Enrique Iglesias

About Enrique Iglesias

Talent runs in the family, at least if your last name is Iglesias. Born in Madrid to the Spanish singer Julio Iglesias and his wife, the model and TV personality Isabel Preysler, young Enrique Iglesias has gone on to top his celebrated father in single sales and is giving Julio a run for his money in album sales. Julio doesn't mind though, saying it's good for a son to do better than his father. Enrique's first, self-titled album was a Spanish language success and saw the romantic singer/songwriter crooning fiery ballads and offering to lay down his life for the love of a woman. Hits like "Pon Amarte" and "Trapecista" topped the charts. Two successful, mostly Spanish, pop albums followed but it wasn't until the Ricky Martin-led Latin Explosion in 1999 that Iglesias Jr. found mainstream, crossover success with his third album, Enrique. Enrique offered a more soulful, subdued alternative to the hyper and flamboyant Ricky Martin. His soaring single "Bailamos" appeared on the hit soundtrack to Will Smith's Wild Wild West and won him an instant TRL audience. The second single, the passionate "Be With You," also went to number one. In 2001 Enrique had his best-selling album with the English-language Invincible, featuring a duet with Lionel Richie. Iglesias co-wrote most of the tracks, and the single "Hero" spent time at #1. Enrique accompanied the album with a hugely successful, 16-country tour that saw him playing prestigious, intimate venues like New York's Radio City Music Hall and London's Royal Albert Hall. All 50 dates sold out. Perhaps due to his celebrity childhood, Enrique Iglesias is a very private man, but he seems to enjoy surprising female fans-he's agreed to go on "dates" with strangers while appearing on MTV and Oprah Winfrey's show.