Gloria Estefan facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Gloria Estefan
Estefan in 2017
Born	Gloria María Milagrosa Fajardo García (1957-09-01) September 1, 1957 (age 67) Havana, Cuba
Occupation	Singer songwriter actress author businesswoman
Years active	1975–present
Spouse(s)	Emilio Estefan ​ (m. 1978)​
Children	2, including Emily
Relatives	Lili Estefan (niece)
Musical career
Origin	Miami, Florida, U.S.
Genres	Latin pop dance-pop tropical
Labels	Epic Burgundy Crescent Moon Sony Latin Verve Forecast Sony Masterworks

Gloria María Milagrosa Estefan is a famous Cuban singer, actress, and businesswoman. She was born Gloria María Milagrosa Fajardo García on September 1, 1957. Gloria Estefan has won eight Grammy Awards. She also received the Presidential Medal of Freedom. Both VH1 and Billboard magazines have called her one of the Top 100 greatest artists ever.

Gloria Estefan has sold over 100 million records worldwide. This makes her one of the best-selling female singers of all time. She started her career as the lead singer of a band called Miami Latin Boys. Later, the band changed its name to Miami Sound Machine.

Gloria and Miami Sound Machine became famous around the world with their song "Conga" in 1985. This song became her most well-known hit. The group had many more hit songs in the 1980s. These included "Anything for You", "1-2-3", "Bad Boy", and "Rhythm Is Gonna Get You".

In 1987, the group's name changed to Gloria Estefan and Miami Sound Machine. This happened when they released their album Let It Loose. By 1989, Gloria became a solo star with her first solo album, Cuts Both Ways.

In March 1990, Gloria was seriously hurt in a bus crash. She had a broken spine. She had surgery and got better completely. The next year, she returned with a world tour and a new album, Into the Light.

In 1993, her Spanish-language album, Mi Tierra, won her first Grammy Award. It was for Best Tropical Latin Album. This album was also the first to sell a huge number of copies in Spain, earning a "Diamond album" award. Some of Gloria's international solo hits include "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".

Gloria Estefan has stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame and Las Vegas Walk of Fame. In 2017, she received the Kennedy Center Honors for her impact on American culture. She also won an MTV Video Music Award and a BMI Songwriter of the Year award. She was given the American Music Award for Lifetime Achievement. She is also in the Songwriters Hall of Fame.

Billboard magazine has called Gloria Estefan the third most successful Latina artist. She is also the 23rd greatest Latin Artist of all time in the U.S. She is known as the "Queen of Latin Pop" and "Mother of Latin Pop". She has had 38 number one hits on Billboard charts. This includes 15 songs that topped the Hot Latin Songs chart.

Early Life and Education

Growing Up

Gloria Estefan was born Gloria María Milagrosa Fajardo García in Havana, Cuba, on September 1, 1957. Her parents were José Fajardo and Gloria García. Her grandparents on her mother's side were immigrants from Spain. Her grandfather, Leonardo García, came to Cuba from Spain. There, he married Gloria's grandmother, Consuelo Pérez. Consuelo's father was a head chef for two Cuban presidents. Gloria's father's family also loved music. They had a famous flute player and a classical pianist.

Gloria's mother, Gloria Fajardo, was called "Big Gloria." When she was a child, she won a contest and was offered a chance to voice Shirley Temple's movies in Spanish. But her father did not let her take the offer. Gloria Fajardo earned a high degree in education in Cuba. However, her papers were destroyed by Cuban officials when she left for the United States.

Gloria's grandparents on her father's side were José Manuel Fajardo González and Amelia Montano. José Manuel was a Cuban soldier. Amelia Montano was a poet. Because of the Cuban Revolution, Gloria's family left Cuba in 1959. They moved to Miami and opened one of the first Cuban restaurants there.

In 1961, Gloria's father, José, took part in the Bay of Pigs Invasion. He was captured and put in prison in Cuba for almost two years. When he returned, he joined the United States military. He fought in the Vietnam War.

After returning from the Vietnam War in 1968, Gloria's father became sick with multiple sclerosis. This was thought to be from exposure to Agent Orange in Vietnam. Gloria helped her mother take care of him and her younger sister, Rebecca. Her mother worked as a schoolteacher to support the family. When Gloria was 16, her father's illness meant he had to stay in a hospital for veterans.

Gloria became a U.S. citizen in 1974. Her legal name became Gloria Garcia Fajardo.

School Days

Gloria Estefan was raised Catholic. She went to Our Lady of Lourdes Academy in Miami. She was a member of the National Honor Society there.

