Gloria María Milagrosa Estefan (; ; born September 1, 1957) is an American singer, actress, and businesswoman. Estefan is an eight-time

Grammy Award The Grammy Awards, stylized as GRAMMY, and often referred to as The Grammys, are awards presented by The Recording Academy of the United States to recognize outstanding achievements in music. They are regarded by many as the most prestigious ...

winner, a

Presidential Medal of Freedom The Presidential Medal of Freedom is the highest civilian award of the United States, alongside the Congressional Gold Medal. It is an award bestowed by decision of the president of the United States to "any person recommended to the President ...

recipient, and has been named one of the Top 100 greatest artists of all time by both

VH1 VH1 (originally an initialism for Video Hits One) is an American basic cable television network that launched on January 1, 1985, and is currently owned by the MTV Entertainment Group unit of Paramount Global's networks division based in New Y ...

and ''

Billboard A billboard (also called a hoarding in the UK and many other parts of the world) is a large outdoor advertising structure (a billing board), typically found in high-traffic areas such as alongside busy roads. Billboards present large advertis ...

''. Estefan's record sales exceed 100 million worldwide, making her one of the best-selling female singers of all time. A

contralto A contralto () is a classical music, classical female singing human voice, voice whose vocal range is the lowest of their voice type, voice types. The contralto's vocal range is fairly rare, similar to the mezzo-soprano, and almost identical to ...

, Estefan started her career as lead singer of Miami Latin Boys, which was later renamed

Miami Sound Machine Miami Sound Machine was an American Latin pop band of Latin-influenced music that featured the vocals of Cuban-born recording artist Gloria Estefan (née Fajardo). Established in 1975 by Emilio Estefan, the band was originally known as the Mia ...

. She and Miami Sound Machine earned worldwide success with their 1985 single "

Conga The conga, also known as tumbadora, is a tall, narrow, single-headed drum from Cuba. Congas are staved like barrels and classified into three types: quinto (lead drum, highest), tres dos or tres golpes (middle), and tumba or salidor (lowest ...

", which became Estefan's

signature song A signature (; from , "to sign") is a depiction of someone's name, nickname, or even a simple "X" or other mark that a person writes on documents as a proof of identity and intent. Signatures are often, but not always, handwritten or styliz ...

. The group followed this with a number of hit singles throughout the decade, including " Anything for You", " 1-2-3", " Bad Boy", and " Rhythm Is Gonna Get You". The group was redubbed as Gloria Estefan and Miami Sound Machine with the release of their 1987 album '' Let It Loose'', and in 1989, Estefan rose to solo stardom with her debut solo album '' Cuts Both Ways''. In March 1990, Estefan sustained a life-threatening cervical fracture of her spine when her tour bus was involved in a crash near

Scranton, Pennsylvania Scranton is a city in and the county seat of Lackawanna County, Pennsylvania, United States. With a population of 76,328 as of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, Scranton is the most populous city in Northeastern Pennsylvania and the ...

. She underwent an emergency surgery and made a full recovery. The following year, Estefan launched her comeback with a worldwide tour and album, '' Into the Light''. Estefan's 1993 Spanish-language album, '' Mi Tierra'', won the first of her three

Grammy Awards The Grammy Awards, stylized as GRAMMY, and often referred to as The Grammys, are awards presented by The Recording Academy of the United States to recognize outstanding achievements in music. They are regarded by many as the most prestigious a ...

for Best Tropical Latin Album. The album was also the first Diamond album in Spain. Estefan's catalog of international solo hits includes " Don't Wanna Lose You", " Get On Your Feet", " Coming Out of the Dark", " Turn the Beat Around", " You'll Be Mine (Party Time)", and " Heaven's What I Feel". Estefan has been awarded a star on the

Hollywood Walk of Fame The Hollywood Walk of Fame is a landmark which consists of 2,813 five-pointed terrazzo-and-brass stars embedded in the sidewalks along 15 blocks of Hollywood Boulevard and three blocks of Vine Street in the Hollywood, Los Angeles, Hollywood dist ...

and Las Vegas Walk of Fame and was a

Kennedy Center Honors The Kennedy Center Honors are annual honors given to those in the performing arts for their lifetime of contributions to Culture of the United States, American culture. They have been presented annually since 1978, culminating each December in ...

recipient in 2017 for her contributions to American cultural life. Estefan won an MTV Video Music Award, was honored with the

American Music Award The American Music Awards (AMAs) is an annual American music awards show produced by Dick Clark Productions since 1974. Nominees are selected on commercial performance such as sales and airplay. Winners are determined by a poll of the public and ...

for Lifetime Achievement and has been named BMI Songwriter of the Year. She was inducted into the

Songwriters Hall of Fame The Songwriters Hall of Fame (SHOF) is an American institution founded in 1969 by songwriter Johnny Mercer, music publisher/songwriter Abe Olman, and publisher/executive Howie Richmond to honor those whose work represent and maintain the heri ...

and has received multiple ''Billboard'' Music Awards. She is also a recipient of the 2015 Presidential Medal of Freedom. ''Billboard'' has listed Estefan as the third-most successful Latina and 23rd-greatest Latin Artist of all time in the U.S., based on both Latin albums and Latin songs chart. Hailed as the " Queen of Latin Pop" by the media, she has amassed 38 number one hits across ''Billboard'' charts, including 15 chart-topping songs on the Hot Latin Songs chart.

Early life and education

Early life

Gloria Estefan was born Gloria María Milagrosa Fajardo García in

Havana Havana (; ) is the capital and largest city of Cuba. The heart of La Habana Province, Havana is the country's main port and commercial center. to parents José Fajardo (1933–1980) and Gloria García (1930–2017). Estefan's maternal grandparents were Spanish immigrants. Her maternal grandfather, Leonardo García, emigrated to

Cuba Cuba, officially the Republic of Cuba, is an island country, comprising the island of Cuba (largest island), Isla de la Juventud, and List of islands of Cuba, 4,195 islands, islets and cays surrounding the main island. It is located where the ...

from Pola de Siero, Asturias, Spain, where he married Gloria's grandmother, Consuelo Pérez, who was originally from

Logroño Logroño ( , , ) is the capital of the autonomous community of La Rioja (Spain), La Rioja, Spain. Located in the north of the Iberian Peninsula, primarily in the right (South) bank of the Ebro River, Logroño has historically been a place of pa ...

, Spain. Consuelo's father Pantaleón Pérez served as the head chef to two Cuban presidents. Estefan's paternal side also had musical sensibilities, as the lineage had a famous flautist and a classical pianist. Estefan's mother Gloria Fajardo, nicknamed "Big Gloria", won an international contest during her childhood and received a Hollywood offer to dub

Shirley Temple Shirley Temple Black (born Shirley Jane Temple; April 23, 1928 – February 10, 2014) was an American actress, singer, dancer, and diplomat, who was Hollywood's number-one box-office draw as a child actress from 1934 to 1938. Later, she was na ...

