After spending some time exploring her Cuban roots and traditional pop, Gloria Estefan returned to straight-up dance-pop with the infectious Gloria! With its percolating disco beats and sunny melodies, the record recalls her glory days of the late '80s, but there is a stronger Latin rhythmic underpinning, which gives the music depth. Some of the songs themselves are slight, but most of them rank among her best uptempo songs and ballads, especially since her singing is better than ever. In fact, Gloria! proves that some dance-pop divas can get better -- and more adventurous -- with age. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine, All Music Guide
Kike Santander (Programming), Chris McMillan (Hair Stylist), DJ Abel Aguilera (Remixing), Catherine Russell (Vocals (Background)), Ernie Lake (Programming), Adolfo Pérez Butrón (Photography), Giuseppe D. (Programming), La Tribu (Vocals (Background)), Rita Quintero (Vocals (Background)), Gloria Estefan (Vocals), Lawrence Dermer (Arranger), Bobby Guy (Engineer), Ed Calle (Sax (Alto)), Chris Theis (Engineer), Love to Infinity (Remixing), Mario Rodriguez (Engineer), Tony Moran (Arranger), Avril Brown (Violin), Soul Solution (Producer), Eric Schilling (Engineer), Gary King (Guitar), Marilyn Wright (Violin), Ron Taylor (Engineer), Julien Barber (Viola), Javier Garza (Mixing), Joyce Hammann (Violin), James Rosenthal (Assistant Engineer), Sandra Park (Violin), Francesca Tolot (Make-Up), Tony Moran (Mixing), Lawrence Dermer (Keyboards), Javier Garza (Engineer), Jan Mullen (Violin), Elena Barere (Concert Master), Bobby Guy (Programming), Richard Locker (Cello), Danny Flynn (Stylist), Kike Santander (Producer), Regis Iandiorio (Violin), Laura Seaton (Violin), Abe Appleman (Violin), Steve Menezes (Assistant Engineer), François Kevorkian (?), Peter Lee (Engineer), Paquito Hechevarria (Piano), Bobby Guy (Mixing), Wyclef Jean (Rap), Tom Timko (Sax (Alto)), Ellen Westerman (Cello), Doris Eugenio (Vocals (Background)), Bashiri Johnson (Percussion), Sebastián Krys (Mixing), Lawrence Dermer (Producer), Chris Wiggins (Assistant Engineer), Barry Finclair (Violin), Bruce Weeden (Mixing), Tom Timko (Sax (Baritone)), Marti Sweet (Violin), Rene Toledo (Guitar), Antoinette Roberson (Vocals (Background)), Jerry Duplessis (Producer), Dave Saronson (Engineer), Ira Siegel (Guitar), Marcelo Añez (Assistant Engineer), Soul Solution (Remixing), Bob Ludwig (Mastering), Alfred Figueroa (Assistant Engineer), Pop Rox (Percussion), Matthew Rolston (Back Cover), Marcelo Añez (Engineer), DJ Abel Aguilera (Producer), Love to Infinity (Producer), Ann Leathers (Violin), Eric Kupper (Mixing), Randall Barlow (Producer), Lawrence Dermer (Programming), Kike Santander (Arranger), Diane Barere (Cello), Ernie Lake (Mixing), Bobby Guy (Keyboards), Lawrence Dermer (Horn Arrangements), Freddy Piñero, Jr. (Engineer), Giuseppe D. (Keyboards), George Noriega (Vocals (Background)), Dave Lee (Engineer), Randall Barlow (Trumpet), Jeff Damo (Assistant Engineer), Mary Helen Ewing (Viola), Tom Timko (Horn Arrangements), Julian Peploe (Artwork), Lawrence Dermer (Vocals (Background)), Nicki Richards (Vocals (Background)), Donna Allen (Vocals (Background)), Emilio Estefan, Jr. (Producer), Tony Moran (Vocals (Background)), Tommy Uzzo (Engineer), Emilio Estefan, Jr. (Executive