Comparing Whitney Houston And Gloria Estefan

The United States and Latin American countries are through separate languages, cultures, and borders, however, music is a source that creates a bond by merging two countries together in order to allow the two countries to become inseparable. Whitney Houston and Gloria Estefan are two artists that cater to mass audiences in each country, and each artist reached pinnacle success in the late 1980s by releasing two major, top-charting hits: I Wanna Dance With Somebody and Betcha Say That. These two hits redefined music by promoting diversity, influence, and power within their individual nations. Whitney Houston and Gloria Estefan, though they are completely different artists, share striking similarities when comparing their top hits from 1987,

which both serve as building blocks for today’s music.
Whitney Houston began her musical career at a very young age, and from the start, she showed great talent and a variety of styles in her music.

Whitney Houston’s career truly took off in the mid-1980s after releasing her second album, Whitney, which includes her smash hit I Wanna Dance With Somebody. I Wanna Dance With Somebody is such an upbeat tune that includes a heavily edited and enhanced pop melodic line, synthesizers, and the notorious percussion and keyboard tease that begins the tune. Whitney Houston definitely brings this to life through her outstanding vocals that fully showcases her range, elastic vibrato, and precise musical abilities. Houston is most known for her voice that, in my opinion, is still considered extremely iconic and powerful. Houston’s chart-topping single also showcased the type of music that the United States enjoyed and cherished in the late 1980s. This song brings to the surface the anticipation, joy, and free-spirit that the 1980s culture presented to its people, and this hit ties in the importance of music, love, and dancing that stem from the core of Whitney’s pop-hit lyrics. The style of music portrayed in the 1980s consisted of many drum machines, synth-based styles of music, and electronic programming that twisted and manipulated the music into its reputable popular techno/rock characteristics. These characteristics are also seen in Gloria Estefan’s hit, Betcha Say That. Betcha Say That and I Wanna Dance With Somebody explicitly shows how popular energetic anthems were to the musical audience being catered back

then.
Gloria Estefan is a Cuban-American singer who began her career as a lead vocalist with the hit group, Miami Sound Machine. Despite Estefan’s blaring popularity in the United States, Gloria Estefan also holds tightly to her roots in Havana, Cuba. Gloria Estefan catered to her roots in the late 1980s by writing songs about her home, visiting her home, and wishing to perform in a free Cuba without governmental restrictions or reprimands. Throughout her career in America, Gloria Estefan has always promoted her culture and influence from Cuba, however, she has continued to strive to embrace and impact America’s culture. In 1987, Gloria Estefan released Betcha Say That as a single from her album, Let It Loose. By releasing this song, she continued to make a name for herself in the American pop music industry. Betcha Say That is most definitely a treble-heavy, pop tune that, like I Wanna Dance With Somebody, includes synthesized drums and a keyboard. Betcha Say That also includes live, vibrant brass instruments such as trombones, saxophones, and trumpets. The incorporation of these brass instruments allows Estefan to express individuality from the typical 1980s musical recipe. Estefan’s style also includes a heavy percussion influence that clearly originates from her native Cuban culture. Including these elements from her personal culture, allows Estefan to gain a greater fanbase by welcoming and promoting diversity throughout the music industry which is often difficult to see in such a harsh, exclusive industry.
When comparing Whitney Houston’s I Wanna Dance With Somebody and Gloria Estefan’s Betcha Say That, I noticed striking similarities and differences between the two late 80s hits. The similarities I noticed between the two songs originate back to viewing their music videos which both begin with a concert environment. Both artists are center stage and drawing attention to themselves as their pop-hits introduction begins to reign throughout the concert venue. This idea shows to me how important it was in the 80s to showcase the artist performing while centering all attention on the artist as they perform one of their biggest hits. Both songs discussed also present a heavy female role by promoting the need of a proper man that can satisfy both artist’s wants and needs. Personally, I view I Wanna Dance With Somebody as being more of an easy-going dance song, while Betcha Say That is more of a break-up type hit. Both styles are appealing to the masses because both are still widely played today.
Throughout her career, Whitney Houston displayed graceful stage presence and significant poise that drew her fans in until her death. Gloria Estefan also displays an intense charm to her fans, and her continuous social impact with her native nation, Cuba, shows how genuine Estefan’s nature is. The similarities and differences that each artist present allows them to expand beyond a specific fan base or country. The crossover appeal that each artist exhibits is definitely in their favor, for this allowed their careers to peak and grow beyond what was originally intended. Overall, Whitney Houston and Gloria Estefan have transformed the American and national music industry by appealing to the masses and releasing hits that are still relevant and popular on the dance floor years after being released.