She later attended the University of Miami in Coral Gables, Florida. In 1979, she earned a degree in psychology. She also studied French. While in college, Gloria worked as a translator at Miami International Airport. She translated English, Spanish, and French. Because she was so good with languages, the CIA once asked her if she would like to work for them. In 1984, she was given the Iron Arrow Honor Society award. This is the highest honor at the University of Miami.

Music Career

1975–1988: Miami Sound Machine

In 1975, Gloria Estefan and her cousin Mercedes "Merci" Navarro met Emilio Estefan, Jr. They were at a church rehearsal. Emilio had started a band called the Miami Latin Boys earlier that year. Gloria and Merci sang two Cuban songs without planning to at a wedding where the Miami Latin Boys were playing. The band was so impressed that they asked them to join. The band's name then changed to Miami Sound Machine. Gloria was still going to the University of Miami. She agreed to perform only on weekends so her studies would not be interrupted.

In 1977, Miami Sound Machine started recording albums. Their first album was called Live Again/Renacer. After releasing more music, the band signed with Discos CBS International. They released their self-titled album Miami Sound Machine in 1978. In 1978, Gloria married Emilio Estefan Jr. The group became more popular in the U.S. and worldwide. They continued to record music until 1985.

In 1984, Miami Sound Machine released their first album with Epic/Columbia, Eyes of Innocence. It had the dance hit "Dr. Beat". Their next album, Primitive Love, came out in 1985. It was very successful. It had three songs that reached the Top 10 on the Billboard Hot 100: "Conga", "Words Get in the Way", and "Bad Boy". "Words Get in the Way" showed that the group could sing pop ballads as well as dance songs.

Their next album, Let It Loose (1987), sold millions of copies. It included hits like "Anything for You" (which was No. 1), "1-2-3", and "Rhythm Is Gonna Get You". In 1987, Gloria became the main artist, and the band's name changed to Gloria Estefan and Miami Sound Machine. In 1988, the Let It Loose album was re-released as Anything for You because of the song's success.

1989–1992: Cuts Both Ways and Into the Light

Estefan in February 1990

In 1989, the band's name was removed, and Gloria Estefan became a solo artist. She released her best-selling album, Cuts Both Ways. This album had hit singles like "Don't Wanna Lose You" (a No. 1 hit), "Oye Mi Canto", and "Get on Your Feet".

On March 20, 1990, Gloria was badly hurt in a bus crash. This happened during a snowstorm in Pennsylvania. She was on tour for Cuts Both Ways. She had surgery to fix her spine. Her recovery took almost a year of intense physical therapy. She fully recovered.

In January 1991, Gloria released the album Into the Light. That same month, she sang "Coming Out of the Dark" for the first time at the American Music Awards. Everyone gave her a standing ovation. This performance was ten months after her crash. "Coming Out of the Dark" became a No. 1 hit. The album sold very well in the U.S. and the UK.

On January 26, 1992, Gloria performed at the Super Bowl XXVI halftime show. Later in 1992, she released Greatest Hits. This album included new songs like "Always Tomorrow" and "I See Your Smile".

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

In June 1993, Gloria released her first album entirely in Spanish, Mi Tierra. It reached No. 1 on the Top Latin Albums chart. Songs like "Mi Tierra" and "Con Los Años Que Me Quedan" became No. 1 hits on the "Hot Latin Tracks" chart. The album sold over eight million copies worldwide. It won a Grammy Award for Best Tropical Latin Album.

In September 1993, Gloria released her first Christmas album, Christmas Through Your Eyes. This was her first album not produced by her husband. It included "This Christmas" and "Silent Night".

Gloria released Hold Me, Thrill Me, Kiss Me in October 1994. This album featured her favorite songs from the 1960s and 1970s. It had hit singles like "Turn the Beat Around" and "Everlasting Love". Both songs were also No. 1 on the dance charts. The album sold over 2 million copies in the United States.

In 1995, Gloria released her second Spanish-language album, Abriendo Puertas. This album won her second Grammy Award for Best Tropical Latin Album. It had two No. 1 dance hits and two No. 1 Latin singles.

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

Estefan in 2000

In 1996, Gloria released her album Destiny. It featured "Reach", which was the official song for the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta. Gloria performed "Reach" at the Olympics closing ceremony. In July 1996, she started her first tour in five years, the Evolution World Tour. It covered many countries.

On June 2, 1998, she released her eighth solo album, Gloria!. This album mixed disco with Latin sounds. The single "Oye!" reached No. 1 on the dance and Latin charts. Other big singles were "Don't Let This Moment End" and "Heaven's What I Feel".

In early 1999, Gloria performed at the Super Bowl XXXIII halftime show again. In 1999, she sang with the group ['N Sync] on the song "Music of My Heart". This song was in the movie Music of the Heart, where she also acted. The song was nominated for an Academy Award. She also had a Latin hit with the Brazilian group So Pra Contrariar called "Santo Santo".

