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Madison Taylor Baez was born to be a star! The nine-year-old performer has already made a name for herself performing the national anthem at the biggest sporting events in Los Angeles and appearing in nationwide commercials. Madison’s star is set to get brighter as she has landed her biggest role to date – young Selena Quintanilla in the upcoming Netflix series. As a young entertainer, who was inspired by her father to perform, it’s no surprise that Madison and Selena’s early days align.
© @madisonbaezmusic“Selena and I actually have a lot of things in common,” she tells HOLA! USA. “We started singing Spanish at the same age. We started learning it and both of our dads are musicians.”
Madison’s heart is in her music and with the Queen of Tejano. In addition to prepping for the release of the series, she’s also been using her time indoors at home to become inspired, work on music and try to land her next big gig. Below, the tiny star talks to us about her emotional early start to music, her connection to Selena and more.
HOLA! USA: When and how did you get your start performing? Madison Taylor Baez: “I started singing when I was two years old. My dad introduced me to music, and I would sing along with him. When I was three, I would sneak into his iTunes and listen to all of his Motown music, and I never stopped singing from there.”
You have been performing for most of your life, how did you get over your initial nerves? “When I first started singing, I was very nervous because it was my first time. I realized once I got the microphone in my hand, I was like, ‘wait a second, I‘ve got this. Let’s do this Madison. You’re going to kill it. Come on, let’s do this.’”
Now, you’re portraying a legend on screen. What was your reaction to landing the role? “When I got the audition I was actually really, really happy because I got to mix my singing and my acting together. When I got the news, I was actually at a soccer practice, and my dad was coaching. My mom kept on texting him and calling him. My dad finally picked up the phone and yelled out, ‘Holy!’”
Were you a fan of Selena and her music before the role? “When we got the audition, I didn’t really know much about Selena, but my mom and dad were huge fans. They told me all about her, and I researched her. I looked at all of her YouTube videos; I watched young Selena and adult Selena, and I fell in love with her music.”
Now that you’re a fan, do you have a favorite song “Como la Flor and Bidi Bidi Bom Bom. I’ve never sang in Spanish, but I really ended up enjoying it.”
Were you and the other actors able to form a bond? “When I got to set, I actually didn’t think we would interact as much as we actually did, but it really felt like we were all a family.”
© @madisonbaezmusicChristian looks so much like Selena? Were you shocked to her in action? “Yeah! When I saw them compared, I was like, ‘Wait, which one is Christian and which one is the Selena?’”
Are you able to juggle school and work? Is it a little challenging at times? “When I’m not singing, I’m acting, and when I’m not acting, I’m singing. My private school is really good with all of my acting and singing. They really like all of this so they agreed to give me all my homework and all my tests so I could take them on the go.”
Do you have a favorite subject? “I actually really like math, and if lunch is a subject, I really like lunch.”
Aside from singing, acting and soccer, are you learning anything else? “Yes! I play the piano, guitar, electric guitar, the ukulele, a little bit of the violin, and I just jumped into the saxophone.”
In two years, things have really taken off for you. In another five years, where do you see yourself and your career? “I see myself on a bigger stage and concerts!”
Look for Madison when Selena premieres on Netflix later this year.
