The youngest child of Julio and Isabel, Enrique grew up in Madrid, but as a youngster he moved to Miami to be with his father and attend private school. He showed showbiz style early. He performed in stage production of Hello, Dolly! and began writing songs while still a teenager, signing to the Fonovisa label.

Enrique was quick out of the box. His success was immediate. His self-titled debut album, containing many of these early Enrique compositions, won a Grammy in 1997, and the two albums that followed, Vivir and Cosas Del Amor, also became popular hits with Spanish-speaking audiences. Striving for further success, he released his first English-speaking single, the Spanish-titled 'Bailamos' (translation: 'We Dance'), which was included on Will Smith's Wild Wild West soundtrack after Smith saw Enrique perform in Los Angeles.