NAME:
Julio Iglesias, Jr.
ABOUT
Julio Iglesias, Jr. has lived a life steeped in the transcendent power of music. Since first taking the stage with his legendary father as a small child, the Madrid-born artist has turned out musical projects in a dazzling expanse of genres, toured with icons like Cher, and captivated audiences across the globe with his soulful vocals and effortlessly charming presence. Made with famed producer Rudy Pérez (the Grammy Award-winning musician known for his work with superstars like Christina Aguilera, Beyoncé, and Natalie Cole), his new album Under The Covers finds Iglesias reinterpreting an eclectic mix of pop songs in the classic sound of big band and swing—a supreme fit for his impossibly smooth voice, resulting in his most magnetic and magical work to date (which will be followed by several exciting major projects still to be announced.)
Recorded in his home base of Miami Beach with an elite lineup of musicians, Under The Covers makes for a perfect counterpart to the crowd-thrilling live show Iglesias has brought to venues around the world in recent years. “When I first started singing in this very timeless style, everything clicked for me,” he says. “It feels authentic to who I am more than anything I’ve done before, and I knew I needed to continue on that path. I love that I’m able to give people something that takes them back and brings them joy, especially at a time when the world really needs more peace and love.”
With its tracklist including lush renditions of everything from Marvin Gaye’s “What's Going On” to Right Said Fred’s “I’m Too Sexy,” Under The Covers includes such charmed moments as Iglesias’s hypnotic take on Benny Mardones’s 1980 hit “Into the Night,” a duet recorded with Mardones shortly before his death in 2020. “I moved to the U.S. when I was nine years old, and I remember hearing ‘Into the Night’ on the radio almost every single day on my way to school,” says Iglesias. “It’s a song I’ve loved almost my whole life and recording it with Benny Mardones himself was an unforgettable experience.” Another spellbinding duet, “Careless Whisper” finds Jewel lending her inimitably sweet vocals to a simmering update of the George Michael stunner. “‘Careless Whisper’ was the first song we recorded for the album,” Iglesias recalls. “Because my dad worked with Rudy and I’ve known him since I was a kid, I knew that Rudy has very high standards and I felt a little nervous at the beginning. But once I recorded that song, I was completely at ease—Rudy was so caring and easy to work with, while still capturing the best vocal possible.” On “Everybody Wants to Rule the World,” Iglesias twists Tears for Fears’ moody new-wave anthem into a joyfully breezy tune, wholly encapsulating the enchanting quality of Under The Covers. And for the album’s closing track, R&B luminary Brian McKnight joins Iglesias for a magnificently arranged medley of Stevie Wonder songs (“Overjoyed,” “I Just Called to Say I Love You,” and “Isn’t She Lovely”). “Rudy and I knew we needed a Stevie Wonder cover on this record, but when we looked at his repertoire we realized it was impossible to choose just one song,” says Iglesias. “We ended up taking these three songs and turning it into a beautiful medley, and who better to sing it with me than Brian McKnight? He’s an unbelievable entertainer, and his voice is just incredible.”
All throughout Under The Covers, Iglesias infuses his performance with an irresistible warmth revealing his intense love for the material, innate elegance as a song interpreter, and deep-rooted understanding of music’s potential to brighten the heart. “From the time I was very young I’d go on tour with my dad and watch him perform all over the world, and it was priceless to see how he could connect with so many different types of people,” he says. After his family relocated to Miami from Madrid (a move motivated by the kidnapping of his grandfather at the hands of a Basque separatist group), Iglesias further realized music’s capacity to build connection, often turning to pop radio to help enhance his fluency in English. “I grew up listening to amazing entertainers like Billy Joel, Stevie Wonder, and Michael Jackson, and they all taught me so much about the impact of a good melody,” says Iglesias, who now sings in English, Spanish, French, and Portuguese. Although his career has included such triumphs as modeling for Versace, acting in film and on TV, and winning the CMT competition show Gone Country, he finds unparalleled joy in performing onstage. “Once I start singing, I just get transformed,” says Iglesias, who supported his father on a world tour in 2015 and 2016. “It immediately takes me to another place that I can’t really even explain.”
