Ricky Martin

On the edge of the new millennium, Puerto Rican pop sensation Ricky Martin gave Latino music an international face with his electrifying performance at the 1999 Grammy Awards which launched Martin into worldwide super-stardom. His first English-language album titled Ricky Martin (1999), which included the salsa-style "Livin' La Vida Loca" sold 17 million copies. His other albums include A Medio Vivir (1995), Vuelve (1998), Sound Loaded (2000, with the hit "She Bangs"), Life (2005), and the compilation album Ricky Martin 17 (2008). During his career he has sold more than 60 million albums worldwide.

Born Enrique Martín Morales on December 24, 1971 in San Juan, Puerto Rico, the only child of Enrique Martin, a psychologist and Nereida Morales, an accountant who were divorced when Martin was two. When he was six, he began acting in television commercials. Shortly afterward, he took professional singing and acting lessons, which paved the way for his auditions for Menudo. In 1984, when he was 12 years old, he became a member of Menudo. For the next five years, he was the lead singer of the group, helping it to become an international sensation. Once he outgrew Menudo in 1989, he went back home to Puerto Rico, where he completed high school. After graduation, he moved to New York, where he simply relaxed for several months.

Following a few months of inactivity, he began to work his way back into the entertainment industry. He returned to Mexico, where he acted on-stage for a year before returning to the music industry. In 1991, he released his self-titled debut album, which he co-wrote with his fellow Menudo alumnus Robi Rosa, who would become a regular collaborator over the course of Martin's career (often credited as Ian Blake). The album became a sizable hit on the Latin charts. Two years later, he followed it with the Juan Carlos Calderon-produced Me Amarás, which was an even bigger hit, launching him to superstar status in Latin America. In January 1994, he joined the cast of the soap opera General Hospital, playing Miguel Morez. His recurring role was so successful that it landed him a role on Broadway, where he played Marius in Les Miserables. He left General Hospital to perform in the production and stayed with the play for about a year.

In 1995, he released his third album, A Medio Vivir, a record that had a harder rock edge yet also featured such Latin styles as flamenco and cumbia. In early 1998, he released his fourth album, Vuelve. His first English-language pop album -- which like his first long-player also happened to be titled Ricky Martin -- was released in the spring of 1999; it made him an international superstar thanks to blockbuster singles including "Livin' la Vida Loca" and "She's All I Ever Had." A year later, Martin sizzled again with the release of Sound Loaded. His biggest Spanish-language hits were collected on 2001's La Historia, while 2003's Almas del Silencio was an album of new Spanish material. Life, from 2005, was a return to English-language pop. Martin then released MTV Unplugged in 2006 in both CD and DVD formats.

PERSONAL LIFE

In the past Martin stated he was in love with Mexican TV host Rebecca de Alba, with whom he had an off-and-on-again relationship for over 14 years. They even talked of starting a family together, and at one point Martin planned on proposing. However with the release of Life, Martin confirmed he and De Alba had parted ways.

In August 2008, Martin became the father of twin boys, named Matteo and Valentino. The babies were birthed by a surrogate mother.

After the success of Livin' la Vida Loca, Martin's personal life became a subject of interest due to his large gay following, and he was questioned about his sexual orientation. In a December 2000 interview with The Mirror, Martin was asked to comment on the rumors surrounding his sexuality. He replied that "I don't think I should have to tell anyone if I am gay or not, or who I've slept with or not."

On March 29, 2010, Martin publicly acknowledged his homosexuality in a post on his official web site by stating, "I am proud to say that I am a fortunate homosexual man. I am very blessed to be who I am." Martin said that "these years in silence and reflection made me stronger and reminded me that acceptance has to come from within, and that this kind of truth gives me the power to conquer emotions I didn't even know existed."

Ricky announced on The Oprah Winfrey Show that he is in a relationship though he has chosen to shield his boyfriend from the spotlight, believing that he might find the attention "overwhelming". Ricky has also expressed support for same-sex marriage in an interview on Larry King Live, and commented on his experience of being closeted and coming out.

Wikipedia: [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ricky_Martin]

Answers: [http://www.answers.com/topic/ricky-martin]

Ricky Martin From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia For other uses, see Ricky Martin (disambiguation). This name uses Spanish naming customs: the first or paternal family name is Martín and the second or maternal family name is Morales. Ricky Martin Ricky Martin in store appearance, Sydney Australia (1).jpg Ricky Martin in 2014 Born Enrique Martín Morales December 24, 1971 (age 44) San Juan, Puerto Rico Citizenship United States Spain Occupation Singer actor author Years active 1984–present Religion Universalism Musical career Genres Pop Latin pop dance-pop rock urban pop reggae Instruments Vocals Labels Columbia Sony Music Latin Sony Music Mexico Associated acts Menudo Christina Aguilera Draco Rosa Juanes Luciano Pavarotti Nina Morić Jennifer Lopez Lali Espósito Wisin Website rickymartinmusic.com Enrique "Ricky" Martín Morales (born December 24, 1971), commonly known as Ricky Martin, is a Puerto Rican-Spanish[1][2] recording artist, actor, and author. Martin began his career at age twelve with the all-boy pop group Menudo. After five years with the group, he released several Spanish-language solo albums throughout the 1990s. He also acted on stage and on TV in Mexico, becoming a modest star in the country. In 1994 he starred on the American TV soap opera General Hospital, playing a Puerto Rican singer.

In late 1999, after releasing several albums in Spanish, Martin performed "The Cup of Life" at the 41st Grammy Awards show, which became a catalyst in bringing Latin pop to the forefront of the U.S. music scene.[3] Following its success, Martin released "Livin' la Vida Loca" which helped him obtain enormous success worldwide and is generally seen as the song that began the Latin pop explosion of 1999 and made the transition easier for other Spanish-speaking artists to move into the English-speaking market. Since its release, the song has sold over 8 million copies, making it one of the best selling singles of all time.[4] His first English-language album (also titled Ricky Martin), has sold 22 million copies and is one of the best selling albums of all time.[5][6][7] His other studio albums include: Me Amarás (1993), A Medio Vivir (1995), Vuelve (1998), Sound Loaded (2000), Almas del Silencio (2003), Life (2005), Música + Alma + Sexo (2011) and A Quien Quiera Escuchar (2015).

Contents [hide] 1 Life and career 1.1 Early life: 1971–83 1.2 Menudo: 1984–89 1.3 Acting and first two solo albums: 1991–1994 1.4 A Medio Vivir, Vuelve, and breakthrough: 1995–1998 1.5 Crossover to English: 1999–2002 1.6 Almas del Silencio and Life: 2003–2006 1.7 MTV Unplugged and a world tour: 2006–2007 1.8 Career break: 2007–2010 1.9 Autobiography, Música + Alma + Sexo and Evita: 2010–2013 1.10 The Voice Australia, "Come with Me" and an Australian tour: 2013 1.11 The Voice Mexico and Mexican One World Tour: 2014–present 2 Musical style 3 Other media 4 Personal life 4.1 Relationships and sexuality 5 Other ventures 5.1 Humanitarian work 5.2 Politics 6 Discography 6.1 With Menudo 6.2 Solo 7 Filmography 8 Theatre 9 Tours 10 Honors and awards 11 See also 12 References 13 Sources 14 External links Life and career[edit] Early life: 1971–83[edit] Martin was born on December 24, 1971, in San Juan, Puerto Rico, the son of Nereida Morales, an accountant, and Enrique Martín Negroni, a psychologist.[8][9][10][11] His parents divorced when he was two years old and Martin spent much of his childhood shifting between his father's home in the suburbs of University Gardens, a suburban middle-class neighborhood of San Juan, and his paternal grandmother's house nearby.[12][13] Martin has two maternal half-brothers, Fernando and Ángel Fernández, and two paternal half-brothers, Eric and Daniel Martín, and a paternal half-sister Vanessa Martín.[10] Martin in an interview with Vanity Fair described his origins as Spanish, with Basque ancestry from his great-grandparents, plus some Corsican through his paternal grandmother.[14][15][16][17]

Martin grew up in a Roman Catholic home and was an altar boy throughout his childhood.[18] He began singing at age six, using wooden kitchen spoons as pretend microphones; he often interpreted songs by Menudo as well as English-language rock groups such as Led Zeppelin, Journey, and REO Speedwagon.[19] His mother's side of the family was musically inclined and his maternal grandfather was a poet, which inspired young Martin to write songs.[19] Martin later reflected on his time spent with his family as a child: "Every time I find myself in front of an audience, be it twenty people or one hundred thousand, once again I feel the energy that consumed me back at the family gatherings of my youth."[20] After discovering a newspaper advertisement about auditions for commercials with his father, nine-year-old Martin began appearing in Puerto Rican television commercials for products such as soft drinks, toothpaste, and fast-food restaurants.[21] In a year and a half, he starred in eleven commercials.[21]

