Let It Loose: A Gloria Este-FAN Podcast
Let It Loose: A Gloria Este-FAN Podcast is the first fan-led podcast dedicated to the life, legacy, and music of Gloria Estefan. Lifelong Este-FANS Carlos, Rob, and Wes dive deep into 50 years of hits, history, live performances, and personal stories. They’re celebrating the songs and the cultural impact behind them. Each week, they revisit career-defining moments and spotlight fans whose lives were shaped by Gloria’s music. If Gloria soundtracked your life, this is your place.
Let It Loose: A Gloria Este-FAN Podcast
Party Time! Spring Break Wrap Up
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We're taking a few weeks off but before we do, we're looking back at the first half of Season 1. From favorite moments, to what we've learned along the way, we're letting it loose! Plus we're playing a game of songs from each album that should have been singles. Keep an eye on our social media to see how you can play along with us!
Let's hear from you-- Send us an email about anything Gloria related at LetitLoosePod@gmail.com.
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For five decades, Gloria Stefan's music has moved the world. This is Let It Loose, a Gloria Estefan podcast. The first fan-led show dedicated to her life, legacy, and impact. Lifelong Estefan, Carlos, Rob, and Wes explore the songs, moments, and stories that make Gloria an icon. If her music changed your life, then welcome home.
SPEAKER_02Welcome back, everybody, to another episode of Let It Loose. My name is Rob. I'm Wes. And I'm Carlos. And today, uh, everybody knows it's party time. We're having a nice time leading into uh what we're calling our spring break. Spring break, yes. Spring, yes. We we deserve a little break. Yeah, I mean it's not like the girls gone wild type of spring break. Wes put your shirt back on. What are you doing? I just want to sleep.
SPEAKER_05And you're especially ready for summer. You've had some rough, you've had some rough weather, Rob. You're you're both rough problems. Oh, you have snow probably every day where you're at.
SPEAKER_04No, actually out here in Colorado, where I live, it's it's been really warm for this time of year. Like we kind of bypass winter, which is crazy. Um it's been it's been in the 50s and 60s, uh, which for us that's kind of spring weather. So that's why I'm I'm ready for spring.
SPEAKER_02He's in spring break mode. Yep, absolutely. Uh, today's episode, we're we're not wrapping up a season because we're kind of taking a break. We're still in season one, we're still thinking about episode ideas and coming up with new content, but we're giving ourselves a little bit of uh an exhale. You know, we're talking about how much fun we've had so far on this episode, and we're gonna play a game with the three of us uh a little bit later on. But just what an incredible run of shows we've had. We're gonna talk about that a little bit, but before we do that, I think Wes has to give us another This Week in Glory History.
SPEAKER_05So, yes, let's do another week in Glory History. This is another well, they're all pinnacle moments, I think. But this one for her especially every artist number one single. Not that I know what that feels like, but I can imagine for an artist, every artist number one single is a highlight or special moment in their career. And this week in Gloria History, anything for you peaked at number one on the Billboard Top 100. And I remember her telling the story when they found out that the single was um peaking at n at number one. Do you guys remember the quiz? No, I don't remember that. They were getting off an airplane, I believe it was in Japan. I don't want to come back and have somebody say no, you were wrong, but I'm not like 99% sure they were uh on the Jap getting off the the an airplane in Japan for the Southeast Asian leg of the tour, the let it loose tour, when they found out that anything for you was going number one.
SPEAKER_04Wow. And I mean it makes sense that that song went to number one because that is to this day, you listen to it and it's it's beautiful. I mean, uh it it could have been released now, you know. Um it doesn't sound a lot of her music is like that though. A lot of you know, you listen to to some songs, and if anything, some of them even age, they they've gotten better as they've aged, you know, with time. Um, you know, there's there's certain songs that I listen to now that I get excited about that were released 30, 40 years ago that I didn't really care for at that time, as I do now.
SPEAKER_05Here's another thing that just popped into my mind. So I'm gonna a quiz you guys. Okay. You're gonna have to Oh, you're in a you're in a quiz mode. You're gonna have well, I'm gonna you gotta get back with me. You gotta you gotta find this. Okay. I didn't recently I didn't know about this until recently when I just randomly discovered it. But there are two different versions of anything for you. There's an album version, and there's a single version. And when you listen to the music video, the ending, I already told you, gave it away. But you'll you'll don't I gave it away now.
SPEAKER_04There's a one there's one line. There's there's one line that's excluded, isn't it? Oh, so you know already.
SPEAKER_05Oh, yep, exactly. See I I know my shit, Wes. You already know. All right, so see, there's the um you you get it right away. Another one. All right. I get a point. I get a point. That's right. That's right. I did I really didn't know that until recent not all that long ago. Interesting.
SPEAKER_04Did Wes did not delvidate that one went to number one, right? No, it did not. It didn't go to number two close.
SPEAKER_05Number three on the hotline songs. Number two. Still very good.
SPEAKER_04Still very good, but it should have been number one. Should have been number one.
SPEAKER_02They all should have.
SPEAKER_04Every single one of them.
SPEAKER_02Thanks so much, Wes. That was great, as always. As always, we've learned Carlos has not been stumped yet. I was quietly stumped because I did not participate in this game.
SPEAKER_04He's uh trust me, he's gonna stump me at some point. But at the same time, Wes and I have, I mean, we've talked for many, many years, and we've kind of gone over a lot of these things. So I feel like you know a lot of my knowledge may come from conversations that you and I have had. Well, since we are doing uh sort of like a mid-season wrap-up, a little break, um, where we still have more to go, so this is not a season finale, but um, we do want to kind of just talk about some of the things that we've experienced so far. Um, Rob, you know, this is kind of the world that you're you're in, right? You've done you've done podcasts. Um, you have the the Kelly Clarkson podcast that you participate in. Um, but this new territory for for me and and West uh as well.
SPEAKER_02Even for me, like I the the weekliness of it, the dailiness of it, all the work that goes into doing uh producing content every single week is not something I was familiar with. Like, guys, I on Miss Into Podcast have been like the goofy sidekick, like the Greg T. the frat boy of their show. Like, I show up here and there, I say stupid things, people laugh, and I say goodbye. I don't have to edit, I don't have to promote, I don't have to do anything. So I we I've been learning on the fly so much in these past few months of like how much work goes into doing all of this.
SPEAKER_04I don't think I don't think a lot of people or most people realize the amount of work that goes into this. I know I didn't. I you know, and I know that we've talked about, you know, we were just gonna get together, press record, and have a conversation and just put it out there, but it's a lot more than just that.
SPEAKER_02It sure is. It's fun, it's so much fun. Like, if it was a drag, we wouldn't be here. I'm telling you right now, but because of the love of it, because of the um love of community that we're building, I think it's worth it. I think um I think it's brought us closer together. Not that we weren't already friends, but it really has.
SPEAKER_05That's my highlight. Our daily group texts that go on and on. I just love, even though I sometimes have to catch up because sometimes reality of work because we all have we all have lives.
