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Just call him the King of Latin Pop! The son of legendary Spanish singer Julio Iglesias, Enrique Iglesias dreamed of following in his father’s footsteps but feared only finding fame because of his famous last name. Testing the waters by releasing two singles under the name “Enrique Martinez,” Iglesias enjoyed instant success and was inspired to pursue his dream even further by dropping out of college and moving to Toronto where he signed with Fonovisa Records.

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Dominating the Latin charts in the United States for years, Iglesias surpassed even his dad’s popularity in 1999 when he saw his fame skyrocket with three hits: “Bailamos,” Rhythm Divine” and “Be With You.” By then, it was only a matter of time before Iglesias landed an even bigger record deal worth nearly $70 million, which undoubtedly sealed his fate as one of the biggest names in music. Add in a series of hits like “Hero” and “Escape” released in both English and Spanish, and it came as little surprise when fans started calling him the King of Latin Pop.

Beyond his outstanding vocals, part of Iglesias’s incredible success on the stage is due to his sex appeal with his olive complexion, midnight eyes, dark hair and signature mole that frequently leave fans weak in the knees. That’s why it came as a huge surprise in 2003 when the Spanish crooner decided to change his appearance forever by having his trademark mole removed. So, what led to his decision and how did it effect his career?

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Despite being compared to Cindy Crawford and her own trademark mole, Iglesias didn’t think much of his own mole until his physician warned him that it could one day become cancerous. Knowing that the mole hadn’t impacted his career in any way and believing that few people would notice, he opted to play it safe and have it removed. Although the procedure only took five minutes, Iglesias said it was one of the worst of his life since it almost made him pass out. “All I saw was blood,” he said. “I was freaking out. I thought he was going to poke out my eye.”

To Iglesias’ surprise, fans and the media were quick to point out that his mole was missing although his family and closest friends didn’t even notice that it was gone. That’s when he knew it was safe to make light of the situation and has since taken to making fun of his trademark mole and its obvious absence on his face. Doing exactly that, Iglesias appeared on a YouTube video in 2008 where he was interviewed by his own departed mole. “Do you think of me sometimes?” the mole asked. “Sometimes,” Iglesias replied as viewers erupted with laughter.

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Since the “epic” mole removal of 2003, the buzz about Iglesias’ mole has calmed down only to make way for new rumors that the 41-year-old Spanish singer has had yet another procedure. What now? A few years ago, it appeared that Iglesias was beginning to lose his hair with his hairline receding and thinning out. In recent years, however, Iglesias’ hairline has seen a noticeable revival, leaving many to believe that he’s had a hair transplant or that he’s wearing a wig. Nope, we aren’t kidding! Unlike the mole, Iglesias has remained tight-lipped about his locks although some experts suggest that his constantly changing hairline isn’t a sign of cosmetic surgery but that he’s wearing a hairpiece. Looks like we’ll never know the truth!

Regardless of his changing hairline or his disappearing mole, adoring fans have responded with nothing but praise to Iglesias’ look over the years. In fact, the Latin American crooner can obviously do no wrong after releasing three studio albums, all of which have reached the top 20 on the United States charts with two entering the coveted top 10. With his last two albums topping the charts in Spain, Iglesias has no plans of slowing down with five number one hits on the United States’ Latin charts in the last three years, which have made him the only male artist in the industry to earn an impressive 14 number one hits on Billboard’s Dance charts.

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Today, the 41-year-old Iglesias has obviously embraced his looks—mole or not—and his talent after two decades in the spotlight and widespread international success. Still selling out venues around the world and touring with megastars like Jennifer Lopez, Iglesias has currently been on tour for nearly two years and will likely release his next album once he wraps up the last leg of the Sex and Love Tour in 2016. In the meantime, he spends his free time with his on-again, off-again girlfriend of 15 years, tennis great Anna Kournikova, at his $26 million mansion in Malibu. Come to think of it, even if he was completely bald, he’d still snag a gorgeous girl and make waves as the most famous Latin singer in the world.