Dolores Janney "Jenni" Rivera Saavedra (July 2, 1969 – December 9, 2012) was an American singer, songwriter, actress, television producer, spokesperson, philanthropist and entrepreneur known for her work within the Banda and ranchera music genres. In life and death, several media outlets including CNN, Billboard, Fox News, and The New York Times have labeled her as the most important female figure and top selling female artist in the Mexican music genre. Billboard magazine named her the "top Latin artist of 2013", and the "best selling Latin artist of 2013".
Rivera began recording music in 1992. Her recordings often had themes of social issues, infidelity, and relationships. Rivera released her first studio album, Si Quieres Verme Llorar, in the late 1990s, failing to attain commercial success; however, she rose to prominence in the United States and Mexico with her major-label debut, Parrandera, Rebelde y Atrevida. In the early 2000s, she was often criticized and was refused bookings at venues across California for performing Banda music—a male-dominated music genre. However, her popularity grew after she won the Lo Nuestro Award for Regional Mexican Female Artist of the Year in 2007, which she won nine consecutive times. Her tenth studio album, Jenni (2008) became her first No.1 record on the Billboard Top Latin Albums chart in the United States. In 2010, she appeared in and produced the reality TV show Jenni Rivera Presents: Chiquis & Raq-C. She also appeared in and produced I Love Jenni starting in 2011 through 2013 and Chiquis 'n Control in 2012. Her acting debut was in the film Filly Brown, which was released in 2013.