SPEAKER_04We all have lives. I do have to share something, and and Rob, I don't I don't think I've ever admitted this to you. When Wes approached me, this was months ago already, when he approached me with this idea. I think I famously, I think at this point everyone knows that I famously said no, even Gloria. And uh exactly when you approached me, you wanted me to join. I don't know why, but you wanted me to join, and you had also mentioned Rob. And I was like, okay, so let me see how I could, you know, once I was convinced, I was like, How do I convince Rob? Because I I know you have your own stuff going on, and then I wasn't sure how involved you were with the other podcasts, you know, when you guests uh co-host on Miss End of Podcasts and whatever, you know, whatever else you have going on. So I thought, okay, I I need to approach this from you know a certain standpoint or a certain angle, just to kind of like get him involved somehow. I didn't want to go ahead and say, Do you want to co-host with us? Because I was afraid that that was gonna scare you off because of everything that you had going on. So I don't know if you remember the day that I called you and and I was like, listen, Wes has this idea. I don't know how I feel about it, but let's say, let's just entertain the idea. And then I thought, okay, maybe if I could at least, you know, get him in as I don't know, a producer. I don't even know what the producer would do, but I need to somehow get him, you know, in so that way I could finagle this somehow and get him to to host. But I don't want to go ahead and throw that out there just yet because I don't want to scare him off. So I started off with the whole producer thing, whatever, and you were like, Yeah, no, that would be cool. And and then you had mentioned how you had the idea of this uh of a podcast five years ago, which I totally forgot. And then from there, I was like, okay, so at least he's willing to participate somehow.
SPEAKER_02I'm gonna tell you what, you caught me on a great day because I had just gone shopping. I I had two arms full of new jeans, I had all my compras with me, and I was like, Yeah, sure. Like I had I was in a great mood.
SPEAKER_04I wasn't sure how you were, you know, I didn't know how what the reaction was gonna be, or yeah, so what uh so I tiptoed around that, yes, and then then you said yes to you know this whole producer idea. I was like, okay, all right, and then Wes and I we kept on talking, and then from there at that point I was like, okay, you know what? I'm I'm in, and then I went crazy. I went, I don't think Wes expected for me to like ramp things because the one thing about me, if you don't know me, if I'm gonna go ahead and do something, I'm all in, and like it's full steam ahead. Um so at that point, Wes and I, we you know started talking about the podcast and gathering ideas, and then somehow I think I don't know if the three of us were already in some type of group text message. Yeah, and we were and and then I think you no Rob, I think you messaged me and said, Hey, you know, what's my role? Am I gonna be hosting this or you know right?
SPEAKER_02Because I was already the wheels were turning.
SPEAKER_04I I think, yeah, sure.
SPEAKER_02How involved do you want me to be? And you said as involved as you want to be. Um and I was like, I was like, yes, we got them.
SPEAKER_05And I remember saying, I remember saying, yeah, because we have a we have a group text that goes back from like five or six years ago. I mean, this was COVID times we were chatting, yeah. So and when I envisioned this, I said, the three of us have to do it, or I mean it's not gonna work. And yeah, and you could be saying and it wasn't just because Rob had experience with the podcast, yeah, that's great that you could give us some pointers. I'm sure that's it. Yeah, I'm sure he could give us some pointers, but it wasn't about that, it was just how our interaction from group chats and how we are all sarcastic type of humor and how we interact with each other. I was like, Oh, this would be great, and this would be fun.
SPEAKER_04We do have a warped sense of humor, and what I I I will say this, and this specifically to you, Wes. You there's some people that can dish it but don't know how to take it. You on the other hand, man, you you're one that you could take it from every angle. Yeah, I mean that sounds a little perverted, but I don't want to tell you what I pictured just now. But yeah, I mean, we could we could really shoot the breeze with you and you just go you go along with it, and not everyone can, you know. Some people are sensitive, so I'm a pretty laid back guy, and so I I do have a question for you. So for both of you guys, okay. Our first episode, our first recording, actually. Which first episode? The very, very first recording, not the first because it never became an episode, the very first recording.
SPEAKER_05How much of a hot mess was that? It was it was still fun just chatting it up with you guys, but yeah, I guess when we it didn't feel that bad doing it, but then probably going back and listening to it. I refuse to listen to that one. I refuse to listen to it.
SPEAKER_02There are some parts of it that are very good, and they were all my parts.
SPEAKER_04Screw you, no, we but listen, we didn't even know we were doing you're not wrong because I was so freaking nervous. You can hear you trembling on the vertical. I was literally trembling.
SPEAKER_05I my voice was shaking, I it was so bad, and all I kept on thinking about was this is what people were gonna hear for the first time, and this is so bad, and that's what you didn't want to think about was like, and yeah, you are thinking about that, obviously, because that's what we're doing this for, but and then we went back to our original idea the three friends just shooting the shit with each other and being laid back, which that's what it's about.
SPEAKER_02You were both being so quiet and demure. I was like, who the hell are these people?
SPEAKER_04Even even then, you know, with that re-record, it it was definitely better than the first because there's nothing nothing compares to that first one. And like I said, I refuse to go back into the to listen to that. Well, maybe maybe by the end of the season, maybe I'll go back just for for a good laugh. But um, but yeah, it was it was a a couple of episodes that it was like, oh, this is intimidating. And I think that's the podcast is that way, you know. I think, yeah, I think that was my my biggest, you know, concern was how intimidating this is and how people are gonna receive it. And you know, do I sound like an idiot? And I did, I did, but here we are now.
SPEAKER_05See, I didn't really feel like it was as bad. I never really heard you didn't give a shit. You were just like, Yeah, just whatever, okay. And that that's that is my first time. But but I yeah, I was having fun, but yeah, we also are very yeah um anal about you know making things perfect too. So oh no, I get I get way too in my head.
SPEAKER_02I just imagine nobody's listening but us, and yeah, that's what me and Carlos said.
SPEAKER_05We were probably like, nobody's gonna probably listen to this, but you know what, who cares? Let's have fun.
SPEAKER_02Which is why every time Gloria's like, well, on episode four, at timestamp 2342, when you said this, I'm like, could you please?
SPEAKER_05And still take a moment where it's like, oh my gosh, is this for real? It it means so much to us that she loves it and she's just the person she is, as we all know.
SPEAKER_02But I will say from that first recording to now, it's a huge difference. Um just the banter between the three of us, the comfort among the three of us, you know, because it's like you know, we know each other well, we've met I would Wes and I I don't think we've ever met in person, but like we've known each other for a long time. But it's like it's like dating, it's like going on a date and like auditioning like the people that you're gonna spend a lot of time. Yeah, that's a good point. Um so you have to get the rhythm down uh in order to find your lane, you know, because everybody has their thing.
SPEAKER_04What would you say was were some of your favorite moments from what we've recorded so far?
SPEAKER_05What goes to my comes to mind first and I think it's touched a lot of people, is our vinyl episode that I keep saying you guys came up with that idea. Um but Oswaldo and Lans how amazing they were on that episode and to hear how it touched other people. And then, you know, a week ago when Oswaldo met Gloria on stage, and she she's telling him, Oh my gosh, you made me cry when I was listening to this in the car. And I I listened to that and like I even told him, I was like, Do you realize that what you did? And he was just dumbfounded and the look on his face and reaction that that's so special, so special. That and that's what I told Gloria. I was like seeing his reaction and you know what this has done. I told her that on stage when we met her. I was like, you know, that means more to me than anything.
