Jenni Rivera parlayed her phenomenal success as a banda singer into an international brand name before her death in 2012. Born into a musical family in Long Beach, California, Rivera faced significant opposition from the male-dominated Mexican music industry after launching her career in 1995. By the mid-'00s, she was the top-selling female artist in banda, which she promoted through reality TV series, film appearances and product lines. Her death in a plane crash was a blow to the Latin music industry, which paid tribute to her extraordinary accomplishments.