's films in Spanish. However, Leonardo García did not permit his daughter to pursue the offer. Gloria Fajardo earned a Ph.D. in education in Cuba, but her diploma and other papers were destroyed by Cuban officials when she left for the United States. Estefan's paternal grandparents were José Manuel Fajardo González and Amelia Montano. José Manuel was a Cuban soldier and a motor escort for the wife of Cuban president

Fulgencio Batista Fulgencio Batista y Zaldívar (born Rubén Zaldívar; January 16, 1901 – August 6, 1973) was a Cuban military officer and politician who played a dominant role in Cuban politics from his initial rise to power as part of the 1933 Revolt of t ...

, and Amelia Montano was a poet. As a result of the

Cuban Revolution The Cuban Revolution () was the military and political movement that overthrew the dictatorship of Fulgencio Batista, who had ruled Cuba from 1952 to 1959. The revolution began after the 1952 Cuban coup d'état, in which Batista overthrew ...

, the Fajardo family fled and settled in

Miami Miami is a East Coast of the United States, coastal city in the U.S. state of Florida and the county seat of Miami-Dade County, Florida, Miami-Dade County in South Florida. It is the core of the Miami metropolitan area, which, with a populat ...

, in 1959, and ran one of the first Cuban restaurants in the city. In 1961, Estefan's father José participated in the failed

Bay of Pigs Invasion The Bay of Pigs Invasion (, sometimes called or after the Playa Girón) was a failed military landing operation on the southwestern coast of Cuba in April 1961 by the United States of America and the Cuban Democratic Revolutionary Front ...

. He was captured by his cousin, who was a member of

Fidel Castro Fidel Alejandro Castro Ruz (13 August 1926 – 25 November 2016) was a Cuban politician and revolutionary who was the leader of Cuba from 1959 to 2008, serving as the prime minister of Cuba from 1959 to 1976 and President of Cuba, president ...

's army, and imprisoned in Cuba for nearly two years. On his return, he joined the United States military and fought in the

Vietnam War The Vietnam War (1 November 1955 – 30 April 1975) was an armed conflict in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia fought between North Vietnam (Democratic Republic of Vietnam) and South Vietnam (Republic of Vietnam) and their allies. North Vietnam w ...

. After returning from the

in 1968, Estefan's father became ill with

multiple sclerosis Multiple sclerosis (MS) is an autoimmune disease resulting in damage to myelinthe insulating covers of nerve cellsin the brain and spinal cord. As a demyelinating disease, MS disrupts the nervous system's ability to Action potential, transmit ...

, attributed to

Agent Orange Agent Orange is a chemical herbicide and defoliant, one of the tactical uses of Rainbow Herbicides. It was used by the U.S. military as part of its herbicidal warfare program, Operation Ranch Hand, during the Vietnam War from 1962 to 1971. T ...

exposure that he suffered in Vietnam. Estefan helped her mother care for him and her younger sister Rebecca, nicknamed "Becky" (b. 1963), while her mother worked to support them. Gloria Fajardo first had to regain her teaching credentials, then worked as a schoolteacher for the Dade County Public School system. When Estefan was nine, she alleged that a music teacher hired to teach her guitar lessons sexually abused her. She alleged that the man told her that he would kill her mother if she told anyone about the abuse. Estefan told her mother who alerted the police of the allegation; charges were not pressed because of the additional trauma she felt Estefan would undergo as a result of testifying against the perpetrator. When Estefan was 16, her father's illness led him to be hospitalized at a

Veterans Administration The United States Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) is a Cabinet-level executive branch department of the federal government charged with providing lifelong healthcare services to eligible military veterans at the 170 VA medical centers an ...

medical facility. Estefan became a naturalized citizen of the United States in 1974 under the name Gloria Garcia Fajardo.

Education

Estefan was raised

Catholic The Catholic Church (), also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the List of Christian denominations by number of members, largest Christian church, with 1.27 to 1.41 billion baptized Catholics Catholic Church by country, worldwid ...

and attended Our Lady of Lourdes Academy in Miami, where she was a member of the National Honor Society. Estefan attended the

University of Miami The University of Miami (UM, UMiami, Miami, U of M, and The U) is a private university, private research university in Coral Gables, Florida, United States. , the university enrolled 19,852 students in two colleges and ten schools across over ...

Coral Gables, Florida Coral Gables is a city in Miami-Dade County, Florida, United States. The city is part of the Miami metropolitan area of South Florida and is located southwest of Greater Downtown Miami, Downtown Miami. As of the 2020 United States census, 2020 ...

, where she graduated in 1979 with a B.A. in psychology and a minor in French. While attending the University of Miami, Estefan also worked as an English, Spanish, and French translator at

Miami International Airport Miami International Airport , also known as MIA and historically as Wilcox Field, is the primary international airport serving Miami and its Miami metropolitan area, surrounding metropolitan area, in the U.S. state of Florida. It hosts over 1, ...

's Customs Department and, because of her language abilities, says she was once approached by the CIA as a possible employee. In 1984, she was inducted into the Iron Arrow Honor Society, the highest honor bestowed by the University of Miami.

Career

1975–1988: Miami Sound Machine

In 1975, Estefan and her cousin Mercedes "Merci" Navarro (1957–2007) met Emilio Estefan, Jr. while performing at a church ensemble rehearsal. Emilio, who had formed the band the Miami Latin Boys earlier in that year, learned about Estefan through a mutual acquaintance. While the Miami Latin Boys were performing at a Cuban wedding at the Dupont Plaza Hotel, Estefan and Navarro, who were wedding guests, performed two Cuban standards impromptu. They impressed the Miami Latin Boys so much that they were invited to join the band permanently with the band's name changing to Miami Sound Machine. Estefan, who was attending the

at the time, only agreed to perform during the weekends so that her studies would not be interrupted. In 1977,

began recording and releasing various albums and 45s on the Audiofon Records label in Miami. Their first album was titled ''Live Again/Renacer'' (1977). After several more releases on the Audiofon, RCA Victor, and MSM Records labels, the band was signed to Discos CBS International and released several albums beginning with the 1978 self-titled album ''Miami Sound Machine''. In 1978, Gloria married Emilio Estefan Jr. after two years of dating. Growing in popularity in both the U.S. and around the world, the group continued recording and issuing various works for Discos CBS International through 1985. In 1984, Miami Sound Machine released their first Epic/Columbia album, '' Eyes of Innocence'', which included the dance hit " Dr. Beat" and the ballad " I Need Your Love". Their more successful follow-up album '' Primitive Love'' was released in 1985, and contained three Top 10 hits on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100: "

" (U.S. No. 10), " Words Get in the Way" (U.S. No. 5), and " Bad Boy" (U.S. No. 8), as well as " Falling in Love (Uh-Oh)" (U.S. No. 25). " Words Get in the Way" reached No. 1 on the US

Hot Adult Contemporary Tracks The Adult Contemporary chart is published weekly by '' Billboard'' magazine and lists the most popular songs on adult contemporary radio stations in the United States. The chart is compiled based on airplay data submitted to ''Billboard'' by stat ...

chart, establishing that the group could perform pop ballads as successfully as dance tunes. The song "Hot Summer Nights" was also released that year and was part of the film ''

Top Gun ''Top Gun'' is a 1986 American action drama film directed by Tony Scott and produced by Don Simpson and Jerry Bruckheimer, with distribution by Paramount Pictures. The screenplay was written by Jim Cash and Jack Epps Jr., and was inspired ...