SPEAKER_04Yeah, I I have to say that that's probably out of the episodes that we've recorded so far, and this is now episode 10, right? I have to say that the vinyl episode, I think it surprised us all. Yeah, I don't think we we were prepared. I mean, we were teary-eyed by the end of the episode. I talking about vinyl, but it was just the way that they spoke, the way that Juan spoke, the you know, the the way that Oswaldo spoke as well. It was just they they were able to to articulate exactly how we feel as as fans. Um and to then later find out that Gloria listened to the episode and cried as well, you know, listening that it still blows my mind. How going back to what I said earlier, this was in my mind, we were just gonna get together as we usually do via text message and you know, talk about Gloria, talk about a song. Now we're just doing it via Zoom with a microphone. We press record, and who's gonna listen to this? Just us. We'll probably just listen to it while we're editing, and that's it. And the fact that she's listening in and she gets to hear other people's perspectives and you know what certain songs meant to them. Um, to be able to showcase that and uh and highlight those moments for her, uh, I think that is so special. Right. There's no way not to do not to not to pat our ourselves on the back, but we kind of have to pat ourselves on the back a little because it not every artist right gets this.
SPEAKER_02Yeah, there's no way really for us to, in my opinion, give back to her what she's given to us, right? Like her music has meant so much, has underscored our lives for the duration of our lives. But I hope and I feel like she said it herself that this feels like us singing her praises and kind of giving back to her the love that she's given us all these years, you know? Absolutely. Um so it's a it's a a daunting thing, but a special thing.
SPEAKER_05To invite two incredible guys, Juan and Oswaldo, to make an episode and to have them speak so highly and their words touch her that way to make her cry. I mean, that's so strange.
SPEAKER_04Yeah, I I I wasn't prepared for that. I thought it was just gonna be us. I honestly was prepared to just sit back as I mentioned during the the episode. I was just gonna sit back and just watch you guys geek out over vinyl that I know nothing of. Yeah, I have a few vinyls, but you know, I it's not my thing.
SPEAKER_05Yeah, they became way more than vinyl.
SPEAKER_04It was so special. So I I would say if we wanted to highlight one episode that we feel that the the listener should you know go back and listen to, or anyone that's exploring our podcast, I would say that one episode that they should listen to is definitely that vinyl episode. Yep, yeah, 100%. So yeah. Um, do you guys have any uh favorite feedback that you've received, whether it be through our socials or you know, uh uh I do messages directly that have been sent to you?
SPEAKER_05I do, and I don't want it to be a friend sent this to me on WhatsApp. She just said how do you realize how you've been bringing people together because of this podcast? That's so beautiful. Um that's very sweet. That was awesome. That's a yeah, that was a special, special uh that's very sweet.
SPEAKER_02I told you when we started this that that was my goal. Like, I don't care about having a million listeners or having this or having that. Yeah, I just love the uh sort of fan community that we're starting to build. I think about the community that Miss Into Podcast has built with their fans and how much it's brought everybody from their little corners of the internet together into one corner that's unified and we can have nostalgia, share memories, share photos, celebrate new things, you know, remember old things. It's a it's a special place that um you know very few fan groups get to have because not everybody has the. The organization to galvanize into one spot. It's not like message boards are a thing anymore or anything like that or chat rooms or whatever we used to do back then. So this was my goal for the show uh as much as possible to bring everybody from their little pockets of the world and pockets of the internet together into ours. Um and I think it's beginning and I hope it continues.
SPEAKER_04Yeah, yeah. You know, it's it's funny because there was one comment um that I came across on our socials, and anyone that knows that's in the fandom knows about Konga Bash, which is something that every few years uh fans would get together in in Miami and uh celebrate Gloria, and sometimes we would take a tour of uh Estefan Enterprises or the or the um uh the studios, and there was a comment that someone had left saying that every Thursday feels like a gonga bash.
SPEAKER_02Oh my god.
SPEAKER_04Oh, that's great, which I thought was so nice and and sweet, and you know, and uh and I love the fact that that's the feeling that you know people are getting. Um uh and it's all about us coming together and uh as fans and and sharing our our stories. I will say I'm gonna be a little bitter now because that's just who I am. I know that when we started this, there were very few, very, you know, just a handful of people that uh felt a certain way that um that we were doing a podcast. And for what reason, I don't know, because I don't know if if these people thought that um we thought ourselves as you know superior to anyone or you know, uh, or some type of VIP. And that is so not what we're trying to do here. Anyone that knows us, A, um uh knows that that that's not what it's about. And anyone that has listened should now realize, you know, going back to comments like that person that said that this feels like a gongash or that you know that glory is bringing us together, that's what it's about. That's what we're trying to accomplish here. We're just trying to get everyone to together, um, share our experiences and you know what we like, what we don't like, which what music uh or songs move us. So um, you know, to those select few that were kind of hating at the beginning, I hope they come around because you know, we we want everyone to be uh a part of this, of course.
SPEAKER_02Yeah, we're we're trying to bring as many people in as possible.
SPEAKER_05So and yeah, that was our goal. It's not about and I think that's what why people love this so much, which is still mind-boggling, and we appreciate everyone who has listened to us, but I think what touches people is that we're not making it about us, we're making about her. That's what this was all about, you know. It's not about absolutely not about us.
SPEAKER_02I will say if you if you see me in person and you don't like the podcast, lie to me because I will cry. Oh my god, I yeah, um I won't cry. No, I'm not crying.
SPEAKER_04I'm one of those that I could dish it, but I don't know. Sometimes I don't know if I can take it. So I'll be coming back. Oh, you actually, you know what? That actually brings me to to something that I should share here. Um, so you guys know one of my best friends is Angel Max. Shout out to Angel Max in California, yes, and he is a huge, huge fan of the show. We've mentioned his name uh previously, and and he's even sent in uh a message. Um, so when we drop an episode, he'll listen to the episode three or four times that day, and he'll dissect the episode. So I remember the very first episode that we launched, he came back and he probably sent like 15 voice notes praising the pod and you know, saying all these wonderful things, but then he had his constructive criticism, and I was not prepared. I was not prepared. I think because of how nervous I was, I wasn't sure how any of this would be received. You know, hearing all the praise was great, great, great, great, great. And then I hear the construct, the constructive criticism, and I'm like, I'm in a fetal position in a corner, I'm about to cry. And I know that he means, I mean, he is my biggest cheerleader. Outside of my dad and my husband, Angel Max is my biggest cheerleader. So he only means well. So I'm listening to this stuff, and I just that very first day I I had to send him a message and was like, listen, I on day one, whenever we launch, I just need, you know, if you do have any constructive criticism, let me just breathe because it is for me. I don't know about for US, Rob, I think you're kind of you know, you're you're comfortable with this stuff, right? Yes, but every time that we drop an episode, I feel like I'm holding my breath until we start, you know, receiving some comments, and I'm like, okay, okay, we're we're doing okay. And then um, you know, it it takes a while to finally take a deep breath. So it was interesting having the conversation with him. I was like, on day one, I just need you to, you know, if you have any constructive criticism, wait for the next day because I'm still trying to even you know breathe. So and he's been he's been great, like I said, he's our number one supporter.
