Gloria Estefan on ‘Conga,’ ‘Raices’, Her Husband & 50 Years of Music

Gloria Estefan remembers vividly the first time she met her husband, Emilio Estefan Jr. “He had short shorts, he had great legs, playing the accordion — he looked naked,” she says with a laugh while reflecting on a moment that would change their lives forever.

She was at a friend’s house putting a band together for one night, and Emilio, who knew her friend, showed up to give them some pointers. “I was sitting on the floor and I thought, ‘Wow, this guy has charisma,’ ” she recalls. “He left, we did our gig, everybody went their separate ways.”

That summer, the two would meet again at a wedding that her mother had dragged her to. He was part of the band, playing Van McCoy’s “Do the Hussle” on the accordion when she spotted him — this time in a tux. “We run into each other in a doorway, and he goes, ‘You’re that girl!’ and I go, ‘Yeah, you’re that guy.’ ‘Come sing with the band!’ And I go, ‘Ahhhh.’ ” By then, she was known within the community, and many guests had heard her play guitar and sing since she was a kid.

So she obliged and performed two Latin classics, “Sabor a Mí” and “Tú Me Acostumbraste,” earning both an ovation from the guests and an invitation from Emilio to formally join the band. Gloria Maria Milagrosa Fajardo, then 18 years old, working two jobs and about to start college, politely declined.

“He found my number and called me two weeks later,” Gloria continues, beaming. It was her grandmother who made her see the light. “‘You aren’t going to be happy in your life unless you share your gift,’ ” she recalls her saying. “ ‘Listen to me and not your mother.’ And I did. I joined the band for fun.”

“I really liked the metal in her voice,” Emilio says. “I thought there was a sound for the new generation that was bilingual — the Miami Sound — and I said, ‘This would be good, because it would be something new in the music industry, and she can sing both in English and Spanish.’

“I think that Gloria and I, it was destiny, because we both found happiness in music amidst all the tragedy we were going through,” he adds. “I didn’t have my mom, I didn’t have anyone, and I was obsessed with being able to carry a sound that I thought was unique. And also, the need [as a Cuban immigrant] — everything I saved would be used to bring my mother, my brother, my whole family [to the U.S.].” As for Gloria, “I saw her sad — her father went to the Bay of Pigs. When he came back, he went to Vietnam, and when he came back from Vietnam, he came back in a wheelchair. But when it came to making music, her eyes shone.”

Now that 50 years have passed, Gloria adds, “Every step of the way has continued to be fun.”

Since rising to stardom in the 1980s as the lead vocalist of Miami Sound Machine and later as a solo artist, Gloria has helped infuse Latin flavor into English-language pop music, breaking barriers with hits like 1985’s top 10 Billboard Hot 100 hit “Conga” — which was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame this year — and “Rhythm Is Gonna Get You” while also singing in Spanish.

She has placed 29 songs on the Hot 100 — three of them at No. 1 (“Anything for You” in 1988, “Don’t Wanna Lose You” in 1989 and “Coming Out of the Dark ” in 1991) — and 31 tracks on the Hot Latin Songs chart, 15 of which reached the top (from “Si Voy a Perderte” in 1989 to “Hotel Nacional” in 2012).

Her first Spanish-language album, Mi Tierra (1993), spent an impressive 58 weeks at the summit of Top Latin Albums and earned her the first of her four Grammy Awards. Her latest, Raíces, debuted in the top 10 of the Tropical Albums chart, while the title track landed atop Latin Airplay, Tropical Airplay and Latin Pop Airplay. In between, 2000’s Alma Caribeña debuted and spent seven weeks at No. 1 on Top Latin Albums and 2007’s 90 Millas debuted and spent three weeks at the top of the same chart.

“Gloria Estefan is a global icon, a true artist with endless talent, but above all, she’s a wonderful person,” says Afo Verde, chairman/CEO of Sony Music Latin Iberia. “Her trust in Sony Music throughout her career speaks to a relationship based on professionalism, passion, love and respect. She’s an essential part of the company’s heart.”

“Gloria Estefan represents the best of our music and our history,” adds Alex Gallardo, president of Sony Music U.S. Latin. “Her legacy is eternal, and her generosity and spirit continue to inspire all of us who have the privilege of working with her.”

Gloria has also proved to be a talented author — she’s written two children’s books — and an actor with a comedic edge in her performance as the no-nonsense mother in the 2022 remake of Father of the Bride alongside Andy Garcia. She also co-hosted Red Table Talk: The Estefans, a spinoff of the popular talk show Red Table Talk, featuring her daughter, Emily Estefan, and niece Lili Estefan.

It’s a remarkable career for the Cuban American star, who in 2023 became the first Latina inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame and in 2024 received the Legend Award at the Billboard Latin Women in Music ceremony for her lifetime achievements — all while balancing work and family and putting her loved ones first.

