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Initially considered a Latin version of Madonna, Gloria Estefan developed from a dance diva into a respected songstress. With her husband on keyboards and in the producer's seat, Estefan's band Miami Sound Machine evolved from a wedding band to a veritable hit machine in the 1980s, composing accessible dance tunes that fused Disco with Salsa. "Conga" and "Rhythm is Gonna Get You" were chart-topping dance anthems rooted in Afro-Cuban rhythms that foreshadowed the tropical music explosion. In 1993 she released a Spanish language record, "Mi Tierra (My Land)," which was a mix of nostalgic ballads and contemporary Salsa. Singing in her mother tongue, Estefan's voice reached a new level of sophistication and highlighted her formidable range. Featuring a guest appearance by Celia Cruz on "Alma Caribena (Latin Soul)" (2000), Estefan wholeheartedly embraces her Cuban heritage with superb arrangements. Gloria and her husband Emilio can be credited with putting Miami on the musical map and reconnecting across a great divide back to their motherland -- Cuba.
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