Ricky Martin
Encyclopedia
Enrique "Ricky" Martín Morales (born December 24, 1971), better known as Ricky Martin, is a Puerto Rican
and Spanish
pop
singer and actor who achieved prominence, first as a member of the Latin
boy band
Menudo
, then as a solo artist since 1991.
During his career he has sold more than 60 million album copies worldwide. He is the founder of Ricky Martin Foundation
(in Spanish
Fundación Ricky Martin), a non-profit charity organization.
Ricky Martin's exuberant 1999 single "Livin' la Vida Loca
" made him a prominent figure of Latin dance-pop. Martin got his start with the all-boy pop group Menudo
; after five years with the group, he released his Spanish-language solo album, Ricky Martin
, in 1991. He also acted on stage and on TV in Mexico
, becoming a modest star there. In 1994 he starred on the American TV soap opera General Hospital
, playing a Puerto Rican singer. In 1999, after several albums in Spanish, he released his first English-language album (also titled Ricky Martin
), which included the salsa-style "Livin' la Vida Loca". The album sold 22 million copies and brought Martin international fame. His other studio albums include: Me Amarás (1993), A Medio Vivir (1995), Vuelve (1998), Sound Loaded
(2000), Almas del Silencio
(2003), Life
(2005), and Música + Alma + Sexo
(2011). In 2010 Martin announced that he was a "fortunate homosexual man", ending years of fan speculation on the topic.
On the edge of the new millennium, Martin—almost by himself—gave Latino music an international face. An acclaimed performance at the 1999 Grammy Awards launched Martin into worldwide super-stardom. As Entertainment Weekly
s Andrew Essex reported, "his leather-pants, electro-pelvis version of 'La Copa de la Vida
' single-handedly goosed a very dull [Grammy] telecast, earning him a standing ovation."
Martin's twin sons, Matteo and Valentino, were born via a surrogate mother in 2008. Martin also co-owns a Miami restaurant, Casa Salsa, and received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame
in 2007.
, the son of Nereida Morales, an accountant, and Enrique Martín Negroni, a psychologist. His parents divorced when he was two; his father remarried. 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. Martin grew up in a Roman Catholic home and was an altar boy
until he joined Menudo.
Martin has Corsican and Spanish
ancestry as his paternal fourth great-grandfathers were born in Rogliano
, Cap Corse
, Corsica
, and Vilanova i la Geltrú
, Catalonia
(Spain
).
Ricky Martin was a member of Puerto Rican
boy band
Menudo
between 1984 and 1989.
After completing high school, Martin left San Juan and moved to New York City
. Later, Martin moved to Mexico City
where he attended the national school of space. He played lead role in a 1989 musical-theatre release named Mis Tennis Rojos (My Red Tennis Shoes) next to Angélica Vale
and then followed another theater production Mama Ama el Rock (Mom Loves Rock).
titled Alcanzar una estrella II
next to Sasha Sokol
. Out of this soap opera a musical group was formed named Muñecos de Papel
in which he was one of the six members; they toured several cities in Mexico and recorded two albums. His main single was "Juego de Ajedrez
". A film based on the TV series was also produced in which Martin played Pablo, earning a Heraldo Award in 1993.
While acting in Mexico, Martin was signed to Sony Discos
, the Sony Music Entertainment
's Latin imprint, in 1990. He released his first solo album, the Spanish-language Ricky Martin
, in November 1991, which included the hit singles: "Fuego Contra Fuego
" and "El Amor de Mi Vida". Later, Ricky Martin performed a string of sold-out concert dates across South America
.
In May 1993, Martin released his second solo album, Me Amarás, which featured a Spanish-language cover of the Laura Branigan
song "Self Control
", titled "Que Dia Es Hoy".
Martin moved to Los Angeles
, California in 1994 and landed a role as bartender and singer Miguel Morez in the American soap opera
General Hospital
.
". The song broke Martin into Europe
via Spain
. "Maria" went to number one in France, Belgium Wallonia and Australia, and reached the top ten in most European countries; it even charted on the US Billboard Hot 100
, peaking at number eighty-eight. With the ballad "Te Extraño, Te Olvido, Te Amo
", Martin furthered his expansion from Latin American and Spanish-speaking audiences to the European and Asian markets. The album has sold over 3 million copies worldwide.
After the conclusion of a worldwide tour, Martin returned to New York to appear in a Broadway theatre
production for the first time, joining the cast of the hit musical Les Misérables
to play the romantic lead, Marius Pontmercy
.
While on Broadway, Martin returned to the studio and recorded his fourth album, Vuelve (1998). The title track
and the ballad "Perdido Sin Tí
" both hit number one on the Hot Latin Songs
. The album's pinnacle, however, was "La Copa de la Vida
", which Martin made a major hit in an English version when he was chosen to sing the anthem of the 1998 FIFA World Cup
. "La Copa de la Vida" reached number one 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
. 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.
Martin was nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Latin Pop Album
for Vuelve, and was booked to sing on the 41st Grammy Awards live TV broadcast. The now-legendary performance of "The Cup of Life
" stopped the show, earning Martin an unexpected standing ovation and introducing the star to the mainstream American audience. Martin capped off the evening by winning the Grammy Award.
album 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
".
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
. 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 Cctober 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 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. 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." 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. 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." 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. Starting in Mexico City, the tour premiered 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.
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
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. He also recorded a duet with Eros Ramazzotti
, "Non siamo soli
" which topped the Italian chart for eleven consecutive weeks.
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.
Martin's new 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. 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
. Música + Alma + Sexo also represents the highest ever chart debut on the Billboard 200 for a Sony Music Latin
release. 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 will end 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 will be 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.
There are reports that Ricky Martin will make a guest appearance playing a Spanish teacher on the FOX TV show GLEE in January 2012.
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 in 2005, Martin confirmed he and De Alba had parted ways.
In August 2008, Martin became the father of twin boys, 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." Along with this, Martin reportedly stated in an interview with Plus 7 Days magazine, "If I were gay, why not admit it? I am a normal man. I love women and sex. I am a real hot-blooded Puerto Rican, but I have never been attracted by sex with a man."
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." 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."
Martin announced on The Oprah Winfrey Show
that he is in a relationship. 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."
Martin was raised Catholic, but says he is open to all sorts of religious beliefs, especially the Buddhist philosophy, although he does not identify as a Buddhist.
On 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
. As a Spanish citizen he can now marry his boyfriend in Spain. He said he could marry in some states of the United States, but he wanted to marry in Spain to recognize the efforts of Zapatero
in defense of LGBT rights.
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.
; 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".
Martin supported Hillary Rodham Clinton
over Barack Obama
in the landslide Clinton victory in the Puerto Rican Democratic primary
on June 3, 2008.
