In December 1981, a family kidnapping separated Enrique Iglesias from his mother and changed his childhood. How the Spanish singer's nanny helped launch his music career

Enrique Iglesias may have grown up to become one of the most successful Latin music stars, but his childhood was marked by a family tragedy that took him away from his mother. A kidnapping in the family forced him to move from Spain to the US at a young age, where he was raised largely by his nanny. Years later, she would play an important role in helping him take his first steps towards a career in music.

How a family kidnapping changed Enrique's childhood

Born in Madrid on May 8, 1975, Enrique is the youngest son of Spanish singer Julio Iglesias and Filipina model-turned-journalist Isabel Preysler. His mother was born in Manila and belongs to a Spanish-Filipino family with roots in Pampanga. Enrique has spoken about growing up with Filipino culture because of his mother's background.

His parents separated when he was around four years old. Enrique initially stayed in Spain, but another incident soon changed the course of his childhood.




When Enrique was six, his grandfather was kidnapped by armed men in Madrid. According to accounts of the incident, the kidnappers were Basque terrorists who demanded a ransom. His grandfather was eventually rescued unharmed after being held captive for 19 days.

The kidnapping raised concerns about the children's safety. The family decided that the boys should leave Spain, and Enrique moved to the US to live with his father in Miami when he was around eight.

Speaking about the move in an interview with Billboard, Enrique recalled growing up in Spain before relocating to America. The move meant being separated from his mother, who continued to live in Spain. He also spoke about how the family suddenly found itself in a dangerous situation following his grandfather's kidnapping.

Enrique's nanny helped launch his music career

With Julio frequently travelling for concerts and spending long periods away on tour, Enrique was largely looked after by the family's nanny, Elvira. She became one of the most important people in his early life and helped raise him while his father was busy with his music career.

Enrique's interest in music began when he was a child. In the same interview, he said, "As a little kid, all I used to do was write songs. Elvira also paid for the first demo, a sample of his songs."

By the age of 15, he had started performing privately with two older musicians, one of whom was Robert Morales. Morales would later collaborate with him on his debut album.

Despite being the son of a famous singer, Enrique wanted to establish himself without relying on his family name. He recorded a demo of his songs and sent it to record companies using the name Enrique Martinez. He did not want labels to sign him simply because he was Julio Iglesias' son.



His initial attempts were unsuccessful, and he faced rejection from several record companies. However, he eventually secured a deal and began working towards his debut release.

Elvira played a significant part in making that possible. She reportedly paid for his first demo, giving him the opportunity to send his music to record labels. When Enrique's debut album went on to become a success, he dedicated it to the nanny who had raised him and supported his musical ambitions.

The album marked the beginning of a career that would eventually make him one of the biggest names in Latin pop. Enrique later moved into the English-language market and released several successful albums, building an international following.

Despite spending much of his life in the US and Spain, Enrique has continued to speak about his connection to the Philippines through his mother. In an interview, he said that his mother, grandmother and several relatives remained important links to the country.

That connection also came into focus in 2013, when Typhoon Yolanda struck the Philippines. Isabel appealed for support for children affected by the disaster, while Enrique spoke about the tragedy during a red-carpet interaction. He acknowledged, "And I still have a lot of family back in the Philippines. At Christmas 2024, all five of Isabel's children gathered with her at Enrique's home in Miami, the same city her boys were once sent to. "

Isabel later published her memoir, which begins with her childhood in the Philippines and traces her life journey. Enrique praised the book on social media, describing his mother's life as incredible.