Enrique Miguel Iglesias Preysler, born on May 8, 1975, is a renowned Spanish singer and songwriter. With an impressive career spanning several decades, he initially ventured into the music industry in the mid-1990s under the Mexican indie label Fonovisa. Over time, Enrique Iglesias emerged as the best-selling Spanish-language artist of the decade. Notably, he achieved a remarkable crossover into the mainstream English-language market.
In a significant move, Enrique signed a multi-album agreement valued at US$68 million with Universal Music Group. This deal encompassed both his Spanish albums, which would be released through Universal Music Latino, and his English albums, which would be under the Interscope Records banner.
In 2010, a pivotal shift in his career saw Enrique Iglesias part ways with Interscope Records. He subsequently entered into a partnership with Republic Records, another label under the Universal Music Group umbrella. This transition paved the way for the release of bilingual albums.
Five years later, another pivotal moment occurred as Enrique decided to part ways with Universal Music Group, marking the end of a decade-long collaboration. This time, he signed with Sony Music, and his upcoming albums were slated to be launched through Sony Music Latin (in Spanish) and RCA Records (in English).
Enrique Iglesias’ impact on the music industry is undeniable. He stands as one of the most successful Latin music artists, boasting estimated sales of over 70 million records worldwide. His track record includes an impressive five Billboard Hot 100 top five singles, including two chart-toppers. Notably, as of October 2020, he held the prestigious number-one position on the “Greatest of All-Latin Artists” charts. Furthermore, he achieved the remarkable feat of holding the record for the most number-one songs on the Billboard Hot Latin Songs chart with 27 songs and on the Latin Pop Airplay chart with 24 songs. Moreover, his accomplishments extend to the world of dance music, where he clinched 14 number-one hits on Billboard’s Dance charts, more than any other male artist. These accolades have earned him the honorific title of “King of Latin Pop.” In December 2016, Billboard magazine recognized him as the 14th most successful and top male dance club artist of all time.
Early Life and Family Background
Enrique Iglesias was born in Madrid, Spain, as the youngest of three children to the world-famous Spanish singer Julio Iglesias and the esteemed Filipina socialite and magazine journalist, Isabel Preysler. Julio Iglesias is widely acknowledged as the most commercially successful continental European singer in the world. Enrique’s upbringing was alongside his two older siblings, Chábeli and Julio Jr. Interestingly, one of his mother’s aunts is the renowned actress Neile Adams, who was the first wife of American actor Steve McQueen and is the mother of actor Chad McQueen, as well as the grandmother of actor Steven R. McQueen. On his father’s side, the family hails from Galicia and Andalusia, with claims of some Jewish and Puerto Rican ancestry from his mother’s lineage.