''. Their next album, '' Let It Loose'' (1987), went multi-platinum, with three million copies sold in the US alone. It featured the hits: " Anything for You" (No. 1 Hot 100), " 1-2-3" (No. 3 Hot 100), " Betcha Say That" (No. 36 Hot 100), " Rhythm Is Gonna Get You" (No. 5 Hot 100), and " Can't Stay Away from You" (No. 6 Hot 100). "Can't Stay Away From You", "Anything for You", and "1-2-3" were all No. 1 Adult Contemporary hits as well. In that same year, Estefan took top billing and the band's name changed to Gloria Estefan and Miami Sound Machine. In 1988, after the worldwide chart success of single " Anything for You", the ''Let It Loose'' album was repackaged as ''Anything for You''.

1989–1992: ''Cuts Both Ways'' and ''Into the Light''

In 1989, the group's name was dropped, and Estefan has been credited as a solo artist ever since. In late 1989, Estefan released her best-selling album to date, '' Cuts Both Ways''. The album included the hit singles " Don't Wanna Lose You" (Hot 100 No. 1 hit), "

Oye Mi Canto "Oye Mi Canto" () is a reggaeton single (music), single by N.O.R.E. The song was originally released in 2004 as the lead single from the album ''1 Fan a Day'', which was heretofore unreleased. It is his second biggest hit, peaking at number 12 o ...

", " Here We Are", " Cuts Both Ways" (No. 1 on the U.S.

chart), and " Get on Your Feet". On March 20, 1990, while touring in support of ''Cuts Both Ways'', Estefan was critically injured, suffering a fractured spine when a semi-truck crashed into her tour bus during a snowstorm near

. Estefan was returning from a meeting with President George Bush to discuss participation in an anti-drug campaign. She was taken to Community Medical Center's Intensive Care Unit in Scranton and flown by helicopter the following day to the Hospital for Joint Diseases at NYU Langone Health in

New York City New York, often called New York City (NYC), is the most populous city in the United States, located at the southern tip of New York State on one of the world's largest natural harbors. The city comprises five boroughs, each coextensive w ...

, where she underwent surgery that included implanting two titanium rods to stabilize her

vertebral column The spinal column, also known as the vertebral column, spine or backbone, is the core part of the axial skeleton in vertebrates. The vertebral column is the defining and eponymous characteristic of the vertebrate. The spinal column is a segmente ...

. Her rehabilitation included almost a year of intensive

physical therapy Physical therapy (PT), also known as physiotherapy, is a healthcare profession, as well as the care provided by physical therapists who promote, maintain, or restore health through patient education, physical intervention, disease preventio ...

, and she said, "there were times when the pain was so bad I prayed I'd pass out." However, she ultimately recovered completely. In January 1991, Estefan released the

concept album A concept album is an album whose tracks hold a larger purpose or meaning collectively than they do individually. This is typically achieved through a single central narrative or theme, which can be instrumental, compositional, or lyrical. Som ...

'' Into the Light''. That same month, she performed " Coming Out of the Dark" for the first time at the

American Music Awards The American Music Awards (AMAs) is an annual American music awards show produced by Dick Clark Productions since 1974. Nominees are selected on commercial performance such as sales and airplay. Winners are determined by a poll of the public and ...

to a standing ovation, the performance coming ten months after the crash. "Coming Out of the Dark" reached No. 1 on the U.S. ''Billboard'' Hot 100. Other notable singles from '' Into the Light'' were " Seal Our Fate" and " Live for Loving You". The album peaked at No. 5 on the ''Billboard'' albums chart and at No. 2 on the British albums chart. The album eventually went double platinum in the US and platinum in the UK. On January 26, 1992, Estefan performed in the Super Bowl XXVI halftime show. Estefan released '' Greatest Hits'' in 1992, and the album included the U.S. hit ballads " Always Tomorrow" and " I See Your Smile" along with the international hit dance track " Go Away". That same year, Estefan sang backup vocals on fellow Cuban-American singer-songwriter Jon Secada's breakthrough single " Just Another Day" and received songwriting credit for the Spanish-language version ''Otro Día Más Sin Verte''.

1993–1995: ''Mi Tierra'', ''Christmas Through Your Eyes,'' cover album, and ''Abriendo Puertas''

In June 1993, Estefan released her first Spanish-language album '' Mi Tierra''. ''Mi Tierra'' peaked at No. 27 on the ''Billboard'' album chart and No. 1 on the Top Latin Albums chart. In the US, the singles "Mi Tierra", the romantic-tropical ballad " Con Los Años Que Me Quedan", and "Mi Buen Amor" all reached No. 1 on the "Hot Latin Tracks" chart. The album sold over eight million copies worldwide, going on to become multi-platinum in Spain (10 times) and in the US (16 times; Platinum – Latin field), and earning the

for Best Tropical Latin Album. In September 1993, Estefan released her first Christmas album, '' Christmas Through Your Eyes''. It was also notable as being the first album from Estefan that was not produced by her husband. The album included the singles "This Christmas" and "Silent Night" and went Platinum in the US. Estefan released ''

Hold Me, Thrill Me, Kiss Me "Hold Me, Thrill Me, Kiss Me" is a song written by Harry Noble and originally performed by American singer Karen Chandler in 1952. It has been re-recorded several times since then, the most notable covers being by Mel Carter in 1965 and Glori ...

'' in October 1994, a cover album featuring some of her favorite songs from the 1960s and 1970s. The album includes the hit singles " Turn the Beat Around", which peaked at number 13 on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100, and " Everlasting Love", which peaked at number 27. Both songs also topped the ''

Hot Dance Club Play The Dance Club Songs (also known as National Disco Action, Hot Dance/Disco Club Play, and Hot Dance Club Play) was a chart published weekly between 1976 and 2020 by ''Billboard'' magazine. It used club disc jockeys set lists to determine the mos ...

chart. Further single releases were "

", which peaked at number 11 in the UK, and " It's Too Late". ''Hold Me, Thrill Me, Kiss Me'' peaked at number nine on the US ''Billboard'' 200 and has sold over 2 million copies in the United States. In 1995, Estefan released her second Spanish-language album, '' Abriendo Puertas.'' The album earned Estefan her second

for Best Tropical Latin Album. It spawned two No. 1 dance hits (" Abriendo Puertas" and " Tres Deseos") and two No. 1 Latin singles ("Abriendo Puertas" and " Más Allá").

1996–2002: ''Destiny'', ''Gloria!'', and ''Alma Caribeña''

In 1996, Estefan released her platinum-selling album ''

Destiny Destiny, sometimes also called fate (), is a predetermined course of events. It may be conceived as a predetermined future, whether in general or of an individual. Fate Although often used interchangeably, the words ''fate'' and ''destiny'' ...