Television appearances
|- style="background:#ddd;"
| colspan="5" style="text-align:center;"| Grammy
|- style="background:#ddd;"
| colspan="5" style="text-align:center;"| Latin Grammy
Puerto Rican people
A Puerto Rican is a person who was born in Puerto Rico.Puerto Ricans born and raised in the continental United States are also sometimes referred to as Puerto Ricans, although they were not born in Puerto Rico...
and Spanish
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
pop
Pop music
Pop music is usually understood to be commercially recorded music, often oriented toward a youth market, usually consisting of relatively short, simple songs utilizing technological innovations to produce new variations on existing themes.- Definitions :David Hatch and Stephen Millward define pop...
singer and actor who achieved prominence, first as a member of the Latin
Latin American music
Latin American music, found within Central and South America, is a series of musical styles and genres that mixes influences from Spanish, African and indigenous sources, that has recently become very famous in the US.-Argentina:...
boy band
Boy band
A boy band is loosely defined as a popular music act consisting of only male singers. The members are expected to dance as well as sing, usually giving highly choreographed performances. More often than not, boy band members do not play musical instruments, either in recording sessions or on...
Menudo
Menudo (band)
Menudo was a Puerto Rican boy band that was formed in the 1970s by producer Edgardo Díaz, releasing their first album in 1977. The band achieved much success, especially during the 1980s, becoming the most popular Latin American teen musical group of the era....
, then as a solo artist since 1991.
During his career he has sold more than 60 million album copies worldwide. He is the founder of Ricky Martin Foundation
Ricky Martin Foundation
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 child trafficking...
(in Spanish
Spanish language
Spanish , also known as Castilian , is a Romance language in the Ibero-Romance group that evolved from several languages and dialects in central-northern Iberia around the 9th century and gradually spread with the expansion of the Kingdom of Castile into central and southern Iberia during the...
Fundación Ricky Martin), a non-profit charity organization.
Ricky Martin's exuberant 1999 single "Livin' la Vida Loca
Livin' la Vida Loca
"Livin' la Vida Loca" is a song by Puerto Rican singer Ricky Martin. It was released on March 23, 1999 from Martin's self-titled debut English album. The song was composed by Desmond Child and Draco Rosa and topped the charts during 1999...
" made him a prominent figure of Latin dance-pop. Martin got his start with the all-boy pop group Menudo
Menudo (band)
Menudo was a Puerto Rican boy band that was formed in the 1970s by producer Edgardo Díaz, releasing their first album in 1977. The band achieved much success, especially during the 1980s, becoming the most popular Latin American teen musical group of the era....
; after five years with the group, he released his Spanish-language solo album, Ricky Martin
Ricky Martin (1991 album)
Ricky Martin is the debut album by Puerto Rican singer Ricky Martin, released on November 6, 1991 by Sony Music Mexico and on February 18, 1992 by Sony Music Latin in the United States. It peaked at number five on the Latin Pop Albums in the US and has sold over 500,000 copies worldwide.-Track...
, in 1991. He also acted on stage and on TV in Mexico
Mexico
The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
, becoming a modest star there. In 1994 he starred on the American TV soap opera General Hospital
General Hospital
General Hospital is an American daytime television drama that is credited by the Guinness Book of World Records as the longest-running American soap opera currently in production and the third longest running drama in television in American history after Guiding Light and As the World Turns....
, playing a Puerto Rican singer. In 1999, after several albums in Spanish, he released his first English-language album (also titled Ricky Martin
Ricky Martin (1999 album)
Ricky Martin is the fifth album by the Puerto Rican singer Ricky Martin released on Columbia Records on May 11, 1999. The album has sold 22 million copies, worldwide....
), which included the salsa-style "Livin' la Vida Loca". The album sold 22 million copies and brought Martin international fame. His other studio albums include: Me Amarás (1993), A Medio Vivir (1995), Vuelve (1998), Sound Loaded
Sound Loaded
Sound Loaded is the sixth album by the Puerto Rican singer Ricky Martin, released by Columbia Records on November 14, 2000. The album has been credited with worldwide sales of over eight million copies and went Multi-Platinum in the United States and several other territories. This album is...
(2000), Almas del Silencio
Almas del Silencio
- Charts :- Year-end charts :- Decade-end charts :- Sales and certifications :- Chart procession and succession :- References :...
(2003), Life
Life (Ricky Martin album)
Life is the eighth album by Ricky Martin. It was released on October 10, 2005 in Europe, October 11, 2005 in the US and October 19, 2005 in Japan.-Background and development:...
(2005), and Música + Alma + Sexo
Música + Alma + Sexo
Música + alma + sexo is the ninth studio album by Puerto Rican singer-songwriter Ricky Martin. It was released on January 31, 2011 in Europe by Columbia Records and on February 1, 2011 in North America by Sony Music Latin...
(2011). In 2010 Martin announced that he was a "fortunate homosexual man", ending years of fan speculation on the topic.
On the edge of the new millennium, Martin—almost by himself—gave Latino music an international face. An acclaimed performance at the 1999 Grammy Awards launched Martin into worldwide super-stardom. As Entertainment Weekly
Entertainment Weekly
Entertainment Weekly is an American magazine, published by the Time division of Time Warner, that covers film, television, music, broadway theatre, books and popular culture...
s Andrew Essex reported, "his leather-pants, electro-pelvis version of 'La Copa de la Vida
La Copa de la Vida
"The Cup of Life" is a song recorded by Ricky Martin. It was released on March 3, 1998, as the second single from Vuelve. "The Cup of Life" became the official song of the 1998 FIFA World Cup and topped the charts in many countries around the world....
' single-handedly goosed a very dull [Grammy] telecast, earning him a standing ovation."
Martin's twin sons, Matteo and Valentino, were born via a surrogate mother in 2008. Martin also co-owns a Miami restaurant, Casa Salsa, and received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame
Hollywood Walk of Fame
The Hollywood Walk of Fame consists of more than 2,400 five-pointed terrazzo and brass stars embedded in the sidewalks along fifteen blocks of Hollywood Boulevard and three blocks of Vine Street in Hollywood, California...
in 2007.
Early life
Martin was born on December 24, 1971, in San Juan, Puerto RicoSan Juan, Puerto Rico
San Juan , officially Municipio de la Ciudad Capital San Juan Bautista , is the capital and most populous municipality in Puerto Rico, an unincorporated territory of the United States. As of the 2010 census, it had a population of 395,326 making it the 46th-largest city under the jurisdiction of...
, the son of Nereida Morales, an accountant, and Enrique Martín Negroni, a psychologist. His parents divorced when he was two; his father remarried. 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. Martin grew up in a Roman Catholic home and was an altar boy
Altar server
An altar server is a lay assistant to a member of the clergy during a Christian religious service. An altar server attends to supporting tasks at the altar such as fetching and carrying, ringing the altar bell and so on....
until he joined Menudo.