Menudo: 1984–89[edit]

Menudo "Rayo de Luna" (1984) MENU0:00 At age thirteen, Martin made his recording debut on the song "Rayo de Luna", from Menudo's 1984 album, Evolución.[22] Problems playing this file? See media help. After achieving a small amount of fame in Puerto Rico for his work in television commercials, Martin auditioned for membership in Puerto Rican boy band Menudo. Although the executives enjoyed his dancing and singing at his first two auditions, Martin was rejected because he was too short.[23] By the third audition, his persistence impressed executives and in 1984, twelve-year-old Martin became a member.[24] A month after joining Menudo, he made his debut performance with the group at the Luis A. Ferré Performing Arts Center in San Juan.[25] During this performance, he inadvertently disobeyed the choreography by walking around the stage when it was planned that he would stay still, and was chastised by the band manager after the show: "The mistake was such a big deal that from that moment on, never again did I move when I wasn't supposed to move...That was the discipline of Menudo: You either did things the way you were told or you were not part of the group."[26] The song "Asignatura Pendiente" from Almas del Silencio (2003) was inspired by the first time Martin left Puerto Rico to tour with Menudo.[27]

Although Martin enjoyed traveling and performing onstage with Menudo, he found the band's busy schedule and strict managing to be exhausting and later reflected that the experience "cost" him his childhood.[28] He considered leaving the group while on tour in Brazil, but ultimately decided to stay out of fear of media backlash and being sued for breach of contract.[29] Martin also began struggling with his sexuality, noting the stark contrast between his status as a sex symbol and his own emotions.[30] Despite this, Martin acknowledged his "opportunity to have so many amazing experiences with so many amazing people" during his time with the group.[31] He developed an interest in philanthropy when the group became UNICEF ambassadors, often working with impoverished children in third world countries.[31] His experiences as an ambassador affected him greatly and inspired him to continue working with charities later in life.[31] By 1987, Menudo's record sales began to decline and the group changed its image, adopting an edgier look and performing more rock-influenced songs.[32] The band released the album Somos Los Hijos del Rock in Spanish, and to appeal to the Menudo's Filipino fanbase, the group released In Action, recording songs in both English and Tagalog.[32]

After recording eleven albums with the group, Martin left Menudo in July 1989 at age seventeen, hoping to rest and evaluate his career path.[33] He performed his final show with the group at the same venue as his first performance as a member.[33] Martin returned to Puerto Rico to graduate from high school, and thirteen days after turning eighteen, he moved to New York City to celebrate his financial independence; since he was a minor during his time as a member of Menudo, Martin was not allowed to access his own bank accounts.[34] He was accepted into New York University's Tisch School of the Arts, but months before classes began, Martin dropped out and moved to Mexico City to perform in the play Mama Ama el Rock (Mom Loves Rock).[35]

Acting and first two solo albums: 1991–1994[edit] While he was performing in onstage in Mama Ama el Rock, a producer in the audience took notice of Martin's acting and offered him a role in the Mexican telenovela Alcanzar una estrella after the show.[36] He also joined the cast for the second season of the show, titled Alcanzar una estrella II.[36] A film based on the TV series entitled Más que alcanzar una estrella was also produced in which Martin starred and earned an El Heraldo Award in 1993 for his role.[37] The show centered around a fictional musical group called Muñecos de Papel in which Martin played Pablo Loredo, one of the six members; the group toured several cities in Mexico and recorded two albums.[36] Although he had hoped to take a break from touring after Menudo, Martin enjoyed the experience because he got along with the other members well.[37]

I was so excited about getting back into the music world that I didn't care what the conditions were...All of the hard work and passion I had exerted was finally now starting to come to fruition, and music came back to my life powerfully and definitively.

“” – Martin, on recording his debut album.[38] In 1990, Martin was signed to Sony Discos, the Sony Music Entertainment's Latin imprint. Eager to make his first solo album, Martin signed the contract without reading it and inadvertently signed a deal in which he would only be awarded one cent of royalties for each album sold.[38] Despite viewing the contract as unfair, Martin referred to the record as "the start of something phenomenal" for him.[38] After working "around the clock" to finish filming Alcanzar una estrella II and recording music, Martin released his debut solo album, the Spanish-language Ricky Martin, in November 1991.[39] Ricky Martin included the singles: "Fuego Contra Fuego" and "El Amor de Mi Vida". "Fuego Contra Fuego" was certified Gold in Mexico, Argentina, Puerto Rico, and the United States.[40] To promote the album, Martin toured throughout Latin America, which the singer referred to as "an indescribable feeling, almost like coming home."[40]

After the success of Ricky Martin and its subsequent tour, Martin's record company met him with acclaimed producer Juan Carlos Calderón on his second solo album, Me Amarás. Although Martin felt "very grateful" for the opportunity to work with Calderón, he noted, "I always felt that that record was more his than mine."[41] Released in May 1993, Me Amarás features a Spanish-language cover of the Laura Branigan song "Self Control", titled "Que Dia Es Hoy".[42] In his review, Alex Henderson of AllMusic wrote, "The CD isn't without its pleasures...but on the whole, Me Amarás is too glossy, too calculated, and much too contrived for its own good."[42]

In 1994, Martin's agent encouraged him to move to Los Angeles to act in an American sitcom called Getting By.[43] The show was canceled after two seasons, but soon after, Martin was given the role of singer/bartender Miguel Morez on the soap opera General Hospital.[44] Martin felt that he lacked chemistry with the rest of the General Hospital cast, and observed that people treated him differently because of his Puerto Rican accent.[45] At the time, it was relatively uncommon for Hispanic people to appear on American television, and people suggested that he take accent reduction classes, which he refused.[44] It was during this time, however, that Martin began his first committed relationship with a man.[46] He "stopped fearing his sexuality", and soon came out to his mother, who was supportive of him.[46] However, after the relationship ended, Martin "locked [his] feelings even deeper inside", and began dating women again.[47] He recalled, "I already felt it was hard to be a Latino in Hollywood; what could have been more difficult than being Latino and gay?"[48]

A Medio Vivir, Vuelve, and breakthrough: 1995–1998[edit] In 1995, Martin refocused on his music career, and began work on his third album, A Medio Vivir. The first single, the ballad "Te Extraño, Te Olvido, Te Amo", written by the producer of Lynda Thomas, Carlos Lara, was reminiscent of his earlier work.[49] With the song, Martin furthered his expansion from Latin American and Spanish-speaking audiences to the European and Asian markets.[50] However, the record also made a shift from his traditional ballad-style compositions to a more risky fusion of music centered around traditional Latin sounds, epitomized by the song "Maria". Taken aback by the starkly different musical style, record label executives felt that the song would ruin Martin's career.[51] Despite this, "Maria" was chosen as the album's second single, and became a breakthrough hit, reaching number one in France, Spain, Germany, Belgium, Holland, Switzerland, Finland, Italy, Turkey, and the entire continent of South America.[51] With A Medio Vivir, Martin was credited, along with singers Chayanne and Marc Anthony, for popularizing the music of Puerto Rico in Spain.[52] The album has sold over 3 million copies worldwide.