'', which featured " Reach". The song served as the official theme of the 1996 Atlanta Summer Olympics. Estefan performed "Reach" and " You'll Be Mine" at the Summer Olympics closing ceremony. On 18 July 1996, she embarked on her first tour in five years—the Evolution World Tour—which covered the U.S., Canada, Europe, Latin America, Australia and Asia. On June 2, 1998, she released her eighth solo album '' Gloria!''. The album blended disco with

Salsa music Salsa music is a style of Latin American music, combining elements of Cuban and Puerto Rican influences. Because most of the basic musical components predate the labeling of salsa, there have been many controversies regarding its origin. Most ...

percussion and Latin flavor. The album peaked at No. 23 on the ''Billboard'' 200 and was certified Gold. The single " Oye!" peaked at No. 1 on the Hot Dance Music/Club Play and the Hot Latin Tracks charts. The other major single releases were " Don't Let This Moment End" (which peaked at No. 76 on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100) and " Heaven's What I Feel" (which peaked at No. 27 on the Hot 100). In early 1999, Estefan performed in the Super Bowl XXXIII halftime show, her second appearance in a Super Bowl halftime show. In 1999, Estefan performed with 'N Sync on the single " Music of My Heart"—a song featured in the film ''

Music of the Heart ''Music of the Heart'' is a 1999 American biographical film, biographical musical film, musical drama (film and television), drama film directed by Wes Craven and written by Pamela Gray, based on the 1995 documentary ''Small Wonders''. A dramati ...

'' in which she also appeared. The song peaked at No. 2 on the ''Billboard'' chart and was nominated for an

Academy Award The Academy Awards, commonly known as the Oscars, are awards for artistic and technical merit in film. They are presented annually by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS) in the United States in recognition of excellence ...

. She also released a Latin hit with the Brazilian group So Pra Contrariar called " Santo Santo", which she sang with

Luciano Pavarotti Luciano Pavarotti (, , ; 12 October 19356 September 2007) was an Italian operatic tenor who during the late part of his career crossed over into popular music, eventually becoming one of the most acclaimed tenors of all time. He made numerou ...

in '' Pavarotti and Friends for

Guatemala Guatemala, officially the Republic of Guatemala, is a country in Central America. It is bordered to the north and west by Mexico, to the northeast by Belize, to the east by Honduras, and to the southeast by El Salvador. It is hydrologically b ...

and

Kosovo Kosovo, officially the Republic of Kosovo, is a landlocked country in Southeast Europe with International recognition of Kosovo, partial diplomatic recognition. It is bordered by Albania to the southwest, Montenegro to the west, Serbia to the ...

''. '' Alma Caribeña'' (Caribbean Soul) was released in May 2000. It was her third Spanish-language album with a focus on Caribbean rhythms. The album featured several Latin Hits such as " No Me Dejes De Querer", " Como Me Duele Perderte", and "

Por Un Beso Por or POR may refer to: Por * Por (Thai word) * Por, Armenia, a town * Por, a Spanish preposition * Por, a Portuguese preposition POR * POR (gene), cytochrome P450 reductase * Portugal, IOC country code * Power-on reset * Program of Record ...

". The album earned Estefan her third

for Best Traditional Tropical Latin Album in February 2001.

2003–2009: ''Unwrapped'' and ''90 Millas''

In 2003, Estefan released '' Unwrapped''. To promote the CD, she toured Europe, Mexico,

Puerto Rico ; abbreviated PR), officially the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, is a Government of Puerto Rico, self-governing Caribbean Geography of Puerto Rico, archipelago and island organized as an Territories of the United States, unincorporated territo ...

and the U.S. "Hoy" and " Tu Fotografía" both reached No. 1 on Billboard's Latin chart and " I Wish You" reached the Adult Contemporary Charts top 20. Estefan embarked on the Live & Re-Wrapped Tour in support of the album; the tour was produced by Clear Channel Entertainment and played 26 cities upon launching in

Hidalgo, Texas Hidalgo is a city in Hidalgo County, Texas, United States. Its population was 11,198 at the 2010 United States Census, 2010 census, and in 2020, the population had risen to 13,964. History The area that is now Hidalgo was first settled by Spanis ...

on July 30, 2004. On April 7. 2005, Estefan participated in Selena ¡VIVE!, a tribute concert for the "Queen of Tejano"

Selena Selena Quintanilla-Pérez (; April 16, 1971 – March 31, 1995) was an American singer-songwriter. Known as the "Honorific nicknames in popular music, Queen of Tejano Music", her contributions to music and fashion made her one of the most cel ...

Quintanilla-Pérez. She performed Selena's hit song " I Could Fall in Love". Also that year, Estefan sang " Young Hearts Run Free" on the

soundtrack A soundtrack is a recorded audio signal accompanying and synchronised to the images of a book, drama, motion picture, radio program, television show, television program, or video game; colloquially, a commercially released soundtrack album of m ...

for the television series ''

Desperate Housewives ''Desperate Housewives'' is an American mystery comedy-drama television series created by Marc Cherry, and produced by ABC Studios and Cherry Productions. It aired for eight seasons on ABC from October 3, 2004, until May 13, 2012, for a tota ...

''. In late 2005, the club mash-up " Dr. Pressure" was released; the song combined

Mylo Myles MacInnes (born 10 May 1978), better known by his stage name Mylo, is a Scottish electronic musician and record producer. His 2004 album '' Destroy Rock & Roll'' peaked at number 26 on the UK Albums Chart. He is best known for his 2005 si ...

's No. 19 hit "Drop The Pressure" with the Miami Sound Machine's "Dr. Beat". It reached No. 3 on the UK singles chart and No. 1 on the Australian dance chart. In October 2006, Sony released the compilation '' The Essential Gloria Estefan'', featuring her hits from 1984 to 2003, Estefan made several radio and television appearances to promote ''The Essential Gloria Estefan''. She released two additional similar compilation albums that year for other markets. '' The Very Best of Gloria Estefan'' was released in Europe and Mexico; this compilation was certified Gold in Ireland. '' Oye Mi Canto!: Los Grandes Exitos'' featured a collection of her Spanish-language hits and was released in Spain. Estefan released the Spanish album '' 90 Millas'' on 18 September 2007. The album was produced by Emilio Estefan and Gaitan Bros (Gaitanes), and composed by Emilio Estefan, Gloria Estefan, Ricardo Gaitán and Alberto Gaitán. The title alludes to the distance between Miami and Cuba. The album peaked at No.1 on the Billboard Top Latin Albums chart and was peaked at No. 25 on the Billboard 200 list, selling 25,000 units in its first week. In Spain, it debuted at No. 3 and was certified gold. The album won a

Latin Grammy Award The Latin Grammy Awards (stylized as Latin GRAMMYs) are awards presented by the Latin Recording Academy to recognize outstanding achievement in the Latin music industry. The Latin Grammy honors works recorded in Spanish or Portuguese from any ...

for Best Traditional Tropical Album and "Pintame de Colores" won the award for Best Tropical Song. In 2008, Estefan appeared during the seventh season of ''

American Idol ''American Idol'' is an American Music competition, singing competition television series created by Simon Fuller, produced by Fremantle (company), Fremantle North America and 19 Entertainment, and distributed by Fremantle North America. It a ...

'' for the special charity episode "

Idol Gives Back ''Idol Gives Back'' was a charitable campaign that spanned two episodes of ''American Idol'' during its sixth season. A second ''Idol Gives Back'' concert and fundraiser occurred on April 9, 2008, during the seventh season of the show. ''Idol ...

". She performed " Get on Your Feet" along with Sheila E. Estefan became the headliner of the MGM Grand at

Foxwoods Resort Casino Foxwoods Resort Casino is an integrated resort owned and operated by the Mashantucket Pequot Tribal Nation on their Indian reservation, reservation located in Ledyard, Connecticut. Including six casinos, the resort covers an area of . The casino ...

