After an 11-year absence from the Island concert scene, Gloria Estefan will launch Honolulu's 2009 concert season with a lone performance at 7 p.m. Jan. 17 at Blaisdell Arena.

Her last gig here was at the Aloha Stadium.

Known for her powerful sound, inaugurated with the Miami Sound Machine, Estefan is a Cuban American singer widely admired as a "crossover" artist since her music — with a propulsive Latin beat — has infiltrated the pop, Latin, soul and dance charts to the tune of 90 million albums sold.

Her blockbuster hits, beginning with her 1984 signature,"Conga," include such dynamic dance faves as "Rhythm Is Gonna Get You," "1-2-3," "Get on Your Feet," "Bad Boy," "Words Get in the Way," "Can't Stay Away From You" and "Anything for You."

Her "Reach" was the official song of the 1996 Summer Olympics.

Estefan is a five-time Grammy winner and this year's Latin Grammy Recording Academy's Person of the Year; the award will be made tomorrow at the Toyota Center in Houston, televised live on the Univision network targeting the Latin-speaking community.

Tickets: $100, $85 and $65, on sale at 9 a.m. Saturday at the Blaisdell box office and all Ticketmaster outlets, including Times Supermarket locations. A limited number of $125 VIP golden circle tickets are also available.

Call Ticketmaster at 877-750-4400; online sales at www.ticketmaster.com.