Biography of Julio Iglesias
Julio Iglesias is a legendary Spanish singer and songwriter, known worldwide for his tenor voice. He gained fame with the song "Life Goes On the Same," winning the international festival in Benidorm, Spain. Later, the entire world sang along with the Spaniard when he performed the song "Nathalie." A two-time Grammy Award winner, he also has a personal star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
Childhood, Youth, Family
Julio José Iglesias de la Cueva (the singer's full name) was born in the fall of 1943 to a Spanish father, Julio Iglesias Puga, and a Jewish mother, María del Rosario de la Cueva y Perignat, in Madrid. Later, he had a younger brother named Carlos. His father was a respected gynecologist in the city, which allowed his wife to focus on the home and children without needing to work.From an early age, Julio was an active and energetic child. As a teenager, he engaged in sports and showed promise as a football player. After graduating from Sagrados Corazones School and St. Paul's College, and while studying at the Faculty of Law at the University of Madrid, he considered a professional sports career. He played for Real Madrid's junior team and then served as a reserve goalkeeper for Real.
A car accident shattered his dream when Julio was 19. He and two friends were returning from a party. He was driving, lost control, and crashed into a tree. The passengers were unharmed. In the first hours after the accident, Julio felt fine. But then he became paralyzed below the chest due to a pinched nerve in his spine.
Julio started composing music and poetry, even though he had no idea how to do it. After being discharged from the hospital, he went to England for a while, where he studied English. Completing his higher education in law took many years because Iglesias was completely captivated by music.
Music Career
Once in London, Julio and his friends went into a pub and performed a famous Cuban song, accompanying himself on the guitar. The audience liked it, and he returned there on weekends, even earning something for his impromptu concerts.Upon returning home, the young man participated in the Benidorm International Song Festival and won it by performing "La Vida Sigue Igual" ("Life Goes On the Same"), which he wrote himself. He immediately signed a contract with the Spanish branch of Columbia Records.
In 1969, Iglesias released his debut album "Yo Canto," and the following year he went to the Eurovision Song Contest, where he took fourth place with the song "Gwendolyne."
Julio Iglesias's Personal Life
From a young age, Julio attracted the attention of girls and later women, and he often admitted his love for the opposite sex. He had many casual flings and several serious relationships. He's been linked with singers, actresses, and simply beautiful women he couldn't pass by without at least flirting a little. The same happened with journalist Isabel.Isabel Preysler was a model and worked as an interviewer for glossy magazines. Interviewing Julio Iglesias, who was becoming increasingly popular at the time, was her first editorial assignment. The singer charmed her and didn't realize when he fell in love himself. In 1971, the couple married and had three children – Enrique, Julio, and Maria Isabel.
Arguments began in the family when Isabel refused to stay at home and focus solely on her husband and children. The young woman wanted to work, while the singer, like many men who allowed themselves affairs, was jealous.
The couple's marriage ended in divorce in 1979. Afterward, the children first moved with their father to Miami and then went with their mother to the States, where it was calmer than in Spain: once, Julio Iglesias's father was kidnapped by criminals demanding a ransom, causing the musician to worry about his children.
Since the early nineties, another former lover, ballerina Maria Edite Sanchez, sought recognition of paternity and financial support for her son Javier Sanchez, whom she claimed was fathered by the singer.
Julio refused to take a genetic test and did not acknowledge the son. The case lasted many years. Eventually, the Supreme Court of Spain refused to recognize Iglesias as Sanchez's biological father.
The musician lived much longer with Dutch model Miranda Rijnsburger. She was 22 years younger, but that didn't hinder their love. During their time together, Miranda gave birth to five children with Julio – Miguel Alejandro, twins Cristina and Victoria, Rodrigo, and Guillermo.
Iglesias officially married the mother of his children only in 2010, twenty years after meeting her, and declared he was ready to spend the rest of his life with Rijnsburger.
Julio Iglesias Now
In 2023, the famous Spanish tenor turned 80. He leads a rather private life in Punta Cana, Dominican Republic, and stopped touring and recording new songs in 2018. However, his musical repertoire includes so many well-known hits and compositions that even devoted fans haven't managed to listen to them all.Julio Iglesias holds records in many areas; for instance, he was the first in Spain to give 41 concerts in 41 cities in just 30 days. By 2013, more than three hundred million of his records had been sold, which also set a kind of commercial record.
The singer is currently working on writing an autobiographical book.
Interesting Facts
- In an interview, Iglesias admitted that he could sing in any language in the world: be it Chinese or the language of Australian Aboriginals, as knowing the language is not necessary for him. This unique ability even earned him a spot in the Guinness World Records. The secret was Julio's unique musical ear and sense of rhythm. He memorizes the text with all the intonations so meticulously that it creates the impression that he has been speaking that language all his life.
- Besides his native Spanish, Julio speaks Italian, Portuguese, French, and English.
- In early 2024, a significant portion of the singer's luggage was confiscated at the Dominican airport: he attempted to bring over forty kilograms of vegetables, fruits, and chicken meat into the country.
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