's new venue. She then headed to Canada to perform at the Casino Rama. In August, she started her 90 Millas World Tour. Estefan played concerts in London, Rotterdam, Belfast and Aruba. Estefan performed several concerts in Spain, specifically Madrid, Barcelona, Zaragoza and Tenerife. Two of these concerts, in Las Ventas, Spain, and in

Rotterdam Rotterdam ( , ; ; ) is the second-largest List of cities in the Netherlands by province, city in the Netherlands after the national capital of Amsterdam. It is in the Provinces of the Netherlands, province of South Holland, part of the North S ...

, The Netherlands, were free to the public. Back in the States, Estefan performed a special concert at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel and Casino to raise funds for the Education of South Florida. Estefan was a headliner for

Bette Midler Bette Midler ( ;''Inside the Actors Studio'', 2004 born December 1, 1945) is an American actress, comedian, singer, and author. Throughout her five-decade career Midler has received List of awards and nominations received by Bette Midler, numero ...

's "Annual Hulaween Gala". The event benefited the New York Restoration Project. During the Thanksgiving season, Estefan appeared on

Rosie O'Donnell Roseann O'Donnell (born March 21, 1962) is an American talk show host, comedian, and actress. She began her comedy career as a teenager and received her breakthrough on the television series ''Star Search'' in 1984. After a series of television ...

's television special '' Rosie Live'' singing a duet with O'Donnell titled "Gonna Eat for Thanksgiving", an alternate version of "Gonna Eat for Christmas" from on O'Donnell's album ''A Rosie Christmas''. In 2009, Estefan announced plans for her "farewell tour" of Latin America and South America. The tour continued with a concert at

Guadalajara Guadalajara ( ; ) is the capital and the most populous city in the western Mexican List of states of Mexico, state of Jalisco, as well as the most densely populated municipality in Jalisco. According to the 2020 census, the city has a population ...

in Mexico, as part of a program designed to improve tourism in Mexico, and a series of appearances at music festivals throughout Europe, including headlining at the Summer Pops Music Festival in Liverpool on 27 July 2009. The same year, Estefan opened the "In Performance at the White House: Fiesta Latina 2009" with "No Llores". At the end, Estefan together with

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, and José Feliciano, performed a rendition of her Spanish-language hit, " Mi Tierra".

2010–2019: ''Miss Little Havana'' and ''The Standards''

Estefan began 2010 with a charity single: she and her husband, producer Emilio Estefan Jr., invited artists to record " Somos El Mundo", a Spanish-language version of

Michael Jackson Michael Joseph Jackson (August 29, 1958 – June 25, 2009) was an American singer, songwriter, dancer, and philanthropist. Dubbed the "King of Pop", he is regarded as Cultural impact of Michael Jackson, one of the most culturally significan ...

's song "

We Are the World "We Are the World" is a charity single recorded by the supergroup USA for Africa in 1985. It was written by Michael Jackson and Lionel Richie and produced by Quincy Jones for the album '' We Are the World''. With sales in excess of 20 milli ...

". The song, written by Estefan and approved by

Quincy Jones Quincy Delight Jones Jr. (March 14, 1933 – November 3, 2024) was an American record producer, composer, arranger, conductor, trumpeter, and bandleader. Over the course of his seven-decade career, he received List of awards and nominations re ...

, was recorded and premiered during '' El Show de Cristina'' on 1 March 2010. All of the proceeds went to Haitian relief. On 24 March 2010, Estefan led a march down Miami's Calle Ocho in support of Cuba's ''Las Damas de Blanco'' ( Ladies in White). Later that year, Estefan took part in Broadway's "24 Hour Plays", performing alongside actors

Elijah Wood Elijah Jordan Wood (born January 28, 1981) is an American actor and producer. Wood made his film debut with a minor part in ''Back to the Future Part II'' (1989) at the age of eight and achieved recognition in the early 1990s as a child acto ...

, Diane Neal, and Alicia Witt in the play ''I Think You'll Love This One'', written by Elizabeth Cruz Cortes. On 7 April 2011, Estefan made an unannounced appearance at the auditions for ''

The X Factor ''The X Factor'' is a television music competition franchise created by British producer Simon Cowell and his company Syco Entertainment. It originated in the United Kingdom, where it was devised as a replacement for '' Pop Idol'' (2001–200 ...

'' in Miami, and gave encouragement to the 7,500 participants gathered outside the Bank United Center. That year, Estefan was inducted into the

Hollywood Bowl The Hollywood Bowl is an amphitheatre and Urban park, public park in the Hollywood Hills of Los Angeles, California. It was named one of the 10 best live music venues in the United States by ''Rolling Stone'' magazine in 2018 and was listed on ...

Hall of Fame . She performed at a special concert on 17 June 2011; proceeds from the event went to benefit the Los Angeles Philharmonic Institute's education programs. Estefan's dance-oriented album '' Miss Little Havana'' was released in the U.S. on 27 September 2011, with the physical CD available exclusively at Target. Estefan described the album as resembling her 1998 hit album '' gloria!''; For the album, she collaborated with producers

Pharrell Williams Pharrell Lanscilo Williams (; born April 5, 1973), also known mononymously as Pharrell, is an American musician, singer, songwriter, rapper, record producer, and fashion designer. He first became known as one half of the music production duo ...

, Motiff, Emilio Estefan, and Drop Dead Beats. The first single from the album, " Wepa", premiered on 31 May 2011, at

AmericanAirlines Arena Kaseya Center is a multi-purpose arena on Biscayne Bay in Miami, Florida. The arena is home to the Miami Heat of the National Basketball Association. The arena was previously named American Airlines Arena from opening in 1999 until 2021, FTX ...

in a special music video of the song for the

Miami Heat The Miami Heat are an American professional basketball team based in Miami. The Heat compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Southeast Division (NBA), Southeast Division of the Eastern Conference (NBA), Eastern C ...

. The Heat video was released on YouTube on 1 June. The song went on sale for digital download on 24 July. Both "Wepa" and the album's second single " Hotel Nacional" peaked at No. 1 on the ''

'' Latin Songs and Dance/Club charts. In the fall of 2011, Estefan expressed her views on gay rights and gay marriage and said that she was a strong supporter of both. She said: "I think everyone should be able to marry who they love, and it should just be." Estefan also recorded a video for the

It Gets Better It or IT may refer to: * It (pronoun), in English * Information technology Arts and media Film and television * ''It'' (1927 film), a film starring Clara Bow * '' It! The Terror from Beyond Space'', a 1958 science fiction film * ''It!'' (1967 ...

campaign. In November 2011, Estefan began hosting ''Gloria Estefan's Latin Beat'', a seven-part series for

BBC Radio 2 BBC Radio 2 is a British national radio station owned and operated by the BBC. It is the List of most-listened-to radio programs, most popular station in the United Kingdom with over 14 million weekly listeners. Since launching in 1967, the sta ...

in the United Kingdom that explores the history of Latin music. In August 2012, Estefan starred in the CW Network reality show '' The Next: Fame Is at Your Doorstep'' opposite

Joe Jonas Joseph Adam Jonas (born August 15, 1989) is an American singer, songwriter, and actor. He rose to fame as a member of the pop rock band the Jonas Brothers, alongside his brothers Kevin Jonas, Kevin and Nick Jonas, Nick. The group released their ...

