He may not have the looks of Brad Pitt or Tom Cruise but he had such an intense female fanbase, that most celebrities dumped their bfs and stood in a line, just to date him.
While Sofia Vargera and Jennifer Hewitt dated the “Escape” singer for 3 plus years, Shannon Elizabeth and Christiana Aguilera consider themselves lucky for those few months they spent with him.
Known for his romantic, heart-wrenching love ballads, Enrique Iglesias seldom used his father’s fame to gain the respect of music industry.
Born on the 8th of May, 1975 in Madrid, Enrique owes his success to his nanny Elvira Olivares for providing him with enough funds to record 3 songs in a tiny studio.
Released in March 1995, under a pseudonym Enrique Martinez, this mysterious album sold 100,000 copies in the first week, going gold in Portugal and earning him a record deal.
An alumnus of the esteemed Gulliver Private School in Maimi, “Rhythm Divine” singer was inspired by the music of Billy Joel and Bruce Springsteen, even dropping out of B-school to pursue his passion for singing.
Soft-spoken and easy going, this lanky lad from Madrid was proficient in multiple languages, writing songs for Whitney Houston, Jennifer Lopez and Lionel Richie.
Here are lesser known facts on King of Latin Pop:
1. Making Out with Anna Kournikova
It was supposed to be a 3 day shoot at the Hit Factory studios in Maimi, Florida.
But a few steamy scenes in a 3 minute music video, turned Enrique and Anna into life-long partners with 3 children.
Unable to hold back, the pair made real love during the course of Escape’s filming and their chemistry is intact, after all these years.
Yet to be married, the couple are seldom seen together in public but are busy making babies in private.
2. Hates His Legs
Enrique is one of the sexiest artists of all time but do you ever ask yourself why he doesn’t wear shorts or do nude poses?
He hates his skinny legs,he doesn’t spend a lot of time in the gym.
He has a wonderful body,but his legs are his least favorite body part.
3. Let Down by His Parents
Enrique was brought up most of the times by his nanny who he has dedicated one of his albums to.
The first incident that made him feel so let down was the divorce of his parents.
He was devastated,and it’s one of his worst events in life until today.
4. That Dreaded Phobia
Performing in front of 100,000 fans doesn’t bother him but sitting at a table with 15 people does.
The Social phobia, very common among introverts and teens, has it’s most popular victim, Enrique Iglesias.
Touted to be the biggest hindrance in marrying Anna Kournikova in public, “Hero” singer also skipped his sister Tamara’s wedding in July 2023 for the same reason.
5. The Lucky Boxers
Pre-show rituals are a thing of necessity for popular musicians, many refuse to perform without doing it.
Some smoke, some pray while others huddle, light candles and eat their favorite dish.
But for Enrique Iglesias, it’s all about wearing the same briefs, for each and every live performance of his.
6. His Grandfather was Kidnapped
Maybe this has to do with where he lived,but when he was as young as 9 years old, his grandfather was kidnapped.
He wasn’t famous at the time,and the reason they kidnapped his grandfather isn’t known till now.
Luckily, the old man made it out safely later.
7. Cancer Rumors
Enrique had a mole on his face,and it slowly became his trademark,and people liked it.
His doctor, however, didn’t like it,and he advised him to get it removed because it could become cancerous.
His looks were however left intact.
8. He Hates Going To The Gym
We mentioned earlier that Enrique has skinny legs and he doesn’t like them but he doesn’t like going to the gym either.
He likes sports more as compared to the gym. His great body shape (all the ladies can concur) is kept like that by performances.
Two hours on the stage and you lose a lot of calories.
9. The Drone from Hell
Enrique was performing in Mexico when he made a wrong move.
He touched a camera-equipped drone,and it almost sliced off his fingers.
He had to leave the stage as the damage was pretty intense and he was hospitalized for a few weeks then he recovered.
10. He Likes His Privacy
If you think this is not true, ask his neighbors. His house is surrounded by a 16-foot-tall wall with some huge, over grown palm trees.
11. Not Much of an Actor
Playing a professional mariachi in the 2003 movie, “Once Upon a Time in Mexico” Enrique’s flamethrowing guitar case antics was well received by the audience.
Acting alongside Johnny Depp, William Dafoe, Salma Hayek and Antonio Banderas, Enrique’s mean role as a greedy, grumpy musician was a stark contrast to his real life persona.
12. He is a Qualified Pilot
Whenever he is flying, he gets really nervous and scared. It got to a point when he had to study being a pilot.
He is a qualified and licensed pilot now but still gets anxious whenever he is on a plane.
13. The Unrelenting Pneumonia
Back in May 2023, Enrique suffered a major health scare, when a little suspected cold transformed into a nasty pneumonia, forcing him to cancel major concerts accross Mexico, where he has a huge fan following.
Spending a week in the ICU and a month resting at home, “Loco” singer’s mom Isabel Preysler informed the press of her son’s wellbeing quashing the COVID rumors.
14. The Insomniac
Enrique has more than one reason for naming his eight studio album Insomniac (2007), Number 1: He suffers from it. Number 2: He is addicted to the pills prescribed to treat it.
“I Like It” singer once confessed that a pillow between his legs gives him a better quality of sleep than 2 under his head.
15. Invites Female Fans for a Hug
While the front row of Enrique’s concert are reserved for young women, he also invites on stage, those dames who are too emotional or excited, for a personal hug from him.
During a Las Vegas concert in Oct 2022, “Bailando” singer invited an emotional hottie on stage.
While she was keen to take a selfie, Enrique instead of posing for her, turned her face and started planting a series of kisses on her lips.
The two were smooching for a good 3 minutes before he let her go.
Seldom would you see Enrique smooch someone in his concerts, it’s always the cheek.
16. The Colombo Incident
While performing in Colombo, Srilanka , as a part of Sex and Love tour in Dec 2016, young women started removing their undies and threw them at Enrique’s face.
The stage was filled with all sizes of undies, prompting an embarrassed Srilankan President Maithripala Srisena to issue a statement, condemning the organisers of the show and the female audience for their perverted act.
