26 episodes

On the podcast Anything for Selena, Apple Podcasts’ Show of the Year of 2021, Maria García combines rigorous reporting with impassioned storytelling to honor Selena's legacy. She also explores the indelible mark she left on Latino identity and belonging, whether it’s fatherhood, big-butt politics, and the fraught relationship with whiteness and language.

Anything For Selena WBUR

    • Society & Culture
    • 4.7 • 1.3K Ratings

On the podcast Anything for Selena, Apple Podcasts’ Show of the Year of 2021, Maria García combines rigorous reporting with impassioned storytelling to honor Selena's legacy. She also explores the indelible mark she left on Latino identity and belonging, whether it’s fatherhood, big-butt politics, and the fraught relationship with whiteness and language.

    Selena and Me

    Selena and Me

    Growing up along the US-Mexico border, Maria Garcia felt torn between her two identities as Mexican and American. But then, something changed her life. She discovered Selena Quintanilla— the Mexican-American pop icon who proved she didn’t have to choose. In the premiere episode of “Anything for Selena,” host Maria Garcia explores how Selena helped Maria find her own place in the world.

    • 29 min
    Selena and Abraham

    Selena and Abraham

    Maria knows that to truly understand Selena as a person and not just an icon, she needs to go to Corpus Christi. Maria’s quest takes her to Abraham Quintanilla, Selena Quintanilla’s notoriously guarded father. Maria confronts his complicated legacy and reflects on fatherhood in Latinx cultures.

    • 43 min
    Birth of a Symbol

    Birth of a Symbol

    In her life, Selena was a symbol of hope. She became a role model for how Latinos could achieve the American dream and find acceptance. But a forgotten culture war following her death painted a different picture. In the 25 years since her murder, Selena’s image has taken on new meaning. In this episode, Maria traces how Selena became a symbol for solidarity and resistance.

    • 41 min
    Big Butt Politics

    Big Butt Politics

    Nearly 30 years ago, Sir-Mix-A-Lot’s “Baby Got Back (I Like Big Butts)” hit the airwaves to the delight and shock of listeners. Today, the obsession with big butts is still strong with idols like Cardi B and Beyonce. It has also permeated white culture, with Kim Kardashian “breaking the internet” and butt selfie queen Jen Selter. Maria has a theory about how big butts went from taboo to obsession--and it involves Selena and Jennifer Lopez. She uncovers that booty politics is ultimately about race and brings us to a long overdue conversation about anti-blackness within the Latinx community.

    • 44 min
    Tejano Tension

    Tejano Tension

    Episode 5. Selena is often called the "Queen of Tejano music." In the 1990s, she brought this underdog genre to international heights. Tejano award shows were glitzy affairs and Tejano radio DJs were like rock stars in Texas and the Southwest. Even the New York Times called it the fastest-growing Latino genre in the country. But when Selena died, Tejano went from boom to bust. The story of Tejano's decline isn't so simple, though. Maria discovers that it's a story of immigration, money and how two often-ignored groups were pitted against each other.

    • 38 min
    Spanglish

    Spanglish

    Selena Quintanilla may have built her career singing Spanish songs, but she didn’t grow up speaking Spanish at home. She learned Spanish in the public eye, and her mistakes became some of her most famous and endearing moments. In this episode, Maria explores why Selena’s Spanglish seemed so revolutionary for its time, and yet so familiar to many fans who also struggled with the language of their heritage. The exploration takes us to an unexpected place.

    • 43 min

Customer Reviews

4.7 out of 5
1.3K Ratings

1.3K Ratings

Brooke Ranson ,

wow!

This is incredibly well-made. I needed to do research on Selena for an upcoming film project and this was the perfect podcast to learn from. Well done!!! Such a beautiful tribute to Selena. 🌹

mga6342 ,

Love it!

Awesome to listen to and relate to as a Mexican raised in America always looking for a place to fit in. Selena continues to be an icon for the young people to look up to and make it happen! Thanks for your voice!

katara munoz ,

One of my faves

I love how this is not only about Selena but also how we can relate to and learn from her story. Loved it

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