Alma Caribeña (Caribbean Soul) was released in May 2000. It was her third Spanish-language album, focusing on Caribbean rhythms. It had Latin hits like "No Me Dejes De Querer". The album won Gloria her third Grammy Award in February 2001.

2003–2009: Unwrapped and 90 Millas

In 2003, Gloria released Unwrapped. To promote it, she toured Europe, Mexico, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. "Hoy" and "Tu Fotografía" both reached No. 1 on Billboard's Latin chart. Gloria went on the Live & Re-Wrapped Tour in 2004 to support the album.

In 2005, Gloria sang "I Could Fall in Love" at a tribute concert for the singer Selena. Also that year, she sang "Young Hearts Run Free" for the TV show Desperate Housewives. In late 2005, a song called "Dr. Pressure" was released. It mixed "Drop The Pressure" by Mylo with Miami Sound Machine's "Dr. Beat". It was a hit in the UK and Australia.

In October 2006, Sony released The Essential Gloria Estefan, a collection of her hits. She released two more similar albums for other countries. 90 Millas, a Spanish album, came out on September 18, 2007. The title means "90 Miles," referring to the distance between Miami and Cuba. The album reached No. 1 on the Billboard Top Latin Albums chart. It won a Latin Grammy Award for Best Traditional Tropical Album. The song "Pintame de Colores" won for Best Tropical Song.

Estefan performing at the White House in October 2009

In 2008, Gloria appeared on American Idol for a charity episode. She performed "Get on Your Feet". She also started her 90 Millas World Tour. She played concerts in London, Rotterdam, and Spain. Some of these concerts were free. In 2009, Gloria announced her "farewell tour" for Latin America and South America. She also performed at the White House for "Fiesta Latina 2009."

2010–2019: Miss Little Havana and The Standards

In 2010, Gloria and her husband helped create a charity song called "Somos El Mundo". It was a Spanish version of "We Are the World". All the money from the song went to help Haiti. Later that year, Gloria took part in Broadway's "24 Hour Plays."

In April 2011, Gloria surprised people at auditions for The X Factor in Miami. She encouraged the participants. That year, Gloria was added to the Hollywood Bowl Hall of Fame.

Gloria's dance album Miss Little Havana was released on September 27, 2011. She worked with famous producers on this album. The first song, "Wepa", was released in May 2011. Both "Wepa" and the second song, "Hotel Nacional", reached No. 1 on the Billboard Latin Songs and Dance/Club charts. In 2011, Gloria also shared her support for gay rights and gay marriage. She said everyone should be able to marry who they love.

In August 2012, Gloria starred in the TV show The Next: Fame Is at Your Doorstep. She also sang with Tony Bennett on his album Viva Duets. She released a charity song called "Por Un Mundo Mejor" with other singers.

In September 2013, Gloria released The Standards. This album featured classic songs from the Great American Songbook. It included collaborations with other artists. The album reached the Top 20 on the US Billboard 200 chart.

In April 2014, Gloria and her husband were honored in Las Vegas. Other musicians paid tribute to their music. Gloria also sang on Carlos Santana's album Corazon. In June 2015, she released Soy Mujer, a collection of her Spanish-language hits.

2020–Present: Brazil305

Estefan in 2022 at the Florida Golfshore Ballet

Gloria announced she was re-recording her music with Brazilian rhythms. This album is called Brazil305. She released the first song, "Cuando Hay Amor", on June 12, 2020.

In April 2020, Gloria released "Put on Your Mask." This was a funny version of her 1989 song "Get on Your Feet." The new lyrics talked about how important it is to wear face masks during the COVID-19 pandemic. In May 2020, Gloria wrote and released "We Needed Time." This song shared her feelings about the COVID-19 pandemic.

In 2022, the Estefans released a Christmas album called Estefan Family Christmas. It featured Gloria, her daughter Emily, and her grandson.

A song called "Gonna Be You" was released on January 20, 2023. It was from the movie 80 for Brady. Gloria sang this song with Dolly Parton, Belinda Carlisle, Cyndi Lauper, and Debbie Harry.

Other Work

Stage Musical

Estefan in 2018

A musical called On Your Feet! tells the story of Gloria and Emilio Estefan's lives. It opened on Broadway on November 5, 2015. The musical first played in Chicago in June 2015. It later moved to London in 2019.

Film and TV Appearances

Gloria Estefan has appeared in movies like Music of the Heart (1999) and For Love or Country: The Arturo Sandoval Story (2000). She also had a small role with her husband in Marley & Me (2008). Gloria starred in a TV movie on HBO, a remake of "Father of the Bride," with Andy Garcia. It premiered on HBO Max on June 16, 2022.

