October 4, 2023 • 23 mins
Despite her family's focus on her education, Gloria's musical career with the Miami Sound Machine took off. Their hit song "Dr. Beat" brought international success, and Emilio made the significant decision to step back from the band to support Gloria as her career soared. Their albums "Primitive Love" and "Let It Loose" marked a turning point, leading to Gloria's solo career and shaping the future of crossover Latin music.
Lilliana Vázquez and Joseph Carrillo are the hosts of Becoming an Icon with production support by Josie Meléndez, Daniela Sarquis, and Santiago Sierra of Sonoro Media in partnership with iHeart Radio's My Cultura Podcast network. If you want to support the podcast, please rate and review our show.
Follow Lilliana Vázquez on Instagram and Twitter @lillianavazquez
Follow Joseph Carrillo on Instagram @josephcarrillo
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:01):
Big things were coming around the corner for Gloria.
Speaker 2 (00:04):
She had met her soon to be.
Speaker 1 (00:06):
Husband, Joseph Spoilers, Girl, stop training. We're basically at the
training scene in Rocky you guys.
Speaker 2 (00:15):
She was putting in the time working out training her voice.
Speaker 1 (00:19):
This was serious and they were working hard as a band,
playing low key events and parties, but soon they'd be
gaining recognition on a much larger scale. So on today's episode,
join us as we go through the motions of the
Estephans romance.
Speaker 2 (00:34):
And learn how Glodia managed to balance school, the band,
marriage and motherhood. Jesus Chris, I could barely get up
for this.
Speaker 1 (00:45):
I'm your host Liliana Oscuez.
Speaker 2 (00:48):
And I'm Joseph Carrio and this is Becoming an icon a.
Speaker 1 (00:52):
Weekly podcast where we give you the rundown on how
today's most famous latinv stars have shaped pop culture.
Speaker 2 (00:59):
And given the world some extra level.
Speaker 1 (01:02):
Sit back and get comfortable.
Speaker 2 (01:04):
Because we are going in the only way we know how,
with buenas vividas, buenas.
Speaker 1 (01:10):
Riesas and a lot of opinions, as we relive their
greatest achievements on our journey to find out what makes
them so iconic.
Speaker 2 (01:28):
The Miami found Machine finally had a lead singer.
Speaker 1 (01:31):
At the time, Glodia was a college student and her
family prioritized her education above all else, especially her mom.
She was only allowed to join the band if her
cousin joined with her, and the band was not to
interfere with her studies.
Speaker 2 (01:46):
Which meant Gloria would only perform on weekends.
Speaker 1 (01:50):
By the way, I didn't know this until I researched
that episode, but Glodia majored in psychology with a minor
in French. She was also working at the time as
an English, span and French translator at Miami International Airport's
customs department.
Speaker 2 (02:04):
Okay, holy SiZ Aka, homegirl was biz?
Speaker 1 (02:09):
Did you also know that she almost worked for the CIA?
Speaker 2 (02:14):
Shut your butt?
Speaker 1 (02:15):
What uh huh? Because she was fluent in three languages
and working as a translator at the time, they were
eyeing her for recruitment. But obviously hello. Thankfully for us
and the rest of the world, things did turn out
a little differently.
Speaker 2 (02:29):
What she for sure didn't expect was the Miami saun
Machine turning into a full blown career.
Speaker 1 (02:35):
As they started working together, Emilio Stefan nurtured Gloria's talent
and really helped her come out of her shell. He
helped her see her full potential.
Speaker 2 (02:44):
Like Dirty Dancing the movie, the whole rehearsal montage, did
he lift her up in the lake?
Speaker 1 (02:50):
I mean, I'm sure and he was definitely wearing those
short shorts stop. But it was in those sessions with
the media that she was able to really expand her
vocal range.
Speaker 2 (03:01):
Out was the shy girl and in was the superstar.
Speaker 1 (03:05):
She was gaining confidence not just as a performer, but
also in her life because soon enough, her relationship with
Emilio would blossom into something more.
Speaker 2 (03:15):
July fourth, nineteen seventy six, Clodia.
Speaker 1 (03:19):
And Emilia would usually go out to get some air,
take a little break during their gigs, you know, just
a moment to breathe and center themselves.
Speaker 2 (03:27):
On this day, they were doing a little Independence Day
gig all Stars in Bangals Ship.
Speaker 1 (03:32):
And Gloria claims that Emilia suggested they go get some
air like they normally do.
Speaker 2 (03:38):
So they go outside and Emilio tells her it's his birthday,
which is clearly a lie. That man is a March
fourth pisces.
Speaker 1 (03:45):
Hang he was four months early or I guess eight
months late. It just depends how you look at it.
But anyway, point is Emilio asks her for a quote
unquote birthday kiss.
Speaker 2 (03:56):
He thought he was so slick, honey.
Speaker 1 (03:58):
She always the lady suggested she get him a birthday
present instead, and he compromised. He said, well, what about
a kiss on the cheek. But the kiss on the
cheek turned into a real one.
Speaker 2 (04:12):
He moved his face.
Speaker 1 (04:14):
I hate when guys do that, And yes he did.
Speaker 2 (04:17):
Did I do that all the time.
Speaker 1 (04:20):
I'm not surprised. And at the end it all worked
out because Glodia said what followed were pure fireworks, literally
and figuratively, as the Fourth of July celebration was in
full force.
Speaker 2 (04:34):
And these fellow band members officially became an item.
Speaker 1 (04:42):
The Miami Sound Machine, much like Manugal, had its fair
share of different members throughout the years.
Speaker 2 (04:48):
The OG group consisted of six Cuban born members.
Speaker 1 (04:52):
Yes, you had Emilio Stephan Junior on percussion and accordion.
