Selena in the press room at the 1994 Grammy Awards in New York City. ; Suzette Quintanilla and A.B. Quintanilla attend 2022 Univision Upfront on May 17, 2022 in New York City.Photo:Vinnie Zuffante/Getty ; Rob Kim/Getty
Vinnie Zuffante/Getty ; Rob Kim/Getty
Selena Quintanilla’s siblings, A.B. and Suzette, don’t go a day without thinking about their late sister.
The “No Me Queda Más” singer grew up in Lake Jackson, Texas, with her brother and sister before their parents, Abraham and Marcella Quintanilla, relocated their family to Corpus Christie, Texas. When Selena was 6 years old, Abraham noticed her natural singing talent and revamped his former band into Selena y Los Dinos.
With A.B. as the bass player and Suzette on the drums, the siblings began landing gigs around the Lone Star State, and after releasing six albums over four years, Selena became a solo artist in 1988. Still, she didn’t lose her bond with A.B. and Suzette, who supported her dreams and continued to write songs with her and play in her band.
Unfortunately, just as Selena was set to debut her highly-anticipated English albumDreaming of You, her former business associate,Yolanda Saldívar, killed her on March 31, 1995. The aftermath of the Quintanilla family’s loss has been depicted in several biographical movies and shows, includingSelena, starringJennifer Lopez, and Netflix’sSelena: The Series.
Over the years, though, more events have unfolded for A.B. and Suzette in their personal and professional lives — but in both areas, they’ve continued to find ways to remember the late Mexican-American artist.
So where are Selena Quintanilla’s siblings now? Here’s everything to know about what A.B. and Suzette did after the singer’s death and how they continue to honor her today.
Selena’s brother is still performing and producing music
Selena Quintanilla performing with her brother A.B. Quintanilla.A.B. Quintanilla Instagram
A.B. Quintanilla Instagram
Shortly after Selena’s death, A.B. continued working on her latest album,Dreaming of You, which was supposed to be her official crossover to the English-speaking market. Apart from songwriting and playing the bass, A.B. was also one of Selena’s longtime producers, and he helped release her posthumous album on Aug. 4, 1995. It debuted at No. 1 on theBillboard200 chart and ranked for 49 weeks.
A.B. has won numerous accolades for his work with the two bands at the Latin Grammy Awards,BillboardLatin Music Awards and American Music Awards. Today, he can be spotted sharing the stage with other artists, likeGroupo Frontera.
Selena’s sister helps run Q-Productions with their parents
Selena Quintanilla with her sibling Suzette Quintanilla.Suzette Quintanilla Instagram
Suzette Quintanilla Instagram
Suzette didn’t continue pursuing a career in music after her younger sister died. Instead, the eldest Quintanilla sibling chose to put down her drumsticks and move behind the scenes to work at the family’s entertainment company,Q-Productions.
Since learning the ropes from Abraham, Suzette has kept helping her parents run the company in Corpus Christie, which also works on tribute projects for Selena.
In 1999, Q-Productions debuted anAmor Prohibidodoll that was followed up with others depicting different stages of her career, including her win at the 1995 Grammys and her 1995 Houston Astrodome performance, among others.
Most recently, Q-Productions launched two Mac collections honoring Selena. Thefirst collection, launched in 2016, featured the singer’s favorite color, purple, while thesecond collectionin 2022 focused on her love of bejeweled accessories and retro lip colors.
Selena’s brother enjoys traveling with his wife
Selena Quintanilla’s sister Suzette Quintanilla and brother A.B. Quintanilla with his wife Angela.Suzette Quintanilla Instagram
In the Netflix biographical drama,Selena: The Series, both A.B. and Suzette’s lives are explored in the background as their sister rises to stardom. The show featured glimpses of their personal lives, including A.B.’s first wife, Vangie, accompanying him on tour. The couple married in 1988 and welcomed two sons, Svani and Gianni, before divorcing in 2000.
Since then, the music producer has wed four more times and welcomed six more children throughout his relationships — four sons and two daughters. Now, A.B. is married to Argentinian model Angela Quintanilla.
