2 years ago
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Eva Longoria & Gloria Estefan Explain Lack of Latino Representation
Gloria Estefan is officially a Barbie girl!
The legendary instrumentalist has undoubtedly left an indelible mark successful the amusement industry. She's not lone earned countless Latin Grammys and Grammy Awards, but has besides been named 1 of the top artists of each clip by VH1 and Billboard (among different accolades).
However, Gloria exclusively tells E! News that retired of each the awards she's received successful her decades-long career, having a Barbie successful her representation is "a big 1 for me."
"I played with Barbies since I was a small girl," she shared. "It was conscionable a thrill and they were truly sticklers astir being accurate."
Gloria's doll, which celebrates the 65th day of her 1989 deed "Get connected Your Feet," is a replica of her iconic manner look from the euphony video.
"I wanted to emulate the torero jackets due to the fact that my gramps was from Asturias, Spain," she said, explaining the past of her memorable outfit, "and a premix of Moroccan from the Lebanese broadside of Emilio [Estefan]'s household due to the fact that him and I are truthful intertwined. It's conscionable 1 of my favourite looks that I've ever had."
As for what this accomplishment means to the "Conga!" singer, she puts it simply.
"I'm well-known successful the Hispanic satellite arsenic idiosyncratic who has maintained their culture. Despite the information that we've recorded successful English and had popular hits each implicit the world, we ne'er allowed anyone to alteration our sound, our representation and kept the Latinismo successful our music," she said. "So, for a small Hispanic miss to spot herself reflected and say, 'Maybe 1 time I could bash thing that would person idiosyncratic marque a Barbie astir me,' it's truly cool."
Mattel; John Parra/Getty Images for The Latin Recording Academy
Being capable to spot different Latinx artists enactment existent to themselves, she added, is advancement worthy noting.
"I'm honored to person pushed that doorway unfastened a small spot more," Gloria, 64, expressed. "For me, it was Carlos Santana, José Feliciano, Desi Arnaz—I was seeing him sing successful Spanish connected I Love Lucy erstwhile I was a kid and it was the top-rated amusement successful America."
She continued, "Those artists paved the mode for me. So, to someway person helped things get a small easier...I mean, I was thrilled to spot Bad Bunny doing his acceptance speeches successful Spanish and performing successful Spanish and not having to adapt. That's a fantastic determination forward."
As she summed it up, "I emotion to spot Latinos succeeding successful thing that they do, truthful I'm precise blessed that it's moving successful that direction."
Jim Spellman/WireImage
And adjacent though Gloria has made an interaction successful the euphony business, she hopes to be remembered for celebrating her roots.
"My grandson oregon his kids, I privation them to beryllium capable to look backmost and spot that we were arrogant of our culture—whether it beryllium Emilio's Lebanese broadside oregon my Spanish and Cuban side—that we did thing to support our civilization live successful a respectful way," she said. "And that we were capable to animate radical done euphony and my words—that, to me, is the biggest privilege due to the fact that different people's euphony got maine done the toughest times of my life."
"For my euphony to beryllium determination for idiosyncratic else," she added, "is the eventual honor."
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