Spanish singer Julio Iglesias. Biography

And the fifteen-year-old boy gladly switched to football, where success was obvious, and was soon invited to the youth team of the most famous club in the country - Real Madrid. Perhaps, after a while, another good football player would have appeared in Spain, and we would never have heard the songs of Julio Iglesias, but there would have been no happiness, but misfortune helped."

At the age of 19, while a law student at the capital's university, Julio gets into a terrible car accident and spends almost two years semi-paralyzed in a hospital bed. The singer recalled that time like this: “When I realized that I would live, I began to think about how to live further... I missed human warmth and communication, and I began to look for them, writing songs and playing along with myself on the guitar.” .

Having found his feet, Julio, on the advice of friends who liked his soulful songs, decided to try himself on the professional stage and take part in a national competition in the resort town of Benidorm. And immediately a great success! An unknown newcomer won three awards: “For Best Performance”, “For Best Lyrics” and “For Best Song”. And the winning song bore a very symbolic name for the young singer - “La Vida Sique Igual” (“Life Goes On”). This is how a singer appeared in Spain, completely different from the public idols of the late 60s. Julio went on stage in a dark suit, white shirt and black tie. He gestured very little while singing, which caused reproaches and even ridicule from journalists who were accustomed to a more temperamental style of performance. However, the listeners, and especially the female listeners, were delighted with Julio. They liked his pronounced romantic image. His creative career has been developing upward: Iglesias successfully represents Spain at the Eurovision Song Contest, his songs become national hits: “Gwendoline”, “Un Canto A Galicia”...

It only took Iglesias a few years to become Spain's No. 1 singer and by far the most famous Spanish-language artist in the world. He begins to tour abroad for a long time and triumphantly performs at the most prestigious European venues: at the Olympia in Paris, at the Odeon in London.

In 1978, Julio Iglesias decides to move to Miami, where he buys a luxurious villa with several swimming pools, a private pier and two snow-white yachts. Iglesias' albums are beginning to be released in English. He records songs with such superstars as country singer Willie Nelson, Stevie Wonder, the Beach Boys, but his collaboration with Diane Ross was especially successful. Subsequently, Julio Iglesias continued this tradition in his work on the super-successful album "Crazy", where he sang along with Sting, Art Garfunkle and Dolly Parton. And after the patriarch of American pop music, Frank Sinatra, invited Iglesias to sing a duet with him on a disc called “Duets,” the Spaniard achieved his goal and conquered the American Olympus. During his long creative career, Julio Iglesias has released more than 70 discs, the total circulation of which has exceeded 250 million copies, he is the winner of almost all the most prestigious music awards, including the Grammy, and he has millions of listeners all over the world. Iglesias is, by the way, a record holder of the Guinness Book of Records, which awarded him a unique diamond disc as “the musician who has sold the largest number of albums in different languages ​​of the world.”

In terms of the number of concerts he has worked, Julio Iglesias is also not far from the main workaholic of world show business, James Brown. Iglesias performed about 4,600 concerts on five continents of the globe. One music critic wrote: “Musical fashions and tastes often change, but the fashion for Julio Iglesias does not go away, and the famous Spaniard, like good wine, gets better over the years.”

Legendary Spanish singer, the best-selling Spanish-language artist in the world, winner of numerous music awards, including a Grammy Award, Julio Iglesias was born in Madrid, Spain in the family of a famous doctor. In his youth, Julio played football and planned to choose a career as a lawyer in the future, but fate turned out so that Julio Iglesias became a singer thanks to a car accident. Julio had an accident in 1963, he was paralyzed (except for his arms), and in order to somehow pass the time, the doctor advised the young man to learn to play the guitar. So in the hospital, Julio spent his time writing songs. The singer later admitted in an interview: “But the point is something else: many people have talent, but do not have the opportunity to realize it. For example, a guy works in a factory. Maybe he could become a great tennis player, but he will simply never know about his abilities. And he will never become a player, unless he suddenly has an opportunity or fate intervenes in his life. There are millions of people in the world who have certain talents, but do not know about it and are doing completely different things. This also applies to writing talent. The accident put an end to my career as a football player, and I became a singer.” Soon Julio successfully got back on his feet and returned to the university, which he successfully graduated from. In addition, he decided to study English, so he went to England.