In a 1996 interview with The Miami Herald, Martin expressed an interest in performing on Broadway. Days after the interview was released Martin received a phone call from producer Richard Jay-Alexander, offering him the role of Marius Pontmercy in the play Les Misérables.[53] After the conclusion of a worldwide tour in support of A Medio Vivir, Martin returned to New York to appear in the play in an eleven-week run.[54] He greatly enjoyed the experience, calling his time in the play an "honor" and "the role of [his] life".[54] Martin continued to tour after the conclusion of the show's run, and noted that his audiences were growing in both size and enthusiasm.[55] In 1997, Martin was invited to the prestigious Sanremo Music Festival in Sanremo, Italy. After landing in Milan, Martin's scheduled helicopter trip to Sanremo had to be postponed due to poor weather conditions.[56] Hoping to arrive at the festival on time, Martin and his crew drove through the mountainous terrain at over 120 miles per hour. The car then turned too quickly and flipped over.[56] However, "none of us had more than a couple of scratches and bruises" and he arrived at the festival on time by taxi later that day.[56] In the summer of 1997, Martin embarked on a tour of Spain, performing 45 shows in 36 cities.[57]

While on tour, Martin returned to the studio to record his fourth album, Vuelve (1998). He called the experience of touring and recording at the same time "brutal and incredibly intense".[58] As he was finishing the record, the singer was contacted by FIFA to write a song for the 1998 World Cup; Martin subsequently wrote "La copa de la vida" with K. C. Porter and Draco Rosa.[59] He performed the song at the World Cup final in the Stade de France on July 12, 1998.[60] The performance, which was broadcast to over a billion viewers in 187 countries, was described as a "global moment for Latin pop".[61] "La copa de la vida" reached No. 1 on the charts around the world and went gold and platinum in various countries. It was awarded Pop Song of the Year at the 1999 Lo Nuestro Awards.[62] The title track and the ballad "Perdido Sin Tí" both hit number one on the Hot Latin Songs. Further singles included: "La Bomba", "Por Arriba, Por Abajo" and "Corazonado". Vuelve spent twenty-six weeks at number one on the Billboard Top Latin Albums. It became Martin's first top forty album on the Billboard 200 in the United States, where it was certified platinum by the RIAA. The album also went to number one in Spain and Norway, and sold over eight million copies worldwide.[63]

Martin was nominated for his first Grammy Award for Vuelve in the category of Best Latin Pop Album, and was booked to sing on the 41st Grammy Awards live TV broadcast. His acclaimed performance of "La copa de la vida" earned Martin an unexpected standing ovation and introduced him to the mainstream American audience. Being aware of performing on the Grammy, he said that:"The excitement is more than being nominated for the award. The audience in front of me are people who are hard to please. Sting! Madonna! Luciano Pavarotti! To get the acceptance of your peers really means a lot."[64][65] Martin won the Grammy Award later that evening, and even superstars Madonna and Sting went backstage to congratulate him.[66] His appearance sparked nationwide interest in Latin music. Writing for Billboard on April 24, 1999, Michael Paoletta noted, "In the weeks since [the performance], it seems like every record label exec has been in a heated search for the next Latin hottie."[67]

Crossover to English: 1999–2002[edit]

Ricky Martin "Livin' la Vida Loca" (1999) MENU0:00 Problems playing this file? See media help. After receiving commercial success throughout Asia, Europe, and Latin America, Martin prepared his first English album in 1999 in an attempt to cross over to the United States market.[68] The self-titled album, which debuted at number one on the Billboard 200 and sold 661,000 copies in its first week of release, became the most successful album debut on the Billboard charts by a Hispanic artist.[69] It contained material by writers and producers such as Desmond Child, Diane Warren, William Orbit, George Noriega and his longtime childhood friend Draco Rosa. The album also featured special guests: Madonna on the Spanish-English duet "Be Careful (Cuidado con mi Corazón)" and Meja on "Private Emotion".[70] Two weeks after the album's release, Martin was featured on the cover of Time with the title "Latin Music Goes Pop!".[71] Before the album's release, Janet Jackson collaborated with Ricky Martin for the Latin American version of "Ask for More", a promotional single and commercial released as part of an advertising campaign for soft drink company Pepsi.[72][73]

The first and most prominent single was "Livin' la Vida Loca", which reached number one in many countries around the world, including the United States, United Kingdom, Canada, Ireland and New Zealand. "Livin' la Vida Loca" is Ricky Martin's biggest hit. The video for "Livin 'La Vida Loca" was directed by Wayne Isham and starring model Nina Moric. It was followed by "She's All I Ever Had" which peaked at number two on the Billboard Hot 100. Both tracks peaked at number one on the Hot Latin Songs. "Livin' la Vida Loca" is generally seen as the song that began the Latin pop explosion of 1999 and made the transition of other Latin artists (first Jennifer Lopez and Enrique Iglesias, then later Shakira) into the English-speaking market easier. Ricky Martin became one of the top-selling albums of 1999, and was certified 7× platinum in the United States, selling over 22 million copies worldwide. In October 1999, Martin embarked on a very successful year-long Livin' la Vida Loca Tour.

After this success, a new English-language album, Sound Loaded, was released in November 2000. It debuted at number four on the Billboard 200 and was certified 2× platinum by the RIAA. "She Bangs" and "Nobody Wants to Be Lonely" (duet with Christina Aguilera) peaked at number twelve and thirteen on the Billboard Hot 100, respectively. Both singles reached number one on the Hot Latin Songs. Sound Loaded has sold over 8 million copies worldwide.

In February 2001, Martin released a Spanish greatest hits album entitled La Historia, which went to number one for five weeks on the Billboard Top Latin Albums and debuted at number eighty-three on the Billboard 200. It also topped the chart in Sweden for three weeks. The album contained reworkings of two of his early songs "Fuego Contra Fuego" and "El Amor de Mi Vida". In November 2001, an English-language greatest hits album, The Best of Ricky Martin was released outside North America. It contained two new remixes of "Amor".

Almas del Silencio and Life: 2003–2006[edit]

Ricky Martin in 2005. In May 2003 Martin released a new Spanish album Almas del Silencio. The first single "Tal Vez" debuted at number one on the Hot Latin Songs and stayed there for eleven weeks becoming the best performing Latin single of the year.[74] Martin said of the new album: "I really needed to go back to focus, to my center, to the beginning. I had the need to search within, and really dig deep, and find those emotions that, because of the adrenaline and the euphoria that I lived for a couple of years, were probably sabotaged."[75] Almas del Silencio debuted at number twelve on the Billboard 200 and reached number one on the Billboard Top Latin Albums where it stayed for six weeks. The album sold more than one million copies worldwide.[76] The next singles, "Jaleo" and "Y Todo Queda en Nada," reached number one on the Hot Latin Songs. "Jaleo" also topped the chart in Spain for four weeks.

In October 2005 Martin released his first English-language album since 2000's Sound Loaded and the tenth album of his career. Most of the songs on the album called Life were co-written by Martin. He commented on the album: "I was really in touch with my emotions. I think this album is very multi-layered, just like life is. It's about feeling anger. It's about feeling joy. It's about feeling uncertainty. It's about feeling. And all my emotions are part of this production."[77] The album debuted at number six on the Billboard 200. The first single from the album "I Don't Care" featured guest appearances by Fat Joe and Amerie. It peaked at number three on the Hot Dance Club Songs and number sixty-five on the Billboard Hot 100. Another song from the album "It's Alright" was re-recorded as a duet with French singer M. Pokora. It was successful in French-speaking countries reaching number four in France.

Soon after Martin announced his One Night Only with Ricky Martin tour which started in Mexico City on November 15, 2005. After finishing the first leg which included Latin America and the United States Martin performed at the 2006 Winter Olympics closing ceremony in Turin. A few days later he announced the second leg of his world tour which included Europe and Africa. The second leg started on April 21, 2006 in Manchester, UK and ended on June 3, 2006 in Tel Aviv, Israel.

MTV Unplugged and a world tour: 2006–2007[edit] On August 17, 2006, Ricky Martin taped his MTV Unplugged concert in Miami. It premiered on MTV Latin America, MTV Tr3s and MTV Puerto Rico in October 2006 and was released on CD and DVD in November 2006. The album was a critical and commercial success. It debuted at number one on the Billboard Top Latin Albums and number thirty-eight on the Billboard 200. At the Latin Grammy Awards of 2008, MTV Unplugged received Latin Grammy Award for Best Male Pop Vocal Album and for Best Long Form Music Video. The first single, "Tu Recuerdo" which featured La Mari of Chambao, reached number one for three weeks on the Hot Latin Songs. The next single, "Pégate" peaked at number six on the Hot Dance Club Songs.

On February 19, 2007, Martin began his worldwide Black and White Tour[78] which started with a performance at the José Miguel Agrelot Coliseum in Puerto Rico and concluded with a presentation at the Madison Square Garden in New York City on October 14, 2007.[78] He also recorded a duet with Eros Ramazzotti, "Non siamo soli" which topped the Italian chart for eleven consecutive weeks.

Career break: 2007–2010[edit] After finishing his worldwide tour, Martin took a break from the music industry and focused on his private life. In November 2007, Sony BMG Norte released Ricky Martin Live: Black and White Tour on CD, DVD and Blu-ray Disc. One year later, a Spanish-language greatest hits album was released, entitled 17. It was a summary of seventeen years of Martin's musical career, which included mostly Spanish-language songs.

Autobiography, Música + Alma + Sexo and Evita: 2010–2013[edit]

Martin performing in Chicago on April 19, 2011. Ricky Martin's autobiography, Me, was published on November 2, 2010. The book became part of the The New York Times Best Seller list,[79] debuting at number five on the Hardcover Nonfiction list. A Spanish-language edition entitled Yo was published simultaneously.