Martin has Corsican and Spanish
Spanish people
The Spanish are citizens of the Kingdom of Spain. Within Spain, there are also a number of vigorous nationalisms and regionalisms, reflecting the country's complex history....
ancestry as his paternal fourth great-grandfathers were born in Rogliano
Rogliano, Haute-Corse
Rogliano is a commune in the Haute-Corse department of France on the island of Corsica.It is the seat of Capobianco Canton, which it shares with Barrettali, Cagnano, Centuri, Ersa, Luri, Meria, Morsiglia, Pino and Tomino...
, Cap Corse
Cap Corse
Cap Corse, a geographical area of Corsica , is a 25-mile long peninsula located at the northern tip of the island. At the base of it is the second largest city in Corsica, Bastia...
, Corsica
Corsica
Corsica is an island in the Mediterranean Sea. It is located west of Italy, southeast of the French mainland, and north of the island of Sardinia....
, and Vilanova i la Geltrú
Vilanova i la Geltrú
Vilanova i la Geltrú is a city in the province of Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain and the capital of the Garraf comarca. Originally a fishing port, the city has a growing population of approximately 66,000, and is situated 40 km south-west of Barcelona, with the more famous coastal resort of...
, Catalonia
Catalonia
Catalonia is an autonomous community in northeastern Spain, with the official status of a "nationality" of Spain. Catalonia comprises four provinces: Barcelona, Girona, Lleida, and Tarragona. Its capital and largest city is Barcelona. Catalonia covers an area of 32,114 km² and has an...
(Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
).
Ricky Martin was a member of Puerto Rican
Puerto Rican people
A Puerto Rican is a person who was born in Puerto Rico.Puerto Ricans born and raised in the continental United States are also sometimes referred to as Puerto Ricans, although they were not born in Puerto Rico...
boy band
Boy band
A boy band is loosely defined as a popular music act consisting of only male singers. The members are expected to dance as well as sing, usually giving highly choreographed performances. More often than not, boy band members do not play musical instruments, either in recording sessions or on...
Menudo
Menudo (band)
Menudo was a Puerto Rican boy band that was formed in the 1970s by producer Edgardo Díaz, releasing their first album in 1977. The band achieved much success, especially during the 1980s, becoming the most popular Latin American teen musical group of the era....
between 1984 and 1989.
After completing high school, Martin left San Juan and moved to New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
. Later, Martin moved to Mexico City
Mexico City
Mexico City is the Federal District , capital of Mexico and seat of the federal powers of the Mexican Union. It is a federal entity within Mexico which is not part of any one of the 31 Mexican states but belongs to the federation as a whole...
where he attended the national school of space. He played lead role in a 1989 musical-theatre release named Mis Tennis Rojos (My Red Tennis Shoes) next to Angélica Vale
Angélica Vale
Angélica Vale is a Mexican actress, singer and comedienne, known also as the daughter of Angélica María, "La Novia de Mexico" , and as the daughter of comedian Raul Vale...
and then followed another theater production Mama Ama el Rock (Mom Loves Rock).
Early solo work: 1991–1994
In 1991, Ricky Martin participated in a telenovelaTelenovela
A telenovela is a limited-run serial dramatic programming popular in Latin American, Portuguese, and Spanish television programming. The word combines tele, short for televisión or televisão , and novela, a Spanish or Portuguese word for "novel"...
titled Alcanzar una estrella II
Alcanzar una estrella II
Alcanzar Una Estrella II is a telenovela produced by Televisa in 1991. It is the sequel to Alcanzar Una Estrella.-Plot:...
next to Sasha Sokol
Sasha Sokol
Sasha Sökol is a Mexican singer, composer, actress, and TV host. She has sold more than 5 million albums worldwide.-Biography:...
. Out of this soap opera a musical group was formed named Muñecos de Papel
Muñecos de Papel
Muñecos de Papel was a fictional Mexican pop group that appeared on the 1991 telenovela, Alcanzar Una Estrella II. Its members were Sasha Sokol from real life pop group Timbiriche, Ricky Martin , Bibi Gaytán also member of Timbiriche post-Sasha, Angélica Rivera, Erik Rubin also from Timbiriche, and...
in which he was one of the six members; they toured several cities in Mexico and recorded two albums. His main single was "Juego de Ajedrez
Juego de Ajedrez
"Juego de Ajedrez" is a single from Ricky Martin's debut solo album Ricky Martin. It was released in 1992. A music video was also released.-Background:...
". A film based on the TV series was also produced in which Martin played Pablo, earning a Heraldo Award in 1993.
While acting in Mexico, Martin was signed to Sony Discos
Sony Music Latin
Sony Music Latin is a record label owned by Sony Music Entertainnment. The label focuses on artists for Latin music.-Labels distributed by Sony Music Latin:*Pina Records*Top Stop Music*Premium Latin Music-List of artists on Sony Music Latin:...
, the Sony Music Entertainment
Sony Music Entertainment
Sony Music Entertainment ' is the second-largest global recorded music company of the "big four" record companies and is controlled by Sony Corporation of America, the United States subsidiary of Japan's Sony Corporation....
's Latin imprint, in 1990. He released his first solo album, the Spanish-language Ricky Martin
Ricky Martin (1991 album)
Ricky Martin is the debut album by Puerto Rican singer Ricky Martin, released on November 6, 1991 by Sony Music Mexico and on February 18, 1992 by Sony Music Latin in the United States. It peaked at number five on the Latin Pop Albums in the US and has sold over 500,000 copies worldwide.-Track...
, in November 1991, which included the hit singles: "Fuego Contra Fuego
Fuego Contra Fuego
"Fuego Contra Fuego" is the first single from Ricky Martin's debut solo album Ricky Martin. It was released in October 1991 in Latin America and on February 11, 1992 in the United States.A music video was also released....
" and "El Amor de Mi Vida". Later, Ricky Martin performed a string of sold-out concert dates across South America
South America
South America is a continent situated in the Western Hemisphere, mostly in the Southern Hemisphere, with a relatively small portion in the Northern Hemisphere. The continent is also considered a subcontinent of the Americas. It is bordered on the west by the Pacific Ocean and on the north and east...
.
In May 1993, Martin released his second solo album, Me Amarás, which featured a Spanish-language cover of the Laura Branigan
Laura Branigan
Laura Ann Branigan was an American singer-songwriter and actress of Italian and Irish ancestry. She is best known in the United States for her 1982 Platinum-certified hit "Gloria" and in Europe for the number-one single "Self Control"...
song "Self Control
Self Control (song)
"Self Control" is the name of an international hit song recorded in 1984 by Laura Branigan, as well as the album on which it appears. The song was recorded that same year with the same English lyrics by Italian singer Raf, who co-wrote the song with Giancarlo Bigazzi and Steve Piccolo. Branigan's...
", titled "Que Dia Es Hoy".
