Gloria Estefan (born Gloria María Fajardo, September 1, 1957, in Havana, Cu… Read Full Bio ↴Gloria Estefan (born Gloria María Fajardo, September 1, 1957, in Havana, Cuba) is a seven-time Grammy Award-winning singer-songwriter, actress and social activist. Known as the "Queen of Latin Pop", she in the top 100 best-selling music artists with over 100 million albums sold worldwide, 31.5 million of those in the United States. Estefan is the most successful crossover performer in Latin music to date.
Beginning her career in 1975 as lead vocalist for the then exclusively Spanish-language band, Miami Sound Machine, before crossing over to mainstream pop success with the international hit singles "Dr. Beat" (1984) and "Conga" (1986), Estefan emerged as one of the biggest new stars in the mid-'80s, predating the still nascent Latin pop explosion by a decade, and scoring a series of propulsive dance hits rooted in the rhythms of her native Cuba, before shifting her focus to softer, more ballad-oriented fare.
Born in Havana, Cuba, the young Gloria Fajardo was raised primarily in Miami, FL, after her father, a bodyguard of Cuban president Fulgencio Batista, was forced to flee the island following the 1959 coup helmed by Fidel Castro. In the fall of 1975, Fajardo and her cousin Merci Murciano auditioned for the Miami Latin Boys, a local wedding band headed by keyboardist Emilio Estefan. With their addition, the group was rechristened Miami Sound Machine and four years later, Fajardo and Estefan were wed. As Miami Sound Machine began composing their own original material, their fusion of pop, disco, and salsa earned a devoted local following, and in 1979 the group issued their first Spanish-language LP on CBS International. Despite a growing Hispanic fan base, they did not cross over to non-Latin audiences until "Dr. Beat" topped European dance charts in 1984.
With 1985's Primitive Love, Miami Sound Machine recorded their first English-language effort, scoring three Top Ten pop hits in the U.S. alone with the infectious "Conga", "Bad Boy", and "Words Get in the Way". Following 1987's triple-platinum Let It Loose, Estefan took top billing and the group changed its name to Gloria Estefan & The Miami Sound Machine in 1988, reeling off four Top Ten hits - "Rhythm Is Gonna Get You", "Can't Stay Away from You", the chart-topping "Anything for You", and "1-2-3". 1989's Cuts Both Ways was credited to Estefan alone and generated her second #1 hit, "Don't Wanna Lose You". However, on March 20, 1990, while touring in support of the album, her bus was struck by a tractor trailer. Estefan suffered a broken vertebra that required extensive surgery and kept her off the road for over a year. Her husband Emilio and the couple's son were injured in the crash as well, but all three recovered. Estefan resurfaced in 1991 with Into the Light, again topping the charts with "Coming Out of the Dark", a single inspired by her near-fatal accident. Two more cuts from the album, "Can't Forget You" and "Live for Loving You", secured her foothold on the adult contemporary charts.
With 1993's Mi Tierra, Estefan returned to her roots, recording her first Spanish-language record in nearly a decade and earning a Grammy Award for Best Tropical Latin Album; on the follow-up 1994 covers collection, Hold Me, Thrill Me, Kiss Me, she also recalled her dance-pop origins with a rendition of the Vicki Sue Robinson disco classic, "Turn the Beat Around". Another all-Spanish effort, Abriendo Puertas (1995), earned her a Grammy as well, while Destiny featured "Reach", named the official theme of the 1996 Summer Olympics. As Latin pop made new commercial headway, thanks to the efforts of acts like Ricky Martin and Enrique Iglesias, Estefan reigned as the most successful crossover artist in Latin music history, with international record sales close to the 50 million mark. In 1999, she also made her feature film debut alongside Meryl Streep in Music of the Heart, recording the film's title song as a duet with *NSYNC, and scoring both a massive pop hit and an Oscar nomination in the process. A new Spanish-language album, Alma Caribeña, followed in the spring of 2000. Several months later, Estefan was awarded a Grammy for Best Music Video for "No Me Dehes de Querer" at the inaugural annual Latin Grammy Awards. Her husband, Emilio, won for Producer of the Year. - Jason Ankeny, All Music Guide
Appearances and tours
In April 2004, Estefan appeared on the Fox Broadcasting Company’s program, American Idol, but declined an offer to be an official judge, saying she did not like to “judge” others.
