"Here We Are" is a song by Cuban-American singer-songwriter Gloria Estefan. It was released on December 5, 1989, as the third single taken from her debut solo studio album Cuts Both Ways (1989) by Epic Records. It was solely written by Estefan while production was provided by husband Emilio Estefan, Jr., Jorge Casas, and Clay Ostwald.
Receiving a positive reception among critics, "Here We Are" became another success for the singer. It reached the top ten in Canada, Ireland, and the United States, while becoming her biggest hit on the Adult Contemporary chart. Estefan recorded a Portuguese version of the track, "Toda Pra Você," which is included in her compilation Exitos De Gloria Estefan (1990).
As a duet for her special television concert All The Way Concert, Canadian singer Celine Dion performed this song, while Estefan sang Dion's song, "Because You Loved Me". A new Spanish version called "Tu y yo" was released in July 2019 on Estefan's official YouTube channel, celebrating the 30th anniversary of the song. This version was also included on her 2020 album Brazil305.
Chart performance
"Here We Are" continued Estefan's success, peaking at number five on the Billboard Hot 100 and number nine on the Cash Box Top 100 charts.[2][3] It also topped the Hot Adult Contemporary chart for five weeks.[4] Overseas, the song reached number 23 on the UK Singles Chart, number seven in Ireland and number 13 in the Netherlands.
Critical reception
Upon the release, Bill Coleman from Billboard remarked that the song's "beautifully etched acoustic guitar strumming frames Estefan's warm and inviting vocals".[5] A reviewer from Entertainment Weekly felt it "croon along smoothly".[6] British Lennox Herald described it as a "ballad of heartbreaking lament", where Estefan demonstrates her "glorious feel for a ballad." The reviewer concluded that the Carpenters "would have been proud of you".[7] Ian McCann from NME felt that Estefan "does her best Carpenters impression."[8]
Retrospective response
In a 2019 retrospective review, Matthew Hocter from Albumism said "Here We Are" is the "epitome of what ‘80s ballads executed with pure perfection were all about". He named it a "highlight" of the Cuts Both Ways album.[9]AllMusic editor Jason Birchmeier declared it as a "super" song.[10] Maryann Scheufele from AXS featured it in her ranking of 10 Best Gloria Estefan Songs in 2014, calling it a "beautiful love song". She added that it "suggests how quickly time passes and love happens. Gloria Estefan has a powerful voice in this love song as she sings that there is "nothing I can do to keep from loving you" believably. Be reassured by love as you listen."[11] In a 2016 review, Pop Rescue noted that acoustic guitars "gently strum in the background, and a scattering of piano help this song step back and let Gloria’s vocals shine."[12]
^"J-Wave: Tokio Hot 100 Chart". Tokio Hot 100. 11 February 1990. Retrieved June 17, 2025. (To access the chart date, visit the Tokio Hot 100 Chart and select year 1990, month 2 and week 2)
^Nielsen Business Media, Inc (December 22, 1990). "1990 The Year in Music & Video: Top Pop Singles". Billboard. Vol. 102, no. 51. p. YE-14. {{cite magazine}}: |last1= has generic name (help)
^ ab"Top 90 of '90". Radio & Records. No. 870. Los Angeles, CA. December 14, 1990. pp. 56, 72. ISSN0277-4860.