The singer's first impromptu concert took place there: he went with friends to a pub and performed a popular Spanish song, asking a stranger for a guitar. The people at the bar were impressed by the young man's magnificent voice, and he even received a small fee. Julio Iglesias would later perform at the pub on weekends, performing famous hits of the time.

Almost after the performance, Julio signed a contract with a major record company Columbia Records.

In a few years Julio Iglesias became the No. 1 Spanish singer and the best-selling Spanish-language artist in the world. Soon Iglesias is already going on his first foreign tour and performing at the most prestigious European venues.

At the end of the 70s. 20th century Julio Iglesias leaves Spain for many reasons. At that time, terrorists of the Basque terrorist organization became more active, they made an attempt on the singer’s father, and, in addition, threatened his entire family. So Julio Iglesias leaves for the USA, to Miami, where he buys real estate. Soon the singer released his first English-language albums. In addition, he records duets with many popular American musicians: Stevie Wonder, group Beach Boys and popular singer Diana Ross. During his long career, Julio Iglesias has released more than 70 discs, the total circulation of which exceeded 250 million copies.

In addition, Julio won many prestigious music awards, including the key American Music Award "Grammy".

I wonder what Julio Iglesias entered the famous Guinness Book of Records as “the musician who sold the largest number of albums in different languages ​​of the world.”

The musician has repeatedly toured Russia. The singer shares his impressions about our country:

“It’s very easy for me to perform in Russia. When I look into the eyes of Russians, it always seems to me that I am at home, in Spain. How similar are Russians and Spaniards! They are just as passionate, kind and emotional. I really love visiting Russia. Russian people have a tremendous will to live, they have an amazing ability to survive in difficult situations! I am very happy about the changes that are happening in your life today. Yes, changes are always painful, but they are for the better. You have a huge, rich country, and it has a privileged position in the world today.”

Personal life of Julio Iglesias

In 1971, the singer married a TV presenter and journalist Isabel Preysler Arrastria, who bore him three children, among whom Enrique Iglesias, now a famous pop singer. Julio divorced Isabel three years later, after which he had a large number of love affairs. The singer himself admits that he loves women:

“I just really love women! I treat everyone with understanding and tenderness. You need to see a personality in each of them. I treat my audience the same way, I love every person in the audience, which is probably why people in Russia treat me so well.”

It is known that in 2010 the singer remarried. This time his wife was a former model Miranda Rijnsburger, with whom Julio has lived in a civil marriage for 20 years. The wedding took place in a narrow family circle. Only the couple's five children and close relatives attended the ceremony.

• Discography of Julio Iglesias

• Yo Canto (1969)
• Gwendolyne (1970)
• Por una mujer (1972)
• Soy (1973)
• Und das Meer singt sein Lied (1973)
• A Flor de Piel (1974)
• A Mexico (1975)
• El Amor (1975)
• America (1976)
• En el Olympia (1976)
• Se mi lasci, non vale (1976)
• Schenk mir deine Liebe (1976)
• A mis 33 años (1977)
• Sono Un Pirata, Sono Un Signore (1978)
• Emociones (1978)
• Aimer La Vie (1978)
• Innamorarsi alla mia età (1979)
• A vous les femmes (1979)
• Hey! (1980)
• Sentimental (1980)
• Amanti (1980)
• De niña a mujer (1981)
• Fidele (1981)
• Zartlichkeiten (1981)
• Minhas canções preferidas (1981)
• Momentos (1982)
• Momenti (1982)
• Et l'amour créa la femme (1982)
• In Concert (1983)
• Julio (1983)
• 1100 Bel Air Place (1984)
• Libra (1985)
• Un Hombre Solo (1987)
• Tutto l'amore che ti manca (1987)
• Non Stop (1988)
• Raíces (1989)
• Latinamente (1989)
• Starry Night (1990)
• Calor (1992)
• Anche senza di te (1992)
• Crazy (1994)
• La carretera (1995)
• Tango (1996)
• My Life: The Greatest Hits (1998)
• Noche de cuatro lunas (2000)
• Una donna può cambiar la vita (2001)
• Ao meu Brasil (2001)
• Divorcio (2003)
• Love Songs (2003)
• En français (2004)
• Love Songs - Canciones de amor (2004)
• L'homme que je suis (2005)
• Romantic Classics (2006)
• Quelque chose de France (2007)

