It’s easy to forget how much the music landscape shifted in 2010. Everyone was obsessed with heavy EDM and autotune, but then Enrique Iglesias dropped "Heartbeat." Honestly, it felt different. It wasn’t a club banger like "I Like It," and it wasn’t a traditional ballad.
It was something in between.
The song features Nicole Scherzinger, and if you haven't revisited it lately, you've probably missed the nuance that made it a hit across Europe and Australia. People often lump it in with generic pop, but the production is surprisingly "icy" and minimal.
The Real Story Behind the Collaboration
You’ve likely heard that Enrique and Nicole recorded this because they were on the same label. That’s true. They were both under the Universal Music umbrella at the time. But the chemistry wasn’t just a marketing ploy.
The song was written by Enrique alongside Mark Taylor and Jamie Scott. Mark Taylor is a name you should know—he’s the guy behind Cher’s "Believe." He knows how to handle electronic textures without losing the human element. They recorded the vocals at South Point Studios in Miami.
Interestingly, there is a weird medical fact about Enrique that actually gives the title Heartbeat Enrique Iglesias a literal twist. Enrique has a rare congenital condition called situs inversus. Basically, his internal organs are mirrored, meaning his heart is actually on the right side of his chest. When you watch the music video and see the pulsing light over his chest, it’s a fun piece of trivia to keep in mind. His heart literally beats differently than most of ours.
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Breaking Down the Sound
The track is built on a "futuristic" piano melody.
It doesn't rely on a heavy bassline to get your attention. Instead, it uses a mid-tempo electropop pulse. Critics at the time, like those from AllMusic, noted the "icy texture" of the song. It’s a breathy, yearning performance. Both singers keep their vocals relatively quiet, almost like they’re whispering to each other over a digital beat.
- The Piano: Jamie Scott played the keys, providing that signature "cold" intro.
- The Guitar: Patrick Mascall added subtle layers that most people miss on a first listen.
- The Mix: Rob Orton mixed the track to ensure the "heartbeat" rhythm remained the focal point.
The India Mix You Probably Missed
Most fans in the US or UK only know the Nicole Scherzinger version. However, Enrique is known for localizing his hits to reach a global audience. For the Indian market, he recorded a version with Sunidhi Chauhan.
Sunidhi is a powerhouse in Bollywood. Her version brings a different energy to the track. While the Nicole Scherzinger version feels like a moody late-night drive, the India Mix has a slightly more "foreground" vocal presence. They didn't actually shoot the video together, though. Reports from the time suggest Sunidhi filmed her parts in LA while Enrique’s footage was handled separately, though the label tried to keep the illusion of them being in the same room alive.
Chart Success and Global Impact
"Heartbeat" didn't just fade away. It performed exceptionally well in specific territories:
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- Denmark: It debuted at number five.
- United Kingdom: It peaked at number eight on the Official Singles Chart.
- France: It reached the top five, staying on the charts for weeks.
- Australia: It was certified Gold, peaking at number five.
It’s a song that resonated more with international audiences than with the Billboard Hot 100 crowd in America. Maybe it was too subtle for US radio at the time, which was dominated by louder, more aggressive tracks.
The Heartbeat Enrique Iglesias Video: Why It Looked So Weird
The music video was directed by Hiro Murai. If that name sounds familiar, it should. Murai went on to direct "This Is America" for Childish Gambino and much of the show Atlanta.
In 2010, his style was already showing through. The video for "Heartbeat" is minimalist. It features Enrique and Nicole against a pitch-black background. Digitally added "heartbeats"—colored lines of light—pulse across their skin in sync with the rhythm.
It was filmed in Kentwood, Michigan.
Why Michigan? It seems like an odd choice for a global pop star and a Pussycat Doll, but the controlled environment of a studio there allowed Murai to focus entirely on the lighting effects. Nicole is seen sitting waist-up, seemingly nude, with blue and purple lights reacting to her voice. Enrique has red and orange lights. When they finally come together in a mirrored room, the contrast of the red clothing against the white space is a total shift from the dark intro.
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Common Misconceptions
People often think this song was the lead single for the album Euphoria. It wasn't. It was actually the third single overall. "I Like It" and "Cuando Me Enamoro" came first.
Another mistake? Thinking Nicole Scherzinger was just a "guest." The song was so important to her career that a remix (the Rudi Wells' Open Heart Remix) was actually included on her own debut solo album, Killer Love. It wasn't just Enrique's song; it was a pivotal moment for Nicole to prove she could hold her own as a solo artist outside of the Pussycat Dolls.
Live Performances and Chemistry
If you want to see if the chemistry was real, go watch their performance from Isle of MTV in Malta (2014). Even four years after the song was released, they were still performing it together.
They also did a memorable run on UK television, appearing on This Morning and The Paul O'Grady Show. Enrique is famous for having a bit of "stage fright"—he’s admitted to taking a shot of rum before going on stage to calm his nerves—but you can’t tell during these sets. He and Nicole have a natural rapport that makes the "breathy" vocals of the studio version feel even more intimate live.
How to Appreciate the Song Today
If you're going back to listen to heartbeat song enrique iglesias now, try to find the high-fidelity versions or the 5.1 HD audio mixes available on YouTube. The song is heavily dependent on those small, digital clicks and the "throbbing" bass that mimics a pulse.
Listen for the way the piano stays "icy" while the vocals get warmer as the song progresses. It’s a masterclass in building tension without ever actually "exploding" like a typical pop song.
Next Steps for Fans:
- Check out the India Mix: If you’ve only heard Nicole, search for the Sunidhi Chauhan version to hear how the song translates to a different vocal style.
- Watch the Hiro Murai breakdown: Look up Hiro Murai’s early videography to see how "Heartbeat" influenced his later, more famous work.
- Listen to the Rudi Wells Remix: It’s faster, more club-friendly, and gives you a glimpse of what the song would have sounded like if they’d followed the 2010 dance-pop trend more closely.
- Compare the live vocals: Watch the Malta 2014 performance versus the 2010 This Morning version to see how their stage presence evolved over time.