3 Lessons that today’s artists can learn from Selena

 

I’ve been reading Selena articles and interviews since I’ve become a fan back when I was 11. One thing I’ve come to notice is that you never read any negative press about her. It was always positive which is rare when it comes to any celebrity. She obviously knew how to conduct herself when it came to the music business, her clothing line and in her personal life.  Some of today’s artists or celebrities should take some lessons from her. Here’s a few that I believe stand out the most from her.

Educate Yourself 

One of the things I most admired about her is that despite her success and popularity and being financially secure, she continued her education to better herself and her boutique. She was enrolled in college and studying business at the time of her passing.  She has said in previous interviews that she thought it was important to get an education as the music industry is quite fickle and you can’t count on it. Selena had her own brand of clothes (and the perfume was in the works) before it was a big thing and built it from the ground up. Someone correct me if I’m wrong but I’m sure she even financed it herself. Nowadays, everyone who has a reality show or a hit song gets their own perfume or clothing line handed to them. I feel safe to say that most are probably not involved in the majority of the creative or administrative process.  They just use their face to sell it. I have a feeling that the Kardashians aren’t busy in their design studios designing those sheet sets you see at Sears. She was involved in the actual building process, designing  and actually worked behind the counter. Selena was involved in the entire process and took it seriously enough to further her knowledge of her field.  And I find that quite admirable for someone who could of just hired people to do that for her.

You can still be classy and sell records

I’ve mentioned this briefly in a previous post but when I think of her, I automatically think class. She carried herself in a professional manner on stage and off. Honestly…have you ever heard a bad fan story about her? I haven’t. She didn’t need any gimmicks or need to use sex to sell records or her clothes. She did dress a little sexy but was never close to vulgar and that’s not what sold the tickets to her shows. You would feel completely comfortable bringing your 4 year old to one of her shows.

I know I sound like an old woman but it makes me sad to see how overly sexual today’s music is.  If you have the voice and the stage presence, let your talent speak for itself. Maybe that’s too much to ask for these days.  It seems like everywhere I look, artists are so desperate for some kind of attention they will do anything to stay relevant. I’m sad my son has to grow up in a world where  celebrities take  daily naked pictures of themselves  to keep their fans attention or have to mime sexual acts on stage to keep their shows “entertaining”.  Selena was far from that. She was above that and shows you don’t need it to succeed.

Stay humble

Don’t let the fame go to your head. Stay grounded and realise your  music career could be over by the next year. How do you want to be remembered? Do you want to be remembered as the musician with the cocky  and entitled attitude who acts out in public or as the person who was kind to others and had a great voice and talent?   She is always remembered as just being one of us. She didn’t live an extravagant life. She shopped at Walmart and Payless Shoes. She ate at the little local eateries around her hometown and wore baggy shirts and jeans and no makeup when going out. She didn’t try to maintain this constant flashy image as she portrayed on stage. She made time to speak at schools and even drove kids to school in her neighborhood. She was never “too big” for these things.  My theory is that she saw singing as just her career and not let it define her.

I’m not saying she was perfect and flawless. But she knew how to navigate through the industry without losing her soul to it. And that’s how she will always be remembered.