music

Discovered at Karaoke Night, a Former Selena Impersonator Is Now Tejano’s Ascending ‘Queen’

Ashkan Roayaee
Discovered at Karaoke Night, a Former Selena Impersonator Is Now Tejano’s Ascending ‘Queen’

HIGHLIGHTED IN THE new issue of Houston CityBook, Tejano artist and Selena impersonator Amanda Solis, 28, has had a wild ride for the past five years.

It all started when a friend signed her up to sing the Selena song "Bidi Bidi Bom Bom" for a karaoke competition at a gay bar. Clips of her performance hit the internet, and she was catapulted into a new career as a sought-after Selena impersonator who's been booked all over Texas and across the nation. "I would have never imagined it would evolve into what it is now," she says. "I feel so privileged and am so grateful for the opportunities I've had."

Her recently released six-song debut EP, titled Quinceañera Queen, produced by Houston label Street Science Entertainment, is in a style dubbed "Cumbia-Americano," a delicious bilingual mashup of Tejano rhythms with contemporary flourishes.

Solis' new portrait and comments appear in the spring edition of CityBook, which is the magazine's fifth annual Music Issue. Queer hip-hop artist Nate Drop, swing fiddler Ellen Story, Houston Grand Opera bass Cory McGee, busy singer-guitarist Andy Mac, retro crooner Marley Moon, and R&B standout Tia Gold are also featured in the annual portfolio, photographed by Ashkan Roayaee, with styling by Todd Ramos and hair and makeup by Edward Sanchez.

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Pelican Builders Welcome Residents To First New Upper Kirby Condo Offering In Years; Boutique Midrise Adds To Pedestrian Appeal Of Sought-After, Inner Loop Neighborhood

Pelican Builders Welcome Residents To First New Upper Kirby Condo Offering In Years; Boutique Midrise Adds To Pedestrian Appeal Of Sought-After, Inner Loop Neighborhood

WITH ITS INAUGURAL set of residents newly moved in, Pelican Builders’ mid-rise condominium Westmore at 2323 W Main Street in Upper Kirby is already seeing the blossoming of a tight-knit community. Designed by Houston-based Mirador Group the Westmore is the first new condominium product to be introduced to the in-demand, inner loop neighborhood in more than three years. And with remaining two-bedroom homes starting at $895,000, it’s a remarkable value for this increasingly pricey area, where condos can easily climb to several million dollars and more.

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Home + Real Estate
travel

Quick Getaway: Serene but Style-Forward W Punta De Mita Finds its Place in the Sun

The Camino Huichol over the Wet Deck

VERDANT, WINDING BRANCHES arch up and over a pathway as a soundtrack of herons and chachalacas (and the occasional monkey) plays overhead. Concrete rectangles artfully jut up through the green, painted in rays of sunlight. Eventually, the path leads down to the beach, where the streaks of sun create a cinematic moment: A slim, tan couple emerges from the ocean with their surfboards in hand and their dogs at their heels, the scent of the Pacific lingering in the thick, humid air.

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design

Classical Architecture Goes Glam on AIA Home Tour: Go Inside One of Its Most Intriguing Projects

Julie Soefer

THE UPCOMING AIA Houston Home Tour is always an anticipated fall event, a style showcase from some of the city’s best architects, designers and tastemakers. The two-day, self-guided tour includes several custom homes in the area that exhibit design excellence, innovative design solutions, and sustainable features.

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