Gloria Estefan, first Hispanic woman to be inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame

Gloria Estefan makes history by becoming the first Hispanic woman to be inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame. The Cuban singer, actress and songwriter will be part of this select club, established in 1969 to honor those who create popular music.

To be inducted into the Hall of Fame, it is necessary to be a songwriter with a notable catalog of songs after 20 years have elapsed since the first commercial release of a song. For Gloria Estefan, the hit that catapulted her to worldwide fame was "Conga" (1985) with the Miami Sound Machine.

Estefan will be inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame along with Sade Adu aka Sade; Glen Ballard; Calvin Broadus Jr. aka Snoop Dogg; Jeff Lynne; Teddy Riley and Liz Rose. The seven new 2023 inductees will be inducted at a gala on June 15 at the New York Marriott Marquis Hotel.

Artists such as Bob Dylan, Carole King, Elton John, Billy Joel, Bruce Springsteen, Phil Collins, Dolly Parton, Cyndi Lauper, Stevie Wonder, Lionel Richie and Elvis Costello, among others, are part of this prestigious list.

Opening doors for Hispanic artists

The Cuban singer, actress and songwriter joked about the historic record of being the first Hispanic to be inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame. In a statement to CBS, Gloria Estefan said that "being the first of something at this age is fantastic," recalling that "we were told no by many at the beginning of our career."

The Songwriters Hall of Fame’s ongoing mission, as stated on its website, is "to celebrate and honor the contributions and legacies of songwriters of all genres of music while developing and nurturing the next generation of songwriters through Master Sessions, songwriting craft forums, scholarships and digital initiatives."

In her more than 40-year career, Gloria Estefan has sold more than 100 million records worldwide. She has three Grammy Awards and five Latin Grammy Awards. In 2008, she became the first of two women to be awarded the Person of the Year award by the Latin Recording Academy. In 2015, she and her husband, producer Emilio Estefan, received the Presidential Medal of Freedom from former President Barack Obama.

A committed artist

Gloria Estefan is committed to freedom in her native Cuba. Exiled in Miami, the singer has always taken advantage of her public exposure to criticize the communist dictatorship that extends throughout much of South America. A few months ago, Estefan announced that she would no longer perform in Venezuela for as long as dictator Nicolás Maduro remains in power.

The singer will make American cultural history while making her homeland proud and continuing to push for a Free Cuba.