Over the years, he’s paid tribute to their relationship with wedding anniversary posts after they walked down the aisle in September 2019. When they celebrated their third year together as husband and wife, A.B. shared a picture of them embracingon Instagramwith a heartfelt message.
According to Angela’s Instagram account, the couple frequently travel between A.B.’s hometown ofCorpus Christieandher native country. They’ve also made their way toLos Angeles,Las VegasandNew York.
Suzette and her husband have been married for over 30 years
Bill Arriaga, Suzette Quintanilla and Jovan Arriaga during the Media Welcome for the MAC Selena World Premier on September 29, 2016 in Corpus Christi, Texas.Jordan Murph/Getty
Jordan Murph/Getty
InSelena: The Series, Suzette is shown meeting Bill Arriaga through a mutual friend and not too long after, they wed in September 1993. Although the former musician keeps her marriage mostly private, she has celebrated their decades-long union on social media.
“Our 29TH Babe!! 🫶🏼❤️❤️❤️❤️,” Suzette wrote alongsidea selfieof her and Bill. Five years after tying the knot, the pair welcomed a son namedJovan, who was born in March 1998.
Most recently, in January 2023, the elder Quintanilla sibling revealed that she became a grandmother after Joven celebrated the arrival of ason named Lincoln. Suzette enjoys posting photos with her grandson and the two have also sharedsweet moments with Suzette’s mom, Marcella.
Selena’s siblings have stayed in contact with her husband Chris
Chris Pérez, Suzette Quintanilla and A.B. Quintanilla during Madame Tussauds Hollywood’s unveiling of Grammy award winner and cultural icon Selena Quintanilla immortalized in wax at Madame Tussauds on August 30, 2016.Rachel Murray/Getty
Rachel Murray/Getty
Originally, Chris remained close in proximity to his late wife’s family for comfort. “They’re a part of her walking around over there, to be literal. Her dad, her mother, her brother, her sister. I was looking for her in them,” he toldLos Angeles Timesin 1999.
Eventually, he settled elsewhere in Texas but didn’t lose his connection to A.B. and Suzette. In 1998, Chris joined A.B.’s first Cumbia group Los Kumbia Kings and was asked to become part of the second iteration, Kumbia All Starz. Amid his collaboration with Selena’s brother, Chris also established his own Grammy-winning group, the Chris Pérez Band.
Still, regardless of their different music projects, Chris fondly remembers his time with A.B. and Suzette. In 2022, he shared athrowback photoof them hanging out with former band members Pete, Ricky and Joe Ojeda.
When Chris and Suzette bump into each other, they don’t miss the opportunity to take a picture together. “I met this drummer tonight. We might start a band ….@suzettesyld,” he captioned a selfie of themon Instagramin 2023.
They continue to honor Selena’s memory
Selena Quintanilla with her siblings Suzette Quintanilla and A.B. Quintanilla.A.B. Quintanilla Instagram
In addition to helping her parents manage Q-Productions, Suzette oversees theSelena Museum, a space dedicated to the late singer’s legacy.
The location opened in 1998 and encompasses Selena’s personality, from the purple carpet to the rose scent. The Selena Museum also houses an assortment of memorabilia, including the late vocalist’s special event outfits, awards and her red Porsche. Visitors often spot the Quintanilla family walking around, welcoming guests and keeping the place in order.
“When you walk in through that door, you feel [Selena], you get a sense of who she was, as a person, as an artist,” Suzette toldEntertainment Tonightin 2017. “It feels personable, just like she was. When you walk in here, you can feel her in here.”
Meanwhile, A.B. has kept his sister’s memory alive through music. In 2022, the Quintanilla family announced the release of a posthumous album titledMoonchild Mixes. The collection of songs is comprised of released and unreleased recordings from Selena’s teenage years, but her voice was made to “sound more mature.”
A.B. produced the 13-track album that was a decade in the making, and it was nominated for latin pop album of the year at the2023BillboardLatin Music Awards.
“I think the beauty of who Selena was is that she wasn’t just an artist. She was very caring and very loving, she was real when she gave interviews. She was an excellent performer and was able to captivate you,” Suzette toldBillboardabout her sister’s lasting impact.
source: people.com