Martin moved to Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
, California in 1994 and landed a role as bartender and singer Miguel Morez in the American soap opera
Soap opera
A soap opera, sometimes called "soap" for short, is an ongoing, episodic work of dramatic fiction presented in serial format on radio or as television programming. The name soap opera stems from the original dramatic serials broadcast on radio that had soap manufacturers, such as Procter & Gamble,...
General Hospital
General Hospital
General Hospital is an American daytime television drama that is credited by the Guinness Book of World Records as the longest-running American soap opera currently in production and the third longest running drama in television in American history after Guiding Light and As the World Turns....
.
Breakthrough: 1995–1998
In 1995, Martin refocused on his music career, and his third album, A Medio Vivir, became an international breakthrough. With this album, Martin made a shift from formulaic hit ballads to a more risky fusion of music centered around traditional Latin sounds, epitomized by the hit "MariaMaría (song)
"María" is a song recorded by Puerto Rican singer Ricky Martin for his third album, A Medio Vivir. It was released as a single on November 21, 1995 in Latin territories, and later in other parts of the world. "María" became Martin's first international hit single.-Music video:Three versions of the...
". The song broke Martin into Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
via Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
. "Maria" went to number one in France, Belgium Wallonia and Australia, and reached the top ten in most European countries; it even charted on the US Billboard Hot 100
Billboard Hot 100
The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday...
, peaking at number eighty-eight. With the ballad "Te Extraño, Te Olvido, Te Amo
Te Extraño, Te Olvido, Te Amo
"Te Extraño, Te Olvido, Te Amo" is the first single from Ricky Martin's album A Medio Vivir. It was released on September 5, 1995 in Latin territories.-Music video:...
", Martin furthered his expansion from Latin American and Spanish-speaking audiences to the European and Asian markets. The album has sold over 3 million copies worldwide.
After the conclusion of a worldwide tour, Martin returned to New York to appear in a Broadway theatre
Broadway theatre
Broadway theatre, commonly called simply Broadway, refers to theatrical performances presented in one of the 40 professional theatres with 500 or more seats located in the Theatre District centered along Broadway, and in Lincoln Center, in Manhattan in New York City...
production for the first time, joining the cast of the hit musical Les Misérables
Les Misérables (musical)
Les Misérables , colloquially known as Les Mis or Les Miz , is a musical by Claude-Michel Schönberg, based on the novel of the same name by Victor Hugo....
to play the romantic lead, Marius Pontmercy
Marius Pontmercy
Marius Pontmercy is a principal fictional character in Victor Hugo’s 1862 novel Les Misérables. He is young, intense, and in love with Cosette. He fights at the barricades with Enjolras and the Friends of the ABC when %C3%89ponine tricks him into going to the barricade and he resolves to die...
.
While on Broadway, Martin returned to the studio and recorded his fourth album, Vuelve (1998). The title track
Vuelve (song)
"Vuelve" is the title track and first single from Ricky Martin's album Vuelve. It was released on January 27, 1998.-Chart performance:...
and the ballad "Perdido Sin Tí
Perdido Sin Tí
"Perdido Sin Ti" is the fourth single from Ricky Martin's album Vuelve. It was released on August 18, 1998.-Chart performance:...
" both hit number one on the Hot Latin Songs
Hot Latin Songs
Hot Latin Songs is a record chart published by Billboard magazine. It is often recognized as the most important music chart for Spanish language Latin music in the American music market. It was established by the magazine on September 6, 1986 with La Guirnalda by Rocío Dúrcal being the first song...
. The album's pinnacle, however, was "La Copa de la Vida
La Copa de la Vida
"The Cup of Life" is a song recorded by Ricky Martin. It was released on March 3, 1998, as the second single from Vuelve. "The Cup of Life" became the official song of the 1998 FIFA World Cup and topped the charts in many countries around the world....
", which Martin made a major hit in an English version when he was chosen to sing the anthem of the 1998 FIFA World Cup
1998 FIFA World Cup
The 1998 FIFA World Cup, the 16th FIFA World Cup, was held in France from 10 June to 12 July 1998. France was chosen as host nation by FIFA on 2 July 1992. The tournament was won by France, who beat Brazil 3-0 in the final...
. "La Copa de la Vida" reached number one 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
Lo Nuestro Awards
Lo Nuestro is an awards show honoring the best of Latin music, presented by television network Univision. The awards began in 1989. Notable recipients include Selena, Gloria Estefan, Juan Gabriel, Olga Tañón, Marc Anthony, Ricky Martin, Juanes, Laura Pausini, Luis Miguel, Maná, Juan Luis Guerra, ...
. Further singles included: "La Bomba
La Bomba (Ricky Martin song)
"La Bomba" is the third single from Ricky Martin's album Vuelve. It was released on June 16, 1998. "La Bomba" was remixed by Pablo Flores.-Chart performance:...
", "Por Arriba, Por Abajo
Por Arriba, Por Abajo
"Por Arriba, Por Abajo" is the fifth single from Ricky Martin's album Vuelve. It was released on November 3, 1998...
" and "Corazonado
Corazonado
"Corazonado" is the sixth and last single from Ricky Martin's album Vuelve. It was released on January 12, 1999.-Chart performance:The song reached number twenty on the Hot Latin Songs in the United States.-Charts:...
". Vuelve spent twenty-six weeks at number one on the Billboard Top Latin Albums
Billboard Top Latin Albums
Latin Albums is a record chart published by Billboard magazine and is labeled as the most important music chart for Spanish language, full-length albums in the American music market. Like all Billboard album charts, the chart is based on sales...
. It became Martin's first top forty album on the Billboard 200
Billboard 200
The Billboard 200 is a ranking of the 200 highest-selling music albums and EPs in the United States, published weekly by Billboard magazine. It is frequently used to convey the popularity of an artist or groups of artists...
in the United States, where it was certified platinum by the RIAA
Recording Industry Association of America
The Recording Industry Association of America is a trade organization that represents the recording industry distributors in the United States...
. The album also went to number one in Spain and Norway, and sold over eight million copies worldwide.
Martin was nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Latin Pop Album
Grammy Award for Best Latin Pop Album
The Grammy Award for Best Latin Pop Album was awarded from 1984 to 2011. The award has had several minor name changes:*From 1984 to 1991 the award was known as Best Latin Pop Performance*From 1992 to 1994 it was awarded as Best Latin Pop Album...
for Vuelve, and was booked to sing on the 41st Grammy Awards live TV broadcast. The now-legendary performance of "The Cup of Life
La Copa de la Vida
"The Cup of Life" is a song recorded by Ricky Martin. It was released on March 3, 1998, as the second single from Vuelve. "The Cup of Life" became the official song of the 1998 FIFA World Cup and topped the charts in many countries around the world....
" stopped the show, earning Martin an unexpected standing ovation and introducing the star to the mainstream American audience. Martin capped off the evening by winning the Grammy Award.
