Gloria Estefan in Tenerife?

August 1998 Canary Islands Gazette

Well, not exactly! Michaela Sydney, has just switched the Miami Sound Machine into her cabaret act, bringing Gloria Estefan's music to the South Tenerife circuit.

Birmingham born Michaela, launched the new show in August after singing on the island for the last 15 months with a varied repertoire that includes songs by popular artists such as Barbra Streisand, Whitney Houston and Mariah Carey.

The new show is already proving to be a very popular transformation with both British and international audiences alike, with the infectious, up-tempo Latin rhythms and strong ballads of Gloria's style, so appropriate for the summer holiday atmosphere. There's even a little Spanish in a 10 minute medley that includes, 'Oye Me Canto'.

Michaela's musical background was far and away from the world of commercialism, having started out with Gospel music at the age of 13. Michaela could be found singing in and conducting choirs, which won her various awards and, which also led her to work for a Christian record company, to sing on Midlands' Radio WM and to make two appearances on TV's Songs of Praise.

In an almost 'rags to riches', style story, it was a chance event which occurred while Michaela was on holiday in Tenerife that led her to transform her powerful voice to mainstream singing. After singing in a bar, she was booked to appear the following night and went home with contacts that led to a stint in the working men's clubs and pubs around her native Birmingham, before coming to work on the Tenerife circuit in April 1997.

True to her Christian nature, Michaela can still be found giving her services freely for charity, with regular appearances at fund-raising events for the animal charity K9, the Lions Club and the Royal British Legion.