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Gloria Estefan felt “overjoyed” to learn that she’d inspired a new Barbie doll.

The 65-year-old singer has been a fan of the “American icon” since her childhood, and she’s thrilled that she’s inspired the new doll.

She explained: “Overjoyed is pretty much the word. I’ve gotten every award that you could possibly imagine. But somehow this was so incredibly special for me, maybe because I played with Barbie since I was a kid, a little girl, and she’s an American icon.”

Gloria celebrates her 65th birthday on Thursday (01.09.22), and she admits that the new doll is a huge honour.

She told PEOPLE: “To have them celebrate my image and my career and my culture on my birthday … it’s really special.

“They were really, really sticklers about making sure that I was very involved in choosing her image, the clothes. I actually sent them my thigh-high boots and my jacket so that they could see the detail. That jewellery, the microphone, we made sure the hair was right, that she represented me in the way that was important to me. And I’m just beyond thrilled.

“What can I tell you? I’m a Barbie.”

The new doll has been specifically inspired by Gloria’s outfit in her music video for ‘Get On Your Feet’.

And despite everything she’s achieved in her career, the singer continues to be amazed by her own success.

The seven-time Grammy Award winner said: “I’ve got a Christmas album that I did with my daughter and my grandson that is coming out in a month – and to have Barbies celebrating my life right at this moment is just … there’s a lot going on and it’s all great and I’m thrilled about it.”