After 44 years in the spotlight, Gloria Estefan has established herself as so much more than a pop music icon. The award-winning Cuban American singer-songwriter is also an accomplished actress, children’s author and philanthropist.
This year, the former lead singer for Miami Sound Machine can be seen in Season 2 of her popular Facebook Watch talk show, “Red Table Talk: The Estefans,” a spinoff of actress Jada Pinkett Smith’s “Red Table Talk” series. Estefan’s show premiered October 2020 and is co-hosted by her daughter Emily, 26, a rising musician and niece Lili, 54, a model and television host.
“Doing the show allows me to spend more time with Emily, while also giving me a more expanded platform to reach out and connect with fans,” Estefan, 64, says. “We tackle a lot of difficult topics on the show, share some personal stories and hope to inspire change.”
On the second episode of “Red Table Talk: The Estefans,” the Estefans discuss Emily’s coming out story.
“Emily grew up in a very accepting environment, but it was still difficult for her to tell us four years ago that she was gay,” Estefan says. “I cautioned her to break the news to her grandmother slowly, because she was ill, and Emily took that to mean I wasn’t accepting of her sexuality.”
On the show, Estefan explains to Emily that the relationship with her own mother, also named Gloria, was complicated at the time and that she was trying to protect her ailing mother from any shock that could affect her health, while also protecting Emily from a response that might harm the relationship with her grandmother.
Estefan says that while revisiting that moment on the show was painful, she hopes her family’s journey will help other parents support their loved ones during the coming out process.
“Accepting Emily for who she is was never an issue for me. I love and respect her very much and just want her to be happy,” Gloria says. “We’ve gone to therapy together to learn how to communicate better with each other and help us both cope with the loss of her grandmother, my mom, who died in June 2017.”
This year, Estefan, who lives in Star Island with her husband — musician, songwriter and record producer Emilio, addressed a topic on the show that hit close to home. Estefan invited survivors of the 12-story Champlain Towers South that partially collapsed this past summer in Surfside to appear on the second season of her show.
“We wanted to pay tribute to those who lost their lives in the collapse, while also honoring the survivors and families who lost their loved ones,” Estefan says.
Photo By Aysia Marotta
Emily, Lili and Gloria Estefan
The Fight Of Her Life
Estefan is no stranger to tragedy. In March 1990, her tour bus was rear-ended in a Pennsylvania snowstorm by an 18-wheeler truck, leaving Estefan with a broken back and a grim prognosis. Her doctors initially told her she might never walk again.
Even after having two steel rods surgically implanted to stabilize her spine, Estefan still faced a long recovery filled with grueling physical therapy.
“I came very close to being paralyzed,” Estefan says. “It took an hour and a half for rescuers to get to us after the bus crash and I remember lying on the floor of the bus and watching snow fall inside the shattered windows.”
Estefan later learned she had come within a millimeter of being in a wheelchair for the rest of her life and that being exposed to the icy snow may have miraculously prevented her paralysis.
“After a spinal cord injury, doctors treat patients with cold therapy to reduce inflammation, swelling and pain,” she says. “Being iced by nature may have helped to save my spinal cord.”
Six years after her accident, Estefan was invited to chair the capital campaign for the Miami Project to Cure Paralysis. The foundation was launched by Dr. Barth A. Green, a Miami neurosurgeon and the late NFL Hall of Famer, Nick Buoniconti, whose son, Marc, sustained a spinal cord injury during a football game rendering him a quadriplegic. Today, Estefan continues to support the Miami Project’s research and serves on the organization’s advisory board.
“I completed my physical therapy rehab with so many people in wheelchairs who were paralyzed,” Estefan says. “Donating my time and money to finding a cure for paralysis is a priority for me.”
Giving back to the community is important to Estefan. In addition to her work with the Miami Project, she operates her own nonprofit, The Gloria Estefan Foundation.
“I like to help causes that fall between the cracks,” says Estefan, who founded the charitable organization in 1997. Since its inception, the nonprofit has helped to fund bulletproof vests for Miami Beach’s K9 officers, assisted in funding the creation of the Vero Beach dog park and awarded grants to the Big Brothers and Big Sisters of Broward County, as well as supporting other local organizations.
The Beat Goes On
Last year was a busy one for Estefan. She released “Brazil305,” her fourteenth studio album — the first release in seven years. The album features some of Estefan’s greatest hits, accompanied by a Brazilian orchestra.
At the urging of her childhood friend, Dr. Aileen M. Marty, an infectious disease specialist, Estefan also recorded a public service announcement, “Put On Your Mask,” sung to the melody of her hit song, “Get On Your Feet,” to encourage people to get vaccinated and wear masks during the pandemic.
She also voices the character of Marta Sandoval in the Netflix animated film “Vivo.”
Earlier this year, Estefan was thrilled to sign opposite actor Andy Garcia in a Latinx rendition of the movie, “Father of the Bride.”
“This was my first time being cast in a leading role and it was a great experience,” Estefan says. “During the filming of the movie, we all became a family.”
As the holidays approach, Estefan is looking forward to hosting a traditional Cuban celebration at her home with Emilio, Emily and son Nayib and his family.
“My grandson Sasha, my daughter Emily and I usually sing for the family,” Estefan says. “Sasha is only 9 but he’s been taking piano lessons since he was 4 and is so very talented.”
Estefan also appears on the newly released holiday album, “A Sentimental Christmas with Nat King Cole and Friends: Cole Classics Reimagined,” celebrating the 75th anniversary of Cole’s popular album. Estefan performs “A Nightingale Sang in Berkeley Square” on the album which also features artists including John Legend, Johnny Mathis and Kristin Chenoweth, who all sing reimagined virtual duets with Cole, who died in 1965.
As the beginning of 2022 approaches, Estefan is counting her blessings and looking forward to a busy year.
“Our Broadway musical, “On Your Feet,” was put on hold during the pandemic, but will resume touring the country in 2022,” says Estefan. The show is based on the lives and music of Estefan and her husband, who have been married since 1978.
Estefan says their 43-year marriage has only grown stronger over the years.
“Emilio makes me laugh every day,” she says. “He’s very thoughtful and if he has to travel for a few days, he’ll leave little notes for me around the house on my pillow, or next to my toothbrush. Our relationship has only deepened over the years with the births of our two children, recovering from my accident and comforting each other after the deaths of each of our parents.”
A native of Havana, Cuba who emigrated to the United States with her family at the age of 2, Estefan says her career has surpassed her wildest dreams. She’s won seven Grammy awards, received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame and was bestowed the Presidential Medal of Freedom award from President Obama for her contributions to American music.
Over the years, Gloria and Emilio have been fierce supporters of the people of Cuba. This year, she urged the United Nations to condemn the Communist government in Havana for its suppression of mass protestors.
Estefan says one of her wishes for the new year would be to perform in a free Cuba. Although she retired from world tours several years ago, Estefan says she hopes to continue singing at concert venues in the U.S. She also plans to cheer on one of her favorite singers, her daughter Emily.
“Emily is very confident in who she is as a person and as a singer/songwriter,” Estefan says. “When I was her age, I was very shy and would make it through an entire performance without making eye contact with the audience. It was hard for me to get to the point where I felt comfortable on stage. “
Today, Estefan says her musical career is “both a blessing and a privilege.”
“It’s a wonderful feeling to be able to create music that plays a part in others’ lives and makes them happy.” O
Photo by Aysia Marotta