Julio Iglesias turns 65 September 23, 2008 By: Agencia EFE Miami, Daily „La Opinión de Tenerife”

Julio Iglesias turns 65
September 23, 2008
By: Agencia EFE Miami, Daily „La Opinión de Tenerife”

The Spanish singer Julio Iglesias turns 65 today full of vitality and with a passion for continuing to sing and stay onstage with the same energy and effort as usuall, he told EFE.

Iglesias, who was born in Madrid, on September 23rd, 1943, will spend his 65th birthday today at his house in Miami with his wife Miranda and their own five children, his daughter Chabeli and his grandson Alejandro, the singer told EFE in a phone conversation Monday afternoon.

„The truth is, after leaving your 50’s, it’s not important anymore how old you are turning. The important thing is to keep up the same passion for what one feels and does from the heart”, explained Iglesias.

His 65th birthday will be celebrated in private and with a cake that he himself has decorated with a very large number 65, but depending on how you look at it, he says, you can also see it as 56.

Spanish singer Julio Iglesias’s wife Miranda (R) and children are pictured during a concert of his world tour marking the 40th anniversary of his musical career, on August 19, 2008 at the Plaza Real Bullring, in Sapnish southwestern city of Caidz. AFP PHOTO/ CRISTINA QUICLER

His wife Miranda and their five kids (Miguel Alejandro, Rodrigo, Cristina, Victoria and Guillermo) will be, along with Isabel „Chábeli” Iglesias and her 6-year old son Alejandro, responsible for singing Happy Birthday, in an afternoon that the singer wants to have „at home” and with the family.

Julio Iglesias commented that he feels happy and fortunate for the oportunities that life gives him to return to the places where he has already been onstage.

The singer is preparing another series of concerts in the next couple of days in Argentina, Brasil, Central America and Mexico, inside his 2008 World Tour, which began in January to celebrate his 40 years of music.

It’s been 40 years since the beginning in July 17th 1968, when he won the Benidorm Music Festival with his celebrated song „La vida sigue igual”.

Since then, Julio Iglesias has sold more than 300 millon records and obtained more than 2,600 Platinum and Gold records, something that no other singer has accomplished in the history of music.

In spite of his success, Julio Iglesias admitted to EFE that he still has alot to learn.

„Above all”, he added, „it’s to do with being very disciplined, being able to have the physical strength that allows me to be out onstage, transmiting that passion and that vitality to the audience”.

The Spanish artist can’t imagine himself doing anything else but continuing onstage with „the physical strength that lets him do a quality job”.

That’s why, at 65 he confesses that he feels encouraged to keep performing and singinging with the same spirit, above all when other great artitsts in the history of music, like Charles Aznavour, at 84 years old maintains an enviable vitality.

„I’ve recorded a duet with Aznavour and it turned out admirable”, remembers Iglesias who considers that, if the Armenian singer shows that energy at 84, how could he not keep up the same enthusiasm when he himself is only 65.

On January 19th in Cannes (France), the legendary Aznavour will receive the prize for successful artistic career from the Midem association, which represents the international music industry.

At the end of this year, Aznavour will bring out his awaited record onto the market called „Duos”, a selection of duets with the biggest international artists in music, among whom are to be found figures such as Elton John, Liza Minnelli, Sting, Paul Anka, Placido Domingo and Julio Iglesias himself.

„Singing with Aznavour had been an incredible experience and is an incentive to continue going onstage, despite it demanding an effort and huge determination”, declared the Spanish singer.

Due to of his tireless strength in maintaining the same enthusiasm, Julio Iglesias will dedicate part of the afternoom of his birthday to prepare the series of concerts for the following days in Argentina and Brasil, before leaving Wednesday from Miami.

„I sing to live and I live to sing”, assures Iglesias, repeating how happy and fortunate he is for keeping the enormous affection and loyalty of his audiences, who never tire of attending his concerts.