Blogamole › Emilio Estefan

By Michael Lopez

It looks like Eugenio Derbez has some big ambitions about his Hollywood career. Outside from his upcoming sitcom ¡Rob!, he's hoping to work on yet another American TV project, with a little help from Emilio Estefan.

Speaking with People en Español, Eugenio confessed that he's a little unfamiliar with the way things work in La La Land. That's why he's hoping to use a few connections from his pal Emilio to get his creative projects off the ground.

"Estoy empezando de cero en otro país y es muy difícil, pero quiero hacer mis propias producciones,” he explained. "Será como iniciar mi carrera, tendré que demostrar y llevar ideas. Por eso estoy intentando con Emilio para producir. Él está muy emocionado, contento y yo también."

Derbez is keeping hush hush on what ideas he's cooking up, but we imagine they'll be putting his comedic chops to good use. Eugenio's currently getting big laughs in Jack & Jill (especially for his abuelita role) and we can't wait to see what he does next!

Are you looking forward to seeing more of Eugenio Derbez in 2012? Sound off in the comments or @MTV3.

Tags ¡Rob!, Blogger: Michael Lopez, Emilio Estefan, Eugenio Derbez, Hot Stuff, Television

By Vanessa Beatriz Soto

President Obama's office announced today that they have named four individuals to key administration posts, and Shakira is among them!

The posts in question are four seats on the President's Commission On Educational Education for Hispanics, which is described as "a multi-agency working group within the Department of Education charged with strengthening the nation's capacity to provide high quality education while increasing opportunities for Hispanic American participation in federal education programs... closing the educational achievement gap for Hispanic Americans."

The individuals who have been honored with these appointments are:

Montgomery County, Maryland Councilperson and Education Activist, Nancy Navarro

Executive Director of the Partnership for Community Action, Adrian A. Pedroza

Phoenix, Arizona High School Superintendent, Dr. Kent P. Scribner

Activist and United Nations Goodwill Ambassador, Shakira Isabel Mebarak Ripoll

That's right - the President of the United States just hired Colombian-born pop star Shakira!

We are totally thrilled to hear that Shaki will have a hand in shaping the minds of generations of Hispanic youth. After all, she brings tons of experience and insight to the role, and will add a global perspective to the team:

"Per the White House: Ms. Mebarak Ripoll has been involved in a number of global educational efforts. She founded the Barefoot Foundation in 1995, which operates schools and educational projects in Colombia, South Africa, and Haiti, feeding and educating approximately 6,000 children.  In 2010, she collaborated with the World Bank and the Barefoot Foundation to establish an initiative that distributes educational and developmental programs for children across Latin America", says the statement.

And it adds,

"In 2008, Ms. Mebarak Ripoll served as the Honorary Chair of the Global Campaign for Education’s Global Action Week.  In 2005, she became a founding member of Latin America in Solidarity Action, a coalition of artists and business leaders seeking to promote integrated early childhood public policies."

Wow! An impressive resume! And she sings a little, too.

So, is this appointment also a clever political maneuver to curry favor with Hispanics and particularly Hispanic youths in what is sure to be a difficult presidential re-election campaign for Obama? Is the President merely giving his Hispanic Education initiative a friendly and recognizable public face with built-in publicity value? Would a republican president have made a similar appointment?

What's your take? Speak out in the comments!

Tags Barack Obama, blogger: Vanessa Beatriz Soto, Education, Emilio Estefan, Gloria Estefan, popnews, Shakira, white house

By Maria Corina Marrero

If you loved "La Quinta Estación", then you have heard the caramel-like, passionate voice of Natalia Jiménez, its lead singer, who quickly  became not only one of Mexico most beloved singers, but also a fashion icon.

After a long wait, the sensational singer-songwriter will release her self-titled album on June 21.  The production is the first solo work for the Spanish artist who, over the course of many years, served as lead vocalist and front-woman for one of the most important and awarded bands in the Spanish music industry worldwide.

The album will be released by Sony Music Latin and constitutes Natalia's first time collaborating as co-producer, alongside multi Grammy-award-winning music producer, Emilio Estefan. It includes two songs in English.

