‘I’m not in vogue, but in demand’, says Spanish crooner Julio
Iglesias
CHINA: Ageing Spanish crooner Julio Iglesias Monday said he may never
be “in” but at least he can still draw a crowd, as he was given an award
in Beijing as the world’s best-selling male Latin artist.The
69-year-old, who has sold more than 300 million records worldwide, was
in China ahead of a three-show tour of the country, where he remains
hugely popular due to his inoffensive, idealistic brand of singing.
“Maybe I am not ‘in’ in your country, maybe I am not ‘in’ anywhere in
the world. I am not an artist which is ‘in’. But I have been singing all
of my life,” he told AFP after receiving the Guinness World Records
award as best-selling male Latin artist.
“Maybe in England I am not playing to 30,000 people that I used to
play to 30 years ago, but now I can still play in England. One thing is
to be ‘in’, but it is another to be popular.” Iglesias also received an
award as First and Most Popular International Artist in China from his
record company Sony, although it was unable to say how many records he
has sold in the country.
The singer also said he would be happy to play in the isolated,
nuclear-armed state of North Korea. “If they invite me, then why not? I
don’t believe in frontiers and I don’t believe in races or
nationalities.” Iglesias is embarking on an age-defying, gruelling world
tour, with an Asian leg taking in the Philippines, South Korea, China,
Singapore and Taiwan.
AFP
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