AOL LIVE: Here comes Enrique! Please stand by.

Host: Hey, we are live with Enrique Iglesias flying high on the success of VH-1's "Men Strike Back" concert. Enrique is chatting live with us about the upcoming Latin "Billboard" music awards as well as his appearance on the farm club.com television show. And you have thousands of AOL members to chat with you. Would you like to open with a comment?

Enrique: Hi.

Host: OK. We're going to get your first question here.

Enrique: This is voice activated?

Host: Anything you say westbound broadcast to our audience.

Enrique: It's not like you can check it?

Host: Exactly. You're being captioned. You are on live. OK. A first question from our audience. How old were you when you started in the music business?

Enrique: I started in the music business, I was 18 when I started in the music business. Writing songs since I was 13.

Host: What was one of the first songs that you've written?

Enrique: One of the first songs I wrote, actually it was in English. And I'm kind of embarrassed to say the title of it.

Host: Are you?

Enrique: Yeah.

Host: You're not going to tell me? You're not going to tell us?

Enrique: No.

Host: Our AOL member sweet 74 angel asks: how do you feel about being a role model for a bunch of young people?

Enrique: I think it's good as long as you can -- you can keep on being a good role model. I don't think I'm perfect, I'm going to make mistakes. But sometimes it's kind of tough because you're definitely not perfect. At least the good thing is that I know when to say I'm sorry.

Host: Does your heart feel as strongly as your words portray that it does?

Enrique: I think everything I write comes from the heart.

Host: The next question, what is it like being on the road away from your family and do you ever get homesick on tour?

Enrique: Yeah, I definitely get homesick. It's hard. Definitely. That's probably one of the hardest aspects of this job is being on the road, being in a different hotel every single day, being stuck on a plane for many, many hours. And not being able to sleep in your own bed. That gets a little tough at times.

Host: What's one of the things that you miss the most about being on tour? When you're away from home?

Enrique: On tour?

Host: Uh-huh.

Enrique: I think when you go on stage, the rush you get on stage. There's no rush like that. There's nothing like that. Nothing comes close.

Host: It's incredible the way that you connect with your audience especially during the VH-1 "Men Strike Back" concert, and during your DUET with Tom Jones, what was that like?

Enrique: It was amazing because Tom Jones is a legend and to be able to sing with him and sing those -- the 30 minutes of that song was a lot of magic. I think it was a special song and a special occasion. He's definitely a special -- a special performer. And I think it was magical. It's one of those performances that I like watching over and over again. It was a lot of fun.

Host: It was magical for the audience, too, and the people at home. Enrique, how does it feel to be recognized as a great individual singer apart from your father?

Enrique: It feels good. If there's one thing that I love about this business is that at the end, what matters is music. And that's the only thing that -- that's the only thing that matters. Nothing's going to make you different. If your music is different, that makes you different.

Host: Are there any artists that have influenced you musically?

Enrique: Definitely. Growing up -- growing up in the U.S. --one second.

Host: Sure.

Enrique: I'm sorry. Hello?

Host: Yes, I'm here.

Enrique: I'm sorry. I -- I'm sorry. Can you repeat that question again?

Host: Sure. What are some of your musical influences or what musicians have influenced your style?

Enrique: Right, it was mainly like -- I mean, when I was 8 years old mainly by influence was like Billy Joel, Lionel Richie, Bruce Springsteen, Michael Jackson, Police, stuff like that. Even soul music. And R&B.

Host: Was it exhilarating meeting Sting?

Enrique: Yeah. Whether it was Tom Jones, Sting, I mean, they're all legends. And it was amazing to be onstage with all of them. And not only them but all the other guys like the Backstreet Boys and Christina Aguilera.

Host: What is your favorite song of yours that you like to sing?

Enrique: What's my favorite song? That I like to sing -- I don't have a favorite song.

Host: No?

Enrique: I would have to say, it depends what day, what mood I'm in.

Host: Is there any song that particularly captures your audience when you're performing on stage?

Enrique: Any song -- not really, I mean. It all depends. It all depends on the day. It depends on what audience. Sometimes it's a ballad. Sometimes it's an up-tempo song. Every concert's different.

Host: Nicole asks who do you look up to most in your life?

Enrique: I'm sorry?

Host: Our member A Nicole 2003 asks who do you look up to most in your life?

Enrique: Artistically?

Host: Yes. Maybe both. Artistically and personally.

Enrique: Oh, artistic and personally. Personally it's people that maybe she wouldn't know. Because it's friends that are not really -- they're not really famous or known. But artistically, you know, just being an artist itself, I think it's a very difficult job. And at the same time it's -- it's a different race, it's just not judged by color, by religion, by nationality. It's different, and it's hard to do. And it's an amazing job. And it takes a lot of talent and those are the kind of people I admire. That's why I admire this job so much.

