Florida Keys

September-October Issue 2015 MIAMI NATIVE & SPANISH SINGER REVEALS WHAT IT’S LIKE BEING ON TOUR WITH HIS FATHER, GROWING UP AS AN ‘IGLESIAS,’ & WHAT THE FUTURE HOLDS FOR HIM By Gisel Habibnejad Photographed by Ernesto Poblacion With musical talent running through his veins, it’s safe to say Julio Iglesias, Jr. was born to grace the world with his gift. Throughout his lifetime and various works, music has always remained a constant. There’s no denying the greatness that awaits Julio in the near future with a new album in the works and joining his father on his world tour, among the many. Julio was born to Spanish music icon Julio Iglesias, and Filipina socialite and journalist Isabel Preysler. Growing up, his parents instilled morals and values that molded him into the person he is today. “My dad taught me the importance of working hard in anything you do in life and to always surround yourself with great people.” Having a popular singer as a father also had its perks. “When I was younger, I saw my father like any young boy sees his father. As I got older, I began to realize that my father was famous. It was always nice to hear my friends and their parents express how they love my father’s music,” says the singer. “It’s a great feeling when people appreciate what your parents do.” Although he doesn’t plan on having children in the near future, he can’t wait to instill his family values into his future offspring. “I value good people with big hearts, family, friends, and music.” As Julio grew older, his passion for music blossomed and he soon realized his purpose in life. “Growing up in a musically-inclined family, you learn to really appreciate it.” While it would be easy to assume Julio broke into show business through music, it was actually through his modeling career. With several campaigns under his belt, his most notable include: Versace and Gap. Soon after, he ventured off into other aspects of the industry. He displayed his dance moves on the Spanish version of Dancing with the Stars known as ¡Mira Quien Baila! He then went on to win the first season of Gone Country, featuring various celebrities from different genre backgrounds competing to become a country singer. However, the most memorable of his TV stints has to be his frequent appearances on Oprah Winfrey’s talk show. Somewhere between his modeling career and television shows, Julio toured and became the opening act of Cher’s Do You Believe? 1999 North American tour. Most recently, Julio recorded the album Latin Lovers, featuring various artists coming together to create a compilation covering popular Spanish music hits. Along with Nuno Resende and Damien Sargue, Julio performed several of these covers at numerous concerts throughout Europe. Among the popular singles are “Vous Les Femmes,” an original by his father, “La Camisa Negra,” and “Livin’ La Vida Loca.” When he’s not touring or traveling all over the world, he’s in Miami–the place he has called home for most of his life. Julio was born in Spain, but moved to our beloved city when he was a child. Ever since, it has held a special place in his heart. “My family and friends live here. There’s nothing better than that.” An ideal day for Julio is relaxing by the beach and playing tennis. “The great thing about Miami is that you never get bored here; the city is always expanding. There’s always something to do.” However, ‘home is where the heart is’ and his heart belongs to his beautiful wife, Charisse Verhaert. Charisse and Julio began dating 12 years ago and finally tied the knot in 2011. “I love my wife, she’s an amazing woman. I’m very blessed to have her by my side,” says Julio about the Belgian model. While he’s usually touring overseas, some of his favorite destinations are within our very boarders. He takes delight in making occasional trips to the Florida Keys and spending time in his vacation home. Besides boating and kite boarding, the drive itself brings him bliss. “The spectacular view of the ocean on both sides when crossing the Seven Mile Bridge really makes the long drive worth it.” Having attended Menlo College near San Francisco, Julio grew affection towards Northern California, which he visits at least four times a year. One of his favorite places on the west coast is Lake Tahoe. During the winter, he can’t get enough of snowboarding; while in the summer, he enjoys the quiet beaches. Earlier this year, it was announced Julio would be joining his father on his world tour. Their first official performance together took place on May 22nd in Romania. Bulgaria, Spain, and Portugal were among the other countries that followed. In September, he will perform alongside his father in Guadalajara, Santiago de Querétaro, Mérida, Yucatán, Hermosillo, Puebla, and Monterrey in Mexico. In November and December, he looks forward to touring in Asia. “It’s a great experience because I get to spend a lot of quality time with my father. To share a stage with him in front of 20,000 people has been a dream come true.” As for a concert in Miami, locals should be on the look out for an upcoming performance down the road. With this in mind, we had to ask: are there any future plans for a performance with Julio, his father, and Enrique? We were pleasantly surprised to find the answer to be yes. Whenever this occurs, it is sure to make history! We were especially excited to learn that Julio has begun writing and recording songs for his next Spanish solo album, which will be released next spring. Everyone will be able to get to know Julio on a personal level like never before, and he can’t wait to share it with the world. To keep up with all the latest news on Julio Iglesias, Jr., follow his social media accounts: Instagram: @juliojrofficial Facebook: www.facebook.com/JulioJrOfficial Twitter: @JulioJrOfficial Click here to view this