On July 28, 2004, in a press conference hosted by Donald Trump at the Trump Tower, Estefan announced that her then-upcoming tour would be her final one. The Live and Re-Wrapped Summer/Fall 2004 Tour, her first tour in eight years was produced by Clear Channel Entertainment. The tour featured Estefan’s greatest hits, along with new material from Unwrapped.
In December 2006, Estefan appeared as a special guest singer on the UK talent show The X Factor.
Gloria's 11th studio album,Miss Little Havana. The Miss Little Havana Songfacts says that the first nine tracks tells the tale of a young girl who hooks up with the wrong guy in Miami after moving there from Cuba. All of these tracks were written or co-written by Pharrell Williams of The Neptunes. It is described by Estefan as a project in the vein of her 1998 hit album gloria!.
Songfacts reports that "Hotel Nacional" debuted at #1 on Billboard's Latin countdown - the first time a female artist had achieved that feat since the chart was introduced in 1986. Both "Wepa" and "Hotel Nacional" achieved number one on Billboard Latin Songs and on Billboard Hot Dance Club Songs.
Estefan started a reality show called The Next: Fame Is at Your Doorstep opposite Joe Jonas, Nelly and John Rich on the CW Network, where she, and the other three mentors are searched for the next big star, to record an album with Atlantic Records. Unlike other music reality shows, in this program, the mentors selected the "candidates" for the show, and trained them for a live performance, where they'd be voted for the best act of the day. The first season ended in October 2012, with musician Michael Ray, as the big finalist.
This same year, Estefan appeared as a musical guest in Tony Bennett's compilation of duets with Latin-American musicians, Viva Duets with a rendition of the song, "Who Can I Turn To (When Nobody Needs Me)". Weeks later, she helped the American version of Teleton, releasing the charity single "Por Un Mundo Mejor" along with Mexican singer Lucero, Dominican rapper El Cata and Mexican pop band, Reik. A video for the song was shot, with them recording the song, which was marked as the official hymn for the foundation.
In May 2013, she appears doing another duet with the song "Think I'm In Love Again" as part of the albums Duets released by Paul Anka.
Estefan has announced she was working on a new album of covers, The Standards, released in September 2013. The album will feature some collaborations with artists like Laura Pausini, Dave Koz and Joshua Bell, and the selection of songs are mostly songs from the Great American songbook. Estefan released the first single, "How Long Has This Been Going On?", digitally on Amazon and iTunes on July 9, 2013
Official website: http://www.gloriaestefan.com
Beginning her career in 1975 as lead vocalist for the then exclusively Spanish-language band, Miami Sound Machine, before crossing over to mainstream pop success with the international hit singles "Dr. Beat" (1984) and "Conga" (1986), Estefan emerged as one of the biggest new stars in the mid-'80s, predating the still nascent Latin pop explosion by a decade, and scoring a series of propulsive dance hits rooted in the rhythms of her native Cuba, before shifting her focus to softer, more ballad-oriented fare.
Born in Havana, Cuba, the young Gloria Fajardo was raised primarily in Miami, FL, after her father, a bodyguard of Cuban president Fulgencio Batista, was forced to flee the island following the 1959 coup helmed by Fidel Castro. In the fall of 1975, Fajardo and her cousin Merci Murciano auditioned for the Miami Latin Boys, a local wedding band headed by keyboardist Emilio Estefan. With their addition, the group was rechristened Miami Sound Machine and four years later, Fajardo and Estefan were wed. As Miami Sound Machine began composing their own original material, their fusion of pop, disco, and salsa earned a devoted local following, and in 1979 the group issued their first Spanish-language LP on CBS International. Despite a growing Hispanic fan base, they did not cross over to non-Latin audiences until "Dr. Beat" topped European dance charts in 1984.
With 1985's Primitive Love, Miami Sound Machine recorded their first English-language effort, scoring three Top Ten pop hits in the U.S. alone with the infectious "Conga", "Bad Boy", and "Words Get in the Way". Following 1987's triple-platinum Let It Loose, Estefan took top billing and the group changed its name to Gloria Estefan & The Miami Sound Machine in 1988, reeling off four Top Ten hits - "Rhythm Is Gonna Get You", "Can't Stay Away from You", the chart-topping "Anything for You", and "1-2-3". 1989's Cuts Both Ways was credited to Estefan alone and generated her second #1 hit, "Don't Wanna Lose You". However, on March 20, 1990, while touring in support of the album, her bus was struck by a tractor trailer. Estefan suffered a broken vertebra that required extensive surgery and kept her off the road for over a year. Her husband Emilio and the couple's son were injured in the crash as well, but all three recovered. Estefan resurfaced in 1991 with Into the Light, again topping the charts with "Coming Out of the Dark", a single inspired by her near-fatal accident. Two more cuts from the album, "Can't Forget You" and "Live for Loving You", secured her foothold on the adult contemporary charts.