JULIO IGLESIAS(full name Julio Jose Iglesias de la Cueva) was born in Madrid, at 2 a.m. on September 23, 1943, in the old and now defunct Mesón Hospital on Paredes Street. He is the eldest son in the family of a successful gynecologist, member of the Medical Academy, Julio Iglesias Puga and Maria del Rosario De La Cueva Perinan (better known as "Charo"). U Julio has a brother, Carlos. Ancestors Julio Iglesias on the paternal side (grandmother Manuela and grandfather Ulpiano) are from the Spanish province of Galicia. His father, doctor Iglesias, born in Orgens. On his mother's side, his grandmother, Dolores de Perinan, is the heiress of a noble noble family.
(Her uncle was the Marquis of Perinan, and her cousin, also a marquis, was the Spanish Ambassador to Great Britain for 20 years). Family Julio lived on Calle Altamiro in Madrid, where he spent the first three years of his life. In 1946 they moved to 27 Benito Gutierrez Street and lived there until his marriage in 1971.
Still at school Julio loved to be the center of attention. The future singer grew up in difficult times, when the country, led by dictator Franco, was on the verge of economic collapse. The guy's peers were mostly concerned about where to get food, but Julio Even then I dreamed of becoming special. He grew up in a happy, prosperous family of a gynecologist and a housewife mother. His brother Carlos dreamed of following in his father's footsteps, and Julio He was fond of music and dreamed of becoming a successful lawyer and diplomat.
Julio studied at the Sagrado Corazones school, then graduated from the Catholic College of St. Paul, where Padre Axelmo, who led the choir, after an attempt Julio perform "Ave Maria" rather categorically advised him to do anything but sing. And he happily switched to football, where he achieved outstanding results and at the age of 15 was invited as a reserve goalkeeper to the youth team of the most famous football club in the country - Real Madrid. At the age of 19, a law student at the University of Madrid and a member of elite youth clubs, Julio drove around his native Madrid in a Renault Dauphine, the latest model at that time, and dreamed of becoming the second Ricardo Zamora (the famous Real Madrid goalkeeper). And, apparently, after a while another brilliant football player would appear in Spain, and the world would never hear the songs Julio Iglesias, but it’s not for nothing that they say: “There would be no happiness, but misfortune would help”...
On September 22, 1963 at 2 a.m., the day before his 20th birthday. Julio a misfortune occurred that almost cost him his life. When he is in the company of 3 of his friends (Enrique Clemente Criado, Toto Arroya and Pedro Luis Iglesias) was returning from the fiesta from the small town of Mahadagonda, 20 km away. from the capital in his Renault Dauphine to Madrid, he lost control and the car overturned at full speed, fell down a steep slope and crashed into a tree... Fortunately, three of his friends escaped with only slight fright and minor injuries. Julio However, he ends up in the Eloy Gonzalo clinic in Madrid with a crushed right leg, a severe spinal injury and a severely damaged left side of his face. After first aid was provided, he was sent home. But after a few months he developed back pain, and on January 6, 1964, he was unable to get out of bed. He recalls that time like this: “First of all, I felt fear. From the faces of the people around me, I tried to understand whether I would survive or not. Later, when I realized that I would live, I began to think about how to live further...” To establish cause of the disease, they tested the most difficult diagnostic method on him - spinal puncture, when, without anesthesia, liquid was injected into the spine with a long needle and its movement was monitored using X-rays. The diagnosis was: spinal cyst. The emergency operation lasted eight hours, but did not produce any results: the legs were motionless. Doctors believed that he was doomed to "lifelong paralysis." For more than 1.5 years Julio remained semi-paralyzed. For the first six months he was practically bedridden. There was no hope that Julio will be able to walk again. The young man becomes depressed. The fear of being a burden to the family prevails. “I had neither body nor muscles left,” he later recalled, “only my brain was strong as an ox.” But not having come to terms with the words of the doctors that it is better not to torture yourself and get used to the wheelchair, Julio shows a character unexpected for the darling of fate: cutting back on sleep and overcoming pain, he crawls around the room at night (so that the doctors don’t know), trying to get to his feet, studies books on neurology, and when the first improvements began, he walks on crutches for 12 hours a day, working out his legs. And the will defeated a serious illness, which now reminds of itself only by a slight limp and a small scar on his face (that’s why he always asks to photograph himself on the right side).