SPEAKER_05And and yeah, I had friends say, you know, I would do this maybe a little bit differently, you know, after the first couple of episodes, and it's been nothing but praise ever since. Yes, it's mind-boggling.
SPEAKER_02What I like about Angel Max is he records his own podcast about the podcast.
SPEAKER_04It's it's amazing.
SPEAKER_02It's so he has like his after show, like Oprah after a show. It's Angel Max after the show telling everything about the podcast, yeah.
SPEAKER_04Maybe maybe that's an idea there. It's not a bad idea. Maybe he and my dad could you know collaborate because the let it loose podcast network with the two of them. Oh my god, was there something that was edited out of an episode that you wish had stayed in?
SPEAKER_02No, because Gloria found out our thoughts on meaning of meaning of bago, and that should have been taken out because I'll say that one.
SPEAKER_04Gloria, if you're listening, we act we lost sleep about that one. Yeah, I'm shaking now. I'm I'm still shaking.
SPEAKER_05Oh, yes. Me killing Destiny. I'll never hear the end of that. Oh no, yeah, no, that one you shouldn't have done.
SPEAKER_04That should have been edited. I never killed Destiny, by the way.
SPEAKER_02Yes, you did. I have it on recording.
SPEAKER_04I could never the one thing that I I do regret. So another best friend of mine, Sammy, out in in the Bronx. Love her. She um one thing I learned is wait until the episode drops to then share like what's actually on the episode. I made the mistake of sharing with Sammy before anything was edited that we were saying such beautiful things about her and her flawless skin and how young she looks and all that stuff, and then it was edited out. So that wasn't a good look for me. But well, you can say it now. She's gorgeous, she has beautiful. She's gorgeous, she's awesome, she's Puerto Rican. She's Puerto Rican.
SPEAKER_02What would you say you you've learned throughout this process? I'm still working on uh learning how to not talk over people. Like that is something that's tough. It's tough because I get so excited, and like the a podcast is sort of like a group chat when like when the group chat starts cooking and you don't want to miss your opportunity for the joke, so you you start finding the gift right away, and you're like trying to interject before the topic changes. Um it uh the podcast is very similar because like our topics could change at the drop of a hat, and then my moment's gone to add to the conversation. Um, so I'm trying to work on that.
SPEAKER_05Yeah, me too. And or you'll forget about you'll forget to mention it.
SPEAKER_04Yeah, but can I tell you because of this, this has been great practice for me in just my regular day-to-day real life, because I have a real bad habit of if something comes to my brain, I have to say it. I have to just blurt it out at that moment because if not, uh most of the time I'll forget. Um, like Dory. And it comes up, you know, it comes across as as rude because it is, you know, if someone's speaking. Um, so that has been great practice. As I'm practicing here on the pod to not speak over people, and I still do it, you too. It's something that I've been practicing, you know, uh in in real life as well.
SPEAKER_05But I think it makes it also real, you know, and not doesn't feel like it's rehearsed. And we've had that comment many times. It's like, you know, there's a part of it, they're just sitting around chatting it up with us, you know, and that's that's that's what we want as well.
SPEAKER_04Is there something that you would say that you learned about each other throughout this process?
SPEAKER_02I underestimated or not underestimated because I didn't know. I did not know how funny Wes was. Like Wes like Wes at first glance really seems like like the straight man in the group, like that keeps keeps the top, like keeps the stuff going, has the facts, and no nonsense. But every so often, with sort of the no new nuance, he'll throw out a something that has us all like in tears from laughing. And yeah, and I don't even know.
SPEAKER_04Is that even is that even intentional?
SPEAKER_05Like, are like I don't even know if you it is real, it is sometimes, and then sometimes it's not. Yeah, that's uh sarcastic type humor that I don't try to be funny. That's what if you have many of my friends um here, they could give you some really good examples of like how I just come off with one-liners and people start laughing, and I'm like, oh yeah, that was funny.
SPEAKER_04Here's something that I wasn't prepared for, and Wes, I'm gonna I'm sorry, but I'm gonna throw you under the bus right now.
SPEAKER_03Okay.
SPEAKER_04I was not prepared to have to think about starting a Wes Larkins fan club. Oh, whatever. Oh, yeah. Oh, don't whatever me because I'm here getting messages from random people saying, Oh, who's that white boy? Oh, he's so tall. I'm into that. Ooh, he's Mr.
SPEAKER_05Worldwide.
SPEAKER_04Look at him. I have the receipts.
SPEAKER_05No, I will say Oswaldo said Oswaldo shared a comment with me from somebody. I don't remember who it was, but I get I don't take you know, it's hard for me to believe some of that stuff.
SPEAKER_04It's I listen, it's they're not looking at me because once they find out that you know I'm married, have five kids, who the hell wants to be the stepchild the stepfather or stepmother, whatever. But anyway, um, what do you think if we take a little break and have some fun and um play a little game? Sure. It's game time. I love it. It's game time. So this was your idea, Rob.
SPEAKER_02So you wanna share um this actually came about from uh one of our questions in our first um mailbag episode, where somebody said, What's one song in Gloria's whole career that you thought was a missed opportunity that should have been a single? So then I was like I said out loud on the podcast that this could be its own episode if we take uh 15 albums um from Eyes of Innocence from Eyes of Innocence all the way to Raices and each pick one song per each album that we think was a missed opportunity that should have been a single, and then I thought funny the there's funny there's humor in this because West will correct us non-stop to be like, no, this was a promo single in Istanbul in 1992.
SPEAKER_04See, that's why I was stressed out last night because I had to some of the songs that I wanted to choose, I knew that he would come back with that bullshit. So I had to come. I don't care about anything. You don't care, but I'm neurotic.
SPEAKER_02And then if he tells me I'm wrong, I have two fingers to show him.
SPEAKER_05That's when we're gonna start a quiz section or a quiz portion of this. That's great. Well, this is like a main man when it comes to know this stuff, and uh it just sticks with me because I love it so much, obviously.
SPEAKER_04Don't give us too much shit for our answers because you know I'll I'll I'll fire your ass. I'll be gone. I'll be gone.
SPEAKER_05And there goes my fan club.
SPEAKER_04All right, so let's start with the very first album on our list, which is Eyes of Innocence. So let's start with US. Eyes of Innocence. The title track.
SPEAKER_05The title track. Okay, I I like that song. Or Ojos del Amor. There's a Spanish version out there for those people that don't know that.
SPEAKER_04But that was on Atola Maquina. Right.
SPEAKER_05Okay, we haven't got a digital drop on that one yet, but uh that uh we were told is coming down the down the line. So stay tuned for that.
SPEAKER_02Rob, what would you say? Mine is a sentimental one because I love it so much. I've I I gotta you and I have the same one already. I I bet you it got such a resurgence from me after On Your Feet when I really got to hear the lyrics of that song. Um, and I look over at my mother and she's just weeping, you know. Yeah, um, because I because she's weeping because she knows I'm never gonna get married, and she's like, we can never dance in this song. Um and the song is When Someone Comes Into Your Life. I know you're gonna say that. At that point, we had I took her and my partner to see on your feet, and she's sobbing because she's like, This is such a missed opportunity. I'm like, Yeah, I'm sorry about it. It's never gonna happen.
