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'Brazil305': Gloria Estefan drops first album in 7 years, jubilant fans say 'our CongaQueen is back to slay'

The Latin-influenced album is a joyful ode to the Cuban culture blended with nostalgia and it includes all her classics

Gloria Estefan has returned with her first album in seven years, 'Brazil305', a fresh take on some of her greatest hits, out on Thursday, August 13, across streaming platforms. The release features reimagined versions of 14 of Estefan's iconic tracks, including arguably one of her best and most famous songs, 'Conga', as well as hits like 'Rhythm Is Gonna Get You' and 'Get On Your Feet', with the remaining five tracks being populated by some gorgeous originals. The album is Estefan's love note to her native Cuba and its people, especially immigrants worldwide who are struggling to cope with being away from their homelands or children of the diaspora who have never had the privilege of being "home" in their lifetime. 'Brazil305' therefore infuses Latin, Brazilian-heavy instrumentals and blends English and Spanish, helping bridge the geographical gap musically.

'Mi Tierra' is a standout on the album, with Estefan's reimagined version being so much more relevant in this day and age when the conversation around "fernweh" or "farsickness" is dominating people's hearts and minds. And when that pain is further intensified by a global pandemic and lockdown, songs like 'Mi Tierra' can serve as the perfect healing balm. And fans are already praising the album and Estefan's glorious return. "The album #Brazil305 is here. I got up at 6 am for listening! It's fantastic! Thank you @GloriaEstefan for beginning August 13th in this way! I got my music that I will listen to the next weeks without a break! It's and the ballads sounds so great," tweeted one fan. Another shared, "Gloria is always #1 in my heart -- and now she's #1 on the charts. I guess I can sleep now!"

Estefan's 'Brazil305' already has fans on their feet, dancing their blues away. One fan said, "Our #CongaQueen@GloriaEstefan is back to slay!!!!!" Another quipped, "It's time to samba!!!!"

Outside of its dance-inducing rhythms, however, Estefan's album is also the perfect gift for the Latin communities across the world. One fan shared, "#BRAZIL305: The new and wonderful album by queen @GloriaEstefan!!!! What a gift, people!!!! What a gift!!!"

Estefan has truly delivered a masterpiece on this release, making it extremely hard to pick a single standout song on 'Brazil305'. But if one song deserves mention, it is the Latin jazz track 'Con los Años Que Me Quedan', a beautiful romantic ballad that has Estefan remind us that in addition to dance anthems, she's also perfectly capable of delivering a stunning vocal performance paired with some gorgeous lyrics. And thanks to that, 'Brazil305' has turned out to be a lovely record that is equal parts walk down memory lane and connecting with a culture that not all of us might hail from.