Music

Musical awakening

A new album with some new sounds is pushing Enrique Iglesias back into the spotlight.

By ASSOCIATED PRESS
Published July 5, 2007

NEW YORK - Where has Enrique Iglesias been hiding these last few years?

The Latin heartthrob, who saw his star rise this decade with the crossover success of such songs as Hero and Escape, all but disappeared from the spotlight except for tabloid speculation about his romantic relationship with tennis pinup Anna Kournikova.

Iglesias, 32, took a self-imposed hiatus from music. After a string of back-to-back records, he devoted three years to work on his latest disc, Insomniac, released last month. It has 15 songs featuring typical Iglesias come-ons (On Top of You) and lovelorn laments (Wish I Was Your Lover). He adds rock and hip-hop sensibilities and samples a reggaeton beat and pingpong ball sound effects for good measure.

You tried some new things on Insomniac.

It's not that I wanted to make a musical change. It's not that I wanted to make a more profound album. I just wanted to write songs and pick the best ones. It's as simple as that.

Do you hope to recreate a Hero-like sensation?

It's not that I hope to recreate anything. . . . Not that I'm that old, but I'm not that young, either. I don't wanna bore myself in my career. . . . I want to do things that I feel enthusiastic about. At this point in my career, I'm not ready to go out there and kill myself like I'm killing myself now for something I don't believe in. . . . You know, I've made the money, I've seen the success. . . . But at this point, it's truly about believing in what I'm doing and having fun with it.

Reggaeton is the hottest thing in Latin music right now. What do you think about it?

I like reggaeton. You know what I like about it? That when it first came out, it was unique, it was different. . . . Obviously, you know, it becomes the thing that you start listening (to) everywhere. So after a while you're like, oh god, you wanna hear something different. But then it comes down to the art, it's not so much the musical style.

What have you been up to lately? Besides, you know, romancing Anna Kournikova.

Why is it always the personal life that makes the news? . . . I've been making this album, and in between I would take off. I would take off and just rest.

You set off wild rumors recently when you told a reporter that you and Anna had been married and were now divorced. But it was all a joke. Or was it?

No, I'm not married. But how many times do I have to say I'm not married! If I was married, I would say it.

So any pressure to tie the knot?

I've never felt pressure to get married, especially nowadays. I come from divorced parents. Why would I have any pressure? . . . I truly believe that you can be with someone without having to be married. Even having kids, I think.

[Last modified July 4, 2007, 23:40:08]