With 1993's Mi Tierra, Estefan returned to her roots, recording her first Spanish-language record in nearly a decade and earning a Grammy Award for Best Tropical Latin Album; on the follow-up 1994 covers collection, Hold Me, Thrill Me, Kiss Me, she also recalled her dance-pop origins with a rendition of the Vicki Sue Robinson disco classic, "Turn the Beat Around". Another all-Spanish effort, Abriendo Puertas (1995), earned her a Grammy as well, while Destiny featured "Reach", named the official theme of the 1996 Summer Olympics. As Latin pop made new commercial headway, thanks to the efforts of acts like Ricky Martin and Enrique Iglesias, Estefan reigned as the most successful crossover artist in Latin music history, with international record sales close to the 50 million mark. In 1999, she also made her feature film debut alongside Meryl Streep in Music of the Heart, recording the film's title song as a duet with *NSYNC, and scoring both a massive pop hit and an Oscar nomination in the process. A new Spanish-language album, Alma Caribeña, followed in the spring of 2000. Several months later, Estefan was awarded a Grammy for Best Music Video for "No Me Dehes de Querer" at the inaugural annual Latin Grammy Awards. Her husband, Emilio, won for Producer of the Year. - Jason Ankeny, All Music Guide
Appearances and tours
In April 2004, Estefan appeared on the Fox Broadcasting Company’s program, American Idol, but declined an offer to be an official judge, saying she did not like to “judge” others.
On July 28, 2004, in a press conference hosted by Donald Trump at the Trump Tower, Estefan announced that her then-upcoming tour would be her final one. The Live and Re-Wrapped Summer/Fall 2004 Tour, her first tour in eight years was produced by Clear Channel Entertainment. The tour featured Estefan’s greatest hits, along with new material from Unwrapped.
In December 2006, Estefan appeared as a special guest singer on the UK talent show The X Factor.
Gloria's 11th studio album,Miss Little Havana. The Miss Little Havana Songfacts says that the first nine tracks tells the tale of a young girl who hooks up with the wrong guy in Miami after moving there from Cuba. All of these tracks were written or co-written by Pharrell Williams of The Neptunes. It is described by Estefan as a project in the vein of her 1998 hit album gloria!.
Songfacts reports that "Hotel Nacional" debuted at #1 on Billboard's Latin countdown - the first time a female artist had achieved that feat since the chart was introduced in 1986. Both "Wepa" and "Hotel Nacional" achieved number one on Billboard Latin Songs and on Billboard Hot Dance Club Songs.
Estefan started a reality show called The Next: Fame Is at Your Doorstep opposite Joe Jonas, Nelly and John Rich on the CW Network, where she, and the other three mentors are searched for the next big star, to record an album with Atlantic Records. Unlike other music reality shows, in this program, the mentors selected the "candidates" for the show, and trained them for a live performance, where they'd be voted for the best act of the day. The first season ended in October 2012, with musician Michael Ray, as the big finalist.
This same year, Estefan appeared as a musical guest in Tony Bennett's compilation of duets with Latin-American musicians, Viva Duets with a rendition of the song, "Who Can I Turn To (When Nobody Needs Me)". Weeks later, she helped the American version of Teleton, releasing the charity single "Por Un Mundo Mejor" along with Mexican singer Lucero, Dominican rapper El Cata and Mexican pop band, Reik. A video for the song was shot, with them recording the song, which was marked as the official hymn for the foundation.
In May 2013, she appears doing another duet with the song "Think I'm In Love Again" as part of the albums Duets released by Paul Anka.
Estefan has announced she was working on a new album of covers, The Standards, released in September 2013. The album will feature some collaborations with artists like Laura Pausini, Dave Koz and Joshua Bell, and the selection of songs are mostly songs from the Great American songbook. Estefan released the first single, "How Long Has This Been Going On?", digitally on Amazon and iTunes on July 9, 2013
Official website: http://www.gloriaestefan.com
Dulce Amor
Gloria Estefan Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Todas las noches cuando miro al cielo
Every night when I look at the sky
Brillan tus ojos como dos luceros
Your eyes sparkle like two bright stars
Ojos tan puros como el agua clara
Eyes as pure as crystal clear water
Que calma las heridas
That calms the wounds
De mi pobre corazón.