Nelly Cornell Iral Haynes Jr. (born November 2, 1974), better known by his stage name Nelly, is an American rapper, singer, and actor. He grew up in St. Louis, Missouri, and embarked on his musical career in 1993 as a member of the Midwest hip hop g ...

and John Rich. The same year, Estefan appeared as a musical guest in

Tony Bennett Anthony Dominick Benedetto (August 3, 1926 – July 21, 2023), known professionally as Tony Bennett, was an American jazz and traditional pop singer. He received many accolades, including 20 Grammy Awards, a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award, ...

's compilation of duets with Latin-American musicians, '' Viva Duets'' with " Who Can I Turn To". Weeks later, she released the charity single "Por Un Mundo Mejor" with Mexican singer Lucero, Dominican rapper El Cata, and Mexican pop band, Reik. The song was marked as the official hymn for the American division of '' Teleton.'' In May 2013, she appeared on

Paul Anka Paul Albert Anka (born July 30, 1941) is a Canadian and American singer, songwriter and actor. His songs include " Diana", “ You Are My Destiny", “Lonely Boy", " Put Your Head on My Shoulder", and " (You're) Having My Baby". Anka also wr ...

's ''Duets'' album with the song "Think I'm in Love Again". In September 2013, Estefan released '' The Standards''. The album features collaborations with

Laura Pausini Laura Pausini (; born 16 May 1974) is an Italian Pop music, pop singer. She rose to fame in 1993, winning the newcomer artists' section of the Sanremo Music Festival 1993, 43rd Sanremo Music Festival with the song "La solitudine", which becam ...

, Dave Koz and Joshua Bell, and a selection of songs from the Great American Songbook. The album reached No. 20 on the US ''Billboard'' 200 chart, marking her first top 20 album on the chart since 1994's ''

''. The first single from the album was " How Long Has This Been Going On?". In April 2014, Estefan and her husband were honored at the 2014 "Power of Love Event for Keep Memory Alive" in Las Vegas, where other musicians, including

Ricky Martin Enrique Martin Morales (born December 24, 1971), known professionally as Ricky Martin, is a Puerto Rican singer, songwriter and actor. He is known for his musical versatility, with his Ricky Martin albums discography, discography incorporati ...

and Rita Moreno offered the couple a tribute to their music. Estefan joined

Carlos Santana Carlos Humberto Santana Barragán (; born July 20, 1947) is an American guitarist, best known as a founding member of the Rock music, rock band Santana (band), Santana. Born and raised in Mexico where he developed his musical background, he r ...

on his new album '' Corazon'' in a song called "Besos de lejos". Estefan released the compilation ''Soy Mujer'' on 23 June 2015, which consists of Estefan's Spanish-language hits.

2020–present: ''Brazil305''

Estefan announced she was working on re-recording her music catalog with Brazilian rhythms and four new songs on an album titled '' Brazil305''. She released the first single for the album, " Cuando Hay Amor", on 12 June 2020. In April 2020, Estefan released "Put on Your Mask", a parody of her 1989 song "Get on Your Feet", with the lyrics changed to reflect the importance of wearing

face masks during the COVID-19 pandemic During the COVID-19 pandemic, face masks or coverings, including N95 respirator, N95, FFP standards#FFP2 mask, FFP2, surgical mask, surgical, and Cloth face mask, cloth masks, have been employed as public and personal health control measures ag ...

. In May 2020, Estefan wrote and released "We Needed Time" to reflect her feelings around the COVID-19 global pandemic. The video for the song was shot in Star Island, Miami by socially distanced cinematographers using drone cameras. In 2022, the Estefans released a Christmas album tilted ''Estefan Family Christmas''. The album includes Gloria Estefan, her daughter Emily, and her grandson. The soundtrack single "Gonna Be You" from the film '' 80 for Brady'' was released on January 20, 2023. The song was written by

Diane Warren Diane Eve Warren (born September 7, 1956) is an American songwriter. She has won an Academy Honorary Award, Grammy Award, an Emmy Award, two Golden Globe Awards and three consecutive ''Billboard'' Music Awards for Songwriter of the Year from 19 ...

, and performed by

Dolly Parton Dolly Rebecca Parton (born January 19, 1946) is an American singer, songwriter, musician, actress, and philanthropist, known primarily as a country music, country musician. After achieving success as a songwriter for others, Parton's debut album ...

Belinda Carlisle Belinda Jo Carlisle ( ; born August 17, 1958) is an American singer and songwriter. She gained fame as the lead vocalist of the Go-Go's, one of the most successful all-female rock bands of all time, and went on to have a prolific career as a sol ...

Cyndi Lauper Cynthia Ann Stephanie Lauper ( ; born June 22, 1953) is an American singer, songwriter and actress. Known for her distinctive image, featuring a variety of hair colors and eccentric clothing, and for her powerful four-octave vocal range;Jerome, ...

Debbie Harry Deborah Ann Harry (born Angela Trimble, July 1, 1945) is an American singer, songwriter and actress, best known as the lead vocalist of the band Blondie (band), Blondie. Four of her songs with the band reached on the US charts between 1979 and 1 ...

and Gloria Estefan. The official music video shows Parton, Carlisle, Lauper, and Estefan performing while wearing football jerseys similar to the ones worn by the women in the film, interspersed with clips from the film.

Other work

Stage musical

A jukebox musical, '' On Your Feet!'', about the life of Gloria and Emilio Estefan premiered on Broadway 5 November 2015. The musical premiered at the Oriental Theater, Chicago, running from 17 June 2015 – 5 July 2015. Directed by Jerry Mitchell, the choreography is by Sergio Trujillo and the book by Alexander Dinelaris. The Chicago cast featured Ana Villafañe as Gloria and Josh Segarra as Emilio. The musical opened on Broadway at the Marquis Theatre on 5 October 2015 (preview shows) and 5 November 2015 (official release date). In June 2019 the show played at The Curve in Leicester, UK, before moving to the West End's

London Coliseum The London Coliseum (also known as the Coliseum Theatre) is a theatre in St Martin's Lane, City of Westminster, Westminster, built as one of London's largest and most luxurious "family" variety theatres. Opened on 24 December 1904 as the Lond ...

In London for June–August 2019.

Film and television appearances

Estefan has appeared in two live-action films, ''

'' (1999) and '' For Love or Country: The Arturo Sandoval Story'' (2000). Estefan made a cameo appearance with her husband in '' Marley & Me'' (2008). Estefan starred in a made-for-TV movie on HBO in the remake of "Father of the Bride" with Andy Garcia. The film had a Latin/Cuban America twist, which premiered on 16 June 2022 on HBO Max. Estefan was cast to star as

Connie Francis Concetta Rosa Maria Franconero ( ; born December 12, 1937), known as Connie Francis, is a retired American Pop music, pop singer, actress, and top-charting female vocalist of the late 1950s and early 1960s. She is estimated to have sold more th ...

