Another musical legend has moved into Madame Tussauds Orlando, but it's a limited-time engagement. Visitors can now see a wax figure of Selena, aka "the queen of Tejano" music, who died after a shooting in 1995.
The figure, loaned from the Tussauds attraction in New York City, was unveiled Tuesday. It's decked out in a re-creation of the purple, black and shiny costume Selena wore in a 1993 concert in Corpus Christi, Texas, when she recorded the Grammy-winning "Selena Live!" album.
"We never got to see her in concert," said Heather Abood, an Orlando fan who attended the figure's Florida debut. "So this is the closest thing to getting to see her in person. It's so lifelike and real … and to be united, with everybody together through the love of the music, I think that's the most beautiful thing about today."
The figure is backed by a wall of screens that show the singer in action as well as tributes by fans selected through a Tussauds contest. Abood appears in that video, which will play during the figure's six-week run at the I-Drive 360 attraction. On Tuesday, she brought her friend Nicky Monet, who wore a replica of Selena's costume – down to the sparkly boots -- and sometimes impersonates her professionally.
Back in the '90s, "my parents would play Selena music," Monet said. "They weren't superfans like I ended up turning into. I was obsessed with her as a child. I don't know why. … She just moves me."
Guest feedback helped bring the Selena figure to Orlando, said Todd Andrus, head of marketing.
"On social media, when we would post about other figures who are coming, the superfans spoke and kept saying 'Where's Selena? Where's Selena?'" he said.
Brian Michael Diaz, another contest winner, said he was fascinated with Tussauds and Selena. He was introduced to the singer, whose birth name was Selena Quintanilla, through his father.
"My dad used to have Columbia House, so that's how far back we're going," he said.
"I think she was just really unique – her style, her personality, her wardrobe, her singing, everything," said Diaz, who wore one of his Selena T-shirts to the attraction. "I don't think there's been anybody like that since then."
The Selena figure is in the music room of Madame Tussauds, temporarily moving singer Justin Bieber aside to a new location … adjacent to yet another Selena, his on-off-on-again gal pal Selena Gomez. The Bieber figure was the most demanded personality for Tussauds before it was installed last year, Andrus said, and Gomez's figure recently has been restyled from her red carpet gown look to a little black number more reflective of what she wears in videos.
They're together at last at Tussauds, side by side about 3 feet apart. But for how long?
"We'll continue to watch the news and see what happens with their relationship," Andrus said.
dbevil@orlandosentinel.com or 407-420-5477; Twitter: @ThemeParks
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