Entertainment Biz - Enrique Iglesias at the 19th Annual Billboard Latin Music Conference - February 2008

Billboard to Host Exclusive Q&A with International Superstar Enrique Iglesias at the 19th Annual Billboard Latin Music Conference in Miami Four-Day Event Will Bring Together Top Artists and Professionals from the Latin Music Industry

Wednesday February 20, 2008

NEW YORK-, NY USA -- (BUSINESS WIRE)

Billboard, the world’s most trusted source of music, video and digital entertainment news, charts, reviews and analysis, announced that Grammy Award winning artist and international superstar Enrique Iglesias will take part in an exclusive Q&A session at the 19th annual Billboard Latin Music Conference being held April 6-10 at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Hollywood, Florida. This intimate one-on-one interview will be conducted by Leila Cobo, Billboard’s Executive Director of Content and Programming for Latin Music and Entertainment on Wednesday, April 9 at 3:30pm.

The Billboard Latin Music Conference has become the single most important Latin music industry event in the world, and the superstar Q&A has emerged as the centerpiece of this gathering. Enrique Iglesias, one of the most distinctive and internationally renowned vocalists in contemporary music, will come to Billboard having just completed an international tour in support of his hit CD, “Insomniac.”

Iglesias also has a new Spanish language greatest hits album coming out on March 25th that will feature two new singles. The album, titled “95/08Exitos,” will feature his 17 number one hits on the Billboard Hot Latin Songs chart, which is more than any other artist in the history of the chart has ever achieved. The album will be released in CD as well as CD/DVD format including 8 music videos and a documentary/interview on both his career and his 2007 world tour.

Iglesias’ 1996 self-titled debut was recorded in Spanish and has sold over seven million copies. His second effort, 1997's "Vivir," broke into the U.S. Top 40 and was promoted with the first of many lavishly produced world tours. Within three years, Enrique became the biggest-selling Spanish-language singer in the world. He has enjoyed more Billboard Latin hits than any other artist in history. Released in 1999, "Enrique" was his first English album, and the first one recorded for Interscope. It included the mega-hits "Bailamos" (We Dance), "Rhythm Divine," "Be With You," and "Could I Have This Kiss Forever," a duet with Whitney Houston. In the U.S., the platinum album was certified double, and Enrique was seen by millions during the 2000 Super Bowl halftime show.

"Enrique" achieved gold or platinum status in 32 countries. Then came "Escape,” which included the hits "Hero" and "Escapar," and cemented Enrique's superstar status in Europe by selling 10 million copies. Both the album and single of the same name were simultaneously the #1 album and single in the U.K. Entitled "Quizás," Enrique's fourth Spanish-language album established him as one of the few recording artists ever to score a U.S. multiplatinum English-language album ("Escape") followed by a U.S. multiplatinum Spanish-language album ("Quizas"). Enrique's success continued in 2003 with his aptly titled seventh album "7," and his most recent release, “Insomniac,” which is now platinum or gold in eighteen countries.

“Billboard is the Bible of music” says Enrique Iglesias. “I think myself, and everyone in the industry, consult it every week because it’s important to be in contact, know what happens, who is releasing new material and who is being played in every world capital. I love it, because there, I see my friends, I read who goes out, who comes in. Our business is changing, and in Billboard, you find everything out.”

“Enrique Iglesias is one of the most celebrated artists of our times and his wide appeal has helped introduce Latin music to a broader audience” says Cobo. “This past year alone he has performed in countries including Portugal, Switzerland, Turkey, Ireland, Great Britain, Belgium, Germany, the Netherlands, Denmark, Sweden, Russia, the Ukraine, Lithuania, Estonia and South Africa, and he is now climbing the charts again with ‘Donde Están Corazón,’ the first single off of his upcoming album. We look forward to sitting down with him in his hometown of Miami and hearing about his new album as well as his experiences in the music industry both here and abroad.”

The 19th annual Billboard Latin Music Conference will feature four full days of compelling panel sessions, a new full day program dedicated to Latin radio, live artist showcases, networking events, and the Billboard Bash – a pre-awards party featuring presentations & performances by Latin Music Awards finalists. The week is capped off by the Billboard Latin Music Awards, which honors the biggest and brightest stars in the industry. This star-studded event will be produced and broadcast live by Telemundo on Thursday, April 10 from Hard Rock Live at Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Hollywood, Florida.

About Billboard

Now in its 114th year, Billboard is the world's premier weekly music publication and a diverse digital, events, brand, content and data licensing platform. Billboard publishes the most trusted charts and offers unrivaled reporting about the latest music, video, gaming, media, digital and mobile entertainment issues and trends. Billboard is the flagship property for the Billboard Information Group, which also consists of Billboard.biz, Billboard.com, Billboard Chart Alert, Billboard Information Network (BIN), Billboard Directories, Billboard Books, and Billboard Licensing & Events. Billboard’s many strategic partners include Microsoft, Reuters, Sirius Satellite Radio, Telemundo, Univision Radio, ABC Radio Networks, Azteca America and Billboard sister companies Nielsen SoundScan and Nielsen Broadcast Data Systems. These partnerships leverage Billboard’s proprietary data, charts and information resources to develop broadcast entertainment, digital and mobile platforms and contextual commerce applications that expand Billboard’s franchise and consumer reach. Billboard is published by Nielsen Business Media, a part of The Nielsen Company, a global information and media company.

(Business Wire)