Martin's single, "The Best Thing About Me Is You" featuring Joss Stone also premiered on November 2, 2010 and peaked at number seventy-four on the Billboard Hot 100. The Spanish version, "Lo Mejor de Mi Vida Eres Tú" topped the Hot Latin Songs for two weeks. It was followed by a new studio album, Música + Alma + Sexo released on January 31, 2011.[80] It debuted at number three on the Billboard 200 and became the highest charting, primarily-Spanish language album in the United States, since Dreaming of You by Selena.[81] Música + Alma + Sexo also represents the highest ever chart debut on the Billboard 200 for a Sony Music Latin release.[82] It spent two weeks at number one on the Billboard Top Latin Albums. On March 25, 2011, Martin started his Música + Alma + Sexo World Tour, which ended on November 12, 2011. The second single from the album, "Más" was released on April 5, 2011 and peaked at number seven on the Hot Dance Club Songs. "Frío" featuring Wisin & Yandel was chosen as the third single.

17: Greatest Hits was released on July 11, 2011 exclusively in the United Kingdom. Ricky Martin was playing Ché in the Broadway revival of the show Evita, scheduled to begin previews on Broadway in March 2012, ahead of an opening in April 2012.[83] He received mixed reviews.

Martin guest-starred as a Spanish teacher on the Fox TV show Glee episode "The Spanish Teacher" on February 7, 2012. Martin premiered his "Ricky's Lip Conditioner" lip balm in April 2012 as part of the M.A.C Cosmetics "Ricky and Nicki for Viva Glam" campaign. The advertisements for the range paired him with rapper Nicki Minaj. Martin's signature is featured on the lip balm packaging.[84]

The Voice Australia, "Come with Me" and an Australian tour: 2013[edit]

Martin in 2011 In November 2012, Martin was announced as a coach on The Voice Australia and debuted in the first episode of season two, on April 7, 2013.[85][86] The finale aired on June 17. His finalist was former Ten Tenors singer Luke Kennedy. He became Runner-up losing to eventual winner Harrison Craig.

In April 2013, Martin released his Greatest Hits: Souvenir Edition album in Australia, where it reached number two on the ARIA Albums Chart and was certified Gold. In June 2013, he released a new English single titled "Come with Me".[87] He also embarked on the 2013 Australian Tour in October 2013. In February 2014, he appeared with Jennifer Lopez & Wisin on the single and video "Adrenalina" taken from Wisin's album El Regreso del Sobreviviente. The album version contains Spanish lyrics but the single was also made available in a Spanglish version. In April 2014, the single & video were released for "Vida", from the FIFA compilation album One Love, One Rhythm – The 2014 FIFA World Cup Official Album. Here, the album version contains Spanglish lyrics, but the digital EP contained versions in Spanish & Portuguese as well as various dance remixes.

The Voice Mexico and Mexican One World Tour: 2014–present[edit] In July 2014, was announced as a coach on The Voice Mexico along with Italian singer Laura Pausini, Mexican pop singer Yuri and norteño singer Julión Álvarez[88] The first episode of season four was aired on September 9, 2014.[89] On October 3, 2014, Martin started his Mexican One World Tour on Mexico City, followed by Guadalajara, Monterrey and Ensenada.[90] In November 2014, was the closing act of the opening ceremony for the 22nd Central American and Caribbean Games "Veracruz 2014".[91]

Since Martin's debut as a coach on The Voice Australia in 2013, he has continued on in Season 3 in 2014 alongside will.i.am, Kylie Minogue and Joel Madden. He returned to the panel alongside Delta Goodrem, Benji Madden teamed with his brother Joel Madden, and new comer Jessie J in 2015.

Martin released his album A Quien Quiera Escuchar in February 2015.[92]

It was announced on December 24, 2015, Martin's 44th birthday, that he would not return to The Voice Australia in 2016 and will be replaced by Ronan Keating.[93]

Musical style[edit] Martin possesses a tenor vocal range.[94] Martin cites a variety of the Latin music genres as influences, including salsa, merengue, and bolero.[95] He also is inspired by artists such as the Fania All-Stars, Celia Cruz, El Gran Combo de Puerto Rico, and Gilberto Santa Rosa, some of which his mother played for him as a child.[95] Martin credits these musicians with helping him "appreciate the richness of [his] island's culture."[95]

In addition, Martin ever thanked his all-time idols, including Michael Jackson, Cher, Madonna, Elvis Presley, Sting, Barbra Streisand, Daniel Day-Lewis.

Other media[edit] In November 2013 Martin launched Piccolo Universe, an online community for parents and caregivers from all corners of the world to celebrate and share the joys and struggles of raising kids.

Ricky Martin’s first children’s book, Santiago the Dreamer in Land Among the Stars, was published in November 2013. A Spanish-language edition entitled, Santiago El Soñador en Entre Las Estrellas was published simultaneously. The book was illustrated by Patricia Castelao.

Personal life[edit] Martin was raised Catholic, but says he is open to all sorts of religious beliefs, especially the Buddhist philosophy.[96] He feels that subscribing to a specific religion can "limit" an individual in certain aspects, and noted in 2006, "I really like the Buddhist philosophy but that doesn’t mean that I am of the religion. If I subscribe to Buddhism, I can’t be of anything else...I am not going to follow those rules."[96] Martin began practicing yoga after a trip to Thailand in 1997.[10]

He enjoys surfing, skydiving, and also vacationing in South Asian countries like India and Nepal, partly on account of his interest in Yoga and Buddhism.[10]

When asked on one occasion about his frequent travel to India and specifically, what brings him back so often, Ricky replied:

"India has been an important part of my spiritual growth. Whenever I get the chance, I go to India, and especially visit Puri (Odisha), where I practise Yoga. It has helped me a lot in my personal and professional life. I was in Rishikesh (Uttarakhand) last year. I found some great ashrams and spiritual retreats there. I haven’t been to Puri since my kids were born (he is the father of twin boys, Matteo and Valentino). Next time I go there, I will take them along. " [97]

In November 2011, he acquired Spanish nationality in recognition of his artistic talents and for having roots in the country – Martin's grandmother is Spanish, and he owns a residence in Madrid. In September 2011 he sold his home in Miami.[98] In a public statement, written in Spanish, Martin explicitly stated that he has not abandoned his Puerto Rican identity: "I was born in Puerto Rico, I am a Puerto Rican, and Puerto Rico is my homeland. I made the request for Spanish citizenship some time ago, I was just waiting for a response. This step is part of planning for the future within a global community of whom I am part. Spain is a country with which I share many memories and strong ties born of my roots and the love they have given me since I first visited."[15] In January 2013, he relocated to Sydney, Australia to accommodate his position on The Voice Australia.

Relationships and sexuality[edit] Martin was in an on-off relationship with Mexican TV host Rebecca de Alba for more than 14 years. The pair had spoken of starting a family together,[99][100][101] and Martin had at one point considered proposing to her.[102]

In August 2008, Martin became the father of twin boys, Matteo and Valentino, born by a surrogate mother.[103]

After the success of "Livin' la Vida Loca", Martin's personal life became a subject of interest due to his large gay following, and he was questioned about his sexual orientation. In a December 2000 interview with The Mirror, Martin was asked to comment on the rumors surrounding his sexuality. He replied that "I don't think I should have to tell anyone if I am gay or not, or who I've slept with or not."[104][105] On March 29, 2010, Martin publicly acknowledged his homosexuality in a post on his official website stating, "I am proud to say that I am a fortunate homosexual man. I am very blessed to be who I am."[106][107] Martin said that "these years in silence and reflection made me stronger and reminded me that acceptance has to come from within, and that this kind of truth gives me the power to conquer emotions I didn't even know existed."[108] In 2010, prior to Martin coming out, Barbara Walters expressed some regret for pushing Martin in a 2000 interview to admit if he was gay. The Toronto Star quoted her as saying, "When I think back on it now, I feel it was an inappropriate question."[109][110]

Martin announced on The Oprah Winfrey Show that he was in a relationship.[111] In 2011, during his acceptance speech of the Vito Russo Award at the 22nd GLAAD Media Awards, Martin publicly thanked his boyfriend, Carlos González Abella, an economist.[112][113] His relationship with González Abella ended in January 2014.[114]

Martin has also expressed support for same-sex marriage in an interview on Larry King Live, and commented on his experience of being closeted and coming out. "Everything about saying that I am gay feels right...", Martin stated, adding "if I'd known how good it was going to feel, I would have done it ten years ago."[115]

Ricky Martin delivered a speech at the UN homophobia conference on November 12, 2012.[116] As of April 2016, he is dating Syrian Swedish painter Jwan Yosef.[117]

Other ventures[edit] Humanitarian work[edit]

Ricky Martin at a Puerto Rican Day annual parade in New York City Martin is the founder of Fundación Ricky Martin (Ricky Martin Foundation), a non-profit organization. Among the events promoted by the foundation was a summer camp, which included Martin's personal participation.[118]

Martin has been honored with many accolades for his humanitarian efforts including: Leadership in the Arts Award, Billboard's Spirit of Hope Award, ALMA Award, Vanguard Award, International Humanitarian Award by the International Centre for Missing & Exploited Children, Hispanic Heritage Award for his humanitarian work through the Sabera Foundation in rescuing three orphan girls from the streets of Kolkata (September 2002).

