Google Doodle pays tribute to Selena
Tuesday's Google Doodle remembers legendary Latin singer Selena Quintanilla-Perez on the anniversary of her first solo album.
The late singer, who hailed from Corpus Christi, Texas, was 18 when the album "Selena" was released on Oct. 17, 1989. Quintanilla-Perez was one of the most influential Latin-American singers of all time, known as "The Queen of Tejano." She died at 23 on March 31, 1995, when she was murdered by Yolanda Saldivar, the president of her fan club.
The singer's sister, Suzette Quintanilla, said she was happy to oblige when Google asked her for her blessing on a Selena Doodle, CNET en Español reports.
"It will become viral," Quintanilla said. "We are very excited to share this Doodle. It is a great honor."
Quintanilla said Perla Campos, the marketing leader for the Google Doodles team, and Kevin Laughlin, the cartoonist for Selena's Doodle, visited Corpus Christi to meet with her and show her what they were planning.
"I loved it," said Quintanilla. "I liked that it starts with Selena's childhood dreams of becoming a music star."
Quintanilla also took Campos and Laughlin to the Selena Museum, which can be visited virtually through Google's art and culture site. Imagery from the museum became part of the Doodle.
Quintanilla said she did not help pick "Bidi Bidi Bom Bom" as the Doodle song, but thinks it was a good decision.
"It's an inspiring and joyful song," she said. The Doodle took two years to create.
In a statement on Google, Quintanilla said, "This project is just yet another testament to the power of Selena's legacy, which is still going strong 22 years later. Selena has always transcended cultural boundaries and having this Doodle featuring a strong, Latina woman on the homepage of Google around the world is a perfect example that. We hope that everyone -- both fans and people learning about Selena for the first time -- enjoys this celebration and feels the positivity and hope Selena embodied and still continues to represent today."
