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Ok, cool.

Yes, I would like to know how did you make the decision of recording with Machu Pichu as your background?

God. That was... I had always wanted to go to Machu Pichu because I know that it is a very beautiful spiritual place. We have always loved Andean rhythms, and with "Abriendo Puertas", we had explored Colombian sounds like currulao. With "Alma Caribeña", we had explored some Caribbean rhythms, such as Bomba and other things from Panama. So, we heard this Peruvian huayno rhythm, and I said, "If we can record it in Machu Pichu, that would be awesome". It was the first video ever recorded in Machu Pichu. It was one of the nicest experiences for me, being in Cusco... which is fabulous... an amazing culture. It was really nice.

What is your secret to remaining famous for so long?

I wish I knew, to be honest. Wow... You know what? The nice thing about music is that you get to do something that you feel in your heart, that is honest. We have had the pleasure of having our fans with us... from the deepest traditional roots on "Mi Tierra", and now with "90 Millas"... to the album "Gloria", which is the one with the most pop on it and everything in between. And, it is because we really are a mixture... I feel that I am from both worlds, so we are not making up anything. I think that people feel that. Besides that, Emilio really is a very organized man. He is hardworking. He is a man who knows a lot about the business, but has not lost his artistic heart. He is a very emotional person. He is supportive, motivating, kind...

A good husband.

Very joyful. I couldn't ask for a better manager.

It's great having your husband as your manager and producer.

Well... It could be either heaven or hell.

Ha, ha, ha.

In my case, it has been fabulous because we both have a lot of respect for each other. And there are no egos, which is the biggest issue.

We will continue talking about Gloria Estefan's music and life. Stay tuned!

Thanks.

[clapping]

** We continue now with Estudio Billboard and the music of Gloria Estefan. Are you going to play something for us?**

I'm going to sing one of the songs. As I was saying, one of my favorite albums, as a composer in English, is "Unwrapped". I have done a lot of things in Spanish, but I first learned how to cry while I was singing in English,... when I learned the songs on the radio, as I told you, by Stevie Wonder, Elton John, and Carole King. When I compose in English, I have to be much more careful and not be too romantic or too sweet. They don't like that. In Spanish, you can be much more passionate and dramatic. But, you have to keep it under control in English. When I was writing the songs for this album, I had never realized what fame had brought to my life. I am a person who has never enjoyed being the center of attention, and suddenly, after meeting Emilio and being part of the band, I was in the center of... of a fish bowl, of a fish bowl,... So, I have become interested in analyzing fame and trying to understand it.

You also studied Psychology, for those of you who are watching and didn't know.

Yes, I studied Psychology. We are all looking for help when we learn about Psychology, and I'm not any different. I was at Rio Beach, as I told you before, and the song starts like this:

I just started to express myself. I was all alone and I was thinking about fame and what it means. That's how the song started. It goes like this: What in this world feels so alive? Makes us, then breaks us then helps us survive? Buries our hopes, then revives our desire to succeed or our greed? Who in this world sees when I cry? Throws me then shows me that I'm justified.

Then my daughter came in and said, "Mom, what are you doing in there? What are you singing?" I said, "Honey, I'm writing a song right now". She sat by my side and said, "I want to see, mom. Would you mind if I sit here and listen?" She sat there. And at the end of the song, I was crying. She was, too. And she said, "Oh my God! Where did you get that from?" And I think... I wish I knew! because every time I write a song I think, "This will never happen again". It happens just like that. It is like having a child every time you write a song.

** Gloria, you just played a song that is somewhat new since "Unwrapped" was the album recorded before this one. Is there one of your older songs that you still remember and can play for us?**

You mean old, old?

Almost as old as "Conga"...

Oh, my God!. Like "Conga"... Ok... I realize you're seeing someone new... I don't believe she knows you like I do. Your temperamental, moody side, the one you always try to hide from me.

Emilio and I had an argument. I don't remember what it was about. I don't remember why we were arguing. But he went to work, or I don't know what he was doing, and I had a very old piano, in very bad condition. It wasn't tuned or anything. I heard this in my head, so...

But I know when you have something on your mind...

He won't speak to me when we have an argument or he gets angry. You can't even try to talk to him.

You've been trying to tell me for the longest time, and before you break my heart in two, there's something I've been trying to say to you...

Because the more I tried to talk to him, the more he would refuse to talk. So... But the words get in the way...

And, that song was born. I finished the song. He came back, I sang it to him, and he said, "We're gonna need to argue more because that song is... [laughing] It's a hit". I called the man at the record studio. I told him, "Listen to this". And he said, "It's not going anywhere". [laughing] So, I said, "Ok. We think differently".

Definitely.

Yes.

Gloria, you had an accident that was well known. You were on a bus during the middle of your tour, and the bus crashed, and you broke your back.

Yes, I was paralyzed.

And people thought for a little while that you were going to die. You were paralyzed for a while, and later... well, you're obviously here right now.

Yes, exactly.

Did anything positive come out of that accident? What was it?