Martin has also collaborated with the International Organization for Migration on the Llama y Vive (Call and Live), a campaign which is aimed to facilitate prevention of human trafficking, protection of the youngest victims of child trafficking, and prosecution of the traffickers. For his work against human trafficking, the United States Department of State named Martin one of its Heroes in Ending Modern-Day Slavery in 2005.

Logo The Ricky Martin Foundation was founded by Ricky Martin, with the mission to advocate for the well-being of children around the world.

Its primary project is the People for Children project, which aims to eliminate trafficking of children. Tsunami Relief Fund – together with Habitat for Humanity, building homes in Thailand[119][120]

RMF Summer Camp Children 4 Children Haiti Relief The Foundation also works closely with UNICEF.

After the South Asian tsunami in 2004, Ricky Martin visited the site where the disaster happened and was praised and promoted by Oprah Winfrey on Oprah Winfrey Show. In 2005 when Hurricane Katrina invaded United States, he also went to Houston to visit the victims and children. On February 13, 2008 Ricky Martin gave a speech on UN Global Initiative to Fight Human Trafficking in Vienna.

Martin and the Ricky Martin Foundation is the driving force behind the parenting website Piccolo Universe [2]. It is a collaborative site that is intended to be a place for parents and caregivers to discover, share, learn, and connect about raising happy kids.

Politics[edit]

Ricky Martin (mid right) in Congress, with Luis Fortuño (far left), Tom Lantos (mid left) and Chris Smith (far right). Martin was a headliner in the 2001 inauguration celebration for President George W. Bush; he even invited the newly elected president to join him on stage to dance. This image was captured by photographers and broadcast in various media throughout the world. Martin referred to it in a later song, "Asignatura Pendiente".

Martin has since changed his position on the former President. In a concert in Puerto Rico during the song Asignatura Pendiente Martin thrust his middle finger disapprovingly in the air while singing the line "photo with Bush". The gesture met with audience approval but caused a minor controversy with the media. Martin said in an e-mail statement sent to the Associated Press via a spokesman: "My convictions of peace and life go beyond any government and political agenda and as long as I have a voice onstage and offstage, I will always condemn war and those who promulgate it".[121]

During his appearance at the Billboard Latin Music Awards on April 29, 2010, Martin expressed his disagreement with the Arizona SB 1070 act, a law that requires police officers to request documents from individuals who they suspect to be illegal immigrants.[122] He criticized the law for "discriminating against us for the simple fact of looking Latino" and further addressed the Latino community by saying, "Long live love, long live peace...You are not alone. We are with you. Put a stop to discrimination. Put a stop to hate. Put a stop to racism."[122]

Martin endorsed President Barack Obama for his reelection campaign by hosting a fundraiser with the President in New York on May 21, 2012.[123] He endorsed the President for declaring his support for same-sex marriage.[123]

