Please excuse me for writing about another artist of Filipino descent. I promise this isn't going to be a trend. It just so happen that I am a big fan of Enrique Iglesias and his celebrity mother. Well I am pretty sure you know who his father is so lets focus on the mother's side. First, lets talk about Enrique.

Enrique Iglesias a.k.a.Enrique Miguel Iglesias Preysler was born in Madrid, Spain. He is the third and youngest child of singer Julio Iglesias and Isabel Preysler. In 1986 Enrique and his brother were sent to live with their father in Miami for their safety. He attended prep school and eventually went on to study business at the University of Miami. 

Enrique did not use his famous lastname when he started his musical career. His father did not know about his plans. Enrique borrowed money from his nanny and recorded a demo cassette tape with two English and one Spanish song. With the help of his father's former publicist, the two promoted the songs under the name - Enrique Martinez, as an unknown singer from Guatemala. A record label called Fonovisa gave him the biggest break of his life. Enrique dropped out of college and went to Toronto to record his first album. On July 1995, he released his first album titled " Enrique Iglesias ". The record sold half a million copies in its first week which rarely happens for albums recorded in a language other than English back then. The number one hit in the US " Bailamos " catapulted him to fame by 1999 and begun his successful crossover into the English music scene.

Before I introduce Enrique's mother, I just wanted to say that I admire her very much. For those who already know her will understand why. She is proudly pinay just like Lea Salonga and Daphne Oseña Paez, my role models. So please do read on and get to know her. 

Maria Isabel Preysler Arrastia better known as Isabel Preysler is a Filipina journalist, socialite, and television host. Isabel was born in Manila, Philippines to a wealthy family and attended a private Roman Catholic school. At the age of 16, she migrated to Madrid in Spain and attended Mary Ward College, where she studied accounting. She began working as a journalist for Spanish magazine HOLA in 1970 and her first interviewee was her future husband Julio Iglesias. Their marriage was annulled in 1979. In 1984, she hosted a Spanish lifestyle television programme, appeared and hosted various programs since. She is now happily married to former Spanish Finance Mininster Miguel Boyer. 

Isabel continues to be the national spokesmodel for Ferrero Rocher, Suarez jewelry, Manolo Blahnik, Chrysler and Porcelanosa tiles alongside George Clooney in 2006 ad campaign. She was also honored together with Hillary Clinton, Shakira and Yoko Ono for the Women Together Award, which honors women for their contributions to the United Nations. This made her the first Filipino woman in history to win the award. 

A favored guest of Prince Charles in England and close friend of Victoria Beckham often photographed shopping with her in Madrid. Readers of Hola magazine voted her several times as the most elegant and best dressed woman in Spain.  

According to her interview with the Philippine Daily Inquirer last April 2008, her style is not sophisticated as she try to be as natural as possible. Less is more. On being Filipino and feeling Spanish, she feels very lucky to have grown up in the Philippines. They all speak in Spanish. She always had that mixed combination. On her greatest achievement, her children. All her children know that they are very privileged but if you ever meet them, they are not at all spoiled kids. They always have the things that could not be bought.


References:
http://www.enriqueiglesias.com/main
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Isabel_Preysler
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Enrique_Iglesias
http://top-people.starmedia.com/fashion/versus-3/isabel-preysler-16853.html