Producer), Ed Calle (Sax (Tenor)), Jason Goldstein (Assistant Engineer), Ralphi Rosario (Producer), Heidi Modr (Violin), DJ Laz (Scratching), Kike Santander (Vocals (Background)), Cynthia Mizelle (Vocals (Background)), Mary Hammann (Viola), Cecelia Hobbs Gardner (Violin), Kenny Anderson (Sax (Tenor)), Jean Ingraham (Violin), Freddy Piñero, Jr. (Assistant Engineer), DJ Abel Aguilera (?), Randall Barlow (Vocals (Background)), John Pintavalle (Violin), Vaneese Thomas (Vocals (Background)), Carol Webb (Violin), Bobby Pruitt (Vocals (Background)), Matthew Rolston (Cover Photo), Hector Garrido (Horn Arrangements), Steve Menezes (Vocals (Background)), Mark Orrin Shuman (Cello), Angie Chirino (Vocals (Background)), Peter "Ski" Schwartz (Programming), François K (Mixing), Bob Rosa (Mixing), Tony Moran (Producer), Tommy Uzzo (Mixing), Matthew Rolston (Photography), Robert Blades (Vocals (Background)), Paul Peabody (Violin), Crystal Garner (Viola), Mike Koch (Assistant Engineer), Frank Ceraolo (Project Coordinator), Javier Garza (Remixing), Audrey Wheeler (Vocals (Background)), Tony Coluccio (Programming), Eric Kupper (?), Javier Garza (Producer), Ernie Lake (Drums), Andy Lee (Engineer), François K (Producer), Dave O'Donnell (Assistant Engineer), Gordon Chin (Programming), Pablo Flores (Producer), Carol Landon (Viola), Ralphi Rosario (Remixing), Peter "Ski" Schwartz (Keyboards), Eugene J. Moye (Cello), Betty Wright (Vocals (Background)), Julian Peploe (Art Direction), Richard Sortomme (Violin), Jeanne LeBlanc (Cello), Pablo Flores (Mixing), Donna Tecco (Violin), Elizabeth Lim (Violin), Nancy McAlhany (Violin), Kenny Anderson (Sax (Alto)), Jason Stasium (Assistant Engineer), Angee Blake (Vocals (Background)), Sue Pray (Viola), Tony Coluccio (Keyboards), Doug Michels (Trumpet), Roberto Blades (Vocals (Background)), Ralphi Rosario (?), Eric Kupper (Producer), Edwin Bonilla (Percussion), Randall Barlow (Horn Arrangements), Frank Cornelius (Bass), Lester Mendez (Programming), Wyclef Jean (Producer), Ernie Lake (Engineer), Gloria Estefan (Vocals (Background)), Serena Radaelli (Hair Stylist), Hector Garrido (Conductor)
gloria! is a groove-oriented, exuberant, Disco influenced album. Something completely different from Estefan's previous albums, this album is aimed at a younger audience due the stronger Club and Dance rhythms of the album.
The album got many nominations for its singles, the song "Heaven's What I Feel" received a nomination for a Grammy Music Award for "Best Dance Recording" and for the next year at the same category "Don't Let This Moment End". Also Gloria received another Grammy nomination for "Best Video, Long Form" for her video Don't Stop!. Gloria also won some awards such as the Billboard Latin Music Award for "Best Latin Dance Club Play Track of the Year" for her smash hit song "Oye! and also received three Alma Awards for "Outstanding Music Video" for "Heaven's What I Feel", "Outstanding Host in a Variety/Music/Comedy Special or Series" for her appearance at the World Music Awards and the "Ricardo Montalban Achievement Award" and on Spain she received an Amigo Music Award for "Best Latin Female Artist". Also Gloria received the prestigious American Music Award for "Award of Merit".
The album has sold to date 2.2 millions copies worldwide.
