Gloria Estefan and Husband Emilio Open Up About What Makes Them a 'Great Team' (Exclusive)

After 45 years of marriage, Gloria and Emilio Estefan are a dynamic duo.

Speaking to PEOPLE ahead of Tuesday night's RIAA honors in Washington DC — where the couple was each honored with an award — they opened up about being each other's biggest support systems.

"Despite being married, we're a great team," Gloria, 66, who received the Icon award tells PEOPLE. "Sometimes it can work against you, but for us, we've been our own best cheerleaders. We are different personality wise, but thank God, because we balance each other out really well. In the things that really matter, we're on the same page."

She adds, "We love and support each other. He's been incredibly motivational for me from day one. He saw I didn't like being the center of attention and he saw something in me early. He has always been there loving and supporting and making things as easy as possible for me. He's an amazing producer. He makes things happen."

Earlier this month, the couple celebrated 45 years of marriage on social media with a sweet video featuring various photographs of the couple over the years.

"It feels like yesterday. It's gone by so fast and it's a beautiful thing. We're there to prop each other up when people would tell us, 'This isn't going to happen.' And we go, 'You watch, it's going to happen,'" the singer and actress says, reflecting on the landmark occasion.

Emilio, 70, who was honored with the Industry Trailblazer award, adds, "We got married because we love each other. We love music. So when you have something in common, sometimes it could be very difficult, but for us it was a plus because we were working for the same dreams. We would fight for what we believed was the right thing for us. That's who we are."

The producer also reflected on Gloria's bus accident in March 1990, where he "almost lost everything." This gave him a new lease on life.

"I love life. I wake up in the morning... I enjoy every single day of my life," he says. "Even when I left Cuba when I was a kid, I said, 'I have two choices. Be positive or negative.' And I'm very positive. I'm always thinking the positive."

These days, the couple looks forward to spending quality time with their family. (Gloria and Emilio have two kids, son Nayib, 43, and daughter Emily, 28.)

"My grandson is 11 years old now and I make it a point to really nourish that relationship. I love him so much, and we're very close," she says. "So on a personal level, just enjoying more of that, enjoying more vacations because we've literally been working for the past three summers. We're continuing to do what we love. We can't ask for more."

She adds, "That's all you can ever ask. And for good health."

Meanwhile, Emilio hopes to keep working to "inspire a generation" with their career.

"I hope the door is open now [for artists to] believe in where they come from. You have a sound for Colombia, Spain, Merengue, or the Cuban music, Puerto Rican music. Don't forget your country. Make it your own," he says. "In the long run, people respect that."

At RIAA Honors, Sebastián Yatra was named artist of the year and surprised with a 5x Latin Platinum plaque for his 2022 album Dharma.

"He's been blazing a trail too," Gloria says. "We were telling him just now how proud we are of everything he's doing. Wonderful, wonderful artist and person."

Yatra, 28, adds, "It's a huge honor. This is not even a Latin award. It's an award from the RIAA as Artists of the Year. So out of all the artists in the world being chosen this year is pretty insane."