Host: And jen Omar 12 asks what was your date like with the girl on the game show?

Enrique: It was fun. It's a game show. You can't take that serious.

Host: Right.

Enrique: It was a lot of fun. I mean, I think all of those game shows on MTV, that MTV comes up with, I think they're a lot of fun.

Host: Oh, definitely. In all of your interviews, it's been noted that you have a great sense of humor. What makes you laugh?

Enrique: What makes me laugh?

Host: Uh-huh.

Enrique: I don't know. I like to surround myself with people with a good sense of humor because I think what I do, my job, I take it so seriously that I just, I need a balance. I need to have fun. I need -- I mean, I myself need to have a sense of humor and people around me need to have some sense of humor because if not, you'll go nuts.

Host: Nick 14 asks: Are you singing a song with Christina Aguilera on her new Spanish album?

Enrique: No, no, no.

Host: Do you ever plan on singing a duet with her?

Enrique: We haven't planned it. I would love to. She's an amazing-- I'm a big fan.

Host: What inspires you when you're writing new songs? Enrique?

Enrique: Yes.

Host: What inspires you when you're writing new songs?

Enrique: Anything that's going on in my life. Every time I write a song, it's something that's going on in my life. Sometimes I try to make up a story and the words just don't come out, the lyrics don't come out. So it has to be real. It's not -- if not it will take me forever to write it.

Host: What are your touring plans in the U.S. this year? Do you have tour dates coming up?

Enrique: Yes, I'm going to start a tour in September. September, October, November all over the U.S. hopefully.

Host: Where will the tour start?

Enrique: I'm not sure yet. I'm not sure of the dates.

Host: What would you say the toughest part of your career is?

Enrique: Toughest part, you know, I hate complaining because I think I have a great job. You know, I think a lot of people wake up every day and they do a 9:00 to 5:00 job because they need the money. And here I wake up every single day and I do the job I love. I don't do it for the money. I do it because I love it. For me it's like living off a hobby. Which is music. So I can't -- I can't really complain. I hate complaining. When she says tough part, I mean, that would be complaining.

Host: So you'd rather just avoid that. I understand.

Host: OK, McKenzie 0402 asks : hey, Enrique, this is Laurie from Alabama. I want to know if you consider yourself a Latin sensation?

Enrique: What does she mean by Latin -- by Latin sensation?

Host: It's hard to say. I know you've been compared to Ricky Martin and Christina Aguilera, Santana. Do you consider yourself part of that Latin movement?

Enrique: I mean I consider myself Latin. I got to be honest. I don't think my music is so much Latin because I was never really influenced by Latin music. And I'm proud of being who I am. And like I just said, I feel that I'm Spanish, I'm Latin. But my music, I don't feel it's Latin because it was mainly influenced by anglo pop music. I may sing a little Spanish guitar, but when it comes to the real hard core of it, it's pop music. And I don't like the word sensation because they don't last too long.

Host: Something tells me you're going to be around for a long time.

Enrique: She said that?

Host: No, I say that.

Enrique: Oh.

Host: Do you choose your own wardrobe for personal appearances and concerts?

Enrique: Yes.

Host: Do you have a favorite designer or style that you like?

Enrique: Not really. I just put on whatever I like. If I like it, I just put it on. I'm not -- I mean, if there's one thing that bores me it's clothing. It really bores me. So the first thing I see that I like, I just wear that.

Host: Did you ever sing at church and places when you were a kid?

Enrique: Not really. I never sang at church. The church I went to -- there was singing, but it wasn't like loud singing. I mean, you couldn't really sing very loud. The place where I sang the most was in my shower.

Host: What was the first time you made a public appearance singing?

Enrique: When I was 19, I think. 19.

Host: Were you nervous?

Enrique: Yeah, I was freaking out. You still get nervous. You still get those butterflies in your stomach.

Host: How long does that last?

Enrique: It lasts the first, the first two seconds. It all depends what you're doing, I mean, sometimes I've been nervous in small shows and then I've done huge shows and I haven't been nervous at all. So it all depends.

Host: Does it depend on who's in the audience?

Enrique: It depends on what kind of a show. It depends -- if you think, I mean, it depends on the preparation of the show. It depends how you feel. Sometimes what's happened to me, like you'll feel sick. Like, for example, like a week ago I was in -- I was in Canada-- I mean two weeks ago and I felt kind of uncomfortable but it wasn't like a good nervous. It was like a bad nervous because I was sick. And you go on live TV and you've got to sing and you know you're sick and you know you're not going to sound very good, buff's got to do it. And then there's the nervousness, it's a huge show and if anything goes wrong, it will be pretty embarrassing.

Host: On your most recent album, you sang a duet with Whitney Houston, which was beautiful, by the way. Who else would you like to sing a duet with?

