Selena Gomez

Selena Marie Gomez was born on July 22, 1992, in Grand Prairie, Texas,[1] to Ricardo Joel Gomez and Texas-born[2stage actor Mandy Teefey. 3] Her name was derived following Tejano singer Selena Quintanilla, who died in the year 1995. Her mother is Italian However, her father, with Mexican origins was adopted. The grandparents of Gomez's mother moved to Texas in the late 1970s, from Monterrey. [9] Of her heritage, Gomez has said she is "a proud third-generation American-Mexican"[10] and "My family does have quinceaneras, and we go to the communion church. We follow everything Catholic and we're not doing anything customary, aside from going to the parks and hold barbecues at the end of Sundays following the church. Gomez, who was fluently bilingual in Spanish at the age of 7 and up, is reported to have said: "[11] Gomez had adequate knowledge of Spanish when she was seven. She was raised by her mother as her parents split when she was five. [3] (12] Gomez is the mother of two half-sisters younger and one stepbrother younger than her: Gracie Elliot Teefey, through Mandy and her second husband, Brian Teefey,[13][14] along with Victoria "Tori" as well as Marcus Gomez, through Ricardo and his second wife, Sara. [15] She received her diploma from high school via homeschooling in May 2010. Her mother was barely 16 at the time she came into the world. In the years that Gomez was growing up, the family struggled financially. In one instance, Gomez remembers having look for quarters to fuel their automobile. Her mother later recalled the times they walked through the store's aisles to purchase spaghetti. 18-year-old Gomez has said "I was irritated that my parents weren't with me, and didn't realize the light at the end of the tunnel where my mother was working tirelessly to make a better living for me. What I would have turned into had I not remained in Texas is something I worry about. Then she told me that her mom was "really robust" around her. I was 16 and it had to be a major responsibility. Gomez gave everything up to help me. She had three jobs and supported my needs, even sacrificed her life to help me." Gomez was close with her grandparents when she was her child, and she appeared in numerous pageants. They often took the care of her until her parents went to school and, as she's stated, they "raised the girl" until she made it in show business.