Of my impoverished {or destitute} heart
Te llevo anclado a mi pensamiento
You are always anchoured in my thoughts
{alternative} You anchour my thoughts
Paloma blanca que da el amor
White dove of love
Amor que riega las ilusiones
Love that waters my illusions
Como arroyito en el alma
Like a brook in the soul
Aurora fresca de la mañana
Cool first Light of dawn
Tibia caricia, rayo de sol
A warm caress, a ray of sunlight
CORO:
Va saliendo la luna
The moon is rising
Reflejada en el río
Reflected in the river [x2]
Ay que buena fortuna
Oh what good fortune
[alternative] Oh how fortunate
Es tenerte amor mío
It is to have you my love (x2)
-----------------------------------------
Es el perfume que me dan tus besos
It’s the perfume that your kisses give me
Dulce fragancia que en mi pecho anida
Sweet fragrance that nests within my heart
Pasión que brota como blanca espuma
Passion that blossoms like surf
Cuando mueren al viento las olas del mar
When the waves of the sea die in the wind
Te llevo escrito en mi firmamento
You are written in my universe
Suave caricia que da el amor
The soft caress love gives
Amor que riega las ilusiones
Love that waters my illusions
Como arroyito en el alma
Like a brook in the soul
Aurora fresca de la mañana
Cool first Light of dawn
Tibia caricia, rayo de sol
A warm caress, a ray of sunlight
----------------------
CORO:
Va saliendo la luna
The moon is rising
Reflejada en el río
Reflected in the river (2x)
Ay que buena fortuna
Oh what good fortune
Es tenerte amor mío
It is to have you my love (x2)
----------------------------
Eres canción que nace con el viento
You are a song that is born in the wind
Inspiración cuando te doy un verso
My inspiration when I sing you a verse
Eres la brisa que me alegra el alma
You are the breeze that gladdens my soul
Que lleva la fragancia de tu dulce amor
That carries the fragrance of your sweet love
Te llevo atado a mi pensamiento
You are bound to my thoughts
Paloma blanca que da el amor
The white dove of love
Amor que riega las ilusiones
Love that waters my illusions
Como arroyito en el alma
Like a brook in the soul
Aurora fresca de la mañana
Cool first Light of dawn
Tibia caricia, rayo de sol
A warm caress, a ray of sunlight
--------------------
CORO:
Va saliendo la luna
The moon is rising
Reflejada en el río
Reflected in the river (x2)
Ay que buena fortuna
Oh what good fortune
Es tenerte amor mío
It is to have you my love (x2)
--------------------
CORO:
Va saliendo la luna
The moon is rising
Reflejada en el río
Reflected in the river (x2)
Ay que buena fortuna
Oh what good fortune
Es tenerte amor mío
It is to have you my love (x2)
Every night when I look at the sky
Brillan tus ojos como dos luceros
Your eyes sparkle like two bright stars
Ojos tan puros como el agua clara
Eyes as pure as crystal clear water
Que calma las heridas
That calms the wounds
De mi pobre corazón.
