Enrique Iglesias is a world-renowned Spanish singer, songwriter, actor, and record producer known as the “King of Latin Pop”. With over 180 million records sold worldwide, Iglesias has had an illustrious career spanning over three decades. This article provides a detailed Enrique Iglesias biography, chronicling his journey to stardom.
Enrique Iglesias Biography
Step into the captivating world of Enrique Iglesias, the iconic Latin pop sensation who has mesmerized audiences worldwide with his music, charisma, and enduring legacy.
Early Life and Family
Enrique Miguel Iglesias Preysler was born on May 8, 1975 in Madrid, Spain to Spanish singer Julio Iglesias and Filipina socialite Isabel Preysler. He was the third and youngest child in the family. Enrique’s parents divorced when he was just 3 years old, after which he moved to Miami, Florida with his mother and elder brother Julio Iglesias Jr.
Enrique Iglesias biography cannot be complete without the mention of his iconic father Julio Iglesias who is considered as one of the most commercially successful European singers of all time. Having sold over 300 million records worldwide, Julio Iglesias inspired Enrique to follow in his footsteps from a young age. However, his mother wanted him to keep his career choice a secret from his father to avoid any undue pressure on Enrique.
Early Musical Influences
As a child, Enrique Iglesias biography reveals that he was highly influenced by artists like Bruce Springsteen, The Doors, and Stevie Wonder among others. He taught himself to play guitar and began writing his own songs at age 8. In his youth, Enrique also played live in several amateur rock bands like “The Bee Gees” and “Ramones”.
By the time he was in high school, Enrique Iglesias had found his true musical inspirations in pop rock bands like Duran Duran and Bon Jovi. This defined the pop-centric sound and style he would later embrace in his professional career.
First Record Deal & Album
After finishing high school in 1993, Enrique Iglesias biography shows that he signed a deal with Mexican label Fonovisa Records and recorded his first studio album titled Enrique Iglesias (1995). He kept it a secret from his father and opted to use the stage name ‘Enrique Martinez’ to avoid any undue pressure or expectations based on his popular surname.
The album featured his first big hit single “Si Tu Te Vas” and sold over half a million copies. Once the news reached Julio Iglesias, he was supportive of his son’s budding music career. He even offered to help promote Enrique’s first English language album to be released in the US and Canada.
Rise to Stardom with First English Album
In 1997, Enrique capitalized on his father’s offer and released his first English album Enrique via Interscope Records. It featured the smash pop hit “Be With You” which reached the Billboard Hot 100 top 10 singles chart.
The record sold over 5 million copies worldwide and propelled Enrique Iglesias into international stardom. He won the Grammy for Best Latin Pop Album in 1998, paving the way for even greater success in the coming years.
Consolidating Success with Subsequent Albums
Building on the popularity of his debut, Enrique Iglesias released his second English studio album Vivir in 1997. It spawned hits like “The Cup of Life” and “You’re My #1” while selling over 4 million copies worldwide. He also performed the official song “The Cup of Life” for the 1998 FIFA World Cup.
His third English album Cosas Del Amor (1998) contained the track “Bailamos” which became Iglesias’ biggest career hit and a signature song. By 1999, he had achieved the rare feat of having 3 albums in the Billboard 200 music charts simultaneously.
Crossover Attempts into Acting
Like his father Julio before him, Enrique also tried crossing over into acting alongside his singing career. He played a villain in the 2000 film Wild Wild West starring Will Smith.
In 2003, Enrique acted in the Robert Rodriguez directorial Once Upon a Time in Mexico which received mixed reviews. While Enrique Iglesias’ occasional stints in films boosted his popularity, he stayed focused firmly on his musical career which remained his greatest strength.
First Greatest Hits Album
In 2001 came a major milestone in the Enrique Iglesias biography with the release of his career retrospective album Enrique Iglesias: Greatest Hits. It contained material from his previous English language studio albums and 2 new tracks.
With over 25 million copies sold worldwide, it became Iglesias’ best-selling album globally. It also gave his growing fanbase a compilation of his most popular hits through the 1990s in one collection.