Joseph's favorite instrument, Gloria Fajarlo would leave vocals and hand percussion.
Mercy Navadro, Gloria's cousin, on lead vocals two with her
husband Raoul Muciano on the keys, and then I can't
forget about Kiki Enrica Garcia on drums and one marcos
(05:12):
Avella on bass.
Speaker 2 (05:14):
Soon enough, the band would become a full time job,
as they were in high demand. Yeah.
Speaker 1 (05:18):
A year and a half later, after Gloria joined the group,
the band recorded its first album for a local.
Speaker 2 (05:24):
Label, Rena Said or Live Again, was released in nineteen
seventy seven.
Speaker 1 (05:29):
It was a collection of disco pop and a lot
of original ballads, all sung in Spanish.
Speaker 2 (05:35):
With Lorita in the mix. More ballads were thrown into
the band's estillo.
Speaker 1 (05:40):
Yeah, if you go back and listen to this song,
which by the way, I had to look up on YouTube,
not going to front, it's okay, it's giving okay.
Speaker 2 (05:49):
I will say it was a very unique sound that
I have only heard in that one song, Like I've
never heard anything like it again, Like it was, It's unique.
It's a very unique sound.
Speaker 1 (06:00):
It felt like, you know, elevator music. Yeah, it felt
like eighties elevator music with a hint of rock in Espanol.
Just go listen. We're not doing it. We're not helping
anybody with this description. Y'all should go listen to.
Speaker 2 (06:16):
It eighties elevator sleepy synthesized whatever that means. In between
band practice, gigs, and school, Gloria made time to get hitched.
Speaker 1 (06:28):
Gloordia had a lot on her plate. She was working
hard to become a provider for her family, and Emilio
noticed this. During an interview with The Washington Post, he
said this, when I met her, there was a lot
of sad in her face. I made sure she became
a happy person.
Speaker 2 (06:43):
Oh, I love that. By September second, nineteen seventy eight,
they had an album out in the world.
Speaker 1 (06:49):
And after just two years of dating, Gloria's first and
only boyfriend became her husband.
Speaker 2 (06:56):
Wow. There's From this moment on, these two could be
known as the Estefans.
Speaker 1 (07:03):
At the time, Gloria's father was still in the hospital,
so Gloria walked herself down the aisle.
Speaker 2 (07:09):
Once the ideas were said, she went straight to the
hospital to see her dad. He was able to see
how gorgeous she looked in her wedding fit, which was
given Princess leiah Illness.
Speaker 1 (07:18):
Again, let's describe it for the people. It was a
hooded white wedding gown and it like draped and her
hair was very short in the photo, I mean it
looked like almost yeah, Princess Leah realness.
Speaker 2 (07:33):
I'm not gonna say it was like a gown.
Speaker 1 (07:36):
Please google via Stefan's wedding photo.
Speaker 2 (07:39):
Trust yes, let us know what you think, and I.
Speaker 1 (07:42):
Will say the gown was incredibly fitting. Because you guys,
they didn't have a big Latin typical wedding, right like
we invite our cousins, cousins, the vesinos, the tillas, like
the people that cut your we invite everybody. This was
not that. Because of her father's condition, of course, they
decided on a smaller ceremony. It was nothing major, but
(08:03):
their friends did surprise them with a big party to
celebrate their big day. Then there was a short honeymoon,
back to work and back to Cuba.
Speaker 2 (08:20):
The Estephans would spend some time on the island together.
They were there to help Amelio's brother Jose and his
family leave Cuba for the United States.
Speaker 1 (08:29):
Emilio's niece Lilia Stephan remembers that day well, sharing they
drove for something like eighteen hours from Havana to Santiago
to Cuba.
Speaker 2 (08:39):
They were in Cuba to help Emilio's brother Jose and
his family leave for the United States, and they all
left together in nineteen eighty. By that year, the Miami
sound machine had become something of a cultural phenomenon.
Speaker 1 (08:51):
Gloria said it was a humbling experience. They were packing
soccer stadiums in Latin America with over fifty thousand people,
but they'd go back to Miami to play weddings for
two hundred tests.
Speaker 2 (09:04):
If there is one thing that'll humble you, honey, it's
the American entertainment industry. They're not easily impressed with anything,
even if it's gold right under their noses. But now
it's the eighties and in Miami, opportunity was in the air. Baby.
Speaker 1 (09:21):
Yes, there were people that wanted to ruin the city's
image by focusing solely on the high crime rate that
was servicing, talking about drug cartels and blaming Latino immigrants.
Speaker 2 (09:30):
But popular staples like Miami Vice had trained the city's
image around to trademarking it a popular destination.
Speaker 1 (09:37):
Plus, the NFL was drawing attention with Miami Dolphins quarterback
Dan Marino breaking records left and right. There was an
infectious sound in the air, adding to all the hype.
Miami Sound Machine's popularity was growing around the world, and yes,
the US finally got the memo.
Speaker 2 (09:54):
They didn't stop recording.
Speaker 1 (09:56):
The band was signed to these ghost CBS International. On
top of that, they even had their own label named
MSM Label.
Speaker 2 (10:03):
Not only was the band getting busy, but so were
they of Stefan's Amelia left his job as a sales
manager at McCarty, deciding to devote all of his time
to the Miami Sad Machine. He took up more of
a managerial position, devoting his time and energy to promoting
the band.
Speaker 1 (10:19):
Emilia would also devote his time to his wife as
a dedicated husband and a soon to v father.
Speaker 2 (10:27):
Their son, Naives Stefan, was born on September two, nineteen eighty,
two years after their wedding.
Speaker 1 (10:34):
Sadly, two months later, Gloria's father passed away. Emilio was
the one to break the news. She went straight to
the hospital after this, and with her mom, she was
able to see her dad and say their last goodbyes.
