Who Is Selena Quintanilla’s Husband? All About Chris Pérez

Selena Quintanilla’s relationship with her husband Chris Pérez began as forbidden love.

The Grammy-winning singer and icon — dubbed the “Queen of Tejano Music” and the “Tex-Mex Madonna” for her mastery of the Tejano style that blends Tex-Mex, pop and polka — met Chris when he joined her band, Selena y Los Dinos, as a guitarist in 1990.

The couple eloped on April 2, 1992 and were married for less than three years before Selena was murdered on March 31, 1995 by Yolanda Saldívar, the former president of her fan club.

In a documentary episode from 2021 True Hollywood Story: The Death of Innocence, Chris told E! Entertainment that Selena’s death was “the hardest thing” he’s ever had to deal with, and the loss still affects him today.

Selena Quintanilla’s Family: All About the Parents and Siblings of the Late Singer

“I miss her face, her laugh. She was just an incredible soul, an incredible spirit,” he told the newspaper.

After Selena’s death, Chris continued his music career and won a Grammy with his band in 2000. He has two children from a second marriage that ended in divorce, but Selena is credited with helping him open up emotionally and playing a big role in his life’s trajectory . Nearly three decades after her death, the musician continues to honor her legacy on social media and in interviews.

So who is Selena Quintanilla’s husband? Here’s everything you need to know about Chris Pérez and his relationship with the late singer.

They met when Chris joined Selena’s band

Selena y Los Dinos album for ‘Quiero.’.

GP Productions

Chris knew he wanted to be a rock star from a young age, but growing up in San Antonio, Texas, he tried almost every instrument, including French horn, trumpet and keyboards, he told Los Angeles Times in 1999. At the age of 15, he got a job at McDonald’s to buy his first electric guitar, and at the age of 17, he had his first performance in a tejano band.

After making a name for himself in the San Antonio tejano music scene as a guitarist, he auditioned for Selena’s band, Selena y Los Dinos, in 1990 and was hired by Selena’s brother, AB Quintanilla.

Chris wrote about his involvement in Selena’s band on social media in 2020, just after the release of the Netflix series Selena: Series.

“I loved her music even before I joined the band,” Chris captioned a promotional photo of the Netflix series on Instagram. “I was intrigued by the fact that her brother [A.B] he had his name on everything as a producer. Her dad made an amazing sound when I went to see them at an event in San Antonio.”

Chris also highlighted the other talents of the band member, such as Selena’s sister Suzette who played the drums. “I will always respect the band and the people involved in it,” he added.

They fell in love on a trip to Mexico

Selena Quintanilla and Chris Pérez are sitting together in the photo.

Chris Perez’s Instagram

When Chris first saw Selena, the first words that came to his mind were “beautiful and talented,” he said Party tonight 2018. “I’m a shy person by nature and there was something about her that just drew me out,” he said.

However, Selena and Chris kept their relationship strictly professional in the early days after he joined the band. But sparks flew when the band traveled to Mexico.

In his memoirs from 2013 Selene, with love, Chris wrote that their relationship deepened while the band was on a trip to Acapulco, thanks to Selena’s sponsor, Coca-Cola. On that trip, Selena was “really free to be herself,” he wrote, and they sat next to each other at dinner the entire trip. Their feelings turned romantic on their way back to the US

The turbulence on the flight was bad, and Selena held Chris’s hand the entire trip, he told Everything for Selena podcast in the 2021 “Selena and Chris” episode.

“[I thought]’maybe she just was [a friend], she knows I’m sick of turbulence,’ he explained. “At the same time, I knew there were sparks.”

Selena and Chris eloped in 1992

Selena Quintanilla and Chris Pérez take a picture together.

Chris Perez’s Instagram

Selena and Chris began their relationship in secret, knowing that Selena’s father, Abraham Quintanilla, would not approve. The two have been sneaking around as their relationship has grown and confessing their feelings to each other while on tour.

“We were in Laredo when we talked about how we both felt the same way about each other. Selena had the biggest smile on her face when we got back on the bus afterwards, Chris said Texas Monthly 2010. “I smile now just thinking about it. I wanted to tell her, ‘Hey, stop laughing! You will give it away.’ ”

When Abraham found out about their relationship, he kicked Chris out of the band. Although Selena insisted they let him back in, her dad had the last word. However, soon after, the couple eloped on April 2, 1992, from a Texas courthouse – Chris in jeans and a T-shirt for a quick, casual ceremony, per Texas Monthly.

On what would have been their 25th wedding anniversary in 2017, Chris posted a heartfelt message on Facebook alongside a photo of the couple’s marriage license.

“It’s hard to believe that today marks 25 years since Selena and I decided the only way to be together… was to run away and get married (at 20 and 22) in secret,” he wrote. “What a roller coaster ride that day was.”