Switch to Sony Music
In 2003, Enrique left Interscope Records after 6 years and signed a new deal with Sony Music under their Epic label. His first album with them was the smash hit 7 (2003) which sold over 10 million copies worldwide. It contained the commercially successful tracks “Addicted” and “Not in Love” featuring Kelis.
This was followed by more English hit albums like Insomniac (2007) and Euphoria (2010) which spawned singles like “Ring My Bells”, “Tired of Being Sorry”, “I Like It” etc. In total, Enrique has over 60 Billboard Hot 100 hits to his credit cementing his stature as the ‘King of Latin Pop’.
Collaborations & Multilingual Albums
A feature of Enrique Iglesias’ three decade long career has been his ability to collaborate across genres.
In 2010, Iglesias released his first bilingual album titled Euphoria which featured tracks in both English and Spanish. This was followed by other bilingual compilation albums and singles as Enrique tapped into his diverse audience across geographies.
World Tours & Residency Shows
As his discography grew, Enrique set concert tour records across the globe through the 2000s and 2010s. His Euphoria Tour in 2010-12 became one of the highest grossing tours by a Latin artist in history. From 2015-19, he also delivered a successful 4 year residency show series titled “All the Hits” at The Axis theatre in Las Vegas.
Personal Life
Enrique Iglesias has been in a long-term relationship with former tennis player Anna Kournikova since 2001 after meeting on the sets of his music video “Escape”. They have 3 children together – twins Nicholas and Lucy born in 2017 followed by daughter Mary in 2020.
Away from the limelight, Enrique is an avid private pilot and has often spoken of his love for aviation as a hobby. He also owns several luxe properties in Miami and Los Angeles among other global cities.
Recent Work & Legacy
In the past decade, Enrique Iglesias has continued touring worldwide and releasing English & Spanish singles frequently. He was named the Best-Selling Latin Artist of All Time in 2022.
With over 180 million records sold globally, Enrique Iglesias biography has been that of a standout world star who helped popularize Latin pop music internationally. From his early 90s beginnings to his superstardom 25 years later, Iglesias has captivated millions with his signature romantic pop numbers and dynamic stage persona for over three decades.
Frequently Asked Questions
Here are some common queries people have about the life and work of the Latin pop icon:
1. When and where was Enrique Iglesias born?
Enrique Iglesias was born on 8 May 1975 in Madrid, Spain to the famous Spanish singer Julio Iglesias and socialite Isabel Preysler.
2. What was Enrique’s first album called?
Enrique’s debut studio album released in 1995 was called Enrique Iglesias and it featured his first big hit single “Si Tu Te Vas”.
3. How did Enrique gain more mainstream popularity in the US?
His first full English album self-titled Enrique released in 1997 gained him widespread popularity in the US and Canada which further grew with his subsequent albums like Vivir, Cosas Del Amor etc.
4. Which one of his albums is the highest selling worldwide?
Enrique’s greatest hits compilation album Enrique Iglesias: Greatest Hits released in 2001 has sold over 25 million copies globally making it his highest selling record.
5. How many total albums has Enrique released in his career?
In his three decade long career, Enrique has released a total of 27 studio albums including Spanish, English and bilingual language records.
6. Is Enrique Iglesias related to singer Julio Iglesias?
Yes, Enrique is the son of the famous Spanish singer Julio Iglesias who has sold over 300 million albums worldwide.
7. What was the name of Enrique’s debut English single?
The song “Be With You” from his debut English album Enrique (1997) was the first English language single that brought Enrique into the mainstream western pop scene.
8. Which popular reality TV show was Enrique a part of as a judge/coach?
Enrique was a part of the American singing talent competition show “The Voice” in its 9th season as one of the star coaches.
9. How many records has Enrique sold in totality?
Enrique Iglesias has sold more than 180 million records worldwide in his career making him the best-selling Latin artist ever.
Conclusion
In his three decade long career, Enrique Iglesias has given global pop music some of its most memorable tunes and cemented his stature as the ‘King of Latin Pop’. From his Spanish albums in the 90s to his crossover success in English pop, he has always brought his unique romantic flair.
With chart-topping tracks like “Bailamos”, “Be With You” and “Hero”, Enrique has the rare honor of entertaining millions of fans across generations. As he continues to perform and reinvent his music, the Enrique Iglesias biography only seems destined for even greater glory in the years ahead.