With the release of Under The Covers, Iglesias hopes to transport his listeners in an equally powerful way. “There’s a simplicity to this sound that’s so soothing; I can see it in the way people’s faces light up when I’m singing these songs onstage,” he says. “I hope this album will help people to forget about their troubles, and stir up memories from when they were younger—things like riding in the car with their family when they were little kids, or falling in love for the first time. To me the most rewarding thing is being able to bring people that kind of happiness and comfort.”
ExpandRecorded in his home base of Miami Beach with an elite lineup of musicians, Under The Covers makes for a perfect counterpart to the crowd-thrilling live show Iglesias has brought to venues around the world in recent years. “When I first started singing in this very timeless style, everything clicked for me,” he says. “It feels authentic to who I am more than anything I’ve done before, and I knew I needed to continue on that path. I love that I’m able to give people something that takes them back and brings them joy, especially at a time when the world really needs more peace and love.”
With its tracklist including lush renditions of everything from Marvin Gaye’s “What's Going On” to Right Said Fred’s “I’m Too Sexy,” Under The Covers includes such charmed moments as Iglesias’s hypnotic take on Benny Mardones’s 1980 hit “Into the Night,” a duet recorded with Mardones shortly before his death in 2020. “I moved to the U.S. when I was nine years old, and I remember hearing ‘Into the Night’ on the radio almost every single day on my way to school,” says Iglesias. “It’s a song I’ve loved almost my whole life and recording it with Benny Mardones himself was an unforgettable experience.” Another spellbinding duet, “Careless Whisper” finds Jewel lending her inimitably sweet vocals to a simmering update of the George Michael stunner. “‘Careless Whisper’ was the first song we recorded for the album,” Iglesias recalls. “Because my dad worked with Rudy and I’ve known him since I was a kid, I knew that Rudy has very high standards and I felt a little nervous at the beginning. But once I recorded that song, I was completely at ease—Rudy was so caring and easy to work with, while still capturing the best vocal possible.” On “Everybody Wants to Rule the World,” Iglesias twists Tears for Fears’ moody new-wave anthem into a joyfully breezy tune, wholly encapsulating the enchanting quality of Under The Covers. And for the album’s closing track, R&B luminary Brian McKnight joins Iglesias for a magnificently arranged medley of Stevie Wonder songs (“Overjoyed,” “I Just Called to Say I Love You,” and “Isn’t She Lovely”). “Rudy and I knew we needed a Stevie Wonder cover on this record, but when we looked at his repertoire we realized it was impossible to choose just one song,” says Iglesias. “We ended up taking these three songs and turning it into a beautiful medley, and who better to sing it with me than Brian McKnight? He’s an unbelievable entertainer, and his voice is just incredible.”
All throughout Under The Covers, Iglesias infuses his performance with an irresistible warmth revealing his intense love for the material, innate elegance as a song interpreter, and deep-rooted understanding of music’s potential to brighten the heart. “From the time I was very young I’d go on tour with my dad and watch him perform all over the world, and it was priceless to see how he could connect with so many different types of people,” he says. After his family relocated to Miami from Madrid (a move motivated by the kidnapping of his grandfather at the hands of a Basque separatist group), Iglesias further realized music’s capacity to build connection, often turning to pop radio to help enhance his fluency in English. “I grew up listening to amazing entertainers like Billy Joel, Stevie Wonder, and Michael Jackson, and they all taught me so much about the impact of a good melody,” says Iglesias, who now sings in English, Spanish, French, and Portuguese. Although his career has included such triumphs as modeling for Versace, acting in film and on TV, and winning the CMT competition show Gone Country, he finds unparalleled joy in performing onstage. “Once I start singing, I just get transformed,” says Iglesias, who supported his father on a world tour in 2015 and 2016. “It immediately takes me to another place that I can’t really even explain.”
With the release of Under The Covers, Iglesias hopes to transport his listeners in an equally powerful way. “There’s a simplicity to this sound that’s so soothing; I can see it in the way people’s faces light up when I’m singing these songs onstage,” he says. “I hope this album will help people to forget about their troubles, and stir up memories from when they were younger—things like riding in the car with their family when they were little kids, or falling in love for the first time. To me the most rewarding thing is being able to bring people that kind of happiness and comfort.”
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