SPEAKER_04Sorry, sorry, not sorry. That's the same one that I wrote down. However, if I could pick one that was a single somewhere, because I know it was a single somewhere that I feel just needed some support and a push because it it should be a hit. We should be looking back at this song and saying this was her first number one, Prisoner of Love. Why was that song not a bigger hit or a hit? Period. I mean, I listened to that and it just reminds me of like Pat Benatar, some badass, you know.
SPEAKER_05Um bring it back now. Like whoever at Epic messed up because we got I need a man in in in the United States and internationally in the UK, Europe, Australia, I think even South America and Japan got prisoner of love.
SPEAKER_04I think if and this will never happen, but I think if I were to go to a concert and she sang prisoner of love, I would shit myself. You would have to take me straight to the bathroom and be on.
SPEAKER_05That would be and there are and the the funny thing you say that there are so many people that I've seen make comments about how much of that song.
SPEAKER_04Yes, Steven, he came Steven, shout out to Steven. We talk about it all the time.
SPEAKER_05That is such a great song. So there are there, it's uh it's on single out there for you all in an extended remix from Pablo, so Pablo Flores. Yep, and there was a music video shot for prisoner of love. There was it was shot in the UK, yeah, cheesy as hell, but and the quality is terrible. But hey Sony Music, whoever has that, can we get a better quality version of it?
SPEAKER_04Because even though it is cheesy, uh we love the song and what if you remember it was 2008, maybe around that time, um, 2005, um, so mid-2000s, I want to say Dr. Pressure. Yeah, that's right. Why don't we just we were just why don't they do something like that with Prisoner of Love? Like some hot remix. That song needs to just be out there. I don't know. Anyways, I can I'll go on.
SPEAKER_05Gloria, listen to this. How about the next or future project? This an idea would be hey, let's do a new remix album of some of the biggest dance songs and have some new DJs take a new twist, have a new twist at remixing the song. How cool was it?
SPEAKER_04Remixes, remixes of deep cuts, yeah, or that.
SPEAKER_05Yeah, you guys enjoy that.
SPEAKER_04Because you're not an unskey. Yes, we know. I am an unskey. Yes, you are, and let me enjoy. I'll be I would be very happy for my friends to tell you that.
SPEAKER_02All right, primitive love is primitive love. Uh I I put body to body on this one.
SPEAKER_04Yes, we put a realistic one, yes.
SPEAKER_02I bet we have the same third one, too. But you guys think alike, huh?
SPEAKER_04Body to body, nobody doesn't like you do.
SPEAKER_02That sounds really good.
SPEAKER_05Keep going.
SPEAKER_02While I was listening to some of these songs yesterday, I was like, Prisoner of Love was one, body to body is another one. That I was like, if if dua lipa, for example, came out with any of these songs, they would be like shut up, shut up, shut up, shut up.
SPEAKER_04It's true. Can you imagine? It would be a number one. No, but can you imagine if if someone like dua lipa says, you know what? I want to record Prisoner of Love, Body to Body, and you know, do I would once again hand me a new diaper because I'm gonna shit myself. Yeah.
SPEAKER_05Okay, um, Wes Mucha Money. Oh, well, it was a B side, the actual B side of it. Yeah, it was and there's a Spanish version of that one as well.
SPEAKER_04Wait a second, so you you're allowed to, you know, do B sides and singles. You you break your own rules, and I'm here. Okay, all right. Um let it loose. I'm gonna say Love Toy.
SPEAKER_03Okay.
SPEAKER_05Absolutely. It's a fun song.
SPEAKER_02It's uh wasn't it?
SPEAKER_05It is, yeah.
SPEAKER_04But I'm just thinking Love Toy Now, like some hot remixes now. That song, I it's not a song that I I cared for when that album was released. I mean, I'm really I was too young um to really understand. At least my understanding of the song is it's dirty. That's my understanding.
SPEAKER_02Currently, it's still yeah, that's still my understanding.
SPEAKER_04That'll be funny if Gloria's like, uh no, we weren't even thinking that nasty, dirty.
SPEAKER_05I'm writing that I'm writing that down for a future deep dive episode. We need her to send us a message about the backstory of Love Toy.
SPEAKER_04Um, which is funny because Love Toy was written by Larry Dermer, who is now a rabbi.
SPEAKER_05Oh, okay, and Larry Dermer is on a lot of things if you look at Larry Dermer was uh a huge part of their career. Okay, so cuts both ways.
SPEAKER_02Cuts both ways. Mine, this was tricky for me because first of all, a lot of the songs that I love on this album were singles. Were singles, yeah. I I was tossed between I, but I went with Think About You Now.
SPEAKER_04Okay, I do like that one, and I I could see that. We did not match this time.
SPEAKER_02She was known for her ballads in this era, uh, and that could have been a it's got like a this rock and roll edge to it. It's just a favorite.
SPEAKER_05Yeah. Wes. For me, that album, every single song, because that's my all-the-time favorite album. Everything is perfect about that album, as you know, I've said. Um so I could have picked every one of these songs, but nothing new.
SPEAKER_04Nothing new. Okay.
SPEAKER_05I love how nothing new starts out. It's it's a fantastic song.
SPEAKER_04And for me I went with Your Love is Bad for Me. I love that song. That song I I would pay anything to hear her sing.
SPEAKER_02If she ever did like an MTV unplugged, that's one that I would love to just hear them on a guitar with. Her vocal doing that song.
SPEAKER_04Or wait a second. Oh, or just picture this. Picture this. We're on season three of Let It Loose, and we invite her on, and she does a set with oh my god, deep cuts, crazy, whatever, you know. We each pick two songs, and she sings, Your Love is bad for me, and nothing new.
SPEAKER_02Did you smoke something before recording this?
SPEAKER_04I need to smoke something. Boy, oh boy. Clearly. How about how about the Into the Light album? I said just because I love, love, love, love this song. It closed my eyes.
SPEAKER_02That was my first one. I crossed it out because I I I had a feeling somebody else was gonna say it, and I wanted to be different. Um I don't know why. I went with Mama Yo Can't Go. That is I mean, it's a I'll listen to it.
SPEAKER_04I mean, listen, I'll listen to it and I'll sing to it, but what the hell does that song even mean?
SPEAKER_02Yo can't go. Um you know, it was it was interesting during Into the Light when she's like a little bit more political. You know, we had she did Oye Mikanto on the previous album, and at this one we have a lot more introspection, a lot more political, like teetering on political views. Uh, and Mama Yo can't go was the first time she really talked about you know the political issues in Cuba.
SPEAKER_05So yeah, that's what it was about. Yeah, Carlos, listen to the because that that song was a part of the set list for the in the light world tour, but it was cut from the Rotterdam show, so you don't see that.
SPEAKER_03Oh, really? Interesting.
SPEAKER_05Uh-huh. Yeah, it was a part of the set list. Go on the Yokohama if on YouTube. Okay, yep. The Yokohama show that was broadcast on TV in Japan. She plays Mama Yo Can't Go. Um have to take a look. I know I've seen it, but I said this song is for Cuba.
SPEAKER_04I just I can't picture that song having been a single.
SPEAKER_03Yeah.
SPEAKER_04Um but great song, but is that what you that would if that's what you're into?
unknownYeah.