Crossover to English: 1999–2002
After several years as a major star in Spanish-speaking countries, Martin prepared his first English album in 1999. The self-titledRicky Martin (1999 album)
Ricky Martin is the fifth album by the Puerto Rican singer Ricky Martin released on Columbia Records on May 11, 1999. The album has sold 22 million copies, worldwide....
album contained material by writers and producers such as Desmond Child
Desmond Child
Desmond Child is an American musician, songwriter, and producer. He is a member of the Songwriters Hall of Fame.-Career:...
, Diane Warren
Diane Warren
Diane Eve Warren , is a US songwriter. Her songs have received six Academy Award nominations, five Golden Globe nominations, including one win and seven Grammy Award nominations, including one win. She was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2001...
, William Orbit
William Orbit
William Orbit is an English musician, composer and record producer, perhaps best known to most for his work on Madonna's album Ray of Light. He has also co-produced several unreleased Madonna songs originally recorded for other albums...
, George Noriega
George Noriega
George Noriega is a Grammy-winning American songwriter and record producer. He is the owner of Cutting Cane Studios and Cutting Cane Publishing, based in Fort Lauderdale, Florida....
and his longtime childhood friend Draco Rosa
Draco Rosa
Draco Cornelius Rosa Suárez , also known as Robi Draco Rosa, Robby Rosa, Draco Rosa or simply Draco, is a Puerto Rican Grammy Award and Latin Grammy Award...
. The album also featured special guests: Madonna
Madonna (entertainer)
Madonna is an American singer-songwriter, actress and entrepreneur. Born in Bay City, Michigan, she moved to New York City in 1977 to pursue a career in modern dance. After performing in the music groups Breakfast Club and Emmy, she released her debut album in 1983...
on the Spanish-English duet "Be Careful (Cuidado con mi Corazón)" and Meja
Meja
Meja , is a Swedish composer, artist and singer. Among her best known songs are "I'm Missing You","All 'Bout the Money" and "Private Emotion"...
on "Private Emotion
Private Emotion
"Private Emotion" is a pop song written by Eric Bazilian and Rob Hyman and originally recorded by The Hooters, for their 1993 album, Out of Body. The song was picked up by Ricky Martin and included on his Ricky Martin album. It was released as a single on February 8, 2000 and featured Swedish...
".
The first and most prominent single was "Livin' la Vida Loca
Livin' la Vida Loca
"Livin' la Vida Loca" is a song by Puerto Rican singer Ricky Martin. It was released on March 23, 1999 from Martin's self-titled debut English album. The song was composed by Desmond Child and Draco Rosa and topped the charts during 1999...
", which reached number one in many countries around the world, including the United States, United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
, Ireland
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
and New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
. It was followed by "She's All I Ever Had
She's All I Ever Had
"She's All I Ever Had" is the second single taken from the multiplatinum first English-language album by Ricky Martin, called simply Ricky Martin. It was released on June 15, 1999...
" which peaked at number two on the Billboard Hot 100
Billboard Hot 100
The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday...
. Both tracks peaked at number one on the Hot Latin Songs
Hot Latin Songs
Hot Latin Songs is a record chart published by Billboard magazine. It is often recognized as the most important music chart for Spanish language Latin music in the American music market. It was established by the magazine on September 6, 1986 with La Guirnalda by Rocío Dúrcal being the first song...
. "Livin' la Vida Loca" is generally seen as the song that began the Latin pop
Latin pop
Latin pop generally refers to pop music that has what may be perceived a Latin American influence...
explosion of 1999 and made the transition of other Latin artists (first Jennifer Lopez
Jennifer Lopez
Jennifer Lynn Lopez is an American actress, singer, record producer, dancer, television personality, and fashion designer. Lopez began her career as a dancer on the television comedy program In Living Color. Subsequently venturing into acting, she gained recognition in the 1995 action-thriller...
and Enrique Iglesias
Enrique Iglesias
Enrique Iglesias is a Spanish pop music singer, a son of singer Julio Iglesias.Enrique started his musical career on Mexican label Fonovisa...
, then later Shakira
Shakira
Shakira Isabel Mebarak Ripoll , known professionally as Shakira , is a Colombian singer who emerged in the music scene of Colombia and Latin America in the early 1990s...
) into the English-speaking market easier. Ricky Martin
Ricky Martin (1999 album)
Ricky Martin is the fifth album by the Puerto Rican singer Ricky Martin released on Columbia Records on May 11, 1999. The album has sold 22 million copies, worldwide....
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 Cctober 1999, Martin embarked on a very successful year-long Livin' la Vida Loca Tour
Livin' la Vida Loca Tour
The Livin' La Vida Loca World Tour was the first major world concert tour by Puerto Rican singer Ricky Martin to support his first English-language album Ricky Martin...
.
After this success, a new English-language album, Sound Loaded
Sound Loaded
Sound Loaded is the sixth album by the Puerto Rican singer Ricky Martin, released by Columbia Records on November 14, 2000. The album has been credited with worldwide sales of over eight million copies and went Multi-Platinum in the United States and several other territories. This album is...
, was released in November 2000. It debuted at number four on the Billboard 200
Billboard 200
The Billboard 200 is a ranking of the 200 highest-selling music albums and EPs in the United States, published weekly by Billboard magazine. It is frequently used to convey the popularity of an artist or groups of artists...
and was certified 2× platinum by the RIAA
Recording Industry Association of America
The Recording Industry Association of America is a trade organization that represents the recording industry distributors in the United States...
. "She Bangs
She Bangs
"She Bangs" is a song performed by Ricky Martin, from his 2000 album Sound Loaded. An up-tempo, salsa-influenced song with double entendres about the singer's infatuation with a woman, Martin's recording earned him continued crossover success around the world.The song was co-written by Desmond...
" and "Nobody Wants to Be Lonely
Nobody Wants to Be Lonely
"Nobody Wants to Be Lonely" is the second single from Ricky Martin's second English album, Sound Loaded, released on January 9, 2001. Ricky Martin also recorded this single in Spanish entitled "Sólo Quiero Amarte". Another version of the song was recorded as a duet with Christina Aguilera...
" (duet with Christina Aguilera
Christina Aguilera
Christina María Aguilera is an American recording artist and actress. Aguilera first appeared on national television in 1990 as a contestant on the Star Search program, and went on to star in Disney Channel's television series The Mickey Mouse Club from 1993–1994...
) 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
Billboard Top Latin Albums
Latin Albums is a record chart published by Billboard magazine and is labeled as the most important music chart for Spanish language, full-length albums in the American music market. Like all Billboard album charts, the chart is based on sales...
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
Fuego Contra Fuego
"Fuego Contra Fuego" is the first single from Ricky Martin's debut solo album Ricky Martin. It was released in October 1991 in Latin America and on February 11, 1992 in the United States.A music video was also released....
