Jennifer Lopez has revealed how the murder of famed Latino singer Selena twenty years ago inspired her to launch her own music career. In an interview with Billboard magazine, she said that finding out about the 23-year-old star's death encouraged her to leave the chorus behind and try out as a solo pop artist in New York. Touching on her career choice, the 45-year-old continued: 'It made me realize... Life is short, and you don't know what's going to happen. Go for your dreams and don't let anyone hold you back.' Selena - nicknamed the 'Mexican Madonna' for her provocative dress sense - was shot and killed by Yolanda Saldívar, the president of her fan club on March 31, 1995 in Corpus Christi, Texas. Scroll down for video . Source of inspiration: Jennifer Lopez (right) has revealed how the murder of famed Latino singer Selena (left) twenty years ago inspired her to launch her own music career . Tomorrow marks the 20th anniversary of her death, for which Saldívar is serving life for. Lopez, who actually went on to play Selena in a 1997 biopic, added that the young artist was 'special' and 'moved the world in a different way.' She continued: 'That's why we're still talking about her 20 years later.... People like that don't come along every day. 'There is never going to be another Selena.' Just two years after playing Selena, Lopez successfully managed to convert herself from a film star to a pop star. Flashback: Selena photographed performing for the crowd during a dance following the Feria de las Flores queen's contest at Memorial Coliseum August 12, 1989, in Corpus Christi, Texas. Making an impression: Lopez, who actually went on to play Selena in a 1997 biopic (seen above), added that the young artist was 'special' and 'moved the world in a different way' Selena began performing as a child, singing in Los Dinos, a band formed by her father that featured her brother A.B. on bass and sister Suzette on drums. She went on to win a Best Mexican-American Album Grammy for Live, had several hits in the U.S. and was about to cross over to the English-language pop market when she was murdered weeks before her 24th birthday. Her posthumous album, Dreaming of You, which was mostly recorded in English, topped the Billboard 200 chart and stayed atop the Latin charts for nine months. In recognition of Selena's passing two decades ago, the Latin world will remember her with concerts, lookalike contests, dances and a massive festival. Mourning her loss: The parents of deceased Tejano singer Selena, Marcella and Abraham Quintanilla Jr. (R), seen at a press conference in Beverly Hills to mark the announcement of her biopic . Behind bars: Yolanda Saldívar (right) is serving a life sentence for the 1995 murder of Selena (left) On April 17 and 18, two days after her birthday, Selena's family are set to throw the inaugural Fiesta de la Flor in her hometown,  to celebrate her legacy. The festival will feature performances from Los Lobos and other Tejano stars as well as a screening of Selena, starring Jennifer Lopez in her breakout role. The two main Spanish-language TV networks in the U.S. will also air special Selena programming over the weekend. The late singer's father, A.B. Quintanilla, insists Selena's music has not dated, citing the hit 'Tecnocumbia.' 'If you play a Selena cumbia and compare it with any other record from today, it sounds as if it had been recorded yesterday,' he said. 'We remember our daughter every single day.'
Lopez said finding out about the 23-year-old star's death in 1995 encouraged her to leave the chorus behind and try out as a solo pop artist . 'It made me realize... Life is short, and you don't know what's going to happen. Go for your dreams and don't let anyone hold you back'