Everything was positive. I always try to see the positive in everything bad that happens in life. I always look to the future, and what I can learn from a situation. And that was awful. My mother is a teacher, well she is retired now, but the first thing she saw... She was in the teacher's lounge, and she saw on the news, "Gloria Estefan died after a bus accident". And, she fainted. Thank God, a friend of hers called her and told her, "Gloria, don't pay attention. We called her office, and she is not dead. She is seriously injured, but she didn't die". What I least wanted, was for people to see me in that condition. I was tied to a board...

I remember

And, I was wearing a neck brace... I was taken to New York because the accident was in Pennsylvania. We arrived, and our landing was supposed to be a secret. But when we got there, the place was full of reporters. I told Emilio, "Cover me with a blanket." He said, "No! They are going to think that you are dead! I can't cover you!" I said, "Let it be God's will". I closed my eyes. That picture was everywhere. So, it was very hard. But as you can see, in a few words, I am doing great. Thank God! I worked very hard. That day we were flown in two helicopters. I was in one with the doctor and an entire team, and Emilio and my son were in the other one. It was a very cloudy day, yet there was a little ray of light that fell continuously over Emilio's eyes. Whatever direction the helicopter took, there was this tiny ray of light through a hole in a cloud. He said, "God, when are we coming out of the dark?" He wrote the words "Coming out of the dark," on a tiny piece of paper, and he put it in his pocket. We made it through that incident. We came back to Miami, and three months later, I was working out for seven hours a day in rehab. And then he said, "Look, I found this in my pants." It had been washed. He found the piece of paper, all blurry...

With the words written on it.

And he said, "I want you to come with me to the studio." I said, "Ok. I'm coming." I was wearing my waist support and everything when I went in. Emilio was with Jon Secada, and they sang.

Coming out of the dark, I finally see the light now, and it's shining on me.

That was the only part they sang. They had only written that. I sat down, and I swear, I felt... Wow! So many people had sent me prayers, letters, everything you can imagine... It was such an amazing show of support that I said, "This is my chance to thank all of those people, thank God, and life as well." We sat there for about 15 minutes, and the three of us wrote the song and recorded it right away. I worked on the demo. I sang it later, when I was feeling better. At that moment, I couldn't sing much because I was very sore. But we wrote it, and it came from a very real place. Thanks so much to everyone who helped me...

And, it's a song that has literally changed many people's lives, right? Many people have come to you after your concerts, and they tell you, "That song..."

Yes. After the accident, I went on my Into The Light tour. The tour was originally called Cuts Both Ways, and it had to be postponed twice. The first time, one of my vocal chords was bleeding after a coughing episode. I didn't usually get sick, but I suddenly started to cough, and one of my vocal chords was injured. I couldn't talk for two months after that. When we started the tour again, we had the accident. It was called Cuts Both Ways, and it was postponed twice. I said, "I'm not going to call it Coming Out Of The Dark because I don't want any "darkness" put on my tour". So I called it Into The Light, which was the positive part. Two hours after the show, some people came, in bed, with oxygen, in a wheelchair. My sister used to say, "I'm going to make a plastic bottle with your image. I'm going to fill it up with water from the pool, and I am going to sell it!" I used to tell her, "You're mean!" My sister is sarcastic. I am like that, too, but she usually answered the phone, "Our Lady of the Rods. May I help you?" Our Lady of the Rods? I was like, "Oh, please". But people wanted to know how I was able to get through that situation. How could I know that I was making such an impact in the life of someone who I didn't know? It's the most beautiful thing in the world...

touching people's lives.

Don't move. We'll be right back with more of Estudio Billboard and Gloria Estefan.

[clapping]

We continue talking with Gloria Estefan, and now it's my turn to put you up against the wall.

There are no walls here, so... I don't know how you could do that.

Ok. Here are our questions. This is the Billboard questionnaire. It goes like this:

Oh, a psychological test?

Yes.

What a nightmare.

It is like the Rorscharch test. Isn't that the name of the test?

Yes.

Ok. I ask the question and you give an answer. You can't stop to think.

Oh, my God.

Ready?

Ok.

What is the greatest gift you have ever received?

My daughter, who was not supposed to be born.

What is the biggest lie you have told during an interview?

I don't tell lies.

Describe your perfect night.

Doing nothing at all...

Two records you would take to a desert island with you? Only two.

Only two? Songs In The Key Of Life by Stevie Wonder and Sade, just in case there is a romantic night on that island.

[laughing]

What song makes you cry?

Many. So many. The one written... "I Hope You Dance, I Hope You Dance". I had the chance to sing it in "Women Rock". It breaks my heart.

What do you spend the most money on?

I am not a big spender. But, the thing I have spent the most money on was a boat... My boat...

What would you give Ricky Martin as a present?

Ricky Martin? He doesn't need anything. He has it all. Ok,... a puppy.

And Juan Luis Guerra?

Juan Luis Guerra? A love bubble. [laughing]

Do you sleep with or without pajamas?

It depends on what you mean by pajamas.

Nighty.

No nighty.

[laughing]

What is it that men will never understand about women?

We like to communicate, talk, have deep conversations.

Your worst fault?

I have a very strong sense of justice. There are many things that bother me in that respect.

