You’ve heard it at weddings, in grocery stores, or late-night on a "2000s Love Songs" playlist. It's that shimmering, mid-tempo ballad where the King of Latin Pop meets the Voice. Enrique Iglesias and Whitney Houston aren't two names you’d necessarily put in a blender and expect a smooth smoothie, yet "Could I Have This Kiss Forever" became a global powerhouse.
But here is the thing. They weren’t even in the same room when it started.
Honestly, the story of this collaboration is a weird time capsule of how the music industry worked at the turn of the millennium. It was a period of high-budget music videos, massive "Greatest Hits" packages, and the absolute reign of Clive Davis. If you want to understand why this song still lingers in the background of our lives, you have to look at the strange way it was pieced together.
The Song That Didn’t Start as a Duet
When Diane Warren wrote "Could I Have This Kiss Forever," it wasn’t some grand plan to unite two icons. It actually showed up first as a solo track on Enrique’s 1999 debut English-language album, simply titled Enrique. If you listen to that version today, it’s a lot slower. It has this acoustic, stripped-back Latin ballad vibe.
Then Clive Davis, the legendary record executive who basically steered Whitney’s entire career, heard it. He saw a gap.
Whitney was prepping her massive Whitney: The Greatest Hits project for 2000. She needed something fresh to sit alongside "I Will Always Love You" and "Greatest Love of All." Clive thought, why not pair the biggest star of the moment with the greatest singer of a generation?
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Recording Miles Apart
Here is the part that usually surprises people. When the "duet" was first being constructed, Enrique and Whitney were literally on different continents.
- Whitney Houston was in Hamburg, Germany, busy with her own schedule.
- Enrique Iglesias was in Los Angeles, California.
They recorded their parts separately. It’s a common trick now with digital files, but in the late 90s and early 2000s, it felt a bit like a missed opportunity for "musical chemistry." Enrique later admitted he was incredibly nervous about the whole thing. Imagine being a young artist in your 20s and finding out you’re suddenly sharing a track with Whitney Houston.
Eventually, they did meet. When the song was being re-recorded and remixed by the production team Metro—the same folks who did Cher’s "Believe"—to give it that more upbeat, radio-friendly "Metro Mix" sound, they finally got some studio time together.
Enrique has spoken about that first meeting, describing a genuine hug and how sweet she was to him. He was the "new kid," and she was the legend. She made him feel like he belonged there.
Why the Charts Tell Two Different Stories
If you look at the Billboard Hot 100, you might think the song was a bit of a flop. It peaked at #52 in the US. Not exactly "world-beating," right?
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Wrong.
The US charts didn't reflect the absolute obsession Europe and the rest of the world had with this duo. This song was a massive #1 hit in Switzerland, the Netherlands, Croatia, and Poland. It hit the top 10 in the UK, Ireland, and Canada.
It turns out that Enrique Iglesias and Whitney Houston were a match made in heaven for the Euro-pop market. The combination of his breathy, romantic vocals and her soaring, powerful delivery created this "Global Pop" sound that felt expensive and sophisticated.
What People Get Wrong About the Music Video
The video, directed by Francis Lawrence (who later directed The Hunger Games), is basically a five-minute advertisement for "Cool 2000s Vibes." It’s shot in Miami. There are airport hangars, the National Hotel, and plenty of "staring longingly into the camera" shots.
Interestingly, there’s a rumor that they still weren’t together for much of the video. While they definitely share scenes—looking very "at ease" with each other—the shoot was reportedly a logistical nightmare. Look closely at some of the extras, too. You’ll see a young Dania Ramirez and even Krysten Ritter before they were famous.
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The Lasting Influence of the Collab
Why does this matter now? Because it was one of the last times we saw Whitney in that specific "Global Diva" light before her personal struggles began to dominate the headlines. For Enrique, it was the ultimate stamp of approval. It proved he wasn't just a "one-hit wonder" after "Bailamos."
The song is a masterclass in production. It blends Latin acoustic guitars with a steady R&B beat. It shouldn't work, but it does.
How to Appreciate the Track Today
If you want to dive back into this era, don't just stick to the radio version.
- Listen to the Original: Find the version from Enrique’s 1999 album. It’s much more intimate.
- Watch the HD Remaster: The music video has been cleaned up on YouTube and has over 200 million views for a reason.
- Check the B-Sides: The single release often came with the George Michael duet "If I Told You That," which is another fascinating look at Whitney's late-90s collaborations.
The legacy of Enrique Iglesias and Whitney Houston isn't just a song on a "Greatest Hits" album. It’s a reminder of a time when pop music felt like a big, glamorous, global event. Even if they had to fly across the world to make it happen, that "kiss forever" still sounds pretty good twenty-five years later.
To get the full experience, compare the "Metro Mix" (the upbeat one) with the "Original Version" back-to-back. You’ll hear how a single song can be transformed from a lonely bedroom ballad into a club-ready anthem just by changing the percussion and adding a bit of Whitney’s "fire."