Despite the heavy loss, Gloria was able to jump back
and continue working with the band towards the inevitable success
(10:54):
that awaited them.
Speaker 2 (10:56):
So far, they had Rena said, and the self titled
Miami Sound Machine albums.
Speaker 1 (11:01):
They were a sensation. They were on top of the world,
making and selling records, plus inspiring a new generation of
soon to be latinx icons.
Speaker 2 (11:12):
They definitely had what it takes to dominate the US airwaves.
Speaker 1 (11:16):
Emidio even convinced Sony to let them release doctor Beat
as a music video, and it was off to the
racist from there. They believed in themselves enough to see
this through. Emilial produced and financed the video himself.
Speaker 2 (11:31):
At first, you would have thought all their hopes and
dreams and cash went down the drain because of this song.
It didn't really perform well in the US, but.
Speaker 1 (11:40):
Hold on because it did become a huge success worldwide,
especially in Europe.
Speaker 2 (11:46):
It cracked the top ten in the UK and boosted
their popularity worldwide. Doctor B don't you start? Doctor Beat?
Speaker 1 (11:55):
Joseph, what was your first impression of the video?
Speaker 2 (12:00):
I know, at first, I was just kind of like
when you're watching it. At first, I was like, Whoa's
gloriac gonna jump? So I know, you guys don't know
what I'm talking about. You have to like watch the
video to know. But it was weird it was like
a movie.
Speaker 1 (12:14):
It gave me kind of like thriller vibes. There's a
lot of storytelling. Okay, so here's what happened. So this
video is actually shot on the roof of the Bookcardi
Imports building, which is funny enough, where Enrika Garcia and
Emilio both worked for a short period of time and
is stefan. Gloria is calling for doctor Bat right, which
is played by her drummer Enrica Garcia.
Speaker 2 (12:36):
Who also wrote the song right, yes.
Speaker 1 (12:38):
And she's calling for doctor bat to help hear her
from her desire to dance continuously. This is truly the
storyline for the video.
Speaker 2 (12:50):
Okay, she's just gyrating the whole time, like she's dancing
the whole time. She's even when they're trying to strap
her down in like a bed like.
Speaker 1 (12:58):
Yes, okay, so she like dances all the way to
the hospital. Then she's laying on the hospital bed and
you guys, this is the best part of the entire video.
They open Gloria up and reveal that a juke box
was living inside her, attached to like.
Speaker 2 (13:19):
The a chord, a chord like an umbilical chord.
Speaker 1 (13:22):
Yes, exactly, And guess who cuts the cords, tell me
Doctor b it was a lot. I will say that
I'm looking for a Halloween costume, and I feel like
if I dressed up like Gloria in this outfit.
Speaker 2 (13:37):
I wonder if people would know who you were. But
I do want to say this, you know, as much
as we're like, oh, you know, it wasn't such a
great song. It did hit number seventeen on the Hot
Dance Club Play charts.
Speaker 1 (13:47):
The thing about the video is that it's totally out there.
It's wacky, but it's very eighties. This is what videos
were in the eighties. They were wacky, they were fun.
They were camp right, pure camp is the best way
to describe it.
Speaker 2 (14:00):
Oh my god, you know what that word is, exactly
what that fucking video is.
Speaker 1 (14:04):
If you want some fun, go back and watch the video,
because if you've ever wondered, like when the met Gala
happened and people like, what does camp mean? Does it
mean camping? No, this is pure camp. It's over the top,
it makes no sense, and it is glorious in how
crazy it is.
Speaker 2 (14:21):
But Doctor Beat kept them busy touring and.
Speaker 1 (14:25):
Performing, which kept Gloria away from her son. Soon the
stepbands would have to make a very tough decision their
careers or their home life. Glodia was getting more and
more attention. Doctor Beat was charting and they were touring
(14:48):
as a band.
Speaker 2 (14:49):
A Miami Sound Machine show was a hot ticket.
Speaker 1 (14:52):
This also meant that Glordia's availability was very limited.
Speaker 2 (14:57):
So we've talked about this before, and you feel very
strongly about this topic Loves, which is Latina Mommy's setting
aside their career to be a mother. In this case,
the table's returned because with everything going on in Glodia's life,
Emilio was the one to step.
Speaker 1 (15:12):
Down, which, by the way, is so incredibly progressive, not
just for the time, but culturally progressive, right. I mean,
this is revolutionary because this is in the eighties, right.
So here's what happened. Emilio acknowledged that he wasn't a singer.
He was keeping the band together behind the scenes, and
(15:34):
he could do that from anywhere. Think of it as
like remote work back in the eighties, right now, you
could do your jobs from anywhere. We didn't have that
luxury ten years ago. But he was like, listen, I
can manage the band from home. And he saw that
Gloria had this beautiful, blossoming career and it was nowhere
close to its peak yet. So for her to give
(15:55):
all of that up it would have been a tragedy,
not just for the band but for the world at
the time. So he gave her the opportunity to continue
with the band, dedicate her time to being the lead
singer and a future icon.
Speaker 2 (16:12):
So Emilio had to step up exactly, or Emilio decided
to step up.
Speaker 1 (16:18):
Well, I think that change in verb is really important,
like had to Versus decided to Like he saw this,
he was like, listen, my wife has an incredible career
ahead of her. It's what's good for her is good
for us as a family. And I think that shift
in perspective is something that still doesn't happen a lot
(16:39):
with a lot of working moms. Like I have friends
that are the primary breadwinners and their family right their moms.
But they're also working moms, and they also make more
than their husbands. Yet there's still the ones at every
doctor's appointment, They're still the ones at the school calls,
And I'm like, wait a second, why, Like why is
there not a more equal distribution of household and childcare responsibilities.
(17:02):
It's really hard. And the fact that he was able
to do this and saw this in the eighties, like I.
Speaker 2 (17:07):
Was gonna say, in the eighties, machiesmo, Like it's the
peak of Like it's the fucking eighties, Like that is
the peak of ego.
Speaker 1 (17:14):
Yeah, but it's what it's honestly. It's like I feel like,
especially in Latino culture, men at the time and men
still now because I see it prevalent in my cousin's marriages,
they still don't get it, like what's good for her
is good for us. It's always like what's good for
me is good for the family. But then when you
flip the tables and it's the wife who has more
responsibilities outside of the home. I think that's a hard
(17:36):
pill for a lot of Latino men to swallow, simply
because machismo is what traditionally has dominated the way we
set up our homes and our households.
Speaker 2 (17:46):
This really fucking makes them even more iconic because they
didn't follow anything socially normal.
Speaker 1 (17:52):
Yeah, And I think it goes back to we talked
about what makes somebody an icon, and we talk about
how with Bad Bunny, he's breaking down all these gender norms, right,
all of these boundaries, especially for Latinos, around what a
man looks like, how he dresses, does he do his nails,
does he wear makeup? And he's dismantling all of those
(18:14):
norms around gender. For us, well, hello, here were Emilio
and Gloria doing that back in the eighties and we.
Speaker 2 (18:22):
Didn't even know it. Icon the I cons.
Speaker 1 (18:28):
It's incredible that Emilia was able to make that decision
for his family. Because the Miami Sound Machine followed up
Doctor Beat with their album Primitive Love.
Speaker 2 (18:38):
It was the band's ninth studio album and their second
English language record. If you're doing the math, it means
it took nine albums for the world to get Gona.
Speaker 1 (18:49):
That fact right there. Joseph really burst the bubble of
overnight success. As we've mentioned countless times on this podcast. Yes,
they were always great, but they were getting better. The
world was ready for them. But this is when the
American audience seemed to fully wake up.
Speaker 2 (19:07):
It was mainstream exactly.
Speaker 1 (19:09):
It's nineteen eighty five and they finally have an album
that broke into the American charts. It ended up having
three top ten hits on the Billboard Hot One hundred words,
get in the way, bad boy, and of course gong Ga.
I know that you're not like an expert in Miami
sound machine discography, but when you hear the name Gloria Estefan,
(19:35):
what is the song that comes to mind?
Speaker 2 (19:38):
Gong Got Bitch, gong Go, Like it's just that, Like
I know she has so many other songs, but like
Gonga and her kind of dancing. I don't even know
where I get that image from, but like Gonga and
her dancing to it.
Speaker 1 (19:52):
It's such an amazing song. And I think you said
it earlier. You said, if you're having a bad day,
put on this song, you know, because.
Speaker 2 (20:00):
The beat to it, it's that it makes you stand
up and just move your body, like it makes you
want to do something. And I don't know why.
Speaker 1 (20:08):
For me, it's like, okay, makes me want to get
up and dance, but it might just make you want
to get up, like just stand up.
Speaker 2 (20:14):
Like get up, yeah, just move your feet. It's so true.
Speaker 1 (20:20):
It's it's such a great song. I mean, the video
is iconic, the lyrics are iconic, and I love how
fast she can sing. You and I have tried to
do this before.
Speaker 2 (20:30):
You're ready here we go.
Speaker 1 (20:31):
No, wait, we're gonna okay, here you do it? Okay, ready, okay,
I'm gonna sent her. Are you ready?
Speaker 2 (20:35):
Come on?
Speaker 1 (20:36):
Check your body, baby, do that Gonga? No, you can't
control yourself any lung.
Speaker 2 (20:40):
I was shaking my teeth. Is it getting strong? Good?
Speaker 1 (20:43):
Don't you fight it till you've tried to do that?
Kunga be dun dun dunna. I feel like I nailed.
Speaker 2 (20:48):
It, You nailed it one hundred percent. But for her
drummer to be this writer and take care Kiki to
like write this song like he wrote this song, and
she's like, what a duo.
Speaker 1 (20:58):
The whole band is instance much?
Speaker 2 (21:01):
And how they all found each other? I know.
Speaker 1 (21:03):
I mean it's like cousins, primos friends, like get everyone
together in the backyard. I mean, it's like Selena and Losino's,
but like thirty years before that. Obviously, Joseph and I
love the song. But this song reached the top ten
in so many different countries, not just the US. We're
talking international top ten list. This song was the song
(21:28):
and even Gloria recognizes that. When it comes to the
Miami Sound Machine, Gonga is their signature song.
Speaker 2 (21:37):
They would also go on to release the song Hot
Summer Nights, which would be featured in the nineteen eighty
six film Top Gun. It doesn't get more Merca than.
Speaker 1 (21:46):
That, exactly. Give the gringos what they want, something that
feels exotic but familiar, and in that the Astephans created
the blueprint for the crossover, which they would later share
with other Latino like Shakida and Ricky Martin.
Speaker 2 (22:02):
Preach Honey Primitive Love also elevated it all. Gloria's vocals
were insane, the music, the style, it was all really
daring and I feel like unapologetically flamboyant in the rhythm.
Speaker 1 (22:16):
Would you say the rhythm was going to get you bite?
Speaker 2 (22:19):
The rhythm got me and it took me. Their next
album was nineteen eighty seven's Let It Loose. It became
Miami Sound Machine's most commercially successful album.
Speaker 1 (22:31):
By then, Gloria Stephan took Top Billain. The band's name
was changed to Gloria Stepan and the Miami Sound Machine.
Speaker 2 (22:40):
Soon, The Miami Sound Machine would perform with Gloria as
its main lead singer and official headline.
Speaker 1 (22:50):
On the next becoming an Icon Gloria Ghost Solo and
The Accident That almost changed everything for THEA Stephans. Becoming
an Icon is presented by Sonoo and Iheart's Michael Duda
(23:11):
podcast network. Listen to Becoming an Icon on the iHeartRadio app,
Apple podcast, or wherever you get your podcast
Big things were coming around the corner for Gloria.
Speaker 2 (00:04):
She had met her soon to be.
Speaker 1 (00:06):
Husband, Joseph Spoilers, Girl, stop training. We're basically at the
training scene in Rocky you guys.
Speaker 2 (00:15):
She was putting in the time working out training her voice.
Speaker 1 (00:19):
This was serious and they were working hard as a band,
playing low key events and parties, but soon they'd be
gaining recognition on a much larger scale. So on today's episode,
join us as we go through the motions of the
Estephans romance.
Speaker 2 (00:34):
And learn how Glodia managed to balance school, the band,
marriage and motherhood. Jesus Chris, I could barely get up
for this.
Speaker 1 (00:45):
I'm your host Liliana Oscuez.
Speaker 2 (00:48):
And I'm Joseph Carrio and this is Becoming an icon a.
Speaker 1 (00:52):
Weekly podcast where we give you the rundown on how
today's most famous latinv stars have shaped pop culture.
Speaker 2 (00:59):
And given the world some extra level.
Speaker 1 (01:02):
Sit back and get comfortable.
Speaker 2 (01:04):
Because we are going in the only way we know how,
with buenas vividas, buenas.
Speaker 1 (01:10):
Riesas and a lot of opinions, as we relive their
greatest achievements on our journey to find out what makes
them so iconic.
Speaker 2 (01:28):
The Miami found Machine finally had a lead singer.
Speaker 1 (01:31):
At the time, Glodia was a college student and her
family prioritized her education above all else, especially her mom.
She was only allowed to join the band if her
cousin joined with her, and the band was not to
interfere with her studies.
Speaker 2 (01:46):
Which meant Gloria would only perform on weekends.
Speaker 1 (01:50):
By the way, I didn't know this until I researched
that episode, but Glodia majored in psychology with a minor
in French. She was also working at the time as
an English, span and French translator at Miami International Airport's
customs department.
Speaker 2 (02:04):
Okay, holy SiZ Aka, homegirl was biz?
Speaker 1 (02:09):
Did you also know that she almost worked for the CIA?
Speaker 2 (02:14):
Shut your butt?
Speaker 1 (02:15):
What uh huh? Because she was fluent in three languages
and working as a translator at the time, they were
eyeing her for recruitment. But obviously hello. Thankfully for us
and the rest of the world, things did turn out
a little differently.
Speaker 2 (02:29):
What she for sure didn't expect was the Miami saun
Machine turning into a full blown career.
Speaker 1 (02:35):
As they started working together, Emilio Stefan nurtured Gloria's talent
and really helped her come out of her shell. He
helped her see her full potential.
Speaker 2 (02:44):
Like Dirty Dancing the movie, the whole rehearsal montage, did
he lift her up in the lake?
Speaker 1 (02:50):
I mean, I'm sure and he was definitely wearing those
short shorts stop. But it was in those sessions with
the media that she was able to really expand her
vocal range.
Speaker 2 (03:01):
Out was the shy girl and in was the superstar.
Speaker 1 (03:05):
She was gaining confidence not just as a performer, but
also in her life because soon enough, her relationship with
Emilio would blossom into something more.
Speaker 2 (03:15):
July fourth, nineteen seventy six, Clodia.
Speaker 1 (03:19):
And Emilia would usually go out to get some air,
take a little break during their gigs, you know, just
a moment to breathe and center themselves.
Speaker 2 (03:27):
On this day, they were doing a little Independence Day
gig all Stars in Bangals Ship.
Speaker 1 (03:32):
And Gloria claims that Emilia suggested they go get some
air like they normally do.
Speaker 2 (03:38):
So they go outside and Emilio tells her it's his birthday,
which is clearly a lie. That man is a March
fourth pisces.
Speaker 1 (03:45):
Hang he was four months early or I guess eight
months late. It just depends how you look at it.
But anyway, point is Emilio asks her for a quote
unquote birthday kiss.
Speaker 2 (03:56):
He thought he was so slick, honey.
Speaker 1 (03:58):
She always the lady suggested she get him a birthday
present instead, and he compromised. He said, well, what about
a kiss on the cheek. But the kiss on the
cheek turned into a real one.
Speaker 2 (04:12):
He moved his face.
Speaker 1 (04:14):
I hate when guys do that, And yes he did.
Speaker 2 (04:17):
Did I do that all the time.
Speaker 1 (04:20):
I'm not surprised. And at the end it all worked
out because Glodia said what followed were pure fireworks, literally
and figuratively, as the Fourth of July celebration was in
full force.
Speaker 2 (04:34):
And these fellow band members officially became an item.
Speaker 1 (04:42):
The Miami Sound Machine, much like Manugal, had its fair
share of different members throughout the years.
Speaker 2 (04:48):
The OG group consisted of six Cuban born members.
Speaker 1 (04:52):
Yes, you had Emilio Stephan Junior on percussion and accordion.
Joseph's favorite instrument, Gloria Fajarlo would leave vocals and hand percussion.
Mercy Navadro, Gloria's cousin, on lead vocals two with her
husband Raoul Muciano on the keys, and then I can't
forget about Kiki Enrica Garcia on drums and one marcos
(05:12):
Avella on bass.
Speaker 2 (05:14):
Soon enough, the band would become a full time job,
as they were in high demand. Yeah.
Speaker 1 (05:18):
A year and a half later, after Gloria joined the group,
the band recorded its first album for a local.
Speaker 2 (05:24):
Label, Rena Said or Live Again, was released in nineteen
seventy seven.
Speaker 1 (05:29):
It was a collection of disco pop and a lot
of original ballads, all sung in Spanish.
Speaker 2 (05:35):
With Lorita in the mix. More ballads were thrown into
the band's estillo.
Speaker 1 (05:40):
Yeah, if you go back and listen to this song,
which by the way, I had to look up on YouTube,
not going to front, it's okay, it's giving okay.
Speaker 2 (05:49):
I will say it was a very unique sound that
I have only heard in that one song, Like I've
never heard anything like it again, Like it was, It's unique.
It's a very unique sound.
Speaker 1 (06:00):
It felt like, you know, elevator music. Yeah, it felt
like eighties elevator music with a hint of rock in Espanol.
Just go listen. We're not doing it. We're not helping
anybody with this description. Y'all should go listen to.
Speaker 2 (06:16):
It eighties elevator sleepy synthesized whatever that means. In between
band practice, gigs, and school, Gloria made time to get hitched.
Speaker 1 (06:28):
Gloordia had a lot on her plate. She was working
hard to become a provider for her family, and Emilio
noticed this. During an interview with The Washington Post, he
said this, when I met her, there was a lot
of sad in her face. I made sure she became
a happy person.
Speaker 2 (06:43):
Oh, I love that. By September second, nineteen seventy eight,
they had an album out in the world.
Speaker 1 (06:49):
And after just two years of dating, Gloria's first and
only boyfriend became her husband.
Speaker 2 (06:56):
Wow. There's From this moment on, these two could be
known as the Estefans.
Speaker 1 (07:03):
At the time, Gloria's father was still in the hospital,
so Gloria walked herself down the aisle.
Speaker 2 (07:09):
Once the ideas were said, she went straight to the
hospital to see her dad. He was able to see
how gorgeous she looked in her wedding fit, which was
given Princess leiah Illness.
Speaker 1 (07:18):
Again, let's describe it for the people. It was a
hooded white wedding gown and it like draped and her
hair was very short in the photo, I mean it
looked like almost yeah, Princess Leah realness.
Speaker 2 (07:33):
I'm not gonna say it was like a gown.
Speaker 1 (07:36):
Please google via Stefan's wedding photo.
Speaker 2 (07:39):
Trust yes, let us know what you think, and I.
Speaker 1 (07:42):
Will say the gown was incredibly fitting. Because you guys,
they didn't have a big Latin typical wedding, right like
we invite our cousins, cousins, the vesinos, the tillas, like
the people that cut your we invite everybody. This was
not that. Because of her father's condition, of course, they
decided on a smaller ceremony. It was nothing major, but
(08:03):
their friends did surprise them with a big party to
celebrate their big day. Then there was a short honeymoon,
back to work and back to Cuba.
Speaker 2 (08:20):
The Estephans would spend some time on the island together.
They were there to help Amelio's brother Jose and his
family leave Cuba for the United States.
Speaker 1 (08:29):
Emilio's niece Lilia Stephan remembers that day well, sharing they
drove for something like eighteen hours from Havana to Santiago
to Cuba.
Speaker 2 (08:39):
They were in Cuba to help Emilio's brother Jose and
his family leave for the United States, and they all
left together in nineteen eighty. By that year, the Miami
sound machine had become something of a cultural phenomenon.
Speaker 1 (08:51):
Gloria said it was a humbling experience. They were packing
soccer stadiums in Latin America with over fifty thousand people,
but they'd go back to Miami to play weddings for
two hundred tests.
Speaker 2 (09:04):
If there is one thing that'll humble you, honey, it's
the American entertainment industry. They're not easily impressed with anything,
even if it's gold right under their noses. But now
it's the eighties and in Miami, opportunity was in the air. Baby.
Speaker 1 (09:21):
Yes, there were people that wanted to ruin the city's
image by focusing solely on the high crime rate that
was servicing, talking about drug cartels and blaming Latino immigrants.
Speaker 2 (09:30):
But popular staples like Miami Vice had trained the city's
image around to trademarking it a popular destination.
Speaker 1 (09:37):
Plus, the NFL was drawing attention with Miami Dolphins quarterback
Dan Marino breaking records left and right. There was an
infectious sound in the air, adding to all the hype.
Miami Sound Machine's popularity was growing around the world, and yes,
the US finally got the memo.
Speaker 2 (09:54):
They didn't stop recording.
Speaker 1 (09:56):
The band was signed to these ghost CBS International. On
top of that, they even had their own label named
MSM Label.
Speaker 2 (10:03):
Not only was the band getting busy, but so were
they of Stefan's Amelia left his job as a sales
manager at McCarty, deciding to devote all of his time
to the Miami Sad Machine. He took up more of
a managerial position, devoting his time and energy to promoting
the band.
Speaker 1 (10:19):
Emilia would also devote his time to his wife as
a dedicated husband and a soon to v father.
Speaker 2 (10:27):
Their son, Naives Stefan, was born on September two, nineteen eighty,
two years after their wedding.
Speaker 1 (10:34):
Sadly, two months later, Gloria's father passed away. Emilio was
the one to break the news. She went straight to
the hospital after this, and with her mom, she was
able to see her dad and say their last goodbyes.
Despite the heavy loss, Gloria was able to jump back
and continue working with the band towards the inevitable success
(10:54):
that awaited them.
Speaker 2 (10:56):
So far, they had Rena said, and the self titled
Miami Sound Machine albums.
Speaker 1 (11:01):
They were a sensation. They were on top of the world,
making and selling records, plus inspiring a new generation of
soon to be latinx icons.
Speaker 2 (11:12):
They definitely had what it takes to dominate the US airwaves.
Speaker 1 (11:16):
Emidio even convinced Sony to let them release doctor Beat
as a music video, and it was off to the
racist from there. They believed in themselves enough to see
this through. Emilial produced and financed the video himself.
Speaker 2 (11:31):
At first, you would have thought all their hopes and
dreams and cash went down the drain because of this song.
It didn't really perform well in the US, but.
Speaker 1 (11:40):
Hold on because it did become a huge success worldwide,
especially in Europe.
Speaker 2 (11:46):
It cracked the top ten in the UK and boosted
their popularity worldwide. Doctor B don't you start? Doctor Beat?
Speaker 1 (11:55):
Joseph, what was your first impression of the video?
Speaker 2 (12:00):
I know, at first, I was just kind of like
when you're watching it. At first, I was like, Whoa's
gloriac gonna jump? So I know, you guys don't know
what I'm talking about. You have to like watch the
video to know. But it was weird it was like
a movie.
Speaker 1 (12:14):
It gave me kind of like thriller vibes. There's a
lot of storytelling. Okay, so here's what happened. So this
video is actually shot on the roof of the Bookcardi
Imports building, which is funny enough, where Enrika Garcia and
Emilio both worked for a short period of time and
is stefan. Gloria is calling for doctor Bat right, which
is played by her drummer Enrica Garcia.
Speaker 2 (12:36):
Who also wrote the song right, yes.
Speaker 1 (12:38):
And she's calling for doctor bat to help hear her
from her desire to dance continuously. This is truly the
storyline for the video.
Speaker 2 (12:50):
Okay, she's just gyrating the whole time, like she's dancing
the whole time. She's even when they're trying to strap
her down in like a bed like.
Speaker 1 (12:58):
Yes, okay, so she like dances all the way to
the hospital. Then she's laying on the hospital bed and
you guys, this is the best part of the entire video.
They open Gloria up and reveal that a juke box
was living inside her, attached to like.
Speaker 2 (13:19):
The a chord, a chord like an umbilical chord.
Speaker 1 (13:22):
Yes, exactly, And guess who cuts the cords, tell me
Doctor b it was a lot. I will say that
I'm looking for a Halloween costume, and I feel like
if I dressed up like Gloria in this outfit.
Speaker 2 (13:37):
I wonder if people would know who you were. But
I do want to say this, you know, as much
as we're like, oh, you know, it wasn't such a
great song. It did hit number seventeen on the Hot
Dance Club Play charts.
Speaker 1 (13:47):
The thing about the video is that it's totally out there.
It's wacky, but it's very eighties. This is what videos
were in the eighties. They were wacky, they were fun.
They were camp right, pure camp is the best way
to describe it.
Speaker 2 (14:00):
Oh my god, you know what that word is, exactly
what that fucking video is.
Speaker 1 (14:04):
If you want some fun, go back and watch the video,
because if you've ever wondered, like when the met Gala
happened and people like, what does camp mean? Does it
mean camping? No, this is pure camp. It's over the top,
it makes no sense, and it is glorious in how
crazy it is.
Speaker 2 (14:21):
But Doctor Beat kept them busy touring and.
Speaker 1 (14:25):
Performing, which kept Gloria away from her son. Soon the
stepbands would have to make a very tough decision their
careers or their home life. Glodia was getting more and
more attention. Doctor Beat was charting and they were touring
(14:48):
as a band.
Speaker 2 (14:49):
A Miami Sound Machine show was a hot ticket.
Speaker 1 (14:52):
This also meant that Glordia's availability was very limited.
Speaker 2 (14:57):
So we've talked about this before, and you feel very
strongly about this topic Loves, which is Latina Mommy's setting
aside their career to be a mother. In this case,
the table's returned because with everything going on in Glodia's life,
Emilio was the one to step.
Speaker 1 (15:12):
Down, which, by the way, is so incredibly progressive, not
just for the time, but culturally progressive, right. I mean,
this is revolutionary because this is in the eighties, right.
So here's what happened. Emilio acknowledged that he wasn't a singer.
He was keeping the band together behind the scenes, and
(15:34):
he could do that from anywhere. Think of it as
like remote work back in the eighties, right now, you
could do your jobs from anywhere. We didn't have that
luxury ten years ago. But he was like, listen, I
can manage the band from home. And he saw that
Gloria had this beautiful, blossoming career and it was nowhere
close to its peak yet. So for her to give
(15:55):
all of that up it would have been a tragedy,
not just for the band but for the world at
the time. So he gave her the opportunity to continue
with the band, dedicate her time to being the lead
singer and a future icon.
Speaker 2 (16:12):
So Emilio had to step up exactly, or Emilio decided
to step up.
Speaker 1 (16:18):
Well, I think that change in verb is really important,
like had to Versus decided to Like he saw this,
he was like, listen, my wife has an incredible career
ahead of her. It's what's good for her is good
for us as a family. And I think that shift
in perspective is something that still doesn't happen a lot
(16:39):
with a lot of working moms. Like I have friends
that are the primary breadwinners and their family right their moms.
But they're also working moms, and they also make more
than their husbands. Yet there's still the ones at every
doctor's appointment, They're still the ones at the school calls,
And I'm like, wait a second, why, Like why is
there not a more equal distribution of household and childcare responsibilities.
(17:02):
It's really hard. And the fact that he was able
to do this and saw this in the eighties, like I.
Speaker 2 (17:07):
Was gonna say, in the eighties, machiesmo, Like it's the
peak of Like it's the fucking eighties, Like that is
the peak of ego.
