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Interview With Julio Iglesias
Aired January 09, 2004 - 15:17 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
KYRA PHILLIPS, CNN ANCHOR: Well, long before Latin music began to dominate the charts, Julio Iglesias was a household name around the world. He sold 200 million albums, gaining fame for songs about love and romance.
But his latest C.D. focuses on heartbreak. Here's a sample. Well, that's one of the songs from the new album, "Divorcio."
And now Julio Iglesias joins us live in studio.
And I know you'll never deal with divorce, because you have this beautiful woman in your life, Miranda.
JULIO IGLESIAS, SINGER/SONGWRITER: Well, I am not married with her. We are not, because she doesn't want to get married with me, by the way.
PHILLIPS: She's crazy.
IGLESIAS: No, no, no. She thinks the kids are very young and they should -- once, we were getting married, five, six years ago. She says to me, wait a little until the guys, they have that age that they know why we get married, the reason why we got married, because we love each other. She's an amazing woman.
(CROSSTALK)
IGLESIAS: Well, I know we've got some pictures and we're going to show those a little later.
PHILLIPS: But I have to ask you about "Divorcio." All your songs have always been about love and romance. Why divorce?
IGLESIAS: Well, "Divorcio" is the name of one of the songs. And, particularly, I think that the title is a little heavy, you know, because it sounds like something is interrupted, a situation.
And what happens, it was a very funny song in the album, which has a sense of humor. And I said, well, let's see. Let's put "Divorcio," because it's something unusual. The reason also is that the songs, they don't -- this one is completely different. Every song has a different role. It's a little, simple, fresh album, I think.
PHILLIPS: Well, you know what we did. We did a little research for you. And we found out -- we did a sample of the divorce rates around the world, OK?
IGLESIAS: Yes.
PHILLIPS: So, in Belarus, 68 percent divorce rate. So, we think your C.D.s is going to do really well there. And then, in the United States, 49 percent. So your C.D. is going to do well in the United States. But Spain, your home country, only 17 percent.
So I don't know, Julio, I don't think your C.D. is going to do well in Spain.
IGLESIAS: Well, in Spain, we don't need to get divorced.
(LAUGHTER)
PHILLIPS: There you go. That's right. You don't need to, because you always find the perfect person.
IGLESIAS: No. You know, what happened with the album is, it doesn't mean anything about divorce, because divorce is a very, very, very difficult word.
I think that we don't have to be divorced to each other to divorce some ideas sometimes. Spain is a country who has been through a divorce in many difficult situations, until the last seven years and we passed the law, then everybody could get divorced. The one that was waiting for divorce, they can divorce now. I expect to sell in my country at least two songs, two albums, which is enough.
(LAUGHTER)
PHILLIPS: Now, listen, a lot of people don't know this about you, but you actually went to school. You studied law. You thought you were going to be a diplomat. But you were also a fantastic soccer player.
IGLESIAS: No, no.
PHILLIPS: Yes. Hey, I've done my research. I know you were a good soccer player.
IGLESIAS: No, I play on a good team. I play on Real Madrid, which is a great team, until 20 years old.
PHILLIPS: Now, what's interesting, though, you were in an accident.
IGLESIAS: Yes.
PHILLIPS: And this is actually what led to writing music. You started -- in your therapy, you were writing poems and practicing the guitar. Tell us about that.
IGLESIAS: Well, I had an accident when I was 20 years old. And I was in hospital for, in fact, a year and a half. I was paralyzed, because I have a compression in my nerve system.
And they give me guitar because my arms were not very strong, so to practice and to do like therapy. And I write. I start to write songs. And I became a bad singer.
PHILLIPS: A bad singer?
IGLESIAS: Yes, yes, yes. I wasn't a good singer.
And I start to learn. I start to learn, you know, because everything in life is learning. And I learn to this little hobby, like a big profession. And I can't be without this profession. I love to sing.
PHILLIPS: Well, there's a lot of people that can't live without your music.
IGLESIAS: No, no, no, no.
PHILLIPS: Yes. You're so humble.
Now, I've got to ask you, what do you think about your son Enrique? He has got this incredible career. He's just like you. He charms all the women.
(CROSSTALK)
IGLESIAS: Yes?
PHILLIPS: Yes.
IGLESIAS: Well, he's genetic, maybe. My father is the same thing.
(LAUGHTER)
IGLESIAS: I think Enrique has an incredible career. (UNINTELLIGIBLE)
(CROSSTALK)
PHILLIPS: Right.
