Julio José Iglesias de la Cueva is a renowned Spanish artist who has left an indelible mark on the global music scene.
A renowned singer, songwriter and former professional football player, Iglesias has achieved unparalleled commercial success, cementing his place as one of the top record sellers in music history.
Born in Madrid, Spain, Iglesias’ musical journey began in the 1960s, when he displayed exceptional vocal talent and captivating stage presence.
During his illustrious career, he recorded and released more than 80 albums, exploring a variety of musical genres from romantic ballads to upbeat pop songs.
contour
- Full name: Julio Jose Iglesias de la Cueva
- Stage name: Julio Iglesias
- Date of birth: September 23, 1943
- Age: 80 years old
- Place of birth: Madrid, Spain
- Nationality: Spanish
- Occupation: Spanish singer-songwriter, former football player
- Height: 1.85 m
- Parents: Julio Iglesias Sr. and María del Rosario de la Cueva y Perignat
- Siblings: Carlos Iglesias, Jaime Iglesias and Ruth Iglesias
- Spouses: Isabel Preysler (m. 1971-1979), Miranda Rijnsburger (m. 2010)
- Children: 8
- Relationship: Married
- Net worth: $600 million
early life and education
Julio José Iglesias de la Cueva was born on September 23, 1943 in Madrid, Spain. His parents were Spanish gynecologist and physician Julio Iglesias Sr. and Spanish socialite Maria del Rosario de la Cueva Perignate. María del Rosario de la Cueva y Perignat) was born and raised.
Julio grew up with his siblings Carlos, Jaime and Ruth Iglesias. As a young man, he studied law at CEU, San Pablo University in Madrid, while playing professional football.
Iglesias also studied for three months at a language school at the Bell Educational Trust in Cambridge, England, before returning to the Complutense University of Madrid to earn a law degree. Iglesias’ ethnicity is Hispanic, but his specific religious affiliation is unknown.
Profession
Julio Iglesias started his career as a professional soccer goalkeeper for Real Madrid. However, a car accident in 1967 led him to pursue a music career. His debut album, Dio, was released in 1969 and was a commercial success.
Iglesias later represented Spain in the 1970 Eurovision Song Contest. Throughout the 1970s and 1980s, his music gained significant international recognition, with hits released in multiple languages, including Spanish, English, French, Italian, Portuguese and German.
He has sold more than 150 million records worldwide and performed more than 5,000 concerts on five continents for approximately 60 million people. In 1983, Iglesias was recognized as the artist with the most recorded songs in the world, and in 2013, he was hailed as the best-selling Latin male singer of all time.
Iglesias’ popularity extends far beyond his native Spain, where he has sold the most records in the country’s history, 23 million. He is the best-selling foreign recording artist in countries including Brazil, France and Italy. In 2013, Iglesias was inducted into the Latin Songwriters Hall of Fame and hailed as China’s most popular international artist.
Iglesias’ best-known hits include “Dio” (1969), “El Mundo Es Así” (1975), “1100 Bel Air Place” (1984), “Un Hombre Solo” (1987) and “Tango” (1990). His enduring musical legacy and cross-cultural appeal have cemented Julio Iglesias’ status as a true icon of Latin music.
Awards and nominations
Iconic Spanish singer Julio Iglesias has received numerous awards and nominations throughout his illustrious career. His contributions to the music industry are recognized globally. Here are some of his notable achievements:
Grammy Awards
- 2019: Lifetime Achievement Award
- 1988: Best Latin Pop Performance for “Un Hombre Solo”
- 1993: Best Latin Pop Album “Calor”
latin grammy awards
2022: ‘Bohemio’ nominated for Record of the Year
world music awards
- Winner of multiple awards: recognized as the best-selling Spanish artist in the world
American Music Awards
- Multiple Awards: Awarded for his contribution to Latin music
Other prestigious awards
- Country Music Association Awards: Nominated for Vocal Duo of the Year and Single of the Year
- Academy of Country Music Awards: Nominations for Song of the Year, Duo of the Year and Single of the Year
- ALMA Award: Outstanding Spanish-language Performance in a Television Special
- Neurite Award: International Artist of the Year
social media
- Instagram account: julioiglesias
- Facebook account: Not applicable
- Twitter account: N/A
personal life
Julio Iglesias had two important relationships in his life.
Julio Iglesias’ first wife was Isabel Pressler, a Filipino television host and member of the wealthy, aristocratic Perez de Tagle family.
They married on January 29, 1971 and have three children: Chábeli, Julio Jr. and Enrique. However, the marriage ended in divorce in 1979. The couple also petitioned and obtained an annulment from the Catholic Church in 1980.
After divorcing Isabelle Pressler, Julio Iglesias went on to have a long-term relationship with Dutch model Miranda Reinsberg. They eventually married on August 26, 2010, in a small church in Marbella, Spain. They have five children together: Miguel Alejandro Iglesias, Rodrigo Iglesias, twins Cristina Iglesias and Victoria Iglesias; Guillermo Iglesias.
discography
album
- 1969: Yo Sing
- 1970: Gwendoline
- 1972: “Song of Galicia”
- 1973: Soybeans
- 1974: Flower of Flowers
- 1975: Mexico
- 1975: love
- 1976: United States
- 1989: Laois
- 1990: Starry Night
- 1992: Carroll
- 1994: Crazy
- 1995: Carretra
- 1996: Tango
- 2000: April Night
- 2001: Omeu, Brazil
- 2003: Divorce
- 2006: Romantic Classic
- 2007: Quirk chooses France
- 2015: Mexico
- 2017: Mexico and Friends
net worth
Julio Iglesias is one of the most commercially successful Spanish singers in history, with an estimated net worth of approximately $600 million. During his long career that spanned decades, he sold more than 150 million records worldwide.
Iglesias’ impressive wealth can be attributed to his extensive touring schedule, as well as his successful business ventures outside of the music industry.
One of the best-selling Latin music artists of all time, Iglesias has amassed a fortune through album sales, concert ticket sales and other music-related income.
