Nearly four decades into her illustrious career, Gloria Estefan is set to make music history once again. This summer, the Cuban music icon will be inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame at the organization’s 52nd annual ceremony, taking place on Thursday, June 15, at the Marriott Marquis Hotel in New York City. With the induction, Estefan will become the first Latina in the organization’s history to receive the honor.
“To be the first at anything at this age is fantastic,” said Estefan in an interview with CBS Mornings, adding that her husband Emilio was the person to break the news to her. “There’s a huge [number] of deserving writers and to be here is just a dream.” Estefan is joined by six other inductees, including Sade, Snoop Dogg, Teddy Riley, Glen Ballard, Jeff Lynne, and Liz Rose.
“We got a lot of ‘no’s’ at the beginning of our career,” she said, as she explained how record executives at the time told her and Emilio that their sound wouldn’t work on the world stage and attempts to crossover would fail. “Of course, we didn’t believe that. We’ve been our own best cheerleaders.” Estefan shared that she and her husband were thrilled to use their platform to give opportunities to artists like Shakira, Ricky Martin, and Marc Anthony.
According to a press release, Estefan has sold over 100 million records worldwide and won eight Grammy Awards, among countless other awards and recognitions, including an induction into the Latin Songwriters Hall of Fame and the Presidential Medal of Freedom from President Barack Obama in 2015.
Last summer, Estefan starred in HBO Max’s Father of the Bride, which gave the platform the largest audience for a streaming-only film before reaching the number 1 spot. In the fall, Mattel commemorated the singer with her own Barbie doll in celebration of Latine Heritage Month.
With chart-topping songs such as “Anything For You,” “Don’t Wanna Lose You,” and “Rhythm is Gonna Get You” as a solo artist, and hits like “Conga” with Miami Sound Machine, Estefan’s music had long been inducted as a staple at many Latine functions. It’s easy to see why she is a clear choice for the Songwriters Hall of Fame recognition. We’re happy to see yet another one of our Latine music greats be honored once again.