Selena Quintanilla’s Legacy Continues With New “Moonchild Mixes” Album
After 30 years of her untimely passing, Selena Quintanilla’s legacy continues to burn brighter than ever. To help keep her memory alive, Selena’s family and Warner Records have joined forces to release a new remix album titled Moonchild Mixes, out today (Aug. 26).
Moonchild Mixes, likely titled after the meaning of Selena’s name (“goddess of the moon”), is a retrospective of 13 reworked tracks by her brother, Grammy Award-winning producer and songwriter A.B. Quintanilla III. The songs chosen for the album were originally recorded between 1986 and 1988, a time when a young Selena was still learning Spanish and finding her footing as a performer. It was also a time before Selena could’ve known just how soon she would be catapulted into superstardom or how her legacy would be solidified as one of the most prominent stars in the Latine music world.
What sets “Moonchild” apart from her other posthumous releases is the pitch-shifting technology used on Selena’s teenage voice to make her sound older and more mature. The thought behind this choice was to make it sound like Selena had recorded these songs just before her tragic death in 1995. You won’t find remixes of hit songs like “Como La Flor” and “Bidi Bidi Bom Bom” on this album, but fans can look forward to discovering lesser-known gems.
The Regional Mexican edit of “Como Te Quiero Yo A Ti,” a song written by Selena’s former bandmate Ricky Vela, was released last month as the lead single. The track appears twice in both Pop and Cumbia mixes, the former reminiscent of “I Could Fall in Love.” Another song, “Dame Tu Amor,” is also featured in Regional Mexican and Cumbia variations to further prove the versatility of Selena’s voice across different genres. Other songs such as “No Llores Más Corazon” and “Soy Amiga” were refreshed from ballads into contemporary cumbias.
Although the album doesn’t have any guest features, today’s celebrities are still taking it upon themselves to keep Selena in the mainstream consciousness. High-profile artists such as Sebastian Yatra and Karol G found room in their hit-heavy setlists to pay tribute to the Tejano singer. There are even rumors swirling that Kim Kardashian wants to wear Selena’s iconic Grammy dress to a future red carpet event.
It’s hard to predict what direction Selena’s music would have taken if she was still here with us. Thirty-seven years after those early recording sessions, Moonchild Mixes offers fans glimpses of Selena’s humble past with a modern flair in hopes that these songs will live on in the future.
