• May 8, 1975
• His father is the very popular Spanish singer Julio Iglesias. His parents split when he was 3, and when he was 8 he moved from Madrid to Miami, where he lived with his dad but was raised mostly by his nanny. He credits the diversity of musical influences in Miami for providing a foundation for his music.
• By the time he launched his music career, Enrique was estranged from his famous father and wanted to make sure he was signed on his own merits, so he sent out demo tapes using the name "Enrique Martinez." It worked, landing him a deal with the Latin label Fonovisa, where he released three popular Spanish albums before signing with Interscope in 1999 and releasing his first English-language album, Enrique, which includes the hits "Bailamos" and "Be With You." A few years later, he re-established contact with his dad.
• Iglesias has been in a committed relationship with the tennis star Anna Kournikova since 2002 - they started dating after she played his love interest in his video for "Escape." They had twins, Nicholas and Lucy, in 2017, daughter Mary in 2019, and son Romeo in 2025. They keep their personal life out of the press, but Kournikova sometimes posts news and photos of their family on social media.
• After four Spanish and four English albums, Enrique Iglesias released his ninth album, Euphoria (2010), as bilingual, containing seven songs in English and six in Spanish. The album includes guest appearances by Akon, Nicole Scherzinger, Pitbull and others.
• He has a pilot's license. He started taking pilot lessons in 2002 to get over his fear of flying.
• His eighth #1 on the Billboard Dance Chart "Tonight (I'm Lovin' You)" made Enrique Iglesias the artist with most number-one songs among solo male artists in the chart's history, surpassing Michael Jackson and Prince. Iglesias also held the marks for most #1s in the histories of Billboard's Latin Songs (21) and Latin Pop Songs (17) surveys.
• He studied business at the University of Miami for a year before dropping out to pursue music.
• His debut single on the English-language scene, "Bailamos," was used in the soundtrack to the movie Wild Wild West. Will Smith, who starred in the film, asked Enrique Iglesias to contribute to the soundtrack after attending one of his concerts. Smith told MTV news: "You've just never heard this kind of sustained screaming... It was almost like people were coming there specifically to scream. And like the girls were taking turns going 'Yeah!' And when [one girl's] getting ready to stop, she points to her girlfriend to take over. It was like, damn, just hours of sustained screaming. I was like, I want this guy on the soundtrack."

Comments

More Songfacts:

Coming HomeDiddy - Dirty Money

"Coming Home" by Diddy - Dirty Money was originally iwritten for for T.I., who was getting out of prison at the time.

Summer BreezeSeals & Crofts

On the surface, "Summer Breeze" by Seals & Crofts is just a song about a guy coming home from work, but the duo claimed it had a deeper meaning about finding direction in one's personal life.

ChandelierSia

Sia planned to quit her solo career after her 2014 album 1000 Forms of Fear, but the "Chandelier" video proved so popular it drew her back in.

Hit Me With Your Best ShotPat Benatar

Pat Benatar's "Hit Me With Your Best Shot" was written by a guy named Eddie after going through a weird therapy session where he punched pillows to get out his aggressions.

Do You Realize??The Flaming Lips

The Flaming Lips' "Do You Realize??" was named in March 2009 the official Rock Song of Oklahoma. Four years later, Oklahoma's governor Mary Fallin pulled the tune as the state's official rock song in a move her office said had more to do with priorities than musical taste.

Follow Your ArrowKacey Musgraves

Kacey Musgraves offered "Follow Your Arrow" to her friend Katy Perry, but Perry thought Musgraves should record the song herself, telling Kacey it seemed "like something that you would totally say."

Editor's Picks

Who's Johnny, And Why Does He Show Up In So Many SongsSong Writing

For songwriters, Johnny represents the American man. He has been angry, cool, magic, a rebel and, of course, marching home.

Zakk WyldeSongwriter Interviews

When he was playing Ozzfest with Black Label Society, a kid told Zakk he was the best Ozzy guitarist - Zakk had to correct him.

Art Alexakis of EverclearSongwriter Interviews

The lead singer of Everclear, Art is also their primary songwriter.

John Lee HookerSongwriter Interviews

Into the vaults for Bruce Pollock's 1984 conversation with the esteemed bluesman. Hooker talks about transforming a Tony Bennett classic and why you don't have to be sad and lonely to write the blues.

Tim McIlrath of Rise AgainstSongwriter Interviews

Rise Against frontman Tim McIlrath explains the meanings behind some of their biggest songs and names the sci-fi books that have influenced him.

80s Video Director Jay DubinSong Writing

Billy Joel and Hall & Oates hated making videos, so they chose a director with similar contempt for the medium. That was Jay Dubin, and he has a lot to say on the subject.