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
Surrender
Gloria Estefan Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
All your secrets
Could you really be sincere
Whisper all your inhibitions
The things you most fear
Don't turn away
I want to get to know you in the worst, worst way
Come back baby come back
Come back baby come back
Surrender su-su-surrender to me
Surrender su-su-surrender
Will you show me
All your treasures
That which is most near and dear
Share with me your
Prized possessions
Not just some souvenirs
Don't be afraid
A little tiny bit can go a long long way
Come back baby come back
Come back baby come back
Come back baby come back
Surrender su-su-surrender to me
Surrender su-su-surrender
Babe I love you can't you see
Baby tell me haow you feel about me
Do you want me
Do you need me
Baby tell me honestly
Do you want me
Love forever or temporarily
You've got the key
So open up your heart and
Be my destiny
Come back baby come back
Come back baby come back
Surrender su-su-surrender
Surrender su-su-surrender
In the song "Surrender" by Gloria Estefan, the singer is asking her lover to be vulnerable with her and to share their deepest emotions, secrets, and fears. She wants them to surrender to her and to let her in completely. She asks them to not be afraid and to trust her with their most prized possessions. Estefan is encouraging them to open up and to let her be a part of their life, their destiny. She wants to know how they feel about her and whether they want a long-term commitment or just a temporary fling.
The song has a romantic and passionate tone, with a slow and steady beat that matches the theme of surrendering to love. It is about the desire to be truly intimate with someone, to know them completely and to be known in return. The lyrics speak to the importance of trust, honesty, and vulnerability in any relationship. It is a beautiful love song that captures the feeling of falling in love with someone and wanting to be with them forever.
Line by Line Meaning
Will you tell me
The singer is asking the listener if they are willing to reveal personal information
All your secrets
The singer wants the listener to share all their deepest secrets
Could you really be sincere
The singer questions whether the listener is being completely honest and genuine
Whisper all your inhibitions
The singer wants the listener to share their fears and hesitations
The things you most fear
The singer wants the listener to reveal their biggest fears and anxieties
Don't turn away
The singer is urging the listener not to avoid sharing their true self
I want to get to know you in the worst, worst way
The singer desires to form a deep and authentic connection with the listener
Come back baby come back
The singer wants the listener to return to their love and affection
Surrender su-su-surrender to me
The singer wants the listener to fully submit and give into their love
Will you show me
The singer is asking the listener to share their most valuable possessions
All your treasures
The singer wants the listener to share their most prized and valuable belongings and memories
That which is most near and dear
The singer wants the listener to share the things that are most precious and important to them
Share with me your
The singer wants the listener to open up and reveal their true self
Prized possessions
The singer wants the listener to share their most cherished belongings
Not just some souvenirs
The singer wants the listener to share more than just trivial material items
Don't be afraid
The singer is encouraging the listener to not fear vulnerability and openness
A little tiny bit can go a long long way
The singer believes that even a small amount of sharing can have a big impact on their relationship
Babe I love you can't you see
The singer is expressing their love and affection for the listener
Baby tell me haow you feel about me
The singer is asking the listener to share their feelings towards them
Do you want me
The singer wants to know if the listener desires them
Do you need me
The singer wants to know if the listener feels dependent on them
Baby tell me honestly
The singer is asking the listener to be truthful in their response
Love forever or temporarily
The singer wants to know if the listener is interested in a long-term or short-term relationship
You've got the key
The singer believes the listener holds the power in the relationship
So open up your heart and
The singer wants the listener to allow themselves to be vulnerable
Be my destiny
The singer wants the listener to become an integral part of their future
Surrender su-su-surrender
The singer reiterates their desire for the listener to fully submit to their love
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: J. VIGIL, J. GALDO, LARRY DERMER
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind