The ‘90s may have appeared to have been a boom for Latin-flavored artists, from Enrique Iglesias to Ricky Martin and Shakira. But Gloria Estefan was the original, major Latina pop star, creating brilliant, catchy dance hits and soulful ballads that charmed listeners all across America in the ‘80s.

She began her career back in the 1970s, touring with Miami Sound Machine. Their Cuban heritage was reflected in the salsa and dance pop they created, especially with the hit "Dr. Beat." When they finally produced their first English-only album, 1985's Primitive Love, they began to earn major notice from audiences outside their general Latin listeners. Just three years later, they would score a major hit with the album Let It Loose, which eventually turned triple-platinum. Songs like "Rhythm is Going to Get You," "Can't Stay Away From You," "Anything for You," and "1-2-3" were all major chart climbers that increased the band's popularity exponentially and introduced Estefan's vocal stylings to the a mass audience.

By 1989, for the album Cuts Both Ways, Estefan finally received solo billing. She had become a full-fledged pop star, and "Don't Wanna Lose You" became a major hit. She received the attention she had worked so hard to achieve, and her music was becoming an inspiration to other Latino and Latina music fans, who looked up to her as a role model in the music world.

She would return to the Spanish-language market in 1993 with Mi Tierra. The album earned a Grammy for Best Tropical Latin Album.

The ‘90s were full of changes in music, and one of the most noticeable trends was the crossover of Latin artists into the English-speaking market. On the pop stations as well as the regular Spanish-speaking stations, artists like Ricky Martin were scoring major hits with songs like "Living La Vida Loca." While they were considered accomplished artists and found a willing audience in MTV's listeners, credit is due to Estefan, who really paved the way for Latin artists and made a great deal of headway in introducing the Latin sound to the mainstream pop market. She's still today regarded as one of pop music's original divas, and as well as a prominent Latina voice.