some of her songs in English.(Saucedo, 2016) As Selena grew up she spoke English and could never speak Spanish fluently until 1990 when she started going for Spanish lessons so she could be closer to her culture.(Saucedo, 2016) The second reason why is because she broke records. Selena was the first Latin artist to make the top 10 with Spanish and English language songs.(Saucedo, 2016) Her song “I Could Fall in Love” made it second on the top music charts and it won a Grammy.(Saucedo, 2016)

Selena was known not only for her voice but by the way she dressed. She started designing outfits at the age of twelve and made her own outfits for her performances. She then opened two boutiques because of her love for fashion. Selena’s style influenced women in today’s life. One artist that we see Selena’s style is Jennifer Lopez.(Blay, 2016) Not only is Selena’s style influenced Jennifer Lopez as an artist but she also influenced Beyonce because they grew up in the same state of Texas.(Blay 2016) Beyonce “Remembers hearing her on the radio, even though she did not know what she was saying Selena helped her with her pronunciation in the studio”. (Blay 2016)

On March 31st, 1995 Selena was shot and killed by her fan club manager after she confronted her with taking money from Selena Etc Inc. (Editors,2017) Selena’s death was tragic and hit the United States and Mexico community hard. Even after Selena’s death her presence never died, in 1997 a movie was released about her life journey to fame.(Editors, 2017)  The movie was called “Selena” where Jennifer Lopez was cast for Selena.(Editors, 2017) The reason why the movie was made so close to Selena’s death was that her family wants to show the world the true light in their life and Selena’s life as well. (Tonight, 2017) The movie shows how Selena’s journey was not easy but she pushed through it and never gave up.

Before Selena’s death, she was working on an album in English but was not able to finish it before her passing.(Editors,2017) On July 18th, 1995 Latin EMI released the album. This album spent 22 weeks on the top 10 list and sold 175,000 copies of it on the first day. (Ehrlich, 2018)

Listening to some of Selena’s songs a couple stood out to me and I could not decide which one was my favorite. One is “Bidi Bidi Bom Bom” and the other one is “Dreaming of You” both show a different side of her. “Bidi Bidi Bom Bom” shows her fun side, it is also an easy song to get lost in and find yourself dancing to it. While listening to the song, it sounded like a heartbeat when you are happy to see someone or your pet after a long day at work. “Dreaming of You” shows a sensitive side of Selena to us. When listening to the song, I can picture someone in a car staring out the window pretending they are in a music video. Another thing that comes to mind when I listen to the song is that every girl had one of these nights before thinking about their crush and wishing at 11:11 that he likes her back.

Selena Perez should be included in our textbook because she is still alive in people’s hearts today. From artists today getting influenced by the way she dressed or how she presented herself to her fans. Selena was unfiltered, she would wear bras on stage for a top and do her signature move her mom taught her which was the washing machine. Selena gave hope to the Mexican-Americans that they can follow their dream if it was becoming a singer like her or something completely different. She was idolized not only by Mexican-Americans but by Americans them self. Selena was very humble not letting the fame and money get to her head. Her family was worth about $5 Million but still lived in a middle-class house.

Between Selena’s style to her Humbleness, she shows the Latino people that she is someone to idolize.

Work cited

Blay, Zeba. “17 Artists Inspired By The Divine Glory Of Queen Selena Quintanilla.” HuffPost Canada. March 30, 2016. https://www.huffingtonpost.ca/entry/17-artists-inspired-by-the-divine-glory-of-queen-selena-quintanilla_us_56fa8945e4b014d3fe241b8c.

Saucedo, Adriana. “10 Reasons Why Selena Is Iconic.” The Odyssey Online. November 14, 2017. https://www.theodysseyonline.com/10-reasons-why-selena-is-iconic

Ilich, Tijana. “Who Was Selena Quintanilla-Perez?” ThoughtCo. November 26, 2017. https://www.thoughtco.com/biography-of-selena-quintanilla-perez-2141134?print.