“I was not born a singer, I became one,” he likes to repeat Iglesias. It was in the hospital, due to forced inactivity, insomnia and painful experiences, that his poetic and musical talent developed. At night Julio listened to the radio and wrote poetry - sad, romantic poems dedicated to the meaning of a person’s life, why he comes into this world. Eladio Magdaleno - a young orderly who looked after Julio, once brought him a guitar so that he wouldn’t get bored. Julio began to study it greedily. By that time, he did not even think about being a singer, remembering Padre Axelmo. “Lying in bed, I lacked human warmth and communication, and I began to look for them in music. I just wanted to have fun,” the singer once shared his memories, but the music hit me like a storm. It completely changed everything around me ". And it was in a hospital bed that he composed his first song - “La Vida Sigue Igual” (Life Goes On), which became a manifesto of his will to live and a pass to the future heights of the musical Olympus. “You'll see me at the festival soon,” he assured his mother from her wheelchair.
In 1966, when the 23-year-old Julio Having completely recovered, he wanted to continue his studies. “Higher education became for me then a kind of return to life, but by no means a calling,” he once admitted to journalists. To dispel his son's sadness, his father sends him to England for a year to improve his English, first at Ramsgate and then at the Bell Language School in Cambridge. Somehow Julio I went with friends to a beer bar at Cambridge airport, there were several guys sitting at tables. One of them played the guitar. Julio asked him for an instrument and performed the then popular Cuban song “Guantanamera” - about a girl’s unhappy love. While he was singing, there was deathly silence in the pub: the customers, putting their mugs aside, listened to the stranger. As soon as Julio stopped singing, applause rang out in the hall. This was the first performance Iglesias in front of the audience and his first "fee". Then very often he performed in that bar on weekends, performing songs by Tom Jones, Engelbert Humperdinck, the Beatles... And there, in Cambridge, he met the French student Gwendoline Bollore, who became his friend and one of his musical successes. (The song he dedicated to her - “Gwendolyne”, will bring him 4th place at the Eurovision Song Contest, and more than 400 million people around the world will immediately recognize his name). In 1967, he re-entered the first year of the Faculty of Law at the University of Madrid with the determination to graduate. But along the way, he does not give up hope of starting a musical career.
In 1968, still not believing in his own abilities, he brought his first song to a Madrid recording studio in search of a singer who would agree to perform his music. He was stunned when the manager asked him: “Why don’t you perform it yourself, you have a good voice?” The answer was, "Because I'm not a singer." But Julio Still, I submitted my song to the competition and never regretted it. Superstitious Spaniards love to bet among themselves on luck. As he once admitted to his fans Iglesias, “I gave my word to my father that if I didn’t win the competition, I would stop singing once and for all and get a law degree.”
And so on July 18, 1968 Julio Iglesias, an unknown newcomer at the time, brilliantly wins the National Spanish Song Festival in the resort town of Benidorm with his song “La Vida Sigue Igual”, winning three awards at once: “For Best Performance”, “For Best Poems” and “For Best Song”! Immediately after the performance, he signed a contract with Columbia Records.
“I pulled my voice from the depths of my soul and began to sing,” recalled Julio his first performance. Unable to hold himself on stage, he was incredibly glad that the audience did not throw anything at him... So a singer appeared in Spain, completely different from the public idols of the late 60s. Julio always went on stage in a dark suit, white shirt and black tie. He gestured very little while singing, which caused reproaches and even ridicule from journalists who were accustomed to a more temperamental style of performance. However, the listeners, and especially the female listeners, were from Julio excited. After all, his weapon on stage was and is not gestures and movements, but his enchanting voice, which has a downright hypnotic effect, once you hear it you will never be able to confuse it with anyone else. Mesmerizing voice timbre Julio Iglesias plunges you into the abyss of true love and passion, makes you empathize with its joys and sorrows. And that is why his listeners liked his such a romantic image.
Since the bet was won, then Julio took a sabbatical from the University, and his father, reconciled with his son’s choice, helped him with the release of his first record. “Fortunately, fortune smiled on me, and I speak to you not as a lawyer, but as a singer,” he joked later Julio.
But was it only fortune that helped? Iglesias become famous and rich? It is unlikely that even one of his close people saw him lying on the sofa watching TV, idly spending time at some picnic, or traveling around countries as a tourist. Since then, his career began to develop rapidly. Iglesias successfully represents Spain at the Eurovision Song Contest, his songs become national hits: “Gwendoline”, “Un Canto A Galicia”... It only took a few years Iglesias to become a Spanish singer?1 and by far the most famous Spanish-speaking artist in the world. He begins to tour abroad for a long time and performs triumphantly at the most prestigious European venues: at the Olympia in Paris and at the Odeon in London. Listeners from different countries like that the Spaniard sings many songs from his repertoire in their native languages. This not only expands the singer’s audience, but also significantly increases the sales of his discs.