, a U.S. pop singer of the 1950s and early 1960s, in the biographical film ''Who's Sorry Now?'' According to ''

Parade A parade is a procession of people, usually organized along a street, often in costume, and often accompanied by marching bands, floats, or sometimes large balloons. Parades are held for a wide range of reasons, but are usually some variety ...

'' magazine (23 March 2008), filming supposedly began in late 2008. In an interview with www.allheadlinenews.com, Estefan stated that the film would be released in 2009. However, as of December 2009, the film was dropped as Connie Francis had

irreconcilable differences The concept of irreconcilable differences provides possible grounds for divorce in the United States of America and Australia, among other jurisdictions. Australia Australian family law uses a no-fault divorce approach, and irreconcilable differe ...

with Estefan over the film's writer. Francis wanted to hire writer Robert L. Freedman, who had written the

Emmy Award The Emmy Awards, or Emmys, are an extensive range of awards for artistic and technical merit for the television industry. A number of annual Emmy Award ceremonies are held throughout the year, each with their own set of rules and award categor ...

winning mini-series '' Life with Judy Garland: Me and My Shadows''. Estefan, according to Francis, refused to consider him and the project collaboration thus ended. Estefan appeared in the ABC television special '' Elmopalooza'' (which aired on 20 February 1998), in which she sang the song " Mambo, I, I, I". In April 2004, Estefan appeared on the

Fox Broadcasting Company Fox Broadcasting Company, LLC (commonly known as Fox; stylized in all caps) is an Television in the United States, American commercial broadcasting, commercial broadcast television broadcaster, television network serving as the flagship proper ...

's program ''

'' as a guest mentor for the contestants during Latin Week. After campaigning heavily for the part on her social media accounts, Estefan was invited to guest star on the Fox television series ''

Glee Glee may refer to: * Glee (music), a type of English choral music * ''Glee'' (TV series), an American musical comedy-drama TV series, and related media created by Ryan Murphy * ''Glee'' (Bran Van 3000 album) * ''Glee'' (Logan Lynn album) * Gle ...

'' as the mother of cheerleader

Santana Lopez Santana Lopez is a fictional character from the Fox Broadcasting Company, Fox musical comedy-drama series ''Glee (TV series), Glee''. The character was portrayed by Naya Rivera, and appeared in ''Glee'' from its Pilot (Glee), pilot episode, first ...

( Naya Rivera). She also appeared as a mentor for the CW Network reality series '' The Next: Fame Is at Your Doorstep''. Estefan played Mirtha, the baby sister and nemesis of Lydia Margarita del Carmen Inclán Maribona Leyte-Vidal de Riera, in the first episode of season 3 of the Netflix series '' One Day at a Time''. In 2020, Estefan began co-hosting ''Red Table Talk: The Estefans'', a spin-off of the

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'' Red Table Talk'' alonge her daughter Emily Estefan and niece Lili Estefan. Estefan voiced the character of Marta Sandoval, a legendary singer on the verge of retirement, in the animated film '' Vivo''. The film, which features songs by

Lin-Manuel Miranda Lin-Manuel Miranda (; born January 16, 1980) is an American songwriter, actor, singer, filmmaker, rapper, and librettist. He created the Broadway musicals '' In the Heights'' and ''Hamilton'', and the soundtracks for the animated films '' Moana' ...

, was released in theaters and on

Netflix Netflix is an American subscription video on-demand over-the-top streaming service. The service primarily distributes original and acquired films and television shows from various genres, and it is available internationally in multiple lang ...

in 2021.

Books

Estefan has written two children's books, ''The Magically Mysterious Adventures of Noelle the Bulldog'' (2005) and ''Noelle's Treasure Tale'' (2006). The latter book spent a week at No. 3 on the New York Times Bestseller list for children's books. She also collaborated on a cookbook with her husband entitled ''Estefan Kitchen'', which was published in 2008. It contains 60 traditional Cuban recipes.

Other business ventures and appearances

Gloria and Emilio Estefan have owned several business establishments, including several Cuban-themed restaurants (Bongos Cuban Café; Larios on the Beach). The restaurants are located in

Miami Beach Miami Beach is a coastal resort city in Miami-Dade County, Florida, United States. It is part of the Miami metropolitan area of South Florida. The municipality is located on natural and human-made barrier islands between the Atlantic Ocean an ...

, downtown Miami (part of the American Airlines Arena), at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel and Casino in

Hollywood, Florida Hollywood is a city in Broward County, Florida, United States. It is a suburb in the Miami metropolitan area. The population of Hollywood was 153,067 as of 2020, making it the Broward County#Communities, third-largest city in Broward County, th ...

Walt Disney World The Walt Disney World Resort is an destination resort, entertainment resort complex located about southwest of Orlando, Florida, United States. Opened on October 1, 1971, the resort is operated by Disney Experiences, a division of the Wa ...

Disney Springs Disney Springs is an outdoor shopping, dining, and entertainment complex at the Walt Disney World Resort in Lake Buena Vista, Florida, near Orlando. First opened in 1975 as Lake Buena Vista Shopping Village, it has been expanded and rebra ...

Orlando, Florida Orlando ( ) is a city in and the county seat of Orange County, Florida, United States. The city proper had a population of 307,573 at the 2020 census, making it the fourth-most populous city in Florida behind Jacksonville, Florida, Jacksonville ...

, and in

. They also own two hotels, Costa d'Este in Vero Beach, which opened in 2008, and The Cardozo in Miami Beach. In August 2019, the Estefans closed their restaurant Bongos Cuban Cafe that had been located at

for 22 years. The business was re-imagined as Estefan's Kitchen which opened at the Sunset Walk at Margaritaville Resort Orlando in February 2020. Estefan was appointed to the board of directors for Univision Communications Inc. in 2007. The Estefans' estimated net worth has been reported variously as between $500 and $700 million. In June 2009, Estefan and her husband became the first Hispanics to buy a minor ownership stake in an NFL team, the

Miami Dolphins The Miami Dolphins are a professional American football team based in the Miami metropolitan area. The Dolphins compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the American Football Conference (AFC) AFC East, East division. The team ...

. She spoke at TEDx Via della Conciliazione on 19 April 2013, on the theme "Religious freedom today". In December 2022, Estefan was a guest narrator at Disney's Candlelight Processional at Epcot,

Personal life

Estefan became romantically involved with the Miami Sound Machine's band leader, Emilio Estefan, in 1976. She later revealed, "he was my first and only boyfriend". They married on 2 September 1978, and have a son, Nayib (born 2 September 1980), and a daughter, Emily (born 5 December 1994). Emily was conceived after Gloria's tour bus crash in 1990; doctors had told her she would not be able to have any more children. The family lives on Star Island in the city of Miami Beach. Estefan's daughter, Emily, is a recording artist and her son, Nayib, is a filmmaker and owner of the Nite Owl Theater in

. In June 2012, Nayib's wife gave birth to a son, making Estefan a grandmother.