YouTube. March 21, 2017. https://youtu.be/VbR9iFwoXRA

Ehrlich, Allison. “#TBT: Selena’s Posthumous Album Release in 1995 Featured Street Dance and Lip Sync Contest.” Corpus Christi Caller-Times. April 16, 2018. https://www.caller.com/story/news/special-reports/building-our-future/throwback/2018/04/11/tbt-selenas-posthumous-album-release-1995-featured-street-dance-and-lip-sync-contest/508406002

Life and career

Selena Quintanilla-Pérez was born on April 16, 1971, in Lake Jackson, Texas. She was the youngest child of her family but full of musical talent. She started to learn to sing at 3 years old, and when she was six years old her musical abilities were noticed by Quintanilla, Jr. By the time she was 9 years old, her father grouped his three children into a vocal singing group, when she was 12 they released their first album “Selena y Los Dinos”.

Selena was called the Queen of Tejano music, “her contribution to music and fashion made her one of the most celebrated Mexican-American entertainers of the late 20th century.” The previous year, Selena won the Tejano Music Award for “Best Female Vocalist” and “Best Female Performer” when she was just 15 years old. “For the next 7 years, Selena would continue to win award after award.” Her 1993 album “Selena Live!” won the “Best Mexican-American Album” Grammy, making Selena the only Tejano artist to win a Grammy award. Not only working on the music, in 1994 Selena began designing and manufacturing a line of clothing; she opened two boutiques called Selena Etc.

Influences

Selena was influenced by many famous artists like Michael Jackson and Madonna, in other sides, her own experiences influenced more singers. “Selena credited Michael Jackson for inspiring her to follow in his footsteps after she saw him perform at a 1984 Astrodome concert. Onstage, she wore fashions inspired by Abdul, Madonna and Janet Jackson. Selena’s husband, Chris Pérez, said that she was “open-minded” toward all musical genres, rock in particular. Since her death in 1995, entertainers have cited the singer’s influence on their careers in interviews, speeches, books, and music.”

1, Whitney Houston. In a July 1999 New York Daily News interview, Houston told David Hinckley about a then-upcoming project that would have been inspired by the works of Selena and Will Smith. Houston told Hinckley “what Selena did in the English market was brilliant.”, referring to the singer as her biggest admiration.

2, Lady Gaga. Lady Gaga cited Selena’s outfits (primarily her bustiers) as inspiring her choice of clothing for her concerts. According to The Daily Telegraph, Gaga was influenced by Selena’s career.

3, Beyoncé. In an MTV Tres interview, Beyoncé said that she admires Selena and her Spanish-language albums helped her with pronunciation on her Spanish-language recordings. She told People en Espanol that as a child, she listened to Selena’s music and dreamed of fame.

4, Selena Gomez. During an interview on The View, Gomez said that Selena “was a big deal to my family and growing up from the get-go, I knew who she was and who I was named after” and it was “such [an] honor to be named after someone so amazing.” She recorded “Bidi Bidi Bom Bom”, off of Amor Prohibido (1994), for the 2012 remix album Enamorada de Ti. Gomez told JustJared.com, “I was completely honored when they asked me to be on the tribute CD and when I went into the studio to record they actually had her vocals in the booth that she was in, so I felt like she was singing right next to me, it gave me chills! It was incredible and it was a great experience and it was a great song.” Domingo Banda of the Semana News called “Bidi Bidi Bom Bom” a “standout track”.

I COULD FALL IN LOVE

This is my favorite song by Selena. The music video was released posthumously, and it received a Music Video of the Year nomination at the 1996 Tejano Music Awards. “I Could Fall in Love” became one of Selena’s most famous and recognizable recordings, and in the 1990s it became a popular wedding song. I could feel her love, heartbreak, despair from the lyrics. And it expresses the singer’s fear of rejection by a man she finds herself falling in love with.

Just like another famous song by Selena “Dreaming of you“, two songs were regarded as “clean pop offering” sang by Selena’s “soft, velvety voice”. On 31 March 2010, Teresa Jusino of PopMatters expressed the view that English-speaking music fans no longer remember Selena’s name, saying that on playing “Dreaming of You” or “I Could Fall in Love”, many would say “I remember that song!” or “I love that one!”.

