It’s been eight years since Gloria Estefan’s last English-language album, but the Latin songstress is more than ready for her comeback. Produced by Pharrell, Gloria’s forthcoming album Miss Little Havana is set to hit stores on September 27th but I had the pleasure of attending the listening session earlier this week and I’ll have you know that I was pleasantly surprised! Check out my review after the jump!

Wendy L. 

I was born in 1989 so I was only familiar with Gloria’s mega-hits “Turn The Beat Around” and “Conga.” I already knew that she had an amazing voice and great energy, but there’s something about Gloria and her music that captures the listener and makes them want to hit the dance floor and dance the night away. Oh and did I mention how beautiful she is??! She’s still got it folks!!

The cool thing about Miss Little Havana is that there is a storyline behind the music and the order of the songs emphasize that story. (she even uses phone messages and her REAL voicemail in between songs!)

Although a majority of the album is in English, Gloria explained that, “It doesn’t matter if you don’t understand the lyrics, the drums and the rhythm are gonna get you.” And she’s right! Check out my favorite songs from the album below…

Wepa (Remix) ft. Pitbull:
The Pitbull remix to “Wepa” will be the first single off the album. It’s everything you expect from Pitbull– you know the whole “Mr. Worldwide, Mr. 305” thing he does– mixed in with some cool club beats and Gloria’s vocals. We can expect a “Wepa” music video coming soon, too! Check out a little preview below:

“Right Away”:
This is my favorite song on the album. Gloria said, “it goes from very sweet to very nasty” and she wasn’t kidding! Between both Gloria and Pharrell on the vocals, the sick beat, the live horns, and some Spanish verses, I felt like this song really showcased the collaboration of the two in the best way. It also had everyone in the room bouncing around in their seats and tapping their feet– the beat is undeniable. Check out a small preview below:

Other songs on the album are “Let’s Get Loud”, “On” (with Gloria’s daughter Emily on the drums), a more modern remix to “Conga”, and more!!

Gloria also mentioned that she is always interested in future collaborations and that she “loves Nicki Minaj and Jessie J.” That would definitely be interesting!!

All in all, I highly suggest you buy Miss Little Havana on Sept 27th! Support good music!! The album will be available at Target or on Target.com with all kinds of cool exclusives.

Thanks to ThinkTank Marketing for making this happen!

Below, you’ll find some pics from the event and the album’s Press Release:

Gloria Estefan Partners with Target on New Album, “Miss Little Havana”

Target to carry physical album with exclusive music and content

New York City – Target Corporation (NYSE: TGT) today announced it is partnering with seven-time GRAMMY® Award-winning artist Gloria Estefan for the exclusive deluxe edition of “Miss Little Havana,” her 24th album and first English-language release since 2003. As part of this partnership, Target is the only retailer in the U.S. to carry the physical album. In addition, the album sold at Target includes four bonus songs and exclusive access to downloadable content. The album, released through Verve Forecast, will be available at all Target stores nationwide and at Target.com, beginning Sept. 27.

Produced by Pharrell Willams and co-produced by Estefan, the album represents the artist’s return to dance music. Known as the “Queen of Latin Pop,” Estefan’s release celebrates her musical roots and embraces a new pop sound that translates into music full of life, love and energy. The Target deluxe album bonus songs, produced by Emilio Estefan, include: “On,” “Medicine,” Estefan’s version of “Let’s Get Loud,” and “WEPA” – a DJ R3hab remix featuring Pitbull. On the Target album, guests also have exclusive access to downloadable content, including the 25th anniversary remix of Estefan’s hit song “Conga 25.”

“I am so excited to partner with Target on the release of my new CD ‘Miss Little Havana,’ an album that was so much fun to make and is a return to where it all started for me … on the dance floor,” said Estefan. “There are a few extra surprises on the Target exclusive deluxe CD that I’m sure my fans will love. Working with Pharrell and Emilio on this project just felt right. My fans have been asking for a new dance record, and I hope they will enjoy the music as much as I enjoyed writing and recording it.”

“Gloria is a pop music icon and her new album truly celebrates her talent and passion for entertaining her fans,” said John Butcher, Target’s vice president of Entertainment. “We are thrilled that Target will be the exclusive home of the deluxe album, which will no doubt initiate a dance revival.”

Estefan is one of the most notable artists in the world. Billions have heard her unmistakable voice, millions have flocked to her performances and 90 million of her albums have sold worldwide. Estefan exploded onto the pop scene in 1977 as the dynamic front woman of the groundbreaking Miami Sound Machine and later soared to solo-act superstardom, earning her title, the “Queen of Latin Pop.”