Emilio Estefan Honors Women at Days to Shine Event

Cuban-American producer and musician Emilio Estefan praised the role of women and the growth of Latin music during an appearance at the eighth edition of Days to Shine in the Dominican Republic. He said he was proud to see new generations of Latin artists conquering the world.

Estefan, who has shaped the careers of stars including Shakira, Jennifer Lopez, Ricky Martin and Marc Anthony, told Diario Libre in an exclusive interview that recognizing the power of women is very important to him, and that this recognition starts at home. He pointed to his daughter, Emily Estefan, a multi-instrumentalist, and his wife, Gloria Estefan, who he said has been his life partner for 48 years and a key figure in the success of Miami Sound Machine and the global rise of Latin music.

Praise for Gloria Estefan

Speaking to applause, Estefan said that highlighting the value of women mattered deeply to him because he is married to a spectacular woman, Gloria Estefan, with whom he marked 48 years together. He joked that he always says there is one great secret to a long marriage: agreeing with her, saying "yes, my love, yes, my love," which drew laughter from those present.

He also reflected on his path as an immigrant who left Cuba in search of a better future, as Gloria did, to build a career in the arts. He said that if there is one thing he is proud of, it is that they kept their sound and their name and never stopped being who they are, adding that he is always grateful to the Dominican Republic for welcoming them so warmly.

A career built on Latin classics

As a composer and producer, Estefan is behind hits including "Conga" (1985) and "Rhythm Is Gonna Get You" (1987), both with Gloria Estefan and Miami Sound Machine, as well as Jennifer Lopez's "Let's Get Loud" (1999), Shakira's "Suerte" (2001) and Jon Secada's "Otro dia mas sin verte" (1992).

The rise of Latin music

Estefan said the global success now enjoyed by artists such as Bad Bunny, Shakira and Rosalia was built on a path of struggle and difficulty for earlier generations. He recalled that when he and his peers started out, Latin music was seen as almost impossible, a dream that was not going to happen, and said he told himself at the time that whether people liked it or not, that was how it was going to sound in America, and that is how they did it.

He said Latinos carry great strength when they unite, regardless of whether they are Dominican, Mexican, Puerto Rican or Cuban, adding that working several times around the World Cup had shown him the economic power of the Latino community.

Estefan said Spanish is no longer a barrier and that rhythm is what connects the world today. He said that wherever he performed, including Japan, Africa and England, audiences moved to the music, and that Latinos have much to offer, especially the beauty and passion they bring to singing.

Discovering Shakira

The producer also spoke about his history of discovering talent, saying he signed Shakira when she was a girl and managed her career for ten years. He said it is a source of pride for him to see her today, adding that she deserves everything she has achieved.

Days to Shine's Pink Night

Days to Shine brought together figures from music, media and entrepreneurship with the aim of inspiring and highlighting leadership, particularly among women, across the region.

Evelyn Betancourt, founder of Days to Shine, said organizers were happy to welcome the eighth edition of Days to Shine Dominican Republic, where the project began and now reaches thousands of women in the country and in the United States. She said that this year the initiative is touring several cities as part of its Shine Now tour, aiming to unite Latinas across the United States.

The platform opened its new edition with its traditional Pink Night, held at the Hotel El Embajador and led by Betancourt alongside founding partners Victoria Naut, Carlos Rodriguez, Jorge Urgal and Juan Vicens, who carried out a ribbon-cutting ceremony together with Emilio Estefan.