" and "El Amor de Mi Vida". In November 2001, an English-language greatest hits album, The Best of Ricky Martin
The Best of Ricky Martin
- Charts :- Year-end charts :- Certifications :- References :...
was released outside North America. It contained two new remixes of "Amor
Amor (Ricky Martin song)
"Amor" is the first English-language single from Ricky Martin's album The Best of Ricky Martin. Originally, the song was included on the 2000 album Sound Loaded...
".
Almas del Silencio and Life: 2003–2006 In May 2003, Martin released a new Spanish album Almas del Silencio
Almas del Silencio
- Charts :- Year-end charts :- Decade-end charts :- Sales and certifications :- Chart procession and succession :- References :...
. The first single, "Tal Vez
Tal Vez (Ricky Martin song)
"Tal Vez" is the first single from Ricky Martin's album Almas del Silencio. It was released on March 25, 2003 in Latin territories.-Chart performance:...
", debuted at number one on the Hot Latin Songs
Hot Latin Songs
Hot Latin Songs is a record chart published by Billboard magazine. It is often recognized as the most important music chart for Spanish language Latin music in the American music market. It was established by the magazine on September 6, 1986 with La Guirnalda by Rocío Dúrcal being the first song...
and stayed there for eleven weeks. 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." Almas del Silencio debuted at number twelve on the Billboard 200
Billboard 200
The Billboard 200 is a ranking of the 200 highest-selling music albums and EPs in the United States, published weekly by Billboard magazine. It is frequently used to convey the popularity of an artist or groups of artists...
and reached number one on the Billboard Top Latin Albums
Billboard Top Latin Albums
Latin Albums is a record chart published by Billboard magazine and is labeled as the most important music chart for Spanish language, full-length albums in the American music market. Like all Billboard album charts, the chart is based on sales...
where it stayed for six weeks. The album sold more than one million copies worldwide. The next singles, "Jaleo
Jaleo
"Jaleo" is the first international and second US single from Ricky Martin's album Almas del Silencio. It was released on April 2, 2003 in Europe and Australia, and on June 17, 2003 in the United States...
" and "Y Todo Queda en Nada
Y Todo Queda en Nada
"Y Todo Queda en Nada" is the last single from Ricky Martin's album Almas del Silencio. It was released on December 8, 2003 in Latin territories.-Chart performance:...
", 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
Life (Ricky Martin album)
Life is the eighth album by Ricky Martin. It was released on October 10, 2005 in Europe, October 11, 2005 in the US and October 19, 2005 in Japan.-Background and development:...
, 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." 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
Fat Joe
Joseph Antonio Cartagena , better known by his stage name Fat Joe, is an American rapper, CEO of Terror Squad Entertainment, and member of musical groups D.I.T.C. and Terror Squad....
and Amerie
Amerie
Amerie Mi Marie Rogers , known professionally as Amerie or Ameriie, is an American singer-songwriter, record producer, and actress. She debuted in 2002 with the album All I Have, primarily co-written and produced by Rich Harrison, and was well-received in the urban market...
. It peaked at number three on the Hot Dance Club Songs and number sixty-five on the Billboard Hot 100
Billboard Hot 100
The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday...
. Another song from the album, "It's Alright" was re-recorded as a duet with French singer M. Pokora
M. Pokora
Matthieu Tota in Strasbourg, France commonly known as M. Pokora or Matt Pokora, is a French singer and songwriter.-Early life:...
. It was successful in French-speaking countries, reaching number four in France.
Soon after, Martin announced his One Night Only with Ricky Martin
One Night Only with Ricky Martin
One Night Only with Ricky Martin was the worldwide concert tour by Puerto Rican singer Ricky Martin, in support of his 2005 album Life. The tour visited Latin America, North America, Europe and Middle East. In Spanish-language countries, it was named Una Noche con Ricky Martin.-About the tour:Ricky...
tour. Starting in Mexico City, the tour premiered 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
2006 Winter Olympics Closing Ceremony
The Closing Ceremony of the 2006 Winter Olympics took place on February 26, 2006 beginning at 20:00 CET at the Stadio Olimpico in Turin, Italy.-Program:...
in Turin
Turin
Turin is a city and major business and cultural centre in northern Italy, capital of the Piedmont region, located mainly on the left bank of the Po River and surrounded by the Alpine arch. The population of the city proper is 909,193 while the population of the urban area is estimated by Eurostat...
. 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
Manchester
Manchester is a city and metropolitan borough in Greater Manchester, England. According to the Office for National Statistics, the 2010 mid-year population estimate for Manchester was 498,800. Manchester lies within one of the UK's largest metropolitan areas, the metropolitan county of Greater...
, UK, and ended on June 3, 2006 in Tel Aviv
Tel Aviv
Tel Aviv , officially Tel Aviv-Yafo , is the second most populous city in Israel, with a population of 404,400 on a land area of . The city is located on the Israeli Mediterranean coastline in west-central Israel. It is the largest and most populous city in the metropolitan area of Gush Dan, with...
, Israel.
MTV Unplugged and a world tour: 2006–2007
On August 17, 2006, Ricky Martin taped his MTV UnpluggedMTV Unplugged (Ricky Martin album)
- Charts :- Sales and certifications :- Year-end charts :- Decade-end charts :- Credits :Raphael Alkins EngineerWanda Berrios Make-Up, CabeloGustavo Borner EngineerRichard Bravo Percussion...
concert in Miami. It premiered on MTV Latin America
MTV Latin America
MTV Latin America is a cable television specialty service aimed at residents in Hispanic American countries. It was launched on October 1, 1993 as MTV en Español. The channel is a Hispanic American version from MTV...
, MTV Tr3s and MTV Puerto Rico
WJPX
WJPX is a full-power television station in San Juan, Puerto Rico transmitting over analog channel 24, digital 21. It is currently an owned-and-operated station of the Caribevision network....
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
Billboard Top Latin Albums
Latin Albums is a record chart published by Billboard magazine and is labeled as the most important music chart for Spanish language, full-length albums in the American music market. Like all Billboard album charts, the chart is based on sales...
and number thirty-eight on the Billboard 200
Billboard 200
The Billboard 200 is a ranking of the 200 highest-selling music albums and EPs in the United States, published weekly by Billboard magazine. It is frequently used to convey the popularity of an artist or groups of artists...
. At the Latin Grammy Awards of 2008
Latin Grammy Awards of 2008
The 9th Annual Latin Grammy Awards took place on November 13, 2008 at the Toyota Center in Houston, Texas and were aired on Univision. The Brazilian Field awards were presented on the same day at the Ibirapuera Auditorium in São Paulo. The Latin Recording Academy Person of the Year was Gloria...