Of my impoverished {or destitute} heart
Te llevo anclado a mi pensamiento
You are always anchoured in my thoughts
{alternative} You anchour my thoughts
Paloma blanca que da el amor
White dove of love
Amor que riega las ilusiones
Love that waters my illusions
Como arroyito en el alma
Like a brook in the soul
Aurora fresca de la mañana
Cool first Light of dawn
Tibia caricia, rayo de sol
A warm caress, a ray of sunlight
CORO:
Va saliendo la luna
The moon is rising
Reflejada en el río
Reflected in the river [x2]
Ay que buena fortuna
Oh what good fortune
[alternative] Oh how fortunate
Es tenerte amor mío
It is to have you my love (x2)
-----------------------------------------
Es el perfume que me dan tus besos
It’s the perfume that your kisses give me
Dulce fragancia que en mi pecho anida
Sweet fragrance that nests within my heart
Pasión que brota como blanca espuma
Passion that blossoms like surf
Cuando mueren al viento las olas del mar
When the waves of the sea die in the wind
Te llevo escrito en mi firmamento
You are written in my universe
Suave caricia que da el amor
The soft caress love gives
Amor que riega las ilusiones
Love that waters my illusions
Como arroyito en el alma
Like a brook in the soul
Aurora fresca de la mañana
Cool first Light of dawn
Tibia caricia, rayo de sol
A warm caress, a ray of sunlight
----------------------
CORO:
Va saliendo la luna
The moon is rising
Reflejada en el río
Reflected in the river (2x)
Ay que buena fortuna
Oh what good fortune
Es tenerte amor mío
It is to have you my love (x2)
----------------------------
Eres canción que nace con el viento
You are a song that is born in the wind
Inspiración cuando te doy un verso
My inspiration when I sing you a verse
Eres la brisa que me alegra el alma
You are the breeze that gladdens my soul
Que lleva la fragancia de tu dulce amor
That carries the fragrance of your sweet love
Te llevo atado a mi pensamiento
You are bound to my thoughts
Paloma blanca que da el amor
The white dove of love
Amor que riega las ilusiones
Love that waters my illusions
Como arroyito en el alma
Like a brook in the soul
Aurora fresca de la mañana
Cool first Light of dawn
Tibia caricia, rayo de sol
A warm caress, a ray of sunlight
--------------------
CORO:
Va saliendo la luna
The moon is rising
Reflejada en el río
Reflected in the river (x2)
Ay que buena fortuna
Oh what good fortune
Es tenerte amor mío
It is to have you my love (x2)
--------------------
CORO:
Va saliendo la luna
The moon is rising
Reflejada en el río
Reflected in the river (x2)
Ay que buena fortuna
Oh what good fortune
Es tenerte amor mío
It is to have you my love (x2)
The lyrics to Gloria Estefan's song, Dulce Amor, express the depth of the singer’s feelings towards their beloved. They compare their eyes to two bright stars and describe them as pure like crystal clear water that soothes the wounds of their impoverished heart. The singer speaks of their constant thoughts of their beloved, whom they describe as a white dove of love. They sing about the joy and inspiration their love brings, the passion and fragrance that nests within their heart, and the refreshing breeze that gladdens their soul. The refrain highlights the moon’s reflection in the river and expresses the singer's deep satisfaction and gratitude for having their beloved in their life. The song is a beautiful celebration and expression of love, highlighting the power of love and gratitude to heal and lift the soul.
Line by Line Meaning
Todas las noches cuando miro al cielo
Every night when I look at the sky
Brillan tus ojos como dos luceros
Your eyes sparkle like two bright stars
Ojos tan puros como el agua clara
Eyes as pure as crystal clear water
Que calma las heridas
That calms the wounds
De mi pobre corazón.
Of my impoverished {or destitute} heart
Te llevo anclado a mi pensamiento
You are always anchored in my thoughts
Paloma blanca que da el amor
White dove of love
Amor que riega las ilusiones
Love that waters my illusions
Como arroyito en el alma
Like a brook in the soul
Aurora fresca de la mañana
Cool first Light of dawn
Tibia caricia, rayo de sol
A warm caress, a ray of sunlight
Va saliendo la luna
The moon is rising
Reflejada en el río
Reflected in the river [x2]
Ay que buena fortuna
Oh what good fortune
Es tenerte amor mío
It is to have you my love (x2)
Es el perfume que me dan tus besos
It’s the perfume that your kisses give me
Dulce fragancia que en mi pecho anida
Sweet fragrance that nests within my heart
Pasión que brota como blanca espuma
Passion that blossoms like surf
Cuando mueren al viento las olas del mar
When the waves of the sea die in the wind
Te llevo escrito en mi firmamento
You are written in my universe
Eres canción que nace con el viento
You are a song that is born in the wind
Inspiración cuando te doy un verso
My inspiration when I sing you a verse
Eres la brisa que me alegra el alma
You are the breeze that gladdens my soul
Que lleva la fragancia de tu dulce amor
That carries the fragrance of your sweet love
Va saliendo la luna
The moon is rising
Reflejada en el río
Reflected in the river (x2)
Ay que buena fortuna
Oh what good fortune
Es tenerte amor mío
It is to have you my love (x2)
Va saliendo la luna
The moon is rising
Reflejada en el río
Reflected in the river (x2)
Ay que buena fortuna
Oh what good fortune
Es tenerte amor mío
It is to have you my love (x2)
Contributed by Hannah T. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
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