Enrique: I've never really thought about duets very much. I'd have to think about it. I guess if I like the song, it's mainly about the song. It's not so much about the singer that I'm singing with. It's -- sometimes it's more about the song. I've really got to like the song.

Host: What has been your biggest challenge in your life so far?

Enrique: I think this, what I do, my job. That's my biggest challenge so far.

Host: When is the time you find yourself most creative when writing a song? Or do you have to be in a particular place when you're writing?

Enrique: Late at night. In my bedroom and sometimes even better when you feel a little depressed. A little lonely. That's when I think.

Host: That's when you're most creative?

Enrique: When I'm most creative.

Host: Last summer there was some news about you doing a song with T.L.C. What became of that, and is it still in the works?

Enrique: Yeah, we went to the studio and we experimented with-- and it was pretty good. And we did do it. The rest is up to the record company, to T.L.C.'s record company. Whether they release it or not.

Host: Are you up for any songwriting awards at the ASCAP awards or are you participating in the event?

Enrique: Yeah, I think I get two awards for two songs I wrote.

Host: What two songs?

Enrique: I think one of them's a song which is a Spanish song on my Spanish album. And the other one's for another song I wrote which is also on an album.

Host: Have you won awards for songwriting before?

Enrique: Yeah, yeah, yeah. I think my first award was songwriter of the year, I think.

Host: Oh, that's great. Was that in 1996?

Enrique: Yeah, that was 1996 or 1997, one of my first awards.

Host: Would you ever consider acting?

Enrique: Would I ever consider acting? I'm not really into acting. If I ever got offered something that I feel comfortable doing and it's a small thing, a small role, I will try it. I've really got to feel good about the role. If not, I won't try it.

Host: What is your favorite song on your "Enrique" C.D.?

Enrique: I got to say my favorite song -- it's hard to pick a song. " Be With You" is one of them, t's not because it's the one that's getting the most air play so far, it's just because the way I wrote it, it's just one of those songs I wrote, like, in five minutes.

Host: Really?

Enrique: And never expected to come out that way. And suddenly it becomes, when you least expect it, it becomes one of your favorite songs.

Host: It is a great, great song. When can we expect your next album?

Enrique: When can we expect -- I think I might take out a Spanish album, soon. I mean soon, when I mean soon it's probably early next year. And then a few months -- four or five months later I'll take out another English album.

Host: Oh, that's great.

Enrique: I'm not sure yet. I hate to put dates on albums because since I got to write them, I'm not sure.

Host: Right.

Enrique: And at least I want to write at least 50%, 60%, 70% of the album. So it depends. Oh, my favorite song, I forgot to say --

Host: Sure, go ahead.

Enrique: It's too late, right?

Host: No, go ahead.

Enrique: Also some of my favorite songs, track number one, track number two, track number three, track number four, five, six, seven eight -- no, seriously, I like the Whitney duet. That's a beautiful song. And then "Sad Eyes" I love.

Host: How do you feel about getting a lot of media attention? And attention from your fans?

Enrique: How do I feel? As long as it's positive attention, it's good, you know? As long -- and it's focused on my music and what I do. And my job, it's fine. I don't mind it.

Host: Do you write all of your own songs?

Enrique: No. All of the songs on the album?

Host: Right.

Enrique: No, not all of them. I like getting songs from other songwriters so the album can be sometimes a little more diverse. It all depends. And sometimes I can go eight months without writing a song and suddenly in a week write five songs. So hopefully it those eight months won't happen right now for my next album.

Host: Definitely. We're getting a lot of questions about your marital status. Do you care to comment?

Enrique: My marital status? I'm married and I have eight children.

Host: You've been a busy guy.

Enrique: No, actually, I'm kidding. No. I'm not married. And I'm not married, not divorced and right now I think I'm single -- a single guy.

Host: You think so?

Enrique: I think.

Host: We have many of our AOL members in the audience, they're cheering after you said you were single, in the auditorium.

Enrique: What do you mean the auditorium?

Host: The virtual auditorium where everyone's chatting back and forth.

Enrique: Oh, OK. I thought you meant an auditorium. If I'm talking with you, does it also pick it up?

Host: Yes, it does. Our whole conversation.

Enrique: As I'm talking with you?

Host: Yes. It's all coming through. A typist is on the other line. I think we have time for one last question. What do you like to do for fun besides singing?

Enrique: Sleep.

Host: Sleep.

Enrique: If I'm not sleeping, I like to -- I like to just hang out on the bay and go water skiing, hang out with my friends.

Host: And do you have anything to say in closing to the on-line audience?

Enrique: Thank you so much for -- for connecting and for asking me so many good questions. And thanks for all the support. Thank you very much.

Host: And thank you for joining us again. We really appreciate it.

Enrique: Are we off?

Host: We are off.