, MTV Unplugged received Latin Grammy Award for Best Male Pop Vocal Album and for Best Long Form Music Video
Latin Grammy Award for Best Long Form Music Video
The Latin Grammy Award for Best Long Form Music Video is given every year since the 7th Latin Grammy Awards ceremony. The award is given to the performer, director and producer of the video.- 2010s :- 2000s :...
. The first single, "Tu Recuerdo
Tu Recuerdo
"Tu Recuerdo" is the first single from Ricky Martin's album MTV Unplugged. It was released on September 26, 2006, and features La Mari of Chambao.-Chart performance:...
" which featured La Mari of Chambao
Chambao
Chambao is a flamenco-electronic band originally from Málaga, Andalusia, Spain, known for a Flamenco Chill sound that fuses flamenco sounds and palos with electronic music...
, reached number one for three weeks on the Hot Latin Songs
Hot Latin Songs
Hot Latin Songs is a record chart published by Billboard magazine. It is often recognized as the most important music chart for Spanish language Latin music in the American music market. It was established by the magazine on September 6, 1986 with La Guirnalda by Rocío Dúrcal being the first song...
. The next single, "Pégate
Pégate
"Pégate" is the second single from Ricky Martin's album MTV Unplugged. It was released on December 19, 2006.-Composition:...
" peaked at number six on the Hot Dance Club Songs.
On February 19, 2007, Martin began his worldwide Black and White Tour
Black and White Tour
Black and White Tour was the worldwide concert tour by Puerto Rican singer Ricky Martin, in support of his 2006 album MTV Unplugged. The tour visited Latin America, North America and Europe...
which started with a performance at the José Miguel Agrelot Coliseum
José Miguel Agrelot Coliseum
The José Miguel Agrelot Coliseum, officially named "Coliseo de Puerto Rico José Miguel Agrelot" , is the biggest indoor arena in Puerto Rico dedicated to entertainment...
in Puerto Rico and concluded with a presentation at the Madison Square Garden
Madison Square Garden
Madison Square Garden, often abbreviated as MSG and known colloquially as The Garden, is a multi-purpose indoor arena in the New York City borough of Manhattan and located at 8th Avenue, between 31st and 33rd Streets, situated on top of Pennsylvania Station.Opened on February 11, 1968, it is the...
in New York City on October 14, 2007. He also recorded a duet with Eros Ramazzotti
Eros Ramazzotti
Eros Luciano Walter Ramazzotti , known simply as Eros Ramazzotti, is an Italian singer and songwriter. Ramazzotti is enormously popular in Italy, and is well known in most non-English-speaking European countries and in the Spanish-speaking world, as he has released most of his albums in both...
, "Non siamo soli
Non siamo soli
"Non siamo soli" is a single by Eros Ramazzotti with the Latin-pop singer Ricky Martin. This song is the first single from the greatest hits of Eros Ramazzotti, e². Exclusively for the song Ricky Martin sang in Italian...
" which topped the Italian chart for eleven consecutive weeks.
Career break: 2007–2010
After finishing his worldwide tour, Martin took a break from the music industry and focused on his private life. In November 2007, Sony BMG NorteSony Music Latin
Sony Music Latin is a record label owned by Sony Music Entertainnment. The label focuses on artists for Latin music.-Labels distributed by Sony Music Latin:*Pina Records*Top Stop Music*Premium Latin Music-List of artists on Sony Music Latin:...
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 and a new album: 2010–present
Ricky Martin's autobiography, Me, was published on November 2, 2010. The book became The New York Times Best Seller list, debuting at number five on the Hardcover Nonfiction list. A Spanish-language edition entitled Yo was published simultaneously.Martin's new single, "The Best Thing About Me Is You
The Best Thing About Me Is You
"The Best Thing About Me Is You" is a song by the Puerto Rican recording artist Ricky Martin, taken from his ninth studio album Música + Alma + Sexo. It was released as the lead single from the album to iTunes on November 2, 2010. The song had earlier premiered on radio's Ryan Seacrest show...
" featuring Joss Stone
Joss Stone
Jocelyn Eve Stoker , better known by her stage name Joss Stone, is an English soul singer-songwriter and actress. Stone rose to fame in late 2003 with her multi-platinum debut album, The Soul Sessions, which made the 2004 Mercury Prize shortlist...
also premiered on November 2, 2010 and peaked at number seventy-four on the Billboard Hot 100
Billboard Hot 100
The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday...
. The Spanish version, "Lo Mejor de Mi Vida Eres Tú
The Best Thing About Me Is You
"The Best Thing About Me Is You" is a song by the Puerto Rican recording artist Ricky Martin, taken from his ninth studio album Música + Alma + Sexo. It was released as the lead single from the album to iTunes on November 2, 2010. The song had earlier premiered on radio's Ryan Seacrest show...
" topped the Hot Latin Songs
Hot Latin Songs
Hot Latin Songs is a record chart published by Billboard magazine. It is often recognized as the most important music chart for Spanish language Latin music in the American music market. It was established by the magazine on September 6, 1986 with La Guirnalda by Rocío Dúrcal being the first song...
for two weeks. It was followed by a new studio album, Música + Alma + Sexo
Música + Alma + Sexo
Música + alma + sexo is the ninth studio album by Puerto Rican singer-songwriter Ricky Martin. It was released on January 31, 2011 in Europe by Columbia Records and on February 1, 2011 in North America by Sony Music Latin...
released on January 31, 2011. It debuted at number three on the Billboard 200
Billboard 200
The Billboard 200 is a ranking of the 200 highest-selling music albums and EPs in the United States, published weekly by Billboard magazine. It is frequently used to convey the popularity of an artist or groups of artists...
and became the highest charting, primarily-Spanish language album in the United States, since Dreaming of You by Selena
Selena
Selena Quintanilla-Pérez , known simply as Selena, was a Mexican American singer-songwriter. She was named the "top Latin artist of the '90s" and "Best selling Latin artist of the decade" by Billboard for her fourteen top-ten singles in the Top Latin Songs chart, including seven number-one hits...
. Música + Alma + Sexo also represents the highest ever chart debut on the Billboard 200 for a Sony Music Latin
Sony Music Latin
Sony Music Latin is a record label owned by Sony Music Entertainnment. The label focuses on artists for Latin music.-Labels distributed by Sony Music Latin:*Pina Records*Top Stop Music*Premium Latin Music-List of artists on Sony Music Latin:...
release. It spent two weeks at number one on the Billboard Top Latin Albums
Billboard Top Latin Albums
Latin Albums is a record chart published by Billboard magazine and is labeled as the most important music chart for Spanish language, full-length albums in the American music market. Like all Billboard album charts, the chart is based on sales...
. On March 25, 2011, Martin started his Música + Alma + Sexo World Tour
Música + Alma + Sexo World Tour
-Tour dates:-Box office score data:-External links:...