SPEAKER_04Uh Wes, what was yours?
SPEAKER_05What goes around?
SPEAKER_04I love that live performance of that's that's a good one.
SPEAKER_05It almost shows Light of Love, which I love both. Like the horns on that song are phenomenal. But yeah, and I'm like, no, what goes around? It was it was a I could see that being a single.
SPEAKER_04Okay. All right, so Mitierra, I'm gonna go ahead and say volveras. I think that should have been a single.
SPEAKER_02First of all, because uh it is a song that an album that I know like the back of my hand, like every riff, every vocal lick, every single thing from that album, I could sing in my sleep. It's my desert album. Desert, you know, what is it called? Like the desert island album, whatever. But anyway, when I started doing my research, almost every track that I would have picked was a single. Ayed was a single, me Wenamot was a single, Cisengoda was a single, even like Raision had remixes. Like I know which one you're going with. What am I going with? I know which gonna be your pick.
SPEAKER_04I have a feeling.
SPEAKER_02I've I've okay. Do you want to say it or you want me to say I feel like you're gonna say uh hablas de mi. Hablas de mí is it. Yes, that's it. Ah I was going with I wasn't know you too. Well um is a beautiful song. Originally I was thinking about tus ojos, but um hablas de mí is just gorgeous. Yeah. What do you think of the original? So nice, like it's cute to listen to, like how songs grow and how they evolve. That's that's a cool um recording as well.
SPEAKER_05That's my choice too. Oh yeah. Abelas de me, yep, yeah. And if people don't know, it was it first appeared on Primitive Love back in 1985 on Latin American versions of the album. They cut Surrender Paradise and put Abelas de Me on the Latin American version.
SPEAKER_02Poor Surrender Paradise. I love that song.
SPEAKER_04Yeah, yeah. Alright, so now we're at Homie Throw Me Kiss Me. So, Wes, what do you say?
SPEAKER_05That's a tough one for me. I I I have nothing written down. Um I'm trying to think. So I really I'm stumped. I have nothing written down, but it this one was a tough one. Traces as well.
SPEAKER_04Trace is Traces is good. Traces is good, and um, you know, now that we're talking about Homie Throw Me Kiss Me, um, recently Neil Sadaka uh passed away. And I know that she did a cover, which was the cover that she did.
SPEAKER_02Was it Breaking Up is Heart To Do? Is that his?
SPEAKER_04I think so. Yeah, yeah. So our condolences to his family. Um, Rob, what would you say?
SPEAKER_02Um, this was tricky for me, also, because the song that means the most to me on that album would not be a single, but she did Don't Let the Sun Catch You Crying, which was a very special song for me. Uh beautiful as a kid.
SPEAKER_05Five vocals is just phenomenal. I mean, ever I mean But a five-minute song on the radio was not happening, right?
SPEAKER_02So I picked You've Made Me So Very Happy because of I picked that one too! Good she sounds singing that song. Yes, uh oh my god, her vocals on that incredible.
SPEAKER_05Now I want to change mine.
SPEAKER_02Too late, you're locked in.
SPEAKER_05Too late, locked in.
SPEAKER_04All right, so moving on to abriendo puertas. I said Nuevo Día.
SPEAKER_02Oh, nice. That's a fun one. Nice. Um that breakdown in that song is so good. Break it's uh amazing. Okay, Wes, eat my shorts because you're gonna tell me that I'm wrong. I don't care, promotional single or whatever. Lejos de ti is my favorite song on that album. I love it so much. The lyrics are beautiful, it's just oh my god, my favorite, favorite deep cut.
SPEAKER_05We're on the save wave link there. Uh you picked that, you broke your own rules, all right. Yes, and it technically was released as a promotional single in Spain, but it never charted, so you can't it never doesn't count. It doesn't count, it doesn't count.
SPEAKER_04You know what? It's funny because many, many years ago, um, my parents used to love watching all my children, the soap opera. And there was there were a few episodes where there was they were at a club and it was like a Latin club, and all the songs that they kept from playing were Gloria's songs from Abriendo Puertas. They played Nuevo Nuevo Dia, they played Tres de Sales, I think. Um but yeah, I would love to be I would love to be at a club listening to Nuevo Dia, dancing to that one because that's a hot that's a hot track. And now we're going to my favorite album, which is Destiny. And this one was tough because Destiny had a lot of singles or promotional singles, and so um I want to see what you guys had to say because I stuck to the rules with this one.
SPEAKER_02I did too for this one, and it was tough because it it wouldn't not that it wouldn't have been my first choice, but it like I was confused by no pretendo not and the English version not being a single. Is that correct?
SPEAKER_04Well, well, I but I will say this in South Florida, when I was living in South Florida, during that time, I did hear Steal Your Heart on the radio a few times. Okay, so I didn't pick that's what I'm saying.
SPEAKER_05So tell me yes, no pretendo was released as a single. So a lot of people don't know this, but I actually have a XL spreadsheet document from Sony Music Holland with Gloria's discography, like what they had in there. It came from my friend Chris Dirks, who was written writing a book and he wanted me to help finish, you know, his book. Anyway, Steal Your Heart was a planned single. There was gonna be a CD single, C D Maxi single, and a 12-inch single, and it was canceled. So it was a planned single. A lot of people don't know that. I would have loved to have known the track listings and I mean it had a catalog number. I mean, to that point where the catalog numbers were on this document, that it was a planned single, and it was canceled.
SPEAKER_02Oh wow. So what would you say? So mine is destiny.
SPEAKER_04Yours is destiny. Okay, okay. Why didn't I pick that one? I love that song. I do too.
SPEAKER_05So good.
SPEAKER_04Okay.
SPEAKER_02I know they would have to radio it. No, I know at the beginning, but I know why I didn't pick that song.
SPEAKER_04Why? But before I say Wes.
SPEAKER_05The Heart Never Learns.
SPEAKER_04The Heart Never Learns. Okay. So I didn't say Destiny because I love that song. I don't know if if it would have done well as far as like on the radio. The one that I chose was Show Me the Way Back to Your Heart. But I would have loved to have heard a version where she sings, and I know that I'm kind of you know inventing my own rules here, but I would have loved to have heard a version where she sings it with Brian McKnight since he had recorded that song as well, or with Louis Fongsi, who recorded this uh the Spanish version of that song.
SPEAKER_05Oh, yeah, I forgot about that.
SPEAKER_04Oh so yeah, I can't remember what the name of the Spanish version is that Louis Fongsi uh recorded, but if you haven't heard it, it's a beautiful ballad sung in Spanish. Um I don't know who translated because show me the way back to your heart. Uh and uh that was written by Diane Warren, right? Wes, you can verify because that's your girl. And I remember I remember Gloria being in Vegas at the same time that Brian McKnight was in Vegas. I was like, oh, how cool would it be? Like if they if they you know came together and sang Show Me the Way Back to Your Heart um as a duet.
SPEAKER_05She did sing that song live.
SPEAKER_04She did for the Diamond Warren special. Yep, yeah. All right, so even though this is not Rob's favorite album, let me tell you what.
SPEAKER_02I just this past week listened to it again from start to finish. Knew every word, had a nice time. It's a great album with lots of great songs. The Gloria album has so much potential for singles and for things that were just sort of left on the table, yeah, unfortunately, uh, as we all know. Um mine is I just want to be happy.
