Julio Iglesias is more than just a 68-year-old sex symbol. There's a charmingly devilish quality about his wide grin of immaculate pearlies and a hint of immortality about his never-fading tan. An intriguing character with albums in French, English, Spanish, Italian, and many other languages, he is almost the most interesting man in the world.
Recently, New Times had the chance to catch up with Julio. We basically shot the shit, laughed a lot, and talked about his kids and food. You know, like old friends.
New Times: Tell us about the latest greatest-hits album.
Julio Iglesias: In reality, it is not a greatest-hits. It's more of an album where I've re-recorded all those songs that I sang so poorly in the past.
So how many more volumes will come out?
This will be in three volumes and with a DVD, in English and Spanish.
It's fairly evident that time and age have not slowed you down.
Of course not, flaco, because my passion remains the same! I have a passion that is within my soul naturally, and everything that really matters in life when you have a little bit of art in you is the passion. Passion is life's motor.
I'm a 68-year-old man, and I sing and live like a 25-year-old. Notwithstanding that, onstage I'm ageless. It's the only place on earth where I have no age, and I have no mirrors. I only have the marvelous audience in front of me who has always been my life's greatest nutrient, and that has always made me happy.
And you know, I'll be singing two concerts at the Hard Rock, which makes me very happy. Two big concerts, and I'll be able to sleep at home, here in South Florida.
There's a rumor about you and peculiar interests in international cuisine.
Yeah, I've certainly read that on the Internet. But you know how the Internet is a source of practical and highly impractical information. All I like about the kitchen is eating. Plain and simple... A salad. That's about as good as it gets, if I'm preparing it.
So you can defend yourself in there then.
Well, if there's nothing, I'm not that useless. I'll get something done.
Your children's success is a well-known and well-chronicled story. How has that made you feel as a father and an entertainer?
As a father, I couldn't be prouder, seriously. And as an artist, you know, once you have a champion child, champion children at that, your eyes are always going to shine even brighter. All of my kids, nothing makes me prouder or happier than the fact that they've been successful. And in my eyes, they are all world champions.