Discography[edit] Main articles: Ricky Martin albums discography, Ricky Martin singles discography, and Ricky Martin videography With Menudo[edit] Evolución (1984) Menudo (1985) Ayer Y Hoy (1985) A Festa Vai Começar (Portuguese) (1985) Viva! Bravo! (Italian) (1986) Refrescante (1986) Menudo (Portuguese) (1986) Can't Get Enough (1986) Somos Los Hijos del Rock (1987) In Action (English-Tagalog) (1987) Sons of Rock (1988) Sombras Y Figuras (1988) Gafas Oscuras (1989) Solo[edit] Ricky Martin (1991) Me Amarás (1993) A Medio Vivir (1995) Vuelve (1998) Ricky Martin (1999) Sound Loaded (2000) Almas del Silencio (2003) Life (2005) Música + Alma + Sexo (2011) A Quien Quiera Escuchar (2015) Filmography[edit] 1985: The Love Boat (TV series) as Ricky 1987: Por siempre amigos (Argentina TV series) as Ricky 1991: Alcanzar una estrella II (TV series) as Pablo Loredo 1992: Más que alcanzar una estrella as Enrique 1993: Getting y (TV series) as Martin 1994: General Hospital (TV series) as Miguel Morez (1994–95) 1996: Barefoot in Paradise (TV series) as Sandoval 1997: Hercules (Latin American dub, voice role) as Hercules 1999: Idle Hands as Man in Car Park 2000: MADtv (TV series) as himself 2006: Sos mi vida (Argentina TV series) as himself 2011: The Oprah Winfrey Show: guest 2011: Susana Giménez: guest 2011: American Dad! as himself (uncredited) 2012: Glee (TV series) as David Martínez 2013: The Voice Australia as Himself (Coach) 2014: Dancing with the Stars (TV series) as Himself (Judge) 2014: The Voice Australia as Himself (Coach) 2014: La Voz... México as Himself (Coach) 2014: The Voice Arabia as Himself (guest judge) 2015: Minions (Latin American dub, voice role) as Herb Overkill 2015: The Voice Australia as himself (judge) 2015: La Banda as himself (judge and executive producer) 2015: Nuestra Belleza Latina 2015 as himself (Celebrity guest) Theatre[edit] Les Misérables (1996), Broadway – Marius Evita, (2012), Broadway – Ché Tours[edit] Main article: List of Ricky Martin concert tours Ricky Martin Tour (1992) Me Amaras Tour (1993–94) A Medio Vivir Tour (1995–97) Vuelve World Tour (1998) Livin' la Vida Loca Tour (1999–2000) One Night Only with Ricky Martin (2005–06) Black and White Tour (2007) Música + Alma + Sexo World Tour[124] (2011) Ricky Martin Live (2013–14) One World Tour (2014–16) Honors and awards[edit] See also: List of awards and nominations received by Ricky Martin Martin was chosen along with Félix Trinidad in 1999, to lead Puerto Rico's worldwide tourism campaign, both exemplifying Puerto Rico's youthfulness, enthusiasm and indefatigable character. In February 2004, Martin received a Lifetime Achievement Award at the Lo Nuestro Awards in Miami. Martin was honored as the 2006 Latin Recording Academy Person of the Year by the Latin Recording Academy on November 1, 2006. He was chosen for his accomplishments as a world-renowned entertainer, consummate performer and passionate humanitarian. A portion of the proceeds from the evening's tribute dinner was used for benefitting Ricky Martin's charitable efforts. On October 16, 2007, Martin received the 2351st Hollywood Walk of Fame star,[125] shortly after receiving the key to the city of Miami Beach, Florida on October 11. The star is located beside the Hollywood and Highland complex. Los Angeles mayor Antonio Villaraigosa and Rita Moreno were invited to the unveiling ceremony.[78] In 2008, Puerto Rico declared August 31 to be International Ricky Martin Day. In 2011, Martin was awarded Spanish citizenship to honor his contributions to the arts.[1] In addition to the numerous awards received throughout his musical career, Martin has also been honored with many accolades for his humanitarian efforts. Awards Grammy Preceded by Luis Miguel for Romances Grammy Award for Best Latin Pop Album 1999 for Vuelve Succeeded by Rubén Blades for Tiempo Latin Grammy Preceded by Gloria Estefan for "No Me Dejes de Querer" Latin Grammy Award for Best Short Form Music Video 2001 for "She Bangs" Succeeded by Shakira for "Suerte" Preceded by Ricardo Arjona for Adentro Latin Grammy Award for Best Male Pop Vocal Album 2007 for MTV Unplugged Succeeded by Juanes for La Vida... Es Un Ratico Preceded by Diego El Cigala for Blanco Y Negro En Vivo Latin Grammy Award for Best Long Form Music Video 2007 for MTV Unplugged Succeeded by Julieta Venegas for MTV Unplugged See also[edit] Puerto Rico portal Latin music portal LGBT portal Honorific nicknames in popular music List of Puerto Ricans White Latin American Corsican immigration to Puerto Rico Cultural diversity in Puerto Rico References[edit] ^ Jump up to: a b "Ricky Martin y Benicio del Toro ya tienen la nacionalidad española" (in Spanish). lne.es. November 4, 2011. Retrieved November 4, 2011. Jump up ^ "RSS Nationalité espagnole accordée à Ricky Martin et Benicio del Toro" (in French). lepoint.fr. November 11, 2011. Retrieved November 4, 2011. Jump up ^ CNN.com – Ricky Martin Leading The Latin (music) revolution Jump up ^ "20 Best Selling Music Singles Since 1990". The List Blog. Retrieved March 25, 2012. Jump up ^ Martin wants to be a dad again. Retrieved July 16, 2011. Jump up ^ Ricky Martin Biography – A Prominent Figure from Latin Pop Music. Retrieved July 16, 2011. Jump up ^ Ricky Martin To Release Greatest Hits Archived March 15, 2012, at the Wayback Machine.. Retrieved July 16, 2011. Jump up ^ Erlewine, Stephen Thomas. "Ricky Martin – Biography". AllMusic. Rovi Corporation. Retrieved April 8, 2009. Jump up ^ Otfinoski, 2007. p. 138 ^ Jump up to: a b c d Tresniowski, Alex (December 4, 2000). "Ricky Martin : Zen and Now". People. Time, Inc. Retrieved August 1, 2012. Jump up ^ Martin, 2010. p. 42 Jump up ^ Schneider, Karen S. (June 28, 1999). "My Favorite Martin". People. Time, Inc. Retrieved August 3, 2012. Jump up ^ Martin, 2010. p. 20 Jump up ^ Yo soy papa y mama a mis hijos. Interview by Vanity fair in Spanish) ^ Jump up to: a b Galaz, Mabel (November 4, 2011). "El gobierno concede a Ricky Martin la nacionalidad española para poder casarse". El País. Retrieved November 8, 2011. Jump up ^ Ricky Martin ME (Book) Jump up ^ Martin, 2010. p. 21 Jump up ^ Martin, 2010. p. 18 ^ Jump up to: a b Martin, 2010. p. 16 Jump up ^ Martin, 2010. p. 17 ^ Jump up to: a b Martin, 2010. pp. education24-25 Jump up ^ De La Torre, 1997. p. 34 Jump up ^ Martin, 2010. p. 31 Jump up ^ Martin, 2010. pp. 31–32 Jump up ^ Martin, 2010. p. 33 Jump up ^ Martin, 2010. pp. 33–34 Jump up ^ Martin, 2010. p. 47 Jump up ^ Martin, 2010. p. 28 Jump up ^ Martin, 2010. pp. 36–37 Jump up ^ (2002) Behind the Music: Ricky Martin episode. VH1. ^ Jump up to: a b c Martin, 2010. p. 37 ^ Jump up to: a b Martin, 2010. p. 44 ^ Jump up to: a b Martin, 2010. p. 46 Jump up ^ Martin, 2010. p. 58 Jump up ^ Martin, 2010, pp. 18–19 ^ Jump up to: a b c Martin, 2010. p. 66 ^ Jump up to: a b Martin, 2010. p. 67 ^ Jump up to: a b c Martin, 2010. p. 70 Jump up ^ Martin, 2010, pp. 70–71 ^ Jump up to: a b Martin, 2010. p. 71 Jump up ^ Martin, 2010, p. 87 ^ Jump up to: a b Henderson, Alex. "Review: Ricky Martin – Me Amarás". AllMusic. Rovi Corporation. Retrieved July 10, 2012. Jump up ^ Martin, 2010. p. 76 ^ Jump up to: a b Martin, 2010, pp. 77–78 Jump up ^ Martin, 2010, pp. 78–79 ^ Jump up to: a b Martin, 2010. p. 81 Jump up ^ Martin, 2010. p. 82 Jump up ^ Martin, 2010. p. 84 Jump up ^ Martin, 2010. p. 102 Jump up ^ AllMusic ^ Jump up to: a b Martin, 2010. p. 103 Jump up ^ Llewellyn, Howell (October 7, 2000). "Breaking Into the Spanish Market". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. Retrieved July 21, 2012. Jump up ^ Martin, 2010. p. 89 ^ Jump up to: a b Martin, 2010. p. 90 Jump up ^ Martin, 2010. p. 104 ^ Jump up to: a b c Martin, 2010. p. 106 Jump up ^ Martin, 2010. p. 107 Jump up ^ Martin, 2010. p. 108 Jump up ^ Martin, 2010. pp. 108–109 Jump up ^ Martin, 2010. p. 109 Jump up ^ Holt, 2007. p. 165 Jump up ^ "Lo Nuestro 1999 – Historia de Premio lo Nuestro". Univision. Archived from the original on April 3, 2010. Retrieved August 2, 2010. Jump up ^ Ricky Martin – Vuelve Archived January 2, 2016, at the Wayback Machine.. norwegiancharts.com. Retrieved on February 25, 2011. Jump up ^ "A Smashing Start for Ricky Martin". Los Angeles Times. Tribune Company. May 1, 1999. Retrieved August 1, 2012. Jump up ^ Martin, 2010. p. 115 Jump up ^ Martin, 2010. p. 116 Jump up ^ Paoletta, Michael (April 24, 1999). "Can New Jersey's Spicy Sin Match Martin's Latin Sizzle?". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. Retrieved August 3, 2012. Jump up ^ Martin, 2010. p. 112 Jump up ^ "Ricky Martin Debuts As No. 1". Orlando Sentinel. Tribune Company. May 21, 1999. Retrieved August 1, 2012. Jump up ^ Erlewine, Stephen Thomas. "Ricky Martin – Album Review". AllMusic. Rovi Corporation. Retrieved August 1, 2012. Jump up ^ "Time Magazine Cover: Ricky Martin – May 24, 1999". Time. Time, Inc. Retrieved August 2, 2012. Jump up ^ Janet Jackson & Ricky Martin – "Ask for More" Pepsi Ad (Latin American Version). Retrieved on June 17, 2013 Jump up ^ Basham, David (October 15, 1999). "Ricky Martin Inks Endorsement Deal With Pepsi, Preps For Fall Tour". Mtv.com. Retrieved December 5, 2013. Jump up ^ "Year-End Charts: Hot Latin Songs". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. December 27, 2003. Retrieved August 3, 2012. Jump up ^ "Livin' The Serious Life; Ricky Martin's New Album Matches His Outlook". Puertorico-herald.org. Retrieved February 15, 2010. Jump up ^ Adams, Steve: "Martin's World View", Billboard magazine, November 4, 2006, pp. 64–66. Jump up ^ Font size Print E-mail Share By Tatiana Morales (November 11, 2005). "Ricky Martin Lets 'Life' Happen". Cbsnews.com. Retrieved February 15, 2010. ^ Jump up to: a b c "Flash!