Gloria Estefan made history Thursday night becoming the first Latina ever inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame.

She officially earned the recognition at the annual gala at the Marriott Marquis Hotel in New York City.

She joins a class of five other 2023 inductees, namely Glen Ballard, Leff Lynne, Teddy Riley, and Liz Rose.

During her acceptance speech, Estefan thanked those who have found in her music what she has found in music “that have nourished my soul throughout my life.”

“I thank you for that privilege… And I can assure you that it is just as magical from the other side of the song,” she said.

Estefan is one of the world’s most recognizable, beloved, and successful Latina artists in music history. 

She’s sold over 100 million records worldwide in her career, garnered eight Grammy Awards, and is also a recipient of the Gershwin Prize for Popular Song.

Estefan began her career in the late 1970s as a member of the band, Miami Sound Machine, founded by her future husband, Emilio Estefan, Jr. 

Her time as part of the band helped her gain recognition as an international music start, and over the decades, Estefan has helped chart a path for numerous other global music artists of Hispanic descent, such as Shakira, Ricky Martin, Jennifer Lopez, Selena, and others. 

Estefan is no stranger to making history within the music industry, as in 2017, she became the first Cuban-born artist to be honored with the Kennedy Center Honor. 

In 2015, Estefan and her husband, were presented with the Presidential Medal of Freedom Award for their contributions to the music industry. 

Beyond her superb singing abilities, Estefan has made other contributions to the music industry.

She is also the founder of the Gloria Estefan Foundation, a nonprofit organization whose mission is to support charitable programs for disadvantaged children and empower young people through education and opportunity.

Her efforts toward aiding the future of the music industry can be summarized with five words she used during her acceptance speech.

“Music has saved my life,” she said.

The Songwriters Hall of Fame was founded in 1969 and its mission is to celebrate and honor the contributions and legacies of songwriters of all genres of music. 

More than 400 members have been inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame since its inception.