GRAMMY Award-winning and Tony-nominated Queen of Latin Pop recognized for advocacy for creators’ rights
WASHINGTON, D.C. — October 10, 2023 — SoundExchange, the premier music tech organization powering the future of music, announced today that Gloria Estefan has been awarded the SoundExchange Music Fairness Award for her advocacy for artists and creators and for supporting the American Music Fairness Act (AMFA).
“There are few artists as globally recognized as Gloria Estefan,” said Michael Huppe, President and CEO of SoundExchange. “Gloria’s passionate support of the American Music Fairness Act and courage to demand laws that compel corporate broadcasters to compensate performers for their work inspires generations of creators. SoundExchange is honored to recognize her commitment with the Music Fairness Award.”
“I am overjoyed to be recognized for the advocacy that is close to my heart and to receive the Music Fairness Award,” said Estefan. “I appreciate SoundExchange’s leadership and collaboration as we seek to win all creators the right to receive the royalties they deserve. I encourage my fellow artists to lend their voices and support to encourage the U.S. Congress to protect performers and fight the powerful corporate broadcaster lobby.”
Estefan testified before the House Judiciary Committee in support of AMFA in February 2022 to ensure artists are compensated fairly when their music is played on AM/FM radio. The SAG-AFTRA member and GRAMMY award-winning singer is a devoted activist whose causes range from the support of Cuba to supporting creators to the education of youth. The Gloria Estefan Foundation’s mission is to support charitable programs for disadvantaged children and empower young people through education and opportunity. She received the Ellis Island Medal of Honor, which is the highest award that can be given to a naturalized U.S. citizen. President Obama bestowed her with the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the nation’s highest civilian honor.
Huppe presented Estefan with the SoundExchange Music Fairness Award in Miami at Crescent Moon Studios, a state-of-the-art recording facility founded by Gloria and Emilio Estefan.
About Gloria Estefan
The international superstar is a GRAMMY Award-winning singer-songwriter, actress, and author of two New York Times best-selling children’s books. She is considered one of the most successful Latin crossover artists in music history. She has sold over 100 million records worldwide. In 2015, President Obama honored Estefan with the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the nation’s highest civilian honor. In 2017, she became the first Cuban-American singer-songwriter to receive The Kennedy Center Honors. ON YOUR FEET!, the Broadway musical based on the lives of Emilio and Gloria Estefan, was nominated for a Tony Award. In 2023, Estefan made history as the first Latina inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame. Estefan is a philanthropist and humanitarian. The Gloria Estefan Foundation’s mission is to support charitable programs for disadvantaged children and empower young people through education and opportunity.
About SoundExchange:
SoundExchange is the premier music tech organization on a mission to power the future of music. It was independently formed in 2003 to build a fairer, simpler, and more efficient music industry through technology, data, and advocacy. The only organization designated by the U.S. government to administer the Section 114 sound recording license, SoundExchange collects and distributes digital performance royalties on behalf of 650,000 music creators and growing. Through proprietary music tech solutions that turn data into accurate revenue, SoundExchange has paid more than $10 billion in distributions to date. For more information, visit soundexchange.com.