20th Anniversary of the film "Selena" celebrating her life, legacy, and her style.

In 1997 was a big year for me actually. I remember it pretty well because I was about 10 years old and I was on my way to coming back to New York. I was living in Washington, D.C.  at the time for about 6 years. I was introduced to a woman who’s story changed how I looked at movies, music, and her impact on pop culture and music history. I was about 9 when I learned about her story and the horrific murder that Yolanda Salvidar caused when the late Selena was killed. Now 20 years later Selena’s legacy has truly passed and left a huge mark in fashion, cosmetics, music, and pop culture.  In 1996 the idea of a Selena film coming to life was born it was presented by the family of Selena and they wanted to do a film in honor of their daughter and sister. They went through many casting calls  of Hispanic and American women to try to find the right woman to play the Mexican-American Selena Quintanilla Perez. The woman who would play the lead role of Selena and was cast was one of my favorite performers the Bronx Bombshell the goddess born New Yorker, Jennifer Lopez aka “J-lo”. This role is what catapulted Jennifer into becoming the artist/actress/ fashion designer/producer and performer she is today. She did her homework, she learned about the history of Selena, connected with the family, the music, the talents, and the soul and essence of who Selen

Suzette Quintanilla (Selena's sister and Chris Perez her former husband promoting the new MAC Collection that is still selling out as we speak!!!

a was as a person, artist, and woman. She developed into this character and she truly became who she was completely.  I think I loved the film it made me realize how someone so talented and gifted could make an impact in the music business.

Selena’s story was one I think reminds us how the music business has different parts to it. How you can expand your brand but also how sometimes we cannot always trust certain people within our brand and what we have built as a commodity.  Yolanda was supposed to be a friend, business partner, and confidante to Selena. She chose and trusted her during that time to expand her brand, connect with her fanbase, and those who supporter her behind the scenes. Their relationship was supposed to be close and a trustworthy one. No one of them knew that one of the closest people to her would be the one to end it for her. Now with that being said remember in this case justice was served to the Quintanilla and Chris Perez (Selena’s husband/widower). Her husband went on to remarry later and started a family of his own as well. Of course we all know with everyone else their careers took off and the story of Selena has been told to all of us around the world. Just this past year in  the spring of 2016 MAC Cosmetics released the Selena collection which sold out right away. It sold out so quickly to consumers it wasn’t going to be re-released until January 2017. Which shows the loyalty to her fans and their commitment to who she was as an artist. Even I fell in love with her as an artist when I was a kid and moved back to New York (well Jersey City) I wanted to be an actress and singer. I think for me it was about her powerful affect on her fans and everyone. So now that we know her legacy will live on and on a new generation gets to learn about her culture, music, and who she was as a person as well. Now a new generation of ladies will embrace her and will want to look just like her as well. I am sure this is probablywhat she wanted too.   For more information on the Selena collection for MAC visit http://www.maccosmetics.com and Selena visit http://www.q-productions.com, http://www.selenaforever.com, and http://www.loveselena.com

J-lo as Selena strong resemblance right? This is what catapulted her into the rockstar she is now.

The real Selena (1995)

Fall in love again with Beauty and the Beast

As a little girl I adored this movie. I actually have a movie of me at age 6 in 1992 sitting on my floor in my old apartment in Washington, D.C. watching “Beauty & the Beast”. I love the characters the adorable “Chip” the talking tea cup, “Miss Potts” the teapot, “Lumiere” the candelabra, “The Clock”, even the cute flirty featherduster, and of course Belle the main 

character. I loved the music, the story line, and of course at that age every little girl wants to be just like their favorite Disney characters adore her we both have something in common we wanted and expect more for ourselves, we love books and reading and going to a bookstore or library. I think I am still even at 30 trying to emulate them. Their humility, goodness, sweetness, kindness, and how they reflect women of this era and generation too.  My favorite scene growing up had to be “Be Our Guest” and of course the movie’s film theme song “Beauty & the Beast” sung by the amazing, the Canadian crossover diva/queen, Celine Dion. This time in 2017 Grammy award and Oscar winner, John Legend and American Music Award winner, Ariana Grande will perform a duet in  honor of the film.

            I remember I even wanted the enchanted rose and enchanted mirror that reflects and changes showing you visions of who you wanted to see. I think I even wanted the library that the Beast personally gave her as well.  You are instantly captured and wanted to fall in love with the movie. The story transforms you and takes you to a whole different world and you are rooting for the Beast and Belle to become a couple.

             Now with the 25^th anniversary coming up the movie debuted on November 22, 1991 and it hit box offices and earned over 425 million at the box office worldwide that year. The film did incredibly well and it became a classic becoming loved by many people for generations. Now next year on March 17, 2017 Saint Patrick’s Day weekend Beauty & the Beast will debut in theaters. After two years of production, they shot the film in Surrey, England and began in 2015 shooting. The internet has been going crazy predicting who would play Belle and the Beast. Now the cast has been revealed and it will star the following actors and actress. Emma Watson who is well known all over from the Harry Potter series she has been used to playing the fantasy characters and Harry Potter’s Hermoine. The film will also star, Dan Stevens as the Beast, Luke Evans, Kevin Kline, Josh Gad, Ewan McGregor , Stanley Tucci, Ian McKellen,  Gugu Mbatha-Raw, and award winning actress, Emma Thompson.

So finally we will all see this film come to life just like with Cinderella and hopefully we will see many other classics one personal request Aladdin would love to see the film come to life or even “Mulan”, “Pocahontas”, or “Princess and the Frog” would be pretty incredible.  A new generation of Disney fans will get to know the story and will also fall in love with the Disney characters, the music, the soundtrack, and so much more from the film. I also hope the little girls and boys will take away the most important message from the movie “Never to judge a book by it’s cover” and “You can also fall in love with any person who truly loves you, who will fight for you, and respects you.”  Also you can see Beauty and the Beast live in person the show is currently on tour right now. For more information on the film visit http://www.disney.com , http://www.beautyandthebeastontour.com