Your best virtue?

I'm honest.

Your most treasured possession?

Here it is... my guitar.

What are you afraid of?

Nothing now.

Something you always carry with you?

My curly hair because... the other things change... but curls sometimes don't!

[laughing]

You have someone straighten them, just like me?

Exactly.

Something you can't stand in a person.

Being lied to for no reason.

What do you do before going on stage?

Open my chakras,... open all of them, for communication to flow.

Do you have any good luck charm?

All of those things I have received as presents from people around the world. I take them with me in a bag, just in case.

The most important quality in a man?

Sense of humor.

Your favorite vice?

Chocolate.

Ok. Very good! You made it. You made it.

That was scary.,,those things are dangerous.

Dangerous but fun. We have talked about composing music, but you are also a writer. I know that you are working on a movie script.

Yes.

And, many people also know you as the writer of the Noelle books.

Yes. My Colombian female dog. She's from Bogota, but she is an English bulldog. I love her. As I told you, since I was twelve, I knew by heart, all of the rhymes by Jose Marti. That's why I wrote the Noelle books in rhyme. I also loved Doctor Seuss as a kid, and I have read him to my children. I think it stays longer in a child's memory when it rhymes and has verses. Besides, they are more musical. So, when I brought my dog home, we already had five Dalmatians. She was brown with short legs, and she wanted to be a Dalmatian. She reminded me of my childhood. When I attended school in Texas, there was a boy who sat next to me who used to call me stupid because I didn't speak English.

How old were you?

Six years old... So, that gave me an idea... to try to plant a seed in the minds of children who are just starting out... Putting in them self-esteem, and teaching them how important it is to be who you are, to be self-confident... Also, that it's ok to be different. Noelle reminded me of that. And also, I love animals. My friends use to call me "Dolittle One". I have birds, dogs, fish. I even had miniature kangaroos. I love animals.

Gloria, tell us a little about 90 Millas. It is an album that pays tribute to Cuba, and it has a lot of collaboration with other artists.

Many. There are 25 Latin music masters, who have been one step ahead our sound for many years, starting from Cachao, the creator of mambo, and Generoso, who passed away some weeks ago. Chocolate Armenteros, Cándido Camero... Those were the creators of the sounds Emilio and I wanted to make. It was his idea to create a bridge from the music of the past. Music that we still listen to, because Cubans hold on to everything that tastes, smells, or has anything to do with Cuba since we don't have our land. So, as musicians, music is the obvious thing for us. People like La India, Sheila E., Feliciano, who has to be mentioned, obviously, Carlos Santana, people who have opened the door for other Hispanic musicians, young ones like Wisin y Yandel... They remixed the songs.

Yes, I had forgotten.

...to close the circle. Then the idea was,... Sandoval, Paquito D'Rivera, Paquito Echevarría, Johnny Pacheco... It's almost like a "Musical United Nations." It has musicians who love Cuban music, and who have honored us by being on our record.

You have a long list of collaborators, and this record is all about working together. Throughout your musical career, you have sung with Pavarotti, may he rest in peace...

I sang with the three tenors.

Really?

With the three of them, but at different times. Well, I've sung with Alejandro Fernández, John Secada, Feliciano, B.B. King, with Quincy Jones... I've had the amazing joy of...

Is there anyone you forgot to mention?

I have to mention Celia Cruz, I also sang with her...

Of course.

May she rest in peace. Every time you are invited to sing with someone new, it means the other artist is interested in doing something with you. It is nice because every baby that is born, is different. It is impossible to sing with one person, and create the same music that I would make by myself. So, it is nice. It is a continuous learning experience, and it is nice to sing with other musicians and singers.

I know we're running out of time. Can you play a goodbye song for us?

Of course, I'd love to. One of the girls in the audience reminded me about a song I haven't sung in a while. She likes it a lot, and that song was important because I was invited to write a song for the Olympic Games. I thought, "My God, this is a lot of pressure! A song for the Olympic Games? I don't really like those types of songs very much. I prefer singing with my guitar. There was a friend of mine composing for the Destiny album by Diane Warren, who is an amazing composer and is very famous. She has written songs for a lot of people, and she never composes with anybody else. But, sometimes I am as crazy as she is! And we ended up with a parody before we finished the song! We didn't talk about it but I love parodies about everything... Many of them can't be sung.

You like comedy and humor very much.

I love it. It's important to me. So, I wanted to make a song that anyone could play on their guitar... like a story, even if it had a lot of arrangements. I wanted a song that you could play on your guitar. I'm going to play a little part for the girl who is sitting right there...

Some dreams live on in time forever those dreams, you want with all your heart and I'll do whatever it takes follow through with the promise I made put it all on the line what I hoped for at last would be mine if I could reach higher just for one moment touch the sky from that one moment in my life I'm gonna be stronger, know that I've tried my very best I'd put my spirit to the test if I could reach.

Bravo. Thanks, Gloria. Thanks to the audience. And thanks to you, for sharing the music of Gloria Estefan with us. See you soon…

THE END

Gloria Estefan in Estudio Billboard [1] [2]