Awards

In addition to her three

, Estefan has received many other awards. In May 1993, she received the Ellis Island Medal of Honor, which is the highest award that can be given to a naturalized U.S. citizen. She has won the Hispanic Heritage Award, an MTV Video Music Award, and the 1993 National Music Foundation's Humanitarian of the Year award. She is the recipient of the

for Lifetime Achievement. She also has a star on the

. Her husband, Emilio, a world-renowned music impresario, received a star which is adjacent to his wife's on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 2005. Estefan was awarded an honorary doctoral degree in music from the

in 1993. She was a member of the Board of Trustees of the University of Miami. In April 2014, Estefan was tapped into the Iron Arrow Honor Society, the University of Miami's highest honor society. In 2002, Barry University in Miami bestowed upon her an honorary law degree. She and her husband received honorary doctoral degrees in music from the Berklee College of Music in Boston in 2007. She delivered the commencement address to the 2007 graduating class. In 2002, she received the Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institute Medallion of Excellence for Community Service. The singer was

Musicares MusiCares Foundation is a non-profit organization established in 1989 and incorporated in 1993 by the The Recording Academy, National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences. Meant for musicians to have a place to turn in times of financial, pers ...

Person of the Year in 1994. She founded the ''Gloria Estefan Foundation'', which promotes education, health and cultural development. In 1997, she received the Golden Plate Award of the

American Academy of Achievement The American Academy of Achievement, colloquially known as the Academy of Achievement, is a nonprofit educational organization that recognizes some of the highest-achieving people in diverse fields and gives them the opportunity to meet one ano ...

. She has been honored twice by the Songwriters Hall of Fame. In 1992, she served as a public member of the U.S. Delegation to the 47th Session of the United Nations' General Assembly Opening Plenary. Estefan received the Latin Recording Academy Person of the Year award at the

Latin Grammy Awards The Latin Grammy Awards (stylized as Latin GRAMMYs) are awards presented by the Latin Recording Academy to recognize outstanding achievement in the Latin music, Latin music industry. The Latin Grammy honors works recorded in Spanish language, S ...

in November 2008 in recognition of her twenty-five-year singing career. She is the first female singer to receive this award. She also received the

for Best Traditional Tropical Album for '' 90 Millas'', and the

for Best Tropical Song for her single " Píntame De Colores". This established the first occasion for Estefan to ever win the Grammy Award for a song (either Latin or non-Latin). On 12 March 2009, Estefan was honored as a BMI Icon at the 16th annual BMI Latin Awards. Her catalog includes 22 BMI Latin and Pop Awards, along with 11 BMI Million-Air Awards. In April 2010, Estefan and her husband received a star in the "Walk of Stars" in Las Vegas for their contribution to music industry. On 28 April 2011, at the Latin Billboard Awards, Estefan was honored with the Billboard Spirit of Hope Award for her philanthropic work for the second time, the first being in 1996. In 2014, Estefan and her husband received a Caribbean American Mover and Shakers Lifetime Achievement Award, for their contributions to the Hispanic, and multicultural community. In November 2015, it was announced Estefan, along with her husband, would be awarded the

by President

Barack Obama Barack Hussein Obama II (born August 4, 1961) is an American politician who was the 44th president of the United States from 2009 to 2017. A member of the Democratic Party, he was the first African American president in American history. O ...

for her contributions to American music. In 2017, Estefan was made an honorary member of

Sigma Alpha Iota Sigma Alpha Iota () is an international music fraternity. It was established in 1903 at the University School of Music in Ann Arbor, Michigan. Sigma Alpha Iota is a member of the National Interfraternity Music Council and the Professional Frater ...

International Music Fraternity, a music Greek organization for women with over 115 years of supporting music in their universities, organization and the world. She was initiated at the Sigma Chi Chapter at

. In 2017, Estefan became the first Cuban American to be named as one of the

. On 14 March 2019, Estefan and her husband were awarded with the 2019 Library of Congress Gershwin Prize for Popular Song. They are the first married couple and first of Hispanic descent to receive the Gershwin Prize. In 2022, Estefan was inducted into the Women Songwriters Hall of Fame. In June 2023, Estefan was inducted into the

, becoming the first Hispanic to do so. In 2023 for her philanthropic commitment the 44th annual Commonwealth Awards of Distinguished Service honored Estefan for her Public Service.

Discography

*'' Cuts Both Ways'' (1989) *'' Into the Light'' (1991) *'' Mi Tierra'' (1993) *'' Christmas Through Your Eyes'' (1993) *''

'' (1994) *'' Abriendo Puertas'' (1995) *''

'' (1996) *'' Gloria!'' (1998) *'' Alma Caribeña'' (2000) *'' Unwrapped'' (2003) *'' 90 Millas'' (2007) *'' Miss Little Havana'' (2011) *'' The Standards'' (2013) *'' Brazil305'' (2020) *''Estefan Family Christmas'' (2022) *''Raíces'' (2025)

Tours

Filmography

Videography

*1986: ''Video Éxitos'' (Unofficial Release) L.D.L Enterprises *1989: ''Homecoming Concert'' CMV (US: Platinum) *1990: ''Evolution'' CMV (US: Platinum) *1991: ''Coming Out of the Dark'' SMV *1992: ''Into The Light World Tour'' SMV (US: Gold) *1995: ''Everlasting Gloria!'' EMV (US: Gold) *1996: ''The Evolution Tour Live in Miami'' EMV *1998: ''Don't Stop'' EMV *2001: ''Que siga la tradición'' EMV *2002: ''Live in Atlantis'' EMV *2003: ''Famous'' (Video journal about making-of ''Unwrapped'' LP; included in CD package) *2004: ''Live & Unwrapped'' EMV *2007: ''90 Millas: The Documentary'' (Video journal about making-of ''90 Millas'' LP; included in CD package)

Bibliography

*2005: ''The Magically Mysterious Adventures of Noelle the Bulldog'' *2006: ''Noelle's Treasure Tale: A New Magically Mysterious Adventure'' *2008: ''Estefan's Kitchen''

References

External links

* *
Gloria Estefan receives her honorary Doctorate of Music alongside her husband Emilio from Berklee

Gloria Estefan at bmi.com
* {{DEFAULTSORT:Estefan, Gloria 1957 births 20th-century American singer-songwriters 20th-century American women singers 21st-century American singer-songwriters 21st-century American women singers Actresses from Miami American anti-communists American contraltos American dance musicians American democracy activists American entertainers of Cuban descent American hoteliers American Latin pop singers American LGBTQ rights activists American people of Asturian descent American people of Spanish descent American restaurateurs American telecommunications industry businesspeople American women pop singers American women restaurateurs American women singer-songwriters American ballad musicians Businesspeople from Miami Cuban anti-communists Cuban democracy activists Cuban emigrants to the United States Cuban LGBTQ rights activists Cuban people of Asturian descent Cuban singer-songwriters Cuban women singers Cuban women singer-songwriters Gloria Exiles of the Cuban Revolution in the United States Gershwin Prize recipients Grammy Award winners Hispanic and Latino American actresses Hispanic and Latino American women singers Kennedy Center honorees Latin Grammy Award winners Latin music songwriters Latin Recording Academy Person of the Year honorees Living people Miami Dolphins owners Miami Sound Machine members Singers from Havana Naturalized citizens of the United States Opposition to Fidel Castro People from Vero Beach, Florida Presidential Medal of Freedom recipients Singers from Miami Singer-songwriters from Florida Sony Music Latin artists Spanish-language singers of the United States University of Miami alumni Women in Latin music