Cited:

[1]: Tijana Ilich, The Story of Selena Quintanilla-Perez, the Queen of Tejano, 26 Nov 2017.

https://www.thoughtco.com/biography-of-selena-quintanilla-perez-2141134

[2]: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Selena

[3]: https://www.biography.com/people/selena-189149

[4]: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_people_influenced_by_Selena

[5]: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/I_Could_Fall_in_Love

Hey, it’s me again, Lauren! I am here to talk about my opinion of rock and roll, and heavy rock music.

Music has always been a big part of my life, from listening to Shania Twain dancing in the reflection of the oven door, the heavy metal and rock and roll music my parents listened to the classical music in my ballet classes. Music has always been here for me. The music that parents listen to shape what music their children listen to. My dad spent his early twenties driving around with Age of Electric band through British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan and a little Manitoba. He was always been into the heavy metal and you could even tell by the long his hair was.

There has been a number of heavy metal bands since the late 1960s like:

• Metallica
• Iron Maiden
• Judas Priest
• Black Sabbath
• Mötley Crüe
• AC/DC
• Led Zeppelin

Some people say that Led Zeppelin was the first was the first to introduce heavy metal music to society but I personally believe that Black Sabbath was the first. I feel that Led Zeppelin was more rock and roll then heavy metal. What my understanding of rock and roll verses heavy metal is that heavy metal is a sub-genre inside of the rock genre.

Good Times and Bad Times by Led Zeppelin released in 1969 is listed as a hard rock genre. With the guitar solo in the middle of the song gives a little more hard rock vibe to the music and the electric guitar adds a little heavier sound to the music. This makes me think of a hard heavy rock band rather then a heavy metal band.

Dazed and Confused by Led Zeppelin released in 1969 has a nice slow electric sound to the beginning and then picks up as the song goes on adding more drums. I feel it is still considered rock not heavy metal but it is getting closer.

You Shook Me by Led Zeppelin released 1969 has more of a heavier beat to the music but is slower then what I would consider to be rock, not heavy metal.

Led Zeppelin first album is was filled with great songs that everyone knows. Everyone loves a little Zeppelin especially on a road trip. This song has more of a plain, lighter sound with a less heavy electric guitar and drum bass without a double bass pedal.

Iron Man by Black Sabbath released 1970 is also listed as a hard rock genre. It is a heavy sound that has a stronger electric guitar sound and a deeper bass of a drum.

Sleeping Village by Black Sabbath does has a slower beginning, but once you get into about 1:00 minute of the song it picks up and and gets a heavier deeper electric guitar sound that makes for a heavy metal sound. Then at 3:00 minutes into the song there is an even more guitar and drums that makes for the most heavy metal part of the song. Sleeping Village by Black Sabbath is a great representation of the transitions between the smooth rock, to hard rock to heavy metal sound.

The Warning by Black Sabbath is a pretty long song but a true lover of Black Sabbath just thanks for it to never end. It starts off with a heavy deep bass and a beautiful electric guitar, then adds in the deep voice with the slow lyrics. At 3:00 minutes into the song the amazing guitar solo with the brass drums in the background goes on for a perfect  6:00 minutes before adding back in the lyrics. I feel like this is a perfect example of heavy metal. No need for vocals if the instruments can do all the talking. A real musician can make people feel what they want but just playing the instruments. The fact that out of a 10:25 minute song there is really only 4:00 minutes of vocals makes every Black Sabbath fan go nuts.

My mom and dad have always loved Black Sabbath and I have grown to love Black Sabbath because of them. I am trying not to be close minded towards Led Zeppelin but just from listening to the two bands and what their first albums were back in 1969 and 1970 there is a definite difference between the two.

I know everyone has has their own opinions about what was the first heavy metal band, Black Sabbath or Led Zeppelin. I know that this is just a question for the Music 111 course, and I think it’s good because it doesn’t matter, both Black Sabbath and Led Zeppelin are amazing bands. I love them both.

I am happy I was able to share my little opinion to the rest of you all that had the chance to read my few blogs. Best of luck to all of the final!