/Cine". Ricky Martin: Bien ubicada su estrella (in Spanish). Puerto Rico: El Nuevo Día. October 14, 2007. p. 94. Jump up ^ Schuessler, Jennifer. "Hardcover". The New York Times. Jump up ^ Leila Cobo, "Ricky Martin Confirms Bilingual Album", Billboard, October 20, 2010 Jump up ^ Nicki Minaj Hits No. 1 on Billboard 200, Crosses 1 Million Sales. Retrieved February 11, 2011. Jump up ^ Ricky Martin delivers Latin music’s highest chart debut in the last 15 years Archived January 29, 2013, at the Wayback Machine.. Retrieved February 11, 2011. Jump up ^ EVITA w/ Martin & Roger Begins Previews Mar. 2012; Opens Apr. 2012 2011/01/21. Broadwayworld.com. Retrieved on February 25, 2011. Jump up ^ "M.A.C Viva Glam Collection". Maccosmetics.com. Archived from the original on January 26, 2013. Retrieved January 6, 2013. Jump up ^ "Ricky Martin replaces Keith Urban on The Voice". The Australian. November 29, 2012. Jump up ^ First review of The Voice 2013. The Telegraph 6 April 2013 | Retrieved 7 April 2013 Jump up ^ "Ricky Martin's New Single, 'Come With Me': Listen". Billboard. Retrieved December 5, 2013. Jump up ^ "Ricky Martin Joins 'The Voice Mexico'". Hollywood Reporter. July 24, 2014. Jump up ^ "Todos los detalles del gran inicio de 'La Voz… México 2014'". TV Notas. September 7, 2014. Jump up ^ "Ricky Martin: One World Tour Dates". Ricky Martin Music. September 7, 2014. Jump up ^ "Central American and Caribbean Games 2014: Dates, Schedule, Events and Countries". Bleacher Report. November 13, 2014. Jump up ^ http://www.allmusic.com/album/a-quien-quiera-escuchar-mw0002807353 Jump up ^ Ronan Keating announced as new coach on The Voice Australia 2016... as he takes Ricky Martin's place alongside Jessie J, Delta Goodrem and the Madden brothers- Daily Mail.co.uk Jump up ^ Dean, Maury (2003). Rock-N-Roll Gold Rush. Algora Publishing. p. 34. ISBN 0-87586-207-1. ^ Jump up to: a b c Martin, 2010. p. 72 ^ Jump up to: a b "Ricky Martin admires Buddhist philosophy". The Buddhist Channel. Asian News International. November 28, 2006. Jump up ^ http://www.hindustantimes.com/music/i-have-always-taken-risks-ricky... Jump up ^ Ines Hegedus-Garcia (September 21, 2011). "Ricky Martin's Golden Beach Home For Sale". Retrieved January 22, 2012. Jump up ^ "Ricky Martin". Hellomagazine. Jump up ^ "Ricky Martin". Hellomagazine. Jump up ^ "Rebeca de Alba saw Ricky Martin as the father of their children (translated)". TelemundoLA. Archived from the original on October 6, 2011. Jump up ^ Ricky likes being alone. Metro.co.uk (August 2, 2007). Retrieved on February 25, 2011. Jump up ^ Ricky Martin has twins babies and 'no nanny' – USATODAY.com. Content.usatoday.com (December 10, 2008). Retrieved on February 25, 2011. Jump up ^ Sally Morgan "Ricky Martin – It's no one's business whether I've been to bed with a cow, a broom or a woman...", The Mirror, December 9, 2000 Jump up ^ Sally Morgan "Ricky Martin – It's no one's business whether I've been to bed with a cow, a broom or a woman...", The Mirror, December 9, 2000, as reproduced on rmtee.com Jump up ^ "Ricky Martin Gay Bombshell: 'I am a Fortunate Homosexual Man'", PopEater.com Staff, March 29, 2010 Jump up ^ Thomson, Katherine (March 29, 2010). "Ricky Martin Comes Out: "I'm A Fortunate Homosexual Man"". Huffington Post. Retrieved August 2, 2010. Jump up ^ Yep, He's Gay: Ricky Martin Comes Out of the Closet | Rolling Stone Music. Rollingstone.com (March 29, 2010). Retrieved on February 25, 2011. Jump up ^ "Barbara Walters Regrets Ricky Martin Interview". PopEater.com. March 9, 2010. Retrieved August 2, 2010. Jump up ^ Ouzounian, Richard (March 6, 2010). "Barbara Walters: What kind of tree is she?". Toronto Star. Toronto. Retrieved August 2, 2010. Jump up ^ Ricky Martin on Love. Oprah.com (November 2, 2010). Retrieved on February 25, 2011. Jump up ^ Se casa Ricky Martin on El Nuevo Día (January 1, 2012) Jump up ^ Ricky Martin thanks partner at GLAAD Awards on PopEater; Mitchell, John (March 21, 2011) Jump up ^ CBS News, January 2, 2014 Jump up ^ Akersten, M. (November 11, 2010). "Let Ricky Martin Get Married!". samesame.com.au. Retrieved November 14, 2010. Jump up ^ "Ricky Martin to United Nations: 'I Lived In Fear'". Huffington Post. December 12, 2012. Jump up ^ [1] Jump up ^ "Ricky Martin sorprende a sus "ahijados"" (in Spanish). Primera Hora. July 9, 2008. Archived from the original on July 19, 2009. Retrieved July 14, 2008. Jump up ^ "Profile by the Convention on the Rights of the Child". Unicef.org. Retrieved December 5, 2013. Jump up ^ "An article concerning Ricky Martin's visit to Thailand on Thailand's Ministry of Foreign Affairs website". Archived from the original on February 4, 2012. Jump up ^ "Singer Ricky Martin 'Fingers' Bush for Iraq Criticism". Associated Press, February 16, 2007. ^ Jump up to: a b "Ricky Martin Criticizes Arizona's Immigration Law". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. April 30, 2010. Retrieved August 1, 2012. ^ Jump up to: a b Bingham, Amy (May 14, 2012). "Pop Star Ricky Martin Courts Latino, Gay Supporters For President Obama". ABC News. Retrieved August 1, 2012. Jump up ^ Twitter / Ricky Martin: First stop on my "Music+So. Twitter.com (December 9, 2010). Retrieved on February 25, 2011. Jump up ^ Ricky Martin gets Walk of Fame star – Boston.com[dead link] Sources[edit] De La Torre, David (1997). Ricky Martin: la historia verdadera. Edamex. ISBN 9684099835. Holt, Fabian (2007). Genre in Popular Music. University of Chicago Press. ISBN 978-0226350394. Martin, Ricky (2010). Me. Celebra Hardcover. ISBN 978-0451234155. Otfinoski, Steven (2007). Latinos in the Arts (A to Z of Latino Americans). Facts on File. ISBN 978-0816063949. External links[edit] Wikimedia Commons has media related to Ricky Martin. Official website Ricky Martin at the Internet Movie Database Ricky Martin at the Internet Broadway Database Ricky Martin Foundation links – Official site / on Oprah's Angel Network site [hide] v t e Ricky Martin Albums Singles Videography Accolades Songs Tours Studio albums Ricky Martin (1991) Me Amarás A Medio Vivir Vuelve Ricky Martin (1999) Sound Loaded Almas del Silencio Life Música + Alma + Sexo A Quien Quiera Escuchar Compilations La Historia The Best of Ricky Martin 17 Greatest Hits Playlist: The Very Best of Ricky Martin Greatest Hits: Souvenir Edition Live albums MTV Unplugged Ricky Martin... Live Black & White Tour Video releases The Ricky Martin Video Collection One Night Only La Historia Europa: European Tour MTV Unplugged Ricky Martin... Live Black & White Tour 17 Tours Vuelve Tour Livin' la Vida Loca Tour One Night Only with Ricky Martin Black and White Tour Música + Alma + Sexo World Tour Ricky Martin Live One World Tour Related articles Menudo Ricky Martin Foundation [hide] v t e Ricky Martin singles 1990s releases Ricky Martin (1991) "Fuego Contra Fuego" "El Amor de Mi Vida" "Vuelo" "Dime Que Me Quieres" "Susana" "Juego de Ajedrez" "Ser Feliz" Me Amarás (1993) "Me Amarás" "Que Día Es Hoy" "Entre el Amor y los Halagos" "No Me Pidas Más" A Medio Vivir (1995) "Te Extraño, Te Olvido, Te Amo" "María" "A Medio Vivir" "Fuego de Noche, Nieve de Día" "Cómo Decirte Adiós" "Bombón de Azúcar" "Volverás" "Nada es Imposible" "Corazón" "Dónde Estarás" Vuelve (1998) "No Importa la Distancia" "Vuelve" "The Cup of Life" "La Bomba" "Perdido Sin Ti" "Por Arriba, Por Abajo" "Casi un Bolero" "Corazonado" Ricky Martin (1999) "Livin' la Vida Loca" "She's All I Ever Had" "Shake Your Bon-Bon" "Private Emotion" 2000s releases Sound Loaded (2000) "She Bangs" "Nobody Wants to Be Lonely" "Loaded" "Cambia la Piel" The Best of Ricky Martin (2001) "Amor" "Come to Me" Almas del Silencio (2003) "Tal Vez" "Jaleo" "Asignatura Pendiente" "Juramento" "Y Todo Queda en Nada" Life (2005) "I Don't Care" "Drop It on Me" "It's Alright" MTV Unplugged (2006) "Tu Recuerdo" "Pégate" "Gracias por Pensar en Mi" "Con Tu Nombre" Ricky Martin... Live Black & White Tour (2007) "Somos la Semilla" 2010s releases Música + Alma + Sexo (2011) "The Best Thing About Me Is You/ Lo Mejor de Mi Vida Eres Tú" "Shine" "Más" "Frío" "Samba" A Quien Quiera Escuchar (2015) "Adiós" "Disparo al Corazón" "La Mordidita" "Perdóname" Other releases Other songs "Relight My Fire (2003) "Come with Me" (2013) "Vida" (2014) "Mr. Put It Down" (2015) Collaborations "Puedes Llegar" (1996) "Ask for More" (1999) "Non siamo soli" (2007) "Más y Más" (2013) "Adrenalina" (2014) "Que Se Sienta El Deseo" (2015) Charity songs "El Ultimo Adios (The Last Goodbye)" (2001) "What More Can I Give" (2003) "Somos El Mundo 25 Por Haiti" (2010) [hide] v t e Latin Recording Academy Person of the Year Emilio Estefan (2000) Julio Iglesias (2001) Vicente Fernández (2002) Gilberto Gil (2003) Carlos Santana (2004) José José (2005) Ricky Martin (2006) Juan Luis Guerra (2007) Gloria Estefan (2008) Juan Gabriel (2009) Plácido Domingo (2010) Shakira (2011) Caetano Veloso (2012) Miguel Bosé (2013) Joan Manuel Serrat (2014) Roberto Carlos (2015) [hide] v t e Premios Juventud for Best Actor - Television 2004–present Chayanne (2004) Daddy Yankee (2005) Alfonso Herrera (2006) Alfonso Herrera (2007) Ricky Martin (2008) William Levy (2009) William Levy (2010) William Levy (2011) David Zepeda (2012) Sebastián Rulli (2013) William Levy (2014) Jorge Salinas (2015) Fernando Colunga (2016) Authority control WorldCat Identities VIAF: 35309110 LCCN: no98076760 ISNI: 0000 0001 1053 7547 GND: 121317242 SUDOC: 052512053 BNF: cb140005661 (data) MusicBrainz: 70ea63ea-70dc-4b63-951a-2c249d2b3b0a NDL: 00835027 NKC: jn2000070116 BNE: XX1287676 Categories: Ricky Martin1971 birthsTeen idolsLiving people20th-century American male actors20th-century American singers21st-century American male actors21st-century American singersAmerican humanitariansAmerican philanthropistsEcho (music award) winnersGay actorsGay musiciansGrammy Award winnersHispanic and Latino American male actorsLGBT Hispanic and Latino-American peopleLatin Grammy Award winnersAmerican tenorsLatin pop singersLatin Recording Academy Person of the Year honoreesLGBT entertainers from Puerto RicoLGBT rights activists from the United StatesLGBT singersLGBT Roman CatholicsMale actors from San Juan, Puerto RicoMenudo (band) membersNaturalised citizens of SpainPuerto Rican male singersPuerto Rican male stage actorsPuerto Rican people of Catalan descentLGBT entertainers from the United StatesPuerto Rican people of Corsican descentPuerto Rican people of Spanish descentPuerto Rican pop singersPuerto Rican male soap opera actorsSingers from San Juan, Puerto RicoSpanish-language singers of the United StatesWorld Music Awards winnersSony Music Latin artistsPuerto Rican expatriates in MexicoChild singersLatin music songwriters