After the wedding, the two were no longer ashamed of their relationship. At the 1993 Tejano Music Awards, Selena thanked Chris on stage after accepting the award for Female Entertainer of the Year.

“I would like to thank my husband. I love you – said Selena.

Selena borrowed Chris’ shirt for the iconic music video

Selena Quintanilla and Chris Perez.

Chris Perez’s Instagram

Chris was on the set of Selena’s most legendary music video, “Amor Prohibido” (“Forbidden Love” in English), the title track of what became one of the best-selling Latin albums in the US

Throughout the video, which was released in 1994, the singer wears a red men’s button-down shirt tied in the front as she dances around the desert in Joshua Tree National Park.

According to Everything for Selena podcast, on the day of the music video, Selena’s record company sent her a closet full of clothes to dress up in. Instead, she chose the shirt she’d brought with her: Chris’s red button-down.

On the anniversary of Selena’s death in 2021, Chris returned to Joshua Tree, California to pay her respects. He posted a photo on Instagram of chairs overlooking the desert with the caption: “Run away they said…..OK…just me and some music….and a few beers…to Selena’s place and I came to shoot her video Amor Prohibido.”

Selena Quintanilla’s Best Outfits: Her Most Iconic Fashion Look of All Time

He credits Selena with opening him up to love

Selena Quintanilla and Chris Pérez pose for a photo.

Chris Perez’s Instagram

Selena and Chris were married for almost three years before the singer was murdered on March 31, 1995 by her former fan club president and business associate Saldívar.

A few years later, in 2001, Chris married Venessa Villanueva, whom he met through mutual friends, and they had their children Cassie and Noah. Although Chris and Venessa divorced in 2008, the guitarist still credits Selena for inspiring him to love — even after her death.

“She taught me a lot. I’ve never told people I love them…or miss them, or just give them gifts just because,” Chris told E! Entertainment in 2021. “I learned these things and many, many other things from her.”

Although the couple had their ups and downs, the two discussed starting a family together before her death, Chris told CNN in 2021. Although he didn’t have the opportunity to have children with Selena, in his memoir Selene, with lovehe notes that their relationship opened him up emotionally and allowed him to eventually have his own family.

“[Selena’s] the way I exist has made me realize the power of vulnerability,” Chris said New York Post in 2020. “Like no matter what, you’re going to take your heart out, figuratively, and get down on one knee and give it to that other person. And I never did that.”

Chris has been featured in several Selena biopics

Jennifer Lopez as Selena Quintanilla and Jon Seda as Chris Pérez in ‘Selena’.

Maximum film / Alamy

Most notably, Selena and Chris’ relationship was depicted in the 1997 biopic. Selena. In it, Selena is played by Jennifer Lopez, and Chris is played by Jon Seda. Chris and Seda have become friends since the release of the film, posting photos of each other on social media.

“​​Hanging out with my brother @chrispereznow at #rivachicago, thanks for showing us a great time! @navypierchicago @chicagojustice #friendsforlife,” Seda captioned an Instagram photo of the two enjoying a plate of desserts at a Chicago restaurant.

Netflix debuted in 2020 Selena: Series following the life and death of a star, acting The walking deadChristian Serratos as Selena and Jesse Posey (Tyler Posey’s younger brother) as Chris. Although the guitarist was not involved in the project, he connected with Jesse when it was completed.

He continues Selena’s legacy

Chris Pérez attends Selena Quintanilla’s star ceremony on the Hollywood Walk of Fame on November 3, 2017.

Tommaso Boddi/WireImage

After Selena’s death, Chris formed the Chris Pérez Band — which won a Grammy Award for its album in 2000. Resurrection. On it was the song “Best I Can”, which he dedicated to his late wife.

“I remember the day I wrote ‘The Best I Can,'” he said LA Times 1999. “I’m still not comfortable with that song. It’s pretty simple, because you know people will know what it’s about by listening to the lyrics.”

When Chris published his memoirs, Selene, with loveHe said The Hollywood Reporter that he intended to carry on Selena’s legacy.

“For years, Selena’s fans wondered if I would ever write about her. Their voices influenced me, but more than anything, I wanted to show her other side,” he told that newspaper in 2012.

Chris continued: “People need to remember what she stood for, the values ​​she had. If people remembered her that way, I would be happy, and I’m sure she would be happy too.”

He also pays tribute to her memory on social media, often posting throwback photos of the two or highlighting new projects such as Selena: Series and newly released or remixed music released by Selena’s family.

“Let’s all continue to celebrate the greatness of #Selena and her music! Nobody did it (or still does it) like her,” Chris wrote on Instagram, announcing the release of Selena’s posthumous album. Moon child mixes 2022. “Thank you all, again, for keeping her legacy and her music alive.”

Categories: Trends
Source: HIS Education