Dni.ru - Russian electronic newspaper

Singer and composer Julio Iglesias is one of the most famous Spanish-language pop artists. During his period of greatest popularity, he gave concerts at the largest stage venues in the world: on the stage of London's Odeon Theater, at the Olympia concert hall in France and at New York's Madison Square Garden. More than fifty albums were released under the Julio Iglesias brand. The total number of concerts of the singer exceeds four and a half thousand. Several times the Spanish artist came on tour to Russia, where a warm welcome always awaited him.

Biography of Julio Iglesias

Julio Iglesias grew up in the Spanish capital. He was the eldest son in the family of a famous doctor throughout Madrid. On his mother's side, his family traced its history back to a noble Spanish family. Iglesias' father specialized in gynecology and had a thriving practice. The younger brother Carlos also planned to study medicine following the example of his father, and Julio himself planned to become a lawyer. He liked music since childhood, but in the Catholic college choir he was advised never to take up singing, which he later often recalled with irony. He spent a lot of time on the football field and at the age of sixteen he joined the youth team of the Real Madrid club. The coaches predicted a brilliant sports future for the young man as a goalkeeper.

After college, Iglesias entered the law department of the University of Madrid. He would have become a lawyer if he had not been involved in a car accident that completely changed his life. A 20-year-old student got into an accident in the company of three friends when he was driving them to Madrid late in the evening after a trip out of town and lost control. His friends escaped with scratches, but Julio seriously injured his leg and spine. He spent the next year and a half in bed. The diagnosis was disappointing - a spinal cyst. The eight-hour operation did not bring any improvement. Doctors were inclined to think that he would never be able to walk. The nurse who cared for him one day brought a guitar so that he would not succumb to depression and could play music. Deprived of the ability to walk, the young man learned to play and began to compose songs. Doctors did not give favorable prognosis for recovery, but Iglesias managed to defeat the disease. This was not a miracle; Julio was constantly working out his failing muscles and joints, and when he was able to move, he spent 12 hours on crutches. Character and perseverance helped him recover. In the future, the consequences of the accident reminded of themselves only with a slight limp and scars on the cheek.

In 1963, Julio left for the UK, where he studied English at a language school in Cambridge. At the same time, he began performing in local bars, performing his songs, hits of the Beatles and other popular groups of the 60s for visitors. In Cambridge, he met a student from France, Gwendoline Bollore, and began dating her. The song "Gwendolyne", which he composed especially for her, a few years later brought the singer 4th place at the Eurovision Song Contest.

In 1967, Iglesias returned to his first year of university, where he planned to obtain a law degree at the insistence of his father. A year later, he won three categories at the Benidorm Song Festival with the composition "La Vida Sigue Igual", composed during his illness. Immediately after this, he was offered a contract with Columbia Records, and Iglesias switched to a musical career. In Madrid he graduated from an opera school in vocal class. His father was skeptical about his idea of ​​becoming a singer, but helped him record his first record and supported him financially at first.

On the stage of the 60s, Julio differed from professional Spanish artists in his formal suits and modest manner of performance. In 1970 he represented Spain at Eurovision. He did not make it to the finals of the competition, but this performance increased the number of his fans around the world. The singer began touring with concerts throughout Europe, performing songs in Spanish and other European languages.

Over the many years of his creative career, Julio Iglesias has released more than fifty solo albums and given a huge number of concerts in Europe, America and Asia. He collaborated with famous pop and opera singers Frank Sinatra, Placido Domingo, Paul Anka, Manolo Escobar and Willie Nelson.