SPEAKER_05Okay, great song. Yep, great song.
SPEAKER_02Love that song. And I'm so happy that she's she used to close concerts with it when we when she started doing um tours again. That was a that was a fun surprise for the fans.
SPEAKER_04Yeah, absolutely. I agree. How about you, Wes?
SPEAKER_05Feeling.
SPEAKER_04I put feeling. Oh, I love feeling. I put feeling that I think that could have been a huge hit. Especially didn't we talk about it last week? You and me. I feel like we even when I was writing it down, I felt like you and I had talked about it. But at this point, I don't even remember.
SPEAKER_05I mean, feeling we talked there in this episode. Uh like it's hard. That one's hard. Yeah to come up with there's like Rob said, there's so many that could be singles.
SPEAKER_02Alma Caribeña. This was also tricky because I I didn't know that the Jose Feliciano duet was not a single, or was it? No, but there was some type of promotional thing.
SPEAKER_05It was a promotional single, but it it was it was like probably a promotional single that was just given out. It never was like an official single.
SPEAKER_04I stuck to the rules, okay. Me too. And I chose one song that I remember the day before the album was released, I was at a specs music um uh store and they were playing the album. And I walked into the store when they were playing solo portuamor, and that song just gives me all the feels. It just I I there's there's not a time that I put that song on that it doesn't put a smile on my face.
SPEAKER_02I went on a little like imaginary journey with this one, like you've been taking Carlos. Um I chose La Florito Amor just for the idea that they would have done a salsa version like they did for Purumbeso y como me dente. Because I think a salsa version of La Florito Amor, but it already has its own little like sandunga section, could have been really cool.
SPEAKER_05So this is funny. I chose both and then I crossed out solo porto amor and went with La Florito Amor. I agree with you exactly what I love that song, it's it's so good. Uh dramatic.
SPEAKER_04You know what? I have a feeling that if I go back and I listen to both songs, I may end up scratch like crossing out my own answer.
SPEAKER_05Those two are right, like real, real close to each other for whatever reason has in my mind whenever I I listen to those two. Like I I don't know why I'm thinking that, but they're both like and they're not really similar, but I don't know. That's like they're dueling each other for my favorite. I I love both of them so much, and it's hard to choose which one I like more than the other. So it's like I've got to listen to that.
SPEAKER_04As soon as we're done here, I'm gonna go straight to to those two songs.
SPEAKER_05We were talking about Alamakar Benny over the weekend and how everybody uh loves that album, and there's no bad song on it at all. There's no bad songs, period.
SPEAKER_04But all right, the next one, Unwrapped You. You, okay, okay. I can see that.
SPEAKER_02Great song. Unwrapped was tough. Um I chose in the meantime because I I I'm thinking like chart success, which I never think about, that it would have given people sort of wink and a nudge to the early gloria ballads and be like, oh look, she's still writing beautiful ballads. Okay. And I love that dramatic bridge of that song.
SPEAKER_04I chose Dangerous Game. Because I could hear that as a single, I could hear that. Um it has like this a little edge to to it, and I think it would have it would have done well. Now I remember when that album came out, there was someone that is not a fan like like us that listened to it, and they thought that um Into You should have been uh a single.
SPEAKER_02Could have been.
SPEAKER_04All right, so now we're at 90 mills. To me, I felt like this was a no-brainer for me. For me too. I picked Do we have the same one? I don't know. I picked Besame. I almost picked Besame. I was this close to writing it down, and I went with Morenita.
SPEAKER_05That wasn't a single? No, that wasn't a single. I think I was dueling Morenita with Abailar.
SPEAKER_04Oh, I love I'm in it. Okay, which was surprising that that wasn't a single, especially since she sang it uh during the um Dancing with the Stars program. Um but yeah, I think Morenita that that should have been uh a single, and that would have been a hit. That would have been a hit in my opinion. All right, Miss Little Havana Medicine.
SPEAKER_02That wasn't a single with all the remixes. That was a single kind of sorta.
SPEAKER_05Nope, it was planned and cancelled because the remix me and um Jade were just talking about the song this weekend.
SPEAKER_04I don't like the rules that you can't.
SPEAKER_05Kahill remix they they made remixes for it, like they were not unreleased. Um, no. Medicine did chart.
SPEAKER_04Oh yes, yeah, on billboard. Oh, dad and dad are fighting. Oh, yes, it charted on the dance charts and on billboard. It was way it was high up there. It was high up there.
SPEAKER_05If he proves me wrong, we've got a uh moment here.
SPEAKER_04It I'm telling you, I know for a fact that it charted. And if I'm wrong, I swear to god, I'm gonna throw myself out the window.
SPEAKER_05I really hope I am. I really hope you are right because this would be really cool right now, but I really, really think you're wrong. All right, well, I'm still gonna look for it. All right. I mean, you're probably right. I love when I'm proved wrong and or with with something that I don't already know.
SPEAKER_04So I really feel that it charted, but it was like a high number.
SPEAKER_05It was planned as a single because Cahill did a remix and that remix leaked, and it's a phenomenal remix. I love Kay Hill remixes, yeah. And JRMX also did a remix.
SPEAKER_02Mine is I Can't Believe.
SPEAKER_05I love that song.
SPEAKER_02I love I Can't Believe. It is in my opinion, a vocal highlight. The music is so interesting. The sort of um the Brazilian sound that it has at the during the bridge is so cool. What an incredible album album opener. Like just a phenomenal track. My other thought was since Let It Lose, uh not Let It Lose, since Let's Get Loud was never her single, she could have released Let's Get Loud as well.
SPEAKER_03Oh, yeah, I didn't think about that.
SPEAKER_04Yeah, yeah. You know which which song I really appreciated, and I know that we've received 20 million versions of of this, but the the Conga, the remix version that they did specifically for was it the 25th? Yeah, 25th anniversary, right? Um, that was a good one. That was, I mean, it was it it's good. There's so many great ones, you know. Um she's done so many versions, slow version, fast version, comparsa versions, but that was version now that I would version. So mine was make my heart go.
SPEAKER_05Yeah, oh without that.
SPEAKER_04That was why that wasn't a single.
SPEAKER_05It it could have totally been one.
SPEAKER_04It should have been one. It I mean, I was gonna go with I was gonna go with medicine, but I didn't because I thought that you know it was some type of promotional single or whatever. Um, so I think you're probably thinking that it was planned and the remixes weren't coming, and then we thought it was coming, and then it did so yeah, but I still feel that make my heart go should have been a single because especially when El Cata and and Gloria are are doing their thing towards the very end that it gets like so hot. I mean, that part is fire, it is fire. So okay, now we could talk about raíces. And listen, I I think it's a no-brainer. Anyone that has heard this podcast knows, and I've said it 20 million times, tuyo. Yep, that's mine. That should have been a single that's yours too. Could be a single, yep, that's mine. It's you know, just just release it.
SPEAKER_05It's really hard. The Tuyo and Yo Kieroser were like fighting each other, and then Tuyo.