Ricky Martin Biography Showing all 34 items Jump to: Overview (4) | Mini Bio (2) | Trade Mark (1) | Trivia (17) | Personal Quotes (10) Overview (4) Date of Birth 24 December 1971, San Juan, Puerto Rico Birth Name Enrique Martín Morales Nickname Kiki Height 5' 11¾" (1.82 m) Mini Bio (2) Born and raised in Puerto Rico, Ricky initiated his singing career in the Latin all boy-band group Menudo. After leaving the group, he moved to New York to study acting. After finishing his studies, he relocated to Mexico where he performed as actor in "Mama ama el Rock", "Alcanzar una Estrella II". In 1991, he began to focus his career as a soloist singer, eventually becoming an international superstar with the release of his self-titled English language album in 1996. - IMDb Mini Biography By: Mayra Caro

Ricky Martin was raised in Puerto Rico. He began his career at the age of 12, as a member of the Puerto Rican music group Menudo. During his time in the group he had the opportunity to travel and record in various languages including Italian, Portuguese, Spanish and English. He left the group in 1989 and went to study in New York. During a trip to Mexico his plans changed when he was offered a part in the musical play, "Mama ama el Rock". He went on to portray "Pablo" in the Mexican soap opera Alcanzar una estrella II (1991). He won a Heraldo, the Mexican equivalent of the Academy Award, for his role in Más que alcanzar una estrella (1992), a film loosely based on the soap. In 1991 he began his career as a soloist, with the release of his first album, "Ricky Martin". It sold over 500,000 copies worldwide, becoming one of the highest debuts for a Latin artist under the Sony label in the previous ten years. He followed with another album, "Me Amaras", a more mature compilation of personal and romantic songs which also skyrocketed to the top of the Latin charts and earned him "Best New Latin Artist" at the 1993 Billboard Video Awards. Seeking further opportunities as an actor, he moved to Los Angeles in late 1993. He appeared on two episodes of the NBC sitcom Getting By (1993). In February 1994 he made his debut on the ABC daytime soap opera General Hospital (1963), as "Miguel Morez". After dedicating two years of his career to acting, Ricky has returned to his first love, music. His release "A Medio Vivir" is a compilation of songs reflecting pop, rock and Latin influences. Ricky Martin is as passionate about helping others as he is about his work. He always finds time to give to drug-addicted and abused children, as well as to educate and inform the youth of the countries he visits about AIDS. - IMDb Mini Biography By: Ricky Martin's L.A. Connection Fan Club < jfnaranj@usa.pipeline.com>

Trade Mark (1) Instinctive up-arms dancing choreography onstage Trivia (17) Named one of People magazine's 50 Most Beautiful People in the World (1999). Had a cameo in the film Idle Hands (1999), but the scene was deleted. He can still be seen in the background at the Burger Jungle car park. Sings the Spanish version of "Go the Distance", the main theme of Hercules (1997). Opened a restaurant in Miami beach called Casa Salsa in 1999, which has since closed. Is a vegetarian. His nickname among his immediate family members is Kiki. Created the Ricky Martin Foundation which gave a million dollar worth of musical instrument to Puerto Rican public schools. The foundation is also deeply involved in helping children who are victims of child prostitution and/or pornography, especially in India but also all around the world. According to Ricky, "This is the biggest problem our society is going to face within the next ten years.". Enjoys surfing, skydiving, and also vacationing in South Asian countries like India and Nepal, partly on account of his interest of Yoga and Buddhism. Speaks five languages: Spanish, English, French, Italian and Portuguese. Is the sponsor of three children in India. Ranked #42 on VH1's 100 Sexiest Artists. He was awarded a Star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame for Recording at 6901 Hollywood Boulevard in Hollywood, California on October 16, 2007. Jon Secada, Desmond Child and Emilio Estefan Jr. have all been his music producers for his self-titled album. His song, "The Cup of Life", was the official theme of the World Cup in France for 1998. Welcomed twin sons Matteo and Valentino by gestational surrogate in early August 2008. Resided in Miami, Florida before selling his Golden Beach Home for $6,300,000. [September 2011] Relocated to Sydney, Australia to accommodate his position on The Voice (2012). [January 2013] Personal Quotes (10) Ignore the ignorant. The homosexual community wants me to be gay. The heterosexual community wants me to be straight. Every [writer] thinks, "I'm the journalist who's going to make him talk". I pray for them. I pray that they get a life and stop living mine! [asked if he has any aspirations for adopting his own children] I don't know when, but right now I am sponsoring three children in India and we have a very beautiful connection. [on what he would teach his children] Self-respect and to fight for what you want. I love my dad because he allowed me to do what I wanted, even though he know I wouldn't succeed in some moments. With success or failure, people grows. I wouldn't limit the life of my child, because that way you learn the importance of being realistic. [how he takes care of himself] I eat everything, that's a problem. I don't have discipline. My favorite dish is the Caribbean. Meat, rice, lots of grains. But I do like to do exercises. Lately, I've been having capoeira classes and lots of cardiovascular exercises, such as jogging and cycling. Buddha's teaching are very simple, you don't have to break your head to understand the message. The part that I like the most from Buddha's teachings and from His Holiness, The Dalai Lama, is that the most powerful weapon is to not attack, to be able to have self-control. I don't want to dream anymore, I want my life to be real! [on Michael Jackson's death] I am very sad. No one will be able to replace him. But I know that the light that he emanated from the stage will live on with all of us who saw him for what he was and always will be - a great teacher, pure musical inspiration. [March 29, 2010, on his official website] Hoy acepto mi homosexualidad como un regalo que me da la vida. ¡Me siento bendecido de ser quien soy! (I am proud to say that I am a fortunate homosexual man. I am very blessed to be who I am.) [2015, from an open Father's Day letter to Matteo and Valentino] Above all, my beautiful sons, your love gave me the strength to live an honest life. Don't ever let anyone or anything make you feel like you can't be your true self.