Gloria appeared on the TV show American Idol in April 2004. She was a guest mentor for the singers during Latin Week. She also appeared on the TV series Glee as the mother of a character named Santana Lopez.

In 2020, Gloria started co-hosting Red Table Talk: The Estefans. This is a talk show on Facebook Watch. She hosts it with her daughter Emily Estefan and niece Lili Estefan.

Gloria voiced the character of Marta Sandoval in the animated movie Vivo. Marta was a famous singer. The movie was released in theaters and on Netflix in 2021.

Books

Gloria Estefan has written two children's books. They are called The Magically Mysterious Adventures of Noelle the Bulldog (2005) and Noelle's Treasure Tale (2006). Her second book was on the New York Times Bestseller list for children's books.

She also wrote a cookbook with her husband called Estefan Kitchen in 2008. It has 60 traditional Cuban recipes.

Other Businesses

The Cardozo hotel on Ocean Drive, in Miami Beach, Florida

Gloria and Emilio Estefan own several businesses. These include Cuban-themed restaurants like Bongos Cuban Café and Larios on the Beach. Their restaurants are in places like Miami Beach and Walt Disney World in Orlando, Florida. They also own two hotels, Costa d'Este and The Cardozo.

In August 2019, the Estefans closed their Bongos Cuban Cafe at Disney Springs. They opened a new restaurant called Estefan's Kitchen in February 2020.

In June 2009, Gloria and her husband became the first Hispanic people to own a small part of an NFL team, the Miami Dolphins.

In December 2022, Gloria was a guest narrator at Disney's Candlelight Processional at Epcot.

Personal Life

Gloria and Emilio Estefan at the 2014 Miami International Film Festival

Gloria started dating Emilio Estefan, the leader of Miami Sound Machine, in 1976. She said he was her first and only boyfriend. They got married on September 2, 1978. They have a son, Nayib (born September 2, 1980), and a daughter, Emily (born December 5, 1994). Emily was born after Gloria's bus crash in 1990. Doctors had told her she might not be able to have more children. The family lives on Star Island in Miami Beach.

Gloria's daughter, Emily, is also a singer. Her son, Nayib, is a filmmaker and owns a movie theater in Miami. In June 2012, Nayib's wife had a son, making Gloria a grandmother.

Awards and Honors

Gloria Estefan has received many awards, including her three Grammy Awards. In May 1993, she received the Ellis Island Medal of Honor. This is a very high award for U.S. citizens who were born in other countries. She has also won the Hispanic Heritage Award and an MTV Video Music Award. She received the American Music Award for Lifetime Achievement.

She has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. Her husband, Emilio, also has a star next to hers.

Gloria received an honorary doctoral degree in music from the University of Miami in 1993. She was also a member of the University of Miami's Board of Trustees. In 2002, Barry University gave her an honorary law degree. She and her husband received honorary doctoral degrees in music from the Berklee College of Music in 2007.

In 2002, she received an award for her community service. She was named the Musicares Person of the Year in 1994. She started the Gloria Estefan Foundation, which helps with education, health, and culture.

She has been honored twice by the Songwriters Hall of Fame. In November 2008, Gloria received the Latin Recording Academy Person of the Year award. This was for her 25-year singing career. She was the first female singer to get this award. She also won a Latin Grammy Award for her album 90 Millas and for her song "Píntame De Colores".

In April 2010, Gloria and her husband received a star on the "Walk of Stars" in Las Vegas. In April 2011, she received the Billboard Spirit of Hope Award for her charity work.

In November 2015, it was announced that Gloria and her husband would receive the Presidential Medal of Freedom. President Barack Obama gave them this award for their contributions to American music.

In 2017, Gloria became the first Cuban American to be named one of the Kennedy Center Honors. On March 14, 2019, Gloria and her husband received the Library of Congress Gershwin Prize for Popular Song. They are the first married couple and the first people of Hispanic descent to receive this prize.

In 2022, Gloria Estefan was added to the Women Songwriters Hall of Fame. In June 2023, she was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame, becoming the first Hispanic person to do so.

Music Albums

Film and TV Roles

Images for kids

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  Estefan in 2017

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  Estefan in February 1990

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  Estefan in 2000

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  Estefan performing at the White House in October 2009

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  Estefan in 2022 at the Florida Golfshore Ballet

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  Estefan in 2018

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  The Cardozo hotel on Ocean Drive, in Miami Beach, Florida

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  Gloria and Emilio Estefan at the 2014 Miami International Film Festival

See also

In Spanish: Gloria Estefan para niños