IGLESIAS: Following the steps, following the music also. And I can't speak, talk about Enrique without talking about Julio. I'm going to go home...
PHILLIPS: You've got to talk about both of them.
IGLESIAS: Julio will tell me, you don't about me, father.
Enrique is amazing. Enrique is an amazing guy, a very strong personality, very independent. And Julio is the same. They are great education, natural education, because that class of kids, they are growing up in a way very long -- because I was always on the road. And they became incredible kids. And I'm very proud of them.
PHILLIPS: Well, you all have an incredible music or ability for music.
Now, you talked about your dad. Did he influence music in your life at all?
IGLESIAS: My dad is a surgeon, is a doctor.
And he has been for me an incredible example of discipline. He is a man who has a lot of strength in his life. He suffered a lot. He was kidnapped for the terrorism in Spain 25 years ago. And he was suffering a lot. And he came back since that time. And all the time has been for me a great, great example in my life, a very beautiful man, an incredible personality.
PHILLIPS: Well, he raised a pretty wonderful son.
Now, I have to ask you a question, OK. Being the romancer, or the romantic person that you are, before I let you go, will you just sing just a little bit? Just serenade me just a teeny bit, just a couple lines?
IGLESIAS (singing): Crazy, crazy for feeling so lonely. I'm crazy, crazy for feeling...
You make me sing.
(CROSSTALK)
IGLESIAS: I never sing this song.
PHILLIPS: Oh, my heart is beating. Am I making you nervous?
IGLESIAS: Your friend is laughing.
(LAUGHTER)
PHILLIPS: Miles loves you, too. He just -- he's been a little shy.
Julio Iglesias, thank you so much.
IGLESIAS: Thank you so much.
PHILLIPS: Oh, my goodness. I will never forget this interview.
IGLESIAS: Thank you very much.
PHILLIPS: And we hope you'll come back with your next album.
IGLESIAS: I hope so, whenever you invite me.
PHILLIPS: You've got a deal.
IGLESIAS: Thank you.
PHILLIPS: Thank you.
IGLESIAS: Thank you.
MILES O'BRIEN, CNN ANCHOR: You're blushing. PHILLIPS: Whew.
O'BRIEN: You're blushing. Wow.
PHILLIPS: Yes. I need a little air.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
Aired January 9, 2004 - 15:17 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
KYRA PHILLIPS, CNN ANCHOR: Well, long before Latin music began to dominate the charts, Julio Iglesias was a household name around the world. He sold 200 million albums, gaining fame for songs about love and romance.
But his latest C.D. focuses on heartbreak. Here's a sample. Well, that's one of the songs from the new album, "Divorcio."
And now Julio Iglesias joins us live in studio.
And I know you'll never deal with divorce, because you have this beautiful woman in your life, Miranda.
JULIO IGLESIAS, SINGER/SONGWRITER: Well, I am not married with her. We are not, because she doesn't want to get married with me, by the way.
PHILLIPS: She's crazy.
IGLESIAS: No, no, no. She thinks the kids are very young and they should -- once, we were getting married, five, six years ago. She says to me, wait a little until the guys, they have that age that they know why we get married, the reason why we got married, because we love each other. She's an amazing woman.
(CROSSTALK)
IGLESIAS: Well, I know we've got some pictures and we're going to show those a little later.
PHILLIPS: But I have to ask you about "Divorcio." All your songs have always been about love and romance. Why divorce?
IGLESIAS: Well, "Divorcio" is the name of one of the songs. And, particularly, I think that the title is a little heavy, you know, because it sounds like something is interrupted, a situation.
And what happens, it was a very funny song in the album, which has a sense of humor. And I said, well, let's see. Let's put "Divorcio," because it's something unusual. The reason also is that the songs, they don't -- this one is completely different. Every song has a different role. It's a little, simple, fresh album, I think.
PHILLIPS: Well, you know what we did. We did a little research for you. And we found out -- we did a sample of the divorce rates around the world, OK?
IGLESIAS: Yes.
PHILLIPS: So, in Belarus, 68 percent divorce rate. So, we think your C.D.s is going to do really well there. And then, in the United States, 49 percent. So your C.D. is going to do well in the United States. But Spain, your home country, only 17 percent.
So I don't know, Julio, I don't think your C.D. is going to do well in Spain.
IGLESIAS: Well, in Spain, we don't need to get divorced.
(LAUGHTER)
PHILLIPS: There you go. That's right. You don't need to, because you always find the perfect person.