"It is refreshing to find an artist that has all of the necessary elements: beauty, a great sense of fashion, but most importantly, an artist that has an extraordinary voice and also has the ability to write incredible lyrics," said Estefan regarding the project.

"I'm really happy! I love my first album as a solo artist. I think it is the most versatile record of my career, and also I’m very proud of having Emilio Estefan as a producer on my project," said Natalia. "Also, it is the first time I'm recording in English and that's something that I have always wanted to do! I believe this album is very international, compared to my previous work with La Quinta Estación."

The album’s first single, "Por Ser Tu Mujer", penned by the artist herself, is being very well received on radio in the United States, Latin America, Spain and Puerto Rico, climbing the up the radio charts.

The video for the song was filmed in Miami's Spanish Monastery and was directed by Carlos Pérez.

"Por Ser Tu Mujer" was also recorded in English under the title "I'll Do What It Takes" and translated by Natalia and Gloria Estefan. Fans will be able to listen to this version, which is also included on Natalia Jiménez. She also recorded another song in English, "I'll Take It Back".

As part of the promotion for this album Natalia is partnering with Target Corporation to release a deluxe edition, which will include five exclusive tracks. The special edition is only available at Target stores and Target.com beginning June 21.

Over the course of the next few months, Natalia will embark on a promotional tour that will take her through Miami, Los Angeles, Puerto Rico, Mexico, Spain, and all over Latin America.

NATALIA JIMÉNEZ – TRACKLISTING
1. Sólo por mí
2. Por ser tu mujer
3. Abrázame así
4. Enciérrame
5. Cállate
6. Hay amor
7. Nuestro amor
8. Reflejo
9. Si no está usted
10 I'll take it back
11. Real
12. I'll do what it takes

Tags Blogger: Maria Corina Marrero, debut album, Emilio Estefan, Gloria Estefan, La Quinta Estacion

By Sugey Palomares

When you are Salma Hayek, the sky is the limit! The Mexican actress may have conquered Hollywood, but her real dream is to record an album with help from her millionaire husband, François-Henri Pinault.

Word is that Salma Hayek wants to record an album in the fandango genre, a typical musical style from Veracruz, Mexico. The actress has also been spotted flying to Miami and meeting with top list producer Emilio Estefan on several occasions. Even though she confesses to wanting to hit the mic, Hayek says that she doesn't claim to be a 'professional' singer in the least:

"I don't want to put out a commercial album. It's only a dream I've had for quite some time now."

The actress is familiar with the recording music industry. In 2002 she recorded two songs for the soundtrack of her movie "Frida" with jarocho band Los Vega. She also sang "Quedate aquí" for the movie Desperado.

Even if she's not interested in becoming the next J.Lo, we would love to snag a copy of her album!

Do you think Salma Hayek has what it takes to become a singer?

Source: [TV y Novelas]

Tags Chisme, Emilio Estefan, Francois-Henri Pinault, Jennifer Lopez, Latina Actresses, Salma Hayek

By Michael Lopez

Throughout her career, Gloria Estefan has always been known as a trendsetter. Whether it was initiating the explosion of 80’s Latin pop with the Miami Sound Machine or being one of the most popular 50-something tweeters, she’s definitely got her finger on the pulse. And this week, she’s proven it even more with a trendy twitpic and updates on her highly-anticipated new album.

We already told you that Gloria was working closely with hip-hop star Pharrell Williams, but now we’re getting the juicy details, straight from Estefan herself!

"I can't tell u how much I've enjoyed working with @NeRdArMy!," Gloria tweeted. "It's truly been a magical experience and a wonderfully natural process."

And that’s only the beginning. The "Conga" Queen posted all kinds of revelations about what to expect from her first solo album in nearly ten years.

“It's mostly English but bilingual in interesting ways...vague enough 4 u? Lol!”

“Emilio is always involved in my productions in some way even when he isn't the primary producer.”

