These old photos of the Estefans remind us why they’re Miami royalty
Gloria and Emilio Estefan are Miami royalty now. But once, they were just a couple of kids who had a crazy dream: To turn the beat around and make everybody do the conga.
Not just everybody in Miami. Everybody. Everywhere.
That worked out pretty well. Hit songs and sold-out concerts led to fame, awards, applause, restaurants, a hit Broadway musical and a Kennedy Center Award for Gloria.
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We applaud all those things. But there’s something about photos from the old days in Miami that we just can’t get enough of.
Here’s why:
Giant bowties are amazing
Good times! This flyer features the Miami Sound Machine. We are pretty sure they were playing quinces and bar mitzvahs at this point.
Headbands are also amazing
The Miami Sound Machine in the late 1970s: Raul Marciano, Marcos Avila, Emmilio Estefan, Gloria Estefan, Mercy, Gustavo Lezcart and Kiki Garcia make good fashion choices.
Barrettes and shades
Wait, is that a mullet?
Don’t judge us, kids. In the ’80s, the best of us had mullets.
Bang the drum all day
If you want to do the conga, you’ve got to listen to the beat. The single “Conga” was released in 1985. We bet Emilio is playing it right here.
Miami famous
Into the ’90s
Best Miami prom picture ever.
Wait, where did those curls come from?
Emilio gets his star (and a smooch from Gloria) on Calle Ocho in 1997.
Entering a new millennium
Gloria, Emilio and daughter Emily ring in the new millennium in Miami. Now Emily is a singer-songwriter herself.
#couplegoals
We’re not entirely sure what’s happening here. But we approve.
Even now, they’re just so cute
At the Chicago premiere of the musical “On Your Feet!” in 2015, which later went to Broadway and finally – YES! – to Miami in 2017.
This story was originally published May 24, 2018 at 5:05 AM.