If you were a part of the '80s or are part of planet Earth, you have heard of Gloria Estefan. She was a huge star and lead singer of Miami Sound Machine with hits like "Get On Your Feet," "Anything For You" and one of their most popular hits, "Conga." What you might not know, is that Gloria has a daughter whose talent could very well rival her mother's. Her name is Emily Estefan and she is a force in the music industry.
Both of Emily's Parents are Music Icons
Gloria Estefan is known all over the world for her upbeat Latin sound and incredible singing voice, and has won 3 Grammys. Her husband, and Emily's father, is none other than the musician and music producer Emilio Estefan. He has 19 Grammys and a myriad of producing credits from documentaries to musical productions.
She Was A 'Miracle' Baby
Her mother, Gloria, was in a horrible accident in March of 1990, and broke her back. After surgery and a lengthy recovery, Gloria was told that she would not be able to have more children. Gloria struggled with years of infertility, devastated by the thought of not being able to add to her family. In 1994, however, Emily had other plans, and was born on December 5th, 1994.
Musician
Emily Estefan wrote and produced her own album, 'Take Whatever You Want', that is a melding of Latin, jazz and rock. Her talent is mindboggling, and it's clear that her own grit and merit are what is finally pulling this incredibly talented woman into the lime light, and nothing to do with her famous mother.
Emily not only has a strong voice, but she is also incredibly blessed with the talent to play guitar, keyboard and bass. Emily's sound is comparable to many, but unlike anything that is on the charts today. She has toured the country to sold out crowds with her fusion style, cementing herself apart from her famous parents and standing on her own musical genius.
She Studied Music At Berklee
Despite having an incredible gift, Emily was hesitant to sing as a child. Instead, she taught herself how to play instruments, pouring her energy into hard work and picking up the sound by ear.
It was during an orchestral arrangement as her final assignment that Emily realized she had to sing in front of her parents for the first time. It shook her to think of singing in front of her exceptionally talented mother and father, but once she did, her parents both met her with praise and told her how talented she was and fostered the potential she had. From there, she gained the confidence she needed to put her efforts into becoming a singer and songwriter, and musician.
It Was Difficult For Her To Come Out As Gay To Her Parents
In a recent interview on the family's new Facebook Watch series, Red Table Talk: The Estefans, Emily talked about how difficult it was to come out as gay to her mother, despite Gloria Estefan being an advocate to the LGBTQ community and a gay icon. Gloria did not take the news well of her youngest daughter being gay, and she told Emily to keep her sexual orientation from her grandmother, who Gloria said would not be recover from the shock she would go through as a result of the news. After she came out to her parents, Emily felt ashamed and became suicidal. Emily and her mother have gone through counselling to help heal that time in their relationship.
Emily's family sees the 25 year old as a fierce young woman who has always known exactly who she is and what she wants. Despite the strong position she holds in her family, Emily was not always confident with who she is. She struggled with knowing if she was, in fact, gay and was hesitant to label what she was, even to herself.
Awards & Accomplishments
In 2016, Emily was honored with the first annual WorldArts Discovery of the Year Award during the 2016 La Musa Awards ceremony. This award recognizes the talents of up and coming artists in the industry.
Sources: ET Online, Red Table Talk: The Estefans, Yahoo