It all sounds very interesting to us, especially the part about possibly using Pharrell for bilingual tracks. Unfortunately no early singles have been leaked just yet and Gloria, herself, seemed a little unsure about an exact release date.

“Ay, I wish I could give u a date but not sure yet. Pronto te podré decir mas. Besos!”

But seeing how she’s reportedly got nine songs recorded, there’s a good chance the Gloria/Pharrell collaboration could be hitting our iPods before the year is up.

What’s your favorite Gloria Estefan album? Sound off in the comments or @MTV3.

Tags Emilio Estefan, Gloria Estefan, Hot Stuff, Música, Pharrell Williams

By Michael Lopez

If you want to know what it's like to live a life in exile, check out Cuban-American music producer Emilio Estefan's latest project. The Exile Experience: Journey to Freedom — a bilingual coffee-table book created in collaboration with The Miami Herald Co. and its subsidiary, HCP Aboard Publishing — features photos of and stories about Cuban immigrants living in exile.

“This [book] is not about me, it’s about the whole Cuban community,” Emilio told AOL Latino. “And how proud I am to be born in Cuba, to be a Cuban-American, and to tell the world how lucky we are to live in a free country.”

Emilio knows the struggle firsthand. As a teen, he fled the country with his family shortly after Fidel Castro’s rise to power. The Exile Experience documents the journey of Estefan and countless other Cuban entertainers and politicians.

“It has been an exile [community] that has fought a lot,'' Estefan told the Miami Herald. "They have had to work hard, to defend themselves against everything, to separate from their families, their properties, even their own personalities, because they have had to start all over again in a totally new country.''

The Exile Experience is available in three editions, each tailored to immigrants who left Cuba via Operation Pedro Pan, the Freedom Flights and the Mariel boatlift. More than 400,000 exiles are mentioned in the books.

Are you or any of your family members living in exile? Tell us about it in the comments or @MTV3.

Tags Books, Cuba, Cultura, Emilio Estefan, Politics, The Exile Experience

By Michael Lopez

It looks like there’s a lot of exciting changes happening with the Miami HEAT. First off, their team lettering has now gone to all CAPS. They’ve also picked up a certain player named LeBron James, and they’re releasing a brand new team song, courtesy of Emilio Estefan.

Image : Getty Images

Picking Emilio to write and produce the new HEAT anthem is a no-brainer. As part the creative force behind the Miami Sound Machine (and husband to Gloria), he’s one of the city’s most high-profile residents. Plus he’s got incredible songwriting and production skills, having worked with Ricky Martin, Shakira, and more.

For the new track, called “Celebrate”, Emilio’s interjecting plenty of upbeat rhythms and even a few bilingual lyrics. When speaking about the track, he said,

"I am proud that the HEAT chose one of my songs to kick off its Home Opener. Miami has become the centerpiece of the sports world with LeBron, Bosh, Wade, and all of the Miami HEAT players. The American Airlines Arena will rock to the beat of new rhythms like never before. It’s going to be a big celebration."

Those old school HEAT fans will remember Derrick Baker’s “Can You Feel The HEAT (Down In My Soul),” as team’s big anthem for the past decade. But seeing how that song had been in use since 1996 (and the new MAJOR addition to the squad), now was definitely the right time to pump out some new jams.

Emilio’s new “Celebrate” song will make its big debut this Friday (October 29) at Miami’s home opener against the Orlando Magic.

Source: [NBA.com]

What’s your favorite team song? Sound off in the comments or @MTV3!

Tags Emilio Estefan, Lebron James, Música, Miam Heat, NBA, Sports

By Michael Lopez

If you think all that’s cracking on SIRIUS Satellite Radio is Howard Stern, think again. With over 130 different channels devoted to comedy, news, sports, and music, they’ve pretty much got every aspect of the audio world covered. And in honor of Hispanic Heritage Month, their Caliente station (channel 83 for subscribers) is ready to blast a 30-day celebration!

Just last week, they announced a lineup of exclusive interviews, performances, and playlists from Latin America’s hottest music stars. There will be Q & A’s with Shakira and producer Emilio Estefan, Latin Jazz every Friday night, and something we KNOW you’ll get excited about, a Daddy Yankee special!

