Gloria Estefan Wrote One Song on New Album ‘Raíces.’ It’s Dedicated to Her Grandson: ‘Joy of My Life’ (2025)
By Daniela Avila
June 3, 2025
There’s nothing Gloria Estefan values more than family.
On Friday, May 29, Estefan released her latest studio album titled Raíces (Spanish for “roots”). The 13-track album was mainly written by Emilio Estefan, her husband of 45 years, and celebrates her Cuban roots.
“It’s a very personal love story,” Gloria, 67, tells PEOPLE of the album. “Raíces reminds us that we all are where we came from, and those people that nurtured us and loved us will always be with us. Our culture is important to celebrate.”
Though Emilio, 72, wrote the majority of the album while Gloria was hard at work making music for the upcoming Broadway musical Basura, she did craft ad-libs for “La Vecina (No Sé Na’)” — and she wrote “My Beautiful Boy (For Sacha)” long before the concept of Raíces came to be.
“We had been in Vero Beach, him and I, on a little vacay at our home there, and he had to go back home. I was there writing, and I missed him so much,” she recalls of Sasha. “I knew that that moment would come. I didn’t want to ever push it, because it has to be inspiration.”
“Ninety-three per cent of abused children know and trust their abusers. And I know this because I was one of them,” she said.
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