Speaker 1 (17:14):
Yeah, but it's what it's honestly. It's like I feel like,
especially in Latino culture, men at the time and men
still now because I see it prevalent in my cousin's marriages,
they still don't get it, like what's good for her
is good for us. It's always like what's good for
me is good for the family. But then when you
flip the tables and it's the wife who has more
responsibilities outside of the home. I think that's a hard
(17:36):
pill for a lot of Latino men to swallow, simply
because machismo is what traditionally has dominated the way we
set up our homes and our households.
Speaker 2 (17:46):
This really fucking makes them even more iconic because they
didn't follow anything socially normal.
Speaker 1 (17:52):
Yeah, And I think it goes back to we talked
about what makes somebody an icon, and we talk about
how with Bad Bunny, he's breaking down all these gender norms, right,
all of these boundaries, especially for Latinos, around what a
man looks like, how he dresses, does he do his nails,
does he wear makeup? And he's dismantling all of those
(18:14):
norms around gender. For us, well, hello, here were Emilio
and Gloria doing that back in the eighties and we.
Speaker 2 (18:22):
Didn't even know it. Icon the I cons.
Speaker 1 (18:28):
It's incredible that Emilia was able to make that decision
for his family. Because the Miami Sound Machine followed up
Doctor Beat with their album Primitive Love.
Speaker 2 (18:38):
It was the band's ninth studio album and their second
English language record. If you're doing the math, it means
it took nine albums for the world to get Gona.
Speaker 1 (18:49):
That fact right there. Joseph really burst the bubble of
overnight success. As we've mentioned countless times on this podcast. Yes,
they were always great, but they were getting better. The
world was ready for them. But this is when the
American audience seemed to fully wake up.
Speaker 2 (19:07):
It was mainstream exactly.
Speaker 1 (19:09):
It's nineteen eighty five and they finally have an album
that broke into the American charts. It ended up having
three top ten hits on the Billboard Hot One hundred words,
get in the way, bad boy, and of course gong Ga.
I know that you're not like an expert in Miami
sound machine discography, but when you hear the name Gloria Estefan,
(19:35):
what is the song that comes to mind?
Speaker 2 (19:38):
Gong Got Bitch, gong Go, Like it's just that, Like
I know she has so many other songs, but like
Gonga and her kind of dancing. I don't even know
where I get that image from, but like Gonga and
her dancing to it.
Speaker 1 (19:52):
It's such an amazing song. And I think you said
it earlier. You said, if you're having a bad day,
put on this song, you know, because.
Speaker 2 (20:00):
The beat to it, it's that it makes you stand
up and just move your body, like it makes you
want to do something. And I don't know why.
Speaker 1 (20:08):
For me, it's like, okay, makes me want to get
up and dance, but it might just make you want
to get up, like just stand up.
Speaker 2 (20:14):
Like get up, yeah, just move your feet. It's so true.
Speaker 1 (20:20):
It's it's such a great song. I mean, the video
is iconic, the lyrics are iconic, and I love how
fast she can sing. You and I have tried to
do this before.
Speaker 2 (20:30):
You're ready here we go.
Speaker 1 (20:31):
No, wait, we're gonna okay, here you do it? Okay, ready, okay,
I'm gonna sent her. Are you ready?
Speaker 2 (20:35):
Come on?
Speaker 1 (20:36):
Check your body, baby, do that Gonga? No, you can't
control yourself any lung.
Speaker 2 (20:40):
I was shaking my teeth. Is it getting strong? Good?
Speaker 1 (20:43):
Don't you fight it till you've tried to do that?
Kunga be dun dun dunna. I feel like I nailed.
Speaker 2 (20:48):
It, You nailed it one hundred percent. But for her
drummer to be this writer and take care Kiki to
like write this song like he wrote this song, and
she's like, what a duo.
Speaker 1 (20:58):
The whole band is instance much?
Speaker 2 (21:01):
And how they all found each other? I know.
Speaker 1 (21:03):
I mean it's like cousins, primos friends, like get everyone
together in the backyard. I mean, it's like Selena and Losino's,
but like thirty years before that. Obviously, Joseph and I
love the song. But this song reached the top ten
in so many different countries, not just the US. We're
talking international top ten list. This song was the song
(21:28):
and even Gloria recognizes that. When it comes to the
Miami Sound Machine, Gonga is their signature song.
Speaker 2 (21:37):
They would also go on to release the song Hot
Summer Nights, which would be featured in the nineteen eighty
six film Top Gun. It doesn't get more Merca than.
Speaker 1 (21:46):
That, exactly. Give the gringos what they want, something that
feels exotic but familiar, and in that the Astephans created
the blueprint for the crossover, which they would later share
with other Latino like Shakida and Ricky Martin.
Speaker 2 (22:02):
Preach Honey Primitive Love also elevated it all. Gloria's vocals
were insane, the music, the style, it was all really
daring and I feel like unapologetically flamboyant in the rhythm.
Speaker 1 (22:16):
Would you say the rhythm was going to get you bite?
Speaker 2 (22:19):
The rhythm got me and it took me. Their next
album was nineteen eighty seven's Let It Loose. It became
Miami Sound Machine's most commercially successful album.
Speaker 1 (22:31):
By then, Gloria Stephan took Top Billain. The band's name
was changed to Gloria Stepan and the Miami Sound Machine.
Speaker 2 (22:40):
Soon, The Miami Sound Machine would perform with Gloria as
its main lead singer and official headline.
Speaker 1 (22:50):
On the next becoming an Icon Gloria Ghost Solo and
The Accident That almost changed everything for THEA Stephans. Becoming
an Icon is presented by Sonoo and Iheart's Michael Duda
(23:11):
podcast network. Listen to Becoming an Icon on the iHeartRadio app,
Apple podcast, or wherever you get your podcast
Hosts And Creators
Lilliana Vazquez
Joseph Carrillo
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