And many have not only noticed but been inspired by her, inside and outside the Latin music world.

“To have that sound and go mainstream, topping the pop charts, was groundbreaking and really incredible. What she and Miami Sound Machine did influenced music, food, television, fashion,” American pop icon Cyndi Lauper, her contemporary and friend, tells Billboard Español. “Gloria is a true cultural phenomenon. And on top of that, she and Emilio are the salt of the earth. Such great people, generosity of spirit, caring, leading by example to change to world. People throw these kinds of words around a lot, but the Estefans really did change the world.”

“Gloria and Emilio have been a true family to me. They’ve always made me feel at home, and when the U.S. was a new country for me, they supported me every step of the way,” Colombian superstar Shakira recalls. “Gloria was a role model, a true inspiration … She accompanied me throughout my crossover as a mentor and a friend, helping me translate my lyrics from Spanish to English [for the 2001 album Laundry Service] while maintaining their essence when I hadn’t yet mastered the language.”

“Gloria is a hero to me, not only for being a pioneer in music and opening doors for Latinos in the industry but also for what she represents as a human being,” Cuban American star Camila Cabello says. “Beyond her talent, her humility, her passion for her people, her fight for our shared dream of a free Cuba make her even more admirable and adored by all.”

A mother of two and a proud grandmother of one, Gloria now chooses her projects carefully, based not only on what moves her but also how much time and travel it will take. “A lot of it has to do with, ‘Is it going to take me away from my family?’ ” she says. “If it’s something that is going to take me away from my grandson’s life and miss big chunks of it — that’s high on my list of priorities. He is growing so fast.” She also feels she’s earned that precious time. She will do an occasional concert but not a full, big tour like she used to in the ’80s and ’90s, when she was at the peak of her stardom. “[Touring] is wonderful because I get to be with the fans, but it is like boot camp for me,” she explains. “I’ve worked really hard in my life, and I think, ‘Did I really work that hard to work this hard?’ ”

In the last few years, she’s been busy creating songs for an upcoming Broadway musical titled BASURA (Spanish for “garbage”) along with her daughter. Based on the 2015 award-winning documentary Landfill Harmonic, it will narrate the journey of Paraguay’s Recycled Orchestra, a group of young artists who turn scrap material into musical instruments.

So when Emilio presented her with the idea for the song “Raíces” a couple of years ago, Gloria, who usually writes or co-writes her own music, got excited.

“Emilio didn’t even realize [this year] was my 50th [career anniversary],” says Gloria, who wanted to do something special to celebrate. “I told him, ‘Babe, I can’t change my mindset for this, but I would like, if I do an album again, for it to be tropical, for it to be in Spanish.’ He says, ‘Do you trust me?’ I go, ‘Who else am I going to trust [other] than you?’ ”

Released May 30 on Sony Music Latin, Raíces contains 13 tracks mostly co-written by Emilio. Salsa, bolero and tropical rhythms resonate in songs ranging from the title track and “La Vecina (No Sé Na’)” to romantic tunes such as “Tan Iguales y Tan Diferentes,” “Te Juro,” “Agua Dulce” and “Tú y Yo.”

“He wrote his own love songs for me to sing to him!” Gloria jokes.

Among the songs she penned is the sweet “Mi Niño Bello (Para Sasha),” dedicated to her grandson, with an English version titled “My Beautiful Boy (For Sasha).” Another track on the album, “Cuando el Tiempo Nos Castiga” (co-written by Emilio and Gian Marco and originally recorded by Jon Secada in 2001), also has a new English version courtesy of Gloria titled “How Will You Be Remembered.”

Gloria sat with Billboard for a trip down memory lane leading straight to the future.

Going back to your beginnings, what do you remember about your start in the music business? You’ve said in the past that you were shy.

It’s not that I was shy, because one-on-one I was perfectly fine and I could handle any situation. I was an observer. But what I don’t like is to be the center of attention; that’s just not my nature. So to join the band, it was for fun. I never thought, “Oh, I’m going to be famous,” or “I’m going to do these crazy things.” No.

And there was a really nice guy in that band…

He was, but I saw him as a man. He was only four-and-a-half years older than me, but he was very responsible, and he took care of his parents. He worked during the day, he studied at night, he had side jobs, he had businesses. I saw him as “Oh, Mr. Estefan,” you know, the boss … I didn’t start dating him until a year after. He had an older girlfriend, let me tell you. She was 36, he was 22. And I didn’t think he would be interested in me. I had zero experience, never went out anywhere because I took care of my dad [who had multiple sclerosis]. Joining the band was a freeing experience, and marrying him was an even more freeing experience. I didn’t think I’d get married the day after I turned 21. I had no doubt that I wanted to be with him the rest of my life. We’ve made a very unique partnership, and a lot of the things we’ve accomplished [are] because we’re together.

When did you realize that you had really made it in music?

