Gloria Estefan

Gloria Estefan (born Gloria María Milagrosa Fajardo García on 1 September 1957 in Havana, Cuba) is a Cuban-American singer, songwriter and actress associated with pop and Latin music. She is best known as the lead vocalist of Miami Sound Machine and for a solo career that helped bring Latin pop to mainstream international audiences. 

Estefan moved with her family to Miami, Florida, and began performing in local bands before joining the group that became Miami Sound Machine. The band first recorded primarily Spanish-language material, then achieved a crossover breakthrough in the mid-1980s, including the hit single “Conga” and the album Primitive Love (1985).

Her peak commercial period spanned the late 1980s and early 1990s, with Miami Sound Machine releases such as Let It Loose (1987) and major solo success with Cuts Both Ways (1989). Singles from this era included “Rhythm Is Gonna Get You”, “Anything for You”, and “Don’t Wanna Lose You”, and she became a consistent presence on international charts while also winning major industry awards, including Grammy Awards. 

In 1990, Estefan was seriously injured in a tour bus crash and later returned to recording and performing. Her 1990s output included prominent Spanish-language projects such as Mi Tierra (1993), alongside English-language releases and touring that broadened her audience across the Americas and Europe. In the 2010s, her catalogue and story were further highlighted through projects such as the stage musical On Your Feet!, based on her and Emilio Estefan’s career. 

Estefan has been credited with global sales in excess of 100 million records, placing her among the best-selling music artists. Her honours include multiple Grammy Awards and major US civic recognition, including the Presidential Medal of Freedom, and she has also been recognised for songwriting achievement with induction into the Songwriters Hall of Fame.