In 1983, his name was included in the Guinness Book of Records for the record number of sold music discs released in different languages.

Personal life of Julio Iglesias

In 1970, during an interview, Iglesias met journalist Isabel Preysler. The singer invited her to his concert immediately after the end of the conversation, and a few months later he asked her to marry him. They were together for seven years until Isabel asked for a divorce. In this marriage, the singer had three children: Maria Isabel, Julio Jr. and Enrique. Both sons, following the example of their father, studied music and singing. Enrique later became a famous pop singer.

Five more children were given to Iglesias by the former Dutch model Miranda Rijnsburger, with whom he lived in a civil marriage for twenty years. Their youngest son, Guillermo, was born when his illustrious father turned 63 years old. By this time, Iglesias had already become a grandfather: his daughter from a previous marriage, Maria, gave birth to a son.

Latest news about Julio Iglesias

In 2008, during a tour in Yekaterinburg, the 65-year-old singer suffered a heart attack, due to which he had to cancel the performance. Two days later he returned to the stage and performed a two-hour concert.

One of the most successful Spanish-speaking singers was born on September 23, 1943 in Madrid, in the family of a famous gynecologist and member of the Medical Academy Julio Iglesias Puga. Julio received his secondary education at the Sagrado Corazones school, after which he entered the Catholic College of St. Paul. In college, young Julio decided to try his hand at creativity and began singing in the famous Ave Maria choir. However, after the first attempt, padre Axelmo advised him to do anything else, but not sing. He said that Iglesias would rather become president than a singer.

Julio did not despair, followed the advice of the padre and became interested in football. More precisely, he became interested in it much earlier, but now the Spaniard understood that football could subsequently become a source of good income. Julio had no shortage of talent in this sport. At the age of 16, he ended up in the Real Madrid academy. These were precisely the years when the Royal Club had no equal in Europe. Los Blancos have won the European Cup five times in a row. Many at that time dreamed of playing for Real (however, over time the situation did not change), but not everyone had the ability to do this. Iglesias had them.

Iglesias' coaches considered him an incredibly talented goalkeeper (this is the position he played in), and the coaches of the adult team made grandiose plans for the still very young boy. Despite active training and numerous games, Julio entered the prestigious University Colegio Mayor de San Pablo to study law. Iglesias grew, progressed and could become one of the best goalkeepers of his time. But just could...

On September 22, 1963, 19-year-old Julio was in a terrible car accident, which put an end to his sports career. The Spaniard was generally lucky to be alive. For almost two years, the semi-paralyzed Iglesias was confined to a hospital bed. The consequences of the accident were a crushed right leg, severe injury to the spine and the left side of the face. Surgeons made terrifying and increasingly disappointing diagnoses. Doctors believed that he was doomed to “lifelong paralysis.”

“First of all, I felt fear,” Julio said. “I tried to understand from the faces of the people around me whether I would survive or not. Later, when I realized that I would live, I began to think about how to live further... I missed human warmth and communication, and I began to look for them by writing songs and playing along with myself on the guitar...”

As a reminder of this sad event, a large scar remained on Iglesias’s back, and his gait also changed slightly. In the hospital, Julio experienced terrible stress over and over again. He lived without knowing whether he would ever be able to walk again. At first, he sang to distract himself from mental and physical pain, between constant procedures and exercises for his legs. Then he began to compose music himself, transferring all his suffering into songs. When the nurse caring for him Magdalena Eladio brought him a guitar, he began to play his songs, proving that the padre who rejected his musical talent was wrong.

Unable to accept the words of the doctors that it was better not to torture himself and get used to a wheelchair, Julio showed a character unexpected for the darling of fate: cutting back on sleep and overcoming pain, he crawled around the room at night (so that the doctors would not know), trying to get to his feet, studying books in neurology, and when the first improvements began, I walked on crutches for 12 hours a day, developing my legs.

The miracle happened, and Iglesias began to walk again. Thus, in misfortune, a great singer was born, who years later received popular love and worldwide fame. “I was not born a singer, I became one,” Iglesias likes to repeat.

And Iglesias does not forget “his” Real, regularly visiting the Santiago Bernabeu, which has not become his home.