When “Conga” crossed charts in Billboard, I thought, “OK, they’re getting it, they’re understanding what we have believed all along could happen.” And look, that song is now going to the Grammy Hall of Fame [after] 40 years.

Which three songs do you consider to be the most important in your career and why?

“Conga,” clearly. Probably “Mi Tierra.” And “Con Los Años Que Me Quedan,” [which] became a love song and a wedding song and it’s the first song that Emilio and I wrote together way back in the day. But there are so many more!

OK, tell me two more.

If we’re going to be real, “Dr. Beat,” which actually broke through, but I didn’t write that one. “Anything for You,” my very first No. 1. And “Coming Out of the Dark,” which was a big thank-you to everyone that sent prayers my way after the accident. That song poured out of me in 10 minutes. [In March 1990, Gloria was in a tour bus accident that resulted in a broken back and temporary paralysis. She underwent surgery and a lengthy recovery.]

I remember the first time you sang it live, at the American Music Awards.

Oh, gosh, it was insane. I wanted to kill Emilio because Dick Clark had called Emilio in September [1990], so I was still at a point where I couldn’t move by myself anywhere. And Emilio actually came to me to tell me that Dick Clark wanted me to perform the following January. I was inside this body that didn’t feel familiar. I was relearning everything: how to walk, how to wash my face and not be in pain. The last thing that I’m going to think about is getting on a stage. I want to be able to walk and get a glass of water by myself. I want to not put my family through what I went through [with my father] if I could help it. He was nuts. I said, “Babe, I can’t.” And then he told Dick Clark, “I can’t convince her; you’re going have to.” And Dick Clark got on a plane and flew to Miami to talk me into [the performance].

Did that help you with the recovery in any way?

It did. Emilio, as usual, was right. My first outing three months after the accident was to the studio, because I felt so bad for him that he hadn’t left my side. He said, “I have this piece of paper that I wrote this thing on the day you had the accident, in the helicopter. I found it today in my pant pocket.” It was all washed. He hands it to me. I look at it and I go, “Why is it in English?” (Laughs.) And it said: “Coming out of the dark.” He said, “I would love for you to come to the studio. Jon Secada is going to meet me there.” And I went, for him. And when I heard the one melody line of (Sings.) “coming out of the dark” that Jon sang, it was like, Oh, my God. And it all poured through me. That’s what I was going to perform at the American Music Awards. Having that goal really helped me to focus and not just deambular [wander]. Even though every day I was focused on getting better, it gave me a date to shoot for.

Is there anything you miss doing or wish you could do without being recognized?

Nothing stops me from doing anything I want. I was talking to my grandson about that the other day, because he and I would get in a car and go to an escape room and inevitably someone would ask for a picture. He knows I’m always going to stop. He always says, “I’ll take the picture.” He’s very kind about it. My kids lived a different experience, because that part of it — when you are at the top, you literally can’t go anywhere because it becomes impossible. It creates a scene, people go crazy, you divert from the kids. Even though I told them, “If we’re in public, I’m never going to say no to an autograph, because we have a moment to either make them happy or possibly traumatized from approaching anyone.” They understood, but it was harder for them. That’s why I love this moment when, yes, we have a beautiful career and I still get the love, people ask me for hugs, but it’s not the craziness of that moment when you’re new, fresh; the fame is huge.

As one of the most stable and beloved couples in Latin music, how do you and Emilio keep the spark alive?

Oh, my gosh. He makes me laugh every day. And if he goes on a trip, I’ll go to brush my teeth and there’s a little note: “Babe, I’m going to miss you.” He draws a little thing, him with the guitar or something. He’s just very sweet and thoughtful. He would buy me stuff all year-round, to the point where I tell him, “Babe, please, I don’t need any more jewelry,” but he’s happy doing that. Me mima, he spoils me in so many ways. And I try to do the same for him. We’re excited, we love being with each other, we miss each other. We don’t sleep the same when we’re apart. It just becomes deeper, and there’s a lot of respect and admiration.

Is there anything you still would like to achieve professionally?

This was always my go-to answer, and it’s getting a little more difficult to envision it, but if it were to happen within the next few years, to sing in a free Cuba. Somehow that dream, every time we feel a piece of it — like what happened July 11 [of 2021 with the anti-government demonstrations] and we thought, “Oh, maybe this is it, maybe this is the moment” — it dissipates under the crushing weight of that dictatorship. Celia [Cruz] had that dream, too, and it wasn’t in the cards.

As the closing song on Raíces, “How Will You Be Remembered,” goes, how do you wish to be remembered?

I actually wrote a song answering that exact question years ago, and the title is “Remember Me With Love.” That’s all I hope. That when people think about me, either because of my music or the way I represented the culture or family life, they remember me with love, there’s a smile on their face and they play the music a lot.

A version of this story appears in the Aug. 16, 2025, issue of Billboard.