Was Ricky Vela in Love With Selena, or Her Sister, Suzette?
Published May 8 2021, 2:07 p.m. ET
With Part 2 of Selena: The Series now streaming on Netflix, fans of Selena Quintanilla probably have a million more questions about the singer's life. While we didn't need a reenactment of Selena eloping with boyfriend Chris Perez to know that they ended up together, were there other romances in Selena's life? Some fans have questions about Ricky Vela, the first non-family member to join Selena's band, Selena y Los Dinos.
In the series, we see the keyboard player crushing not on Selena, but her sister, Suzette. Who did Ricky have feelings for in real life?
Was Ricky in love with Selena?
Ricky actually had feelings for Selena's sister, Suzette. In fact, he wrote the smash hit "No Me Queda Más" about his unrequited love for Suzette, who married Billy Arriaga in September, 1993. Ricky's love for Suzette is documented, even. In 1994, Abraham Quintanilla said, "Ricky is a very shy person, an introvert. And he liked my other daughter, Suzette, the drummer."
Abraham told Billboard that he urged Ricky to talk to his daughter, but Ricky was apparently too shy. “And I know Ricky liked her because he would tell me, and I would kid around with Ricky and say, ‘Hey, Ricky, you like her? Talk to her!’ and he wouldn’t do it," Selena's dad said.
So, what happened to Ricky after Selena's untimely death? Selena y Los Dinos disbanded shortly after her murder, and Ricky didn't seem to start up or join another band. Although he continued to create music, he didn't put out any albums. We know that he presented at the Billboard Latin Music Awards in 2015. This was the award show where Jennifer Lopez paid a moving tribute to Selena and sang "No Me Queda Más." As the songwriter, it made sense for Ricky to be there.
We also know that Ricky collaborated with Selena's older brother A.B. Quintanilla (who went on to become a musician and producer) and the two co-wrote "Esperandote." Ricky also contributed to the Venezuelan TV drama My Sweet Fat Valentina score.
Fans should be happy to know that Ricky is still close with the Quintanilla family. In fact, this past March, A.B. shared on Instagram that he had dinner with Ricky and his sister, writing, "Had dinner with my sister and Ricky Vela and I have to say they are the most talented musicians I’ve ever worked with!!!"
And Suzette? Well, she's still married to Bill. They recently celebrated their 25th anniversary, and are still happy in love. They share a son, Joven, who is 23 years old. Suzette is quite busy managing the Quintanilla's family entertainment company, Q Productions, and she oversees the Selena store online and the Selena Museum (which is located in Corpus Christi, Texas).
Suzette and her family were also at the Billboard Latin Music Awards and got to meet Jennifer Lopez. "Thinkn Jovan is a happy guy! Lol," Suzette wrote in the caption.
Stream both parts of Selena: The Series on Netflix now.