Q&A: GLORIA ESTEFAN

Last month Gloria Estefan unwrapped “Unwrapped,” her first album in six years, which she describes as a “musical picture book of my experiences up to this point.” This week she’s filling in for Celine Dion’s gig in Vegas. All that work just to get to talk to NEWSWEEK’s Vanessa Juarez?
This is a little intimidating. I mean, you’re a diva.
[Laughs] I’m the anti-diva. I am, I am. I even have a T shirt printed that says ANTI-DIVA. I find that word kind of funny. To me a diva is really callous, you know, throwing plates around, yanking people’s hair.
You’ve been on hiatus. Is this you “coming out of”... not necessarily “the dark,” but—
The shadows. [Laughs] The main reason was my daughter. I was set to go out on tour in 2000 and she was set to start preschool. I thought, “Oh, boy, if I take her on the road, by the time she gets back into school she’ll be coming in the odd one out.” So I go, “Do I really want this for her? Do I really want this for me? I’ve worked really hard and I’m going to take the time.” I took her to school every day, I sat in tae kwon do classes and she would watch me through the mirror to make sure I was watching every move. I enjoyed so much being a mommy.
Your son, Nayib, who directed the DVD that comes with your album, is 23 and handsome. Is he single?
You looking?
Yeah, could you put a good word in for me?
[Laughs] Definitely.
Would you do a show in Cuba?
In a free Cuba, most definitely. That is the one dream really, professionally. Hopefully I won’t be too old to do it. [Laughs] Hopefully I won’t be in a wheelchair, wheeling around the streets of Havana. Who knows with this guy? Not in a communist Cuba, because first of all, they wouldn’t let me in.
Last night I was listening to “Unwrapped.” I fell asleep and I think I dreamt about you singing, and then in the morning, I turned on the “Today” show and they were playing “Turn the Beat Around,” and I was like—
“Oh, my God, I’m being bombarded”? You’re on Gloria overload. Chill out.

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