IGLESIAS: No. You know, what happened with the album is, it doesn't mean anything about divorce, because divorce is a very, very, very difficult word.
I think that we don't have to be divorced to each other to divorce some ideas sometimes. Spain is a country who has been through a divorce in many difficult situations, until the last seven years and we passed the law, then everybody could get divorced. The one that was waiting for divorce, they can divorce now. I expect to sell in my country at least two songs, two albums, which is enough.
(LAUGHTER)
PHILLIPS: Now, listen, a lot of people don't know this about you, but you actually went to school. You studied law. You thought you were going to be a diplomat. But you were also a fantastic soccer player.
IGLESIAS: No, no.
PHILLIPS: Yes. Hey, I've done my research. I know you were a good soccer player.
IGLESIAS: No, I play on a good team. I play on Real Madrid, which is a great team, until 20 years old.
PHILLIPS: Now, what's interesting, though, you were in an accident.
IGLESIAS: Yes.
PHILLIPS: And this is actually what led to writing music. You started -- in your therapy, you were writing poems and practicing the guitar. Tell us about that.
IGLESIAS: Well, I had an accident when I was 20 years old. And I was in hospital for, in fact, a year and a half. I was paralyzed, because I have a compression in my nerve system.
And they give me guitar because my arms were not very strong, so to practice and to do like therapy. And I write. I start to write songs. And I became a bad singer.
PHILLIPS: A bad singer?
IGLESIAS: Yes, yes, yes. I wasn't a good singer.
And I start to learn. I start to learn, you know, because everything in life is learning. And I learn to this little hobby, like a big profession. And I can't be without this profession. I love to sing.
PHILLIPS: Well, there's a lot of people that can't live without your music.
IGLESIAS: No, no, no, no.
PHILLIPS: Yes. You're so humble.
Now, I've got to ask you, what do you think about your son Enrique? He has got this incredible career. He's just like you. He charms all the women.
(CROSSTALK)
IGLESIAS: Yes?
PHILLIPS: Yes.
IGLESIAS: Well, he's genetic, maybe. My father is the same thing.
(LAUGHTER)
IGLESIAS: I think Enrique has an incredible career. (UNINTELLIGIBLE)
(CROSSTALK)
PHILLIPS: Right.
IGLESIAS: Following the steps, following the music also. And I can't speak, talk about Enrique without talking about Julio. I'm going to go home...
PHILLIPS: You've got to talk about both of them.
IGLESIAS: Julio will tell me, you don't about me, father.
Enrique is amazing. Enrique is an amazing guy, a very strong personality, very independent. And Julio is the same. They are great education, natural education, because that class of kids, they are growing up in a way very long -- because I was always on the road. And they became incredible kids. And I'm very proud of them.
PHILLIPS: Well, you all have an incredible music or ability for music.
Now, you talked about your dad. Did he influence music in your life at all?
IGLESIAS: My dad is a surgeon, is a doctor.
And he has been for me an incredible example of discipline. He is a man who has a lot of strength in his life. He suffered a lot. He was kidnapped for the terrorism in Spain 25 years ago. And he was suffering a lot. And he came back since that time. And all the time has been for me a great, great example in my life, a very beautiful man, an incredible personality.
PHILLIPS: Well, he raised a pretty wonderful son.
Now, I have to ask you a question, OK. Being the romancer, or the romantic person that you are, before I let you go, will you just sing just a little bit? Just serenade me just a teeny bit, just a couple lines?
IGLESIAS (singing): Crazy, crazy for feeling so lonely. I'm crazy, crazy for feeling...
You make me sing.
(CROSSTALK)
IGLESIAS: I never sing this song.
PHILLIPS: Oh, my heart is beating. Am I making you nervous?
IGLESIAS: Your friend is laughing.
(LAUGHTER)
PHILLIPS: Miles loves you, too. He just -- he's been a little shy.
Julio Iglesias, thank you so much.
IGLESIAS: Thank you so much.
PHILLIPS: Oh, my goodness. I will never forget this interview.
IGLESIAS: Thank you very much.
PHILLIPS: And we hope you'll come back with your next album.
IGLESIAS: I hope so, whenever you invite me.
PHILLIPS: You've got a deal.
IGLESIAS: Thank you.
PHILLIPS: Thank you.
IGLESIAS: Thank you.
MILES O'BRIEN, CNN ANCHOR: You're blushing. PHILLIPS: Whew.
O'BRIEN: You're blushing. Wow.
PHILLIPS: Yes. I need a little air.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
