Iglesias, Julio

b. 1943, Madrid

   Singer

   Julio Iglesias" meteoric career began when, as a complete unknown, he won the 1968 Festival de Benidorm with the song "La vida sigue igual" (Life Romains the Same). One vignette at the time described him as a timid, insecure lad from Madrid who studied law and played in goal. Then a car accident forced him to rest for long months in bed, with only a guitar for company, and this was how Julio Iglesias, the singer was born. His singing career was assured in 1970 when he performed "Gwendolyne", Spain's entry to the Eurovision Song Contest. Although he only came fourth, his record company seized the opportunity to open the doors to the European market. In the next four years Julio Iglesias became a household name in Italy, Germany and France. From here he set out to conquer the world market with the help of well-known composers of ballads and love songs (for instance Danny Daniel, Ramon Arcusa and Manuel Alejandro) and a highly successful marketing campaign, especially after he signed a contract with the CBS in 1976. A string of number one singles and albums followed.

   In 1981 he broke into the English speaking market, after a spectacular promotional campaign, with his rendition of Cole Porter's "Begin the beguine". After a much publicized divorce, Iglesias moved to Miami, from where he orchestrated the conquest of the far corners of the world. His first record made in America, 1100 Bel Air Place, was released in 1984, in collaboration with Diana Ross, Willie Nelson and The Beach Boys. Sales of the album made Iglesias the most successful Spanish artist in the world market. Thereafter, his career is punctuated by attempts to recover his Hispanic audience with records like Libro or Tango, as well as his efforts to consolidate his position in the American music industry. Iglesias won a Grammy in 1987 for Un hombre solo (A Man Alone). He has recorded over sixty records and sold over one hundred million records in more than eighty countries. From the very beginning of his career Iglesias" private life has been in the public domain and he has managed to use the glare of publicity to enhance his celebrity status.

   MIGUEL JIMÉNEZ PINILLA