SPEAKER_02Yo Kieroser is mine. Um, I love Tuyo. I think Yokierose and Tuyo could be the next two singles. Let's keep the races era going. Um, there's no reason to stop the era just because we've had three singles, we can have five. I mean, they've had they've had four of them, yeah.
SPEAKER_05Why not? But but but majority, I was gonna say this earlier, but majority of albums now, depending and I mean it it depends on the artist. So here's what we do. You get about three singles from an album.
SPEAKER_02Here's what we do, Wes. Yeah, Gloria goes in, records three or four new songs, gives us a deluxe raíces, hey, that's a good one, and then we can extend the raíces era even further. Yeah, she can do concerts for raises and let's do it.
SPEAKER_04All right, well, this was fun, and I'm curious. I'm curious to to see what the listeners' reactions are gonna be to our answers and what their answers uh would be.
SPEAKER_02Yeah, I would love to see people's full lists, like yes, put it in your notes and then take a screenshot and send it into. I would love to see what everybody's 15-track playlist would be.
SPEAKER_04Yeah, absolutely. Absolutely. Well, this uh that was fun, and um, you know, there's there's something that I wanted to to mention as you know, we're gonna start wrapping up soon. But when we started this, as I mentioned earlier, I thought it was just gonna be us um shooting the breeze, and nothing was really gonna come out of this, right? You know, um, yeah, maybe a few people would listen and that's it. The fact that we hit it out of the park from day one is mind blowing. And I don't know about metrics. I don't know, you know, compared to compared to other uh podcasts that have been around for a while. I know that we're very niche, you know, um because it's very specific. Uh but the fact that our little podcast has been listened to streamed downloaded in over 400 cities across more than 40 countries worldwide. I mean countries that include Brazil, United Kingdom, Spain, Egypt, Qatar, Indonesia, South Korea, Germany, Nigeria, South Africa, Netherlands, Slovenia, Chile, Argentina, Trinidad, and Tobago, Cuba, Cuba, Cuba, people are listening, Cuba. I've had people reach out to me from Cuba saying that they're listening to it via YouTube, Portugal, Turkey. The list goes on and on. And that to me is mind blowing. First of all, thank you to anyone that's actually listening to to us, you know, being silly and coming up with um whatever topic and you know not that I don't view it as as silly because I think we we put a lot of heart into this and we try to have fun but we take it seriously and whenever we invite a guest uh on the show we want to make sure that they feel comfortable and um uh and that they are that we that they know that how much we appreciate that they're on you know and spending time with us so a big thank you to everyone and you know where this goes from from here you know I hope that it continues to grow just because not because I need those numbers or we need those numbers it's because I just love the fact that there's this community out there. And when we have people reaching out saying that they love being able to see that there's a community out there that they're not alone because sometimes you don't realize that you know you have people right there that we've known for for years but you forget and um it's it's a pretty cool thing. It's a pretty cool thing to to have put together and Wes for you to come up with this idea and and not take no for an answer um I'm glad that I'm glad that you you pushed for this to happen and look where we're at now.
SPEAKER_05I envisioned it with the three of us and my envision it worked out like totally worked out I I knew we could pull this off and make this fun and learn and it's been great.
SPEAKER_02Absolutely before we go though um do any of you guys have a let it loose prepared I do not I do not with these um you know this episode has been like just so effusive with like how humbling it's been uh that I almost don't want to be like spicy I want to just be like grateful.
SPEAKER_04I do have I do have a let it loose and it's um I'm not gonna be spicy at all. So my let it loose uh this week is once again a thank you to to everyone Wes a thank you to you for coming up with this and once again not taking no for for an answer but I do want to give a big thank you to you Rob and I know that Rob you and you and I we're always we're always you know we're like brothers here and we're always um poking at each other and making fun of each other and um it is just the relationship that we have and we've known each other now for 10 plus years and we've only gotten closer through uh this process but the reason why I want to dedicate this let it loose to you is because I had no idea what I was getting into and as I mentioned early or earlier on the show I was so nervous to the the thought of me putting myself out there was something that was so nerve-wracking. I don't know how to accept failure. So a lot of times I don't put myself in a position to do something that I may want to do because I'm afraid of failing. And as a parent that's like you know you got to lead by example. So I can't be telling my children hey you know you got to put yourself out there when I'm not doing it. And a perfect example of that is many years ago I um signed up to to do Capoeira which I don't know where that came from and I started to do it did so well that they wanted to advance me to the next you know belt. But in order to do that you have to you know uh you have to test or take a test or you know in front of everyone and I gave up I gave up on it because I refused to you know even though I was being pray you know they were giving me praise I said no I'm not gonna do it because if I end up looking like a fool and failing um so fast forward to now me doing this it's um it's it's scary because you're putting yourself out there and the one thing about you Rob is at no point during this whole process even whenever I've messed up you've never made me feel like I've messed up like I kind of feel like you've been holding our hand along the way and made us feel like so like you know um supported so I agree I'm right there with you 100% yeah you make us yeah you made me and Carlos who were nervous and we're like oh what the heck are we getting ourselves into we don't know what we're doing and Rob made us feel like that sense of calm like yeah wow that's very oh that's very sweet.
SPEAKER_05Yeah I wish everyone could see your face right now because you're like what what is happening shocked I'm no so many times I've told Carlos uh with me and him texting I was like oh Rob so many times we're like Rob will know what to do Rob will be able to help us with it yeah make it till you make it everybody that's my mind I hope I and then I'm thinking to myself I hope I'm not like over uh using Rob because he has experience but no you you're the you make us feel great and look calm you're that's maybe that's just the teacher party I don't know I'm just a clown who assumes no one's listening like that's uh no that I'm I'm very grateful that's very sweet yeah who knew that you like in your old age you become such a soft teacher who knew because that's why I wish everyone could see your face because you're in in shock right now because this usually this is not our banter at all.
SPEAKER_04We're usually poking fun of each other but no I you know I can't let this go by because you know you never know what tomorrow brings and I feel like right now is the perfect opportunity just to thank you because I this was scary and you you could hear it in that first episode I was trembling I was so nervous and at no point did you ever make me feel you know um like I was you always make me feel like I knew what I was doing even though I had no clue and I you know it was horrible but um thank you for for holding yes our hands along the way yeah I I was nervous as well I may not show it I'm really good at hiding things but yeah we were all we were both on the same page being a little nervous absolutely you know what it shows how comfortable you've gotten Wes because now like I looked back at the earlier episode and you barely spoke in the beginning and now we have to like cut you down sometimes oh that's the real me.
SPEAKER_00Exactly yeah that's awesome and we never get to do this so it's like we could keep talking forever you know well we do want to leave you guys with just one last message before we go on break we have a message from the Gonga queen herself and um before we play that we just want to thank you all one more time for listening in we are going to take a little break as we mentioned um but we'll be back very soon thanks everybody thank you guys so much for everything thank you thank you hello everybody at the Let It Loose podcast I want to keep thanking you so much I get a little embarrassed listening because oh my gosh I don't know so it's so much love so much amazing uh validation I don't know uh I get you know my cheeks turn red but thank you for giving me all this love thank you for listening to Let It Loose a Gloria Estefan podcast let it Loose was produced by Carlos Rob and West with graphic design by Lara thank you to Gloria for bringing us all together subscribe rate and share the love and join us next week for a brand new episode
