He's only 32-years-old but Enrique Iglesias, who released his first album at 19, clearly has a wise head on his shoulders. And after years of experience at the top of the music biz, he was able to hand out handy tips to the next generation of young singers as he put in a mentoring stint on a Canadian talent show. "The advice I had to share with them was not musical, but more from a business and human standpoint," he says of his chat with the eight Canadian Idol finalists. "They have to surround themselves with good people… It will truly determine their career… To be successful they need smart people helping them out."
The Spanish crooner was full of praise for the contestants' vocal talents. "They all sounded completely professional," he said. "I got off my flight and hadn't slept, but I completely forgot about it - their voices were beautiful. They were all totally unique. They've got nothing to worry about."
Jetlag aside, lack of sleep was a key factor in Enrique's latest album Insomiac, which has been three years in the making. "I've always suffered from insomnia to the point that I've been to three different doctors," he reveals. "I'm a night owl but the ironic thing is I love daylight. I love going to the beach, and I hate going to sleep when the sun's coming up."
The Miami-based heart-throb has already scored a hit with Do You Know, otherwise known as the Ping Pong Song as it features the beat of a ping pong ball being hit back and forth. Despite his unsociable working hours - going to sleep as others wake up - Enrique says girlfriend Anna Kournikova is "cool" about it, adding: "She understands".
Photo: © Alphapress.com