Recently nominated for three Latin Grammys, Yankee’s flying high right now. He’s pulled off a massive tour, debuted a hot 3D video, and scored right at the top of our La Super Copa! So hearing him dish about his new Mundial album, sing live in the studio, and play his “Top 10 Favorite Songs” will be an unforgettable experience.

And don’t worry old school fans, there’s going to be plenty of history for you too. Legendary artist Ruben Blades will sit down in October and share stories about the groundbreaking salsa label, Fania Records. Going back 40 years, you’ll hear snippets and stories illustrating how the genre has evolved into the music we all love today.

Other audio treats on the schedule include concert performances by Pitbull, Juanes, and Christian Castro. Plus they’ll even be throwing in some classical music, conducted by the up-and-coming Mexican prodigy, Alondra de la Parra.

Even if all of these styles aren’t quite your cup of tea, they’re still worth a listen. Latin music stretches way beyond bachata and Enrique ballads (though we love all that stuff too). Learning about emerging artists, songwriting, and musica stars of yesteryear helps to enhance any playlist. And even if you don’t subscribe to SIRIUS, download a few of these artists on your own. You won’t regret it!

Source: [PR Newswire]

Who are your all-time favorite Latin artists? Sound off in the comments or @MTV3!

Tags Christian Castro, Cultura, Daddy Yankee, Emilio Estefan, Fania Records, Hispanic Heritage Month, Juanes, Música, Pitbull, Ruben Blades, Shakira, SIRIUS

By Simone Hilliard

Cuban-born singer Gloria Estefan and her husband Emilio will host President Barack Obama at their Miami Beach home April 15th for a Democratic National Committee fundraiser. The $30,400-a-couple cocktail reception is the Estefans' first political fundraiser.

photos via Getty Images

Though they've kept a low political profile, the Estefans are no strangers to the White House. In 2005, Gloria performed at the inaugural festivities for President George W. Bush. This followed Bush's 2002 appointment of Emilio to the President's Committee on the Arts and Humanities and the President's Advisory Committee on the Arts.

According to the Miami Herald, Emilio met with Obama at the White House last May. During that encounter, Emilio expressed his desire to have Obama over for dinner to talk about U.S.-Cuba relations.

In September, Obama appointed Emilio to a commission to study the feasibility of a National Museum of the American Latino, and Gloria Estefan — along with Marc Anthony, Jose Feliciano and others — performed at the White House in October as it celebrated Hispanic music.

The president quoted Gloria in his welcoming remarks, noting that in her words, "the most beautiful things in this country have the flavor of other places.''

Obama's reception in Florida may not be entirely celebratory. He's convened a conference on the Space Coast that day to defend his plans to cancel a NASA space exploration program — a decision that has prompted howls of protest from Florida's congressional delegation.

Obama will also attend a fundraiser at the Adrienne Arsht Center for the Performing Arts in downtown Miami that same day. Tickets for that event start at $250 and $1,250.

Tr3s Comunidad, what would you ask President Obama if he visited your home? Tell us in the comments or @MTV3!

Tags Emilio Estefan, Gloria Estefan, President Barack Obama, President George W. Bush, The White House

The epic collaboration between todos los mejores artistas del mundo de la música Latina has hit the airwaves.  It's a veritable who's who of Latin music, and all for a great cause -- helping raise funds for Haiti, following January's devastating earthquake.

Who can you spot in the video?  We're kinda digging on the remix portion where Pitbull and Daddy Yankee come in over the electric guitar... and we're dying to know, who is that mystery guitarrista?

Watch the video below, and weigh in -- que te parece la versión en Español?  Cual es tu parte favorita? Who else would you have liked to see in the video?

Tags Agentes De Cambio, Chayanne, Daddy Yankee, Emilio Estefan, Gloria Estefan, Juanes, Latin Music, Luis Fonsi, Musica Latina, Pitbull, Ricky Martin, Shakira, Somos El Mundo, Video