5 Things You Didn't Know About Gloria Estefan's Hit Songs and Her Rise to the Top

Gloria Estefan is one of the biggest superstars in the world. She’s released 23 studio albums to date, selling an estimated 100 million records worldwide. The singer’s enormous popularity is credited for setting the stage during the 1980s for the coming Latin pop explosion of the 1990s. Gloria paved the road for Selena, Christina Aguilera, Ricky Martin, Shakira, Jennifer Lopez, and many others. Gloria Estefan’s pursuit of the American Dream is chronicled in the hit Broadway musical, ON YOUR FEET! The following five songs highlight some of the greatest moments of Gloria Estefan’s career.

5. “Dr. Beat”

If you’re a Gloria Estefan fan or you’ve seen ON YOUR FEET!, you know it all began when Gloria met Emilio Estefan in 1975. Both Gloria and Emilio’s families fled to Miami from Cuba after the 1959 coup led by Fidel Castro. In 1975, Gloria auditioned for a local wedding band in Miami that Emilio founded. Soon, Emilio and Gloria were a couple, and the band became the legendary Miami Sound Machine.

The band’s first major hit was “Dr. Beat.” The song topped the European dance charts in 1984. The music video for the song was shot on the rooftop of the Bacardi Imports building in Miami, where Emilio worked for a short time. “Dr. Beat” became the first Gloria Estefan song to chart in the U.S.

4. “Rhythm is Gonna Get You”

No one can stay still listening to this song—the rhythm always gets you! In a recent interview on “The Late Show with Stephen Colbert,” Gloria revealed that – funnily enough – the song was originally written as “The Bogeyman’s Gonna Get You.” Gloria said, “My drummer, who co-wrote it, came to us with those lyrics and I said, ‘Nuh-uh. I am not singing the Boogeyman’s gonna get you!’” After some tweaks, the fan favorite was created, and “Rhythm is Gonna Get You” climbed to number five on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100.

3. “Turn the Beat Around”

Did you know this was a cover song? It’s true. The original was written by Gerald and Peter Jackson and performed by Vicki Sue Robinson. Gloria and Emilio, inspired by the 1976 disco hit, released their hit version of the song in 1994.

2. “Coming Out of the Dark”

In 1990, while touring in support of Cuts Both Ways, Gloria Estefan was critically injured when a semi-truck crashed into her tour bus during a snowstorm near Scranton, Pennsylvania. This is first single released, and publicly performed, following the accident. Inspired by the words of encouragement sent in thousands of fan letters from around the world, Gloria dedicated “Coming Out of the Dark” to her husband, Emilio, whose support got her through rehabilitation and her return to the stage.

1. “Get on Your Feet”

In addition to being a massive international hit upon its release in 1989, “Get on Your Feet” has become a part of cultural history and an anthem for the Estefans. The song has been featured prominently on television shows and films since its release. “Get on Your Feet” encapsulates the Estefans’ journey—as they overcame multiple obstacles throughout their lives and careers to become international superstars—and therefore serves as a fitting title for their hit Broadway musical ON YOUR FEET!

Gloria Estefan has won seven Grammy Awards®, and her star shines on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. In 2015, Barack Obama awarded Gloria and Emilio Estefan the Presidential Medal of Freedom.

Gloria and Emilio Estefan’s journey continues today in the hit Broadway musical ON YOUR FEET!, directed by two-time Tony Award® winner Jerry Mitchell, and starring Ana Villafañe as Gloria Estefan.

Click here to learn more about Gloria Estefan’s music and her incredible journey!