TEXAS (KXAN) — A Texas man’s Selena Quintanilla memorabilia collection has captured the attention of thousands — and it might earn him a Guinness World Record title.

Andrew Longoria first fell in love with Selena’s music when he and his grandma purchased her “Dreaming of You” CD in 1997. Growing up, he said many kids his age had fallen in love with her music and were introduced to her through the 1997 biographical film starring Jennifer Lopez.

What began as a single CD has transformed into a collection with nearly 1,300 pieces, one he’s been documenting on Instagram for nearly a decade.

“I was 5 years old when I got the [Dreaming of You] album,” Longoria said. “Just kind of thinking about it, I’m going to be 30 next week. So to know how long I’ve been a fan and been collecting — it’s pretty phenomenal, to be perfectly honest.”

  • What began as a single CD has transformed into a collection with nearly 1,300 pieces, one Texan Andrew Longoria been documenting on Instagram for nearly a decade. (Courtesy: Andrew Longoria)
  • What began as a single CD has transformed into a collection with nearly 1,300 pieces, one Texan Andrew Longoria been documenting on Instagram for nearly a decade. (Courtesy: Andrew Longoria)
  • What began as a single CD has transformed into a collection with nearly 1,300 pieces, one Texan Andrew Longoria been documenting on Instagram for nearly a decade. (Courtesy: Andrew Longoria)
  • What began as a single CD has transformed into a collection with nearly 1,300 pieces, one Texan Andrew Longoria been documenting on Instagram for nearly a decade. (Courtesy: Andrew Longoria)
  • What began as a single CD has transformed into a collection with nearly 1,300 pieces, one Texan Andrew Longoria been documenting on Instagram for nearly a decade. (Courtesy: Andrew Longoria)

What sparked the idea?

The idea behind building up a collection came, in part, from Longoria’s grandma, a massive Elvis Presley fan. Their family traditions included gifting her something Elvis-related every Christmas.

Growing up near the Selena Museum in Corpus Christi, Longoria often went to the museum and bought merchandise or received items as gifts. That paired with his grandma’s Elvis collection inspired him to craft his own for Selena.

Longoria launched his Instagram page in July 2014 which, now, has more than 10,000 followers. It wasn’t until 2015 that he credited Instagram’s algorithm with highlighting a post from someone who achieved the Guinness World Record for the largest Mickey Mouse collection.

That set off the proverbial light bulb for him, Longoria said.

“At the time, [earning a world record] was just a dream,” he said. “And now it’s time to make it a reality, to do the attempt.”

Longoria’s world record attempt

Longoria will host a world record attempt in Corpus Christi. The attempt, initially scheduled for Jan. 27, has been postponed, Longoria told KXAN Jan. 23.

If successful, he will hold the world record for the largest private collection of Selena memorabilia.

While he no longer lives in Corpus Christi, he said the city holds so much history for his collection and for Selena. It’s where he grew up and began to build this collection, and it’s where Selena’s legacy endures in her final resting place.

Nearly 30 years after her death, he said the interest and investment followers have shown his collection is just a small reflection of the momentous impact Selena has had on millions of fans around the world.

“Selena truly valued her fans,” he said, adding, “I truly, truly believe that is why her legacy has withstood time itself.”

Longoria will release more details on the collection — including the record attempt location and updated date and time — on his Instagram.