, which will end on November 12, 2011. The second single from the album, "Más
Más (Ricky Martin song)
"Más" is the second official single from Ricky Martin's album Música + Alma + Sexo. It was released as a digital download on April 5, 2011.-Background:...
" was released on April 5, 2011 and peaked at number seven on the Hot Dance Club Songs. "Frío
Frío
"Frío" is the third official single from Ricky Martin's album Música + Alma + Sexo. It was released as a digital download on July 11, 2011.-Background:...
" featuring Wisin & Yandel
Wisin & Yandel
Wisin & Yandel are a Puerto Rican reggaeton Duo, consisting of Juan Luis Morera Luna and Llandel Veguilla Malavé Salazar . They started their career in 1998 and have been together since, winning several awards during that time....
was chosen as the third single.
17: Greatest Hits
17: Greatest Hits
17: Greatest Hits is a greatest hits album by the Puerto Rican singer Ricky Martin. It was released exclusively in the United Kingdom on July 11, 2011....
was released on July 11, 2011 exclusively in the United Kingdom.
Ricky Martin will be playing Ché in the Broadway revival of the show Evita, scheduled to begin previews on Broadway
Broadway theatre
Broadway theatre, commonly called simply Broadway, refers to theatrical performances presented in one of the 40 professional theatres with 500 or more seats located in the Theatre District centered along Broadway, and in Lincoln Center, in Manhattan in New York City...
in March 2012, ahead of an opening in April 2012.
There are reports that Ricky Martin will make a guest appearance playing a Spanish teacher on the FOX TV show GLEE in January 2012.
Personal life
Rebecca de Alba
Rebecca de Alba is a Mexican model and TV presenter. She dated Mexican actor Guillermo Capetillo and Mexican singer Leonardo de Lozanne...
, 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 in 2005, Martin confirmed he and De Alba had parted ways.
In August 2008, Martin became the father of twin boys, Matteo and Valentino. The babies were birthed by a surrogate mother
Surrogacy
Surrogacy is an arrangement in which a woman carries and delivers a child for another couple or person. This woman may be the child's genetic mother , or she may carry the pregnancy to delivery after having an embryo, to which she has no genetic relationship whatsoever, transferred to her uterus...
.
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." Along with this, Martin reportedly stated in an interview with Plus 7 Days magazine, "If I were gay, why not admit it? I am a normal man. I love women and sex. I am a real hot-blooded Puerto Rican, but I have never been attracted by sex with a man."
On March 29, 2010, Martin publicly acknowledged his homosexuality
Coming out
Coming out is a figure of speech for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender people's disclosure of their sexual orientation and/or gender identity....
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." In 2010, prior to Martin coming out, Barbara Walters
Barbara Walters
Barbara Jill Walters is an American broadcast journalist, author, and television personality. She has hosted morning television shows , the television newsmagazine , former co-anchor of the ABC Evening News, and current contributor to ABC News.Walters was first known as a popular TV morning news...
expressed some regret for pushing Martin in a 2000 interview to admit if he was gay. The Toronto Star
Toronto Star
The Toronto Star is Canada's highest-circulation newspaper, based in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Its print edition is distributed almost entirely within the province of Ontario...
quoted her as saying, "When I think back on it now, I feel it was an inappropriate question."
Martin announced on The Oprah Winfrey Show
The Oprah Winfrey Show
The Oprah Winfrey Show is an American syndicated talk show hosted and produced by its namesake Oprah Winfrey. It ran nationally for 25 seasons beginning in 1986, before concluding in 2011. It is the highest-rated talk show in American television history....
that he is in a relationship. Martin has also expressed support for same-sex marriage
Same-sex marriage
Same-sex marriage is marriage between two persons of the same biological sex or social gender. Supporters of legal recognition for same-sex marriage typically refer to such recognition as marriage equality....
in an interview on Larry King Live
Larry King Live
Larry King Live is an American talk show hosted by Larry King on CNN from 1985 to 2010. It was CNN's most watched and longest-running program, with over one million viewers nightly....
, and commented on his experience of being closeted
Closeted
Closeted and in the closet are metaphors used to describe lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer/questioning and intersex people who have not disclosed their sexual orientation or gender identity and aspects thereof, including sexual identity and sexual behavior.-Background:In late 20th...
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."
Martin was raised Catholic, but says he is open to all sorts of religious beliefs, especially the Buddhist philosophy, although he does not identify as a Buddhist.
On November 2011, he acquired Spanish nationality
Spanish nationality law
Spanish nationality law refers to all the laws of Spain concerning nationality. The 11th article of the First Title of the Spanish Constitution refers to Spanish nationality and establishes that a separate law is to regulate how it is acquired and lost. This separate law is the Spanish Civil Code...
in recognition of his artistic talents and for having roots in the country, Martin's grandmother is Spanish
Spanish people
The Spanish are citizens of the Kingdom of Spain. Within Spain, there are also a number of vigorous nationalisms and regionalisms, reflecting the country's complex history....
, and he owns a residence in Madrid
Madrid
Madrid is the capital and largest city of Spain. The population of the city is roughly 3.3 million and the entire population of the Madrid metropolitan area is calculated to be 6.271 million. It is the third largest city in the European Union, after London and Berlin, and its metropolitan...
. As a Spanish citizen he can now marry his boyfriend in Spain. He said he could marry in some states of the United States, but he wanted to marry in Spain to recognize the efforts of Zapatero
José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero
José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero is a member of the Spanish Socialist Workers' Party . He was elected for two terms as Prime Minister of Spain, in the 2004 and 2008 general elections. On 2 April 2011 he announced he will not stand for re-election in 2012...
in defense of LGBT rights.
Humanitarian work
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.Martin has been honored with many accolades for his humanitarian efforts including: Leadership in the Arts Award, Billboard
Billboard (magazine)
Billboard is a weekly American magazine devoted to the music industry, and is one of the oldest trade magazines in the world. It maintains several internationally recognized music charts that track the most popular songs and albums in various categories on a weekly basis...
s Spirit of Hope Award, ALMA Award
Alma Award
The American Latino Media Arts Award, or ALMA Award is a distinction awarded to Latino performers who promote positive portrayals of Latinos in the entertainment field...
, Vanguard Award, International Humanitarian Award by the International Centre for Missing & Exploited Children
International Centre for Missing & Exploited Children
The International Centre for Missing & Exploited Children is a global service agency working against child exploitation and abduction.The group works with Interpol, law enforcement, and elected officials worldwide to combat child pornography and abduction.ICMEC was founded in 1998 by the USA...
, Hispanic Heritage Award for his humanitarian work through the Sabera Foundation in rescuing three orphan girls from the streets of Kolkata
Kolkata
Kolkata , formerly known as Calcutta, is the capital of the Indian state of West Bengal. Located on the east bank of the Hooghly River, it was the commercial capital of East India...
(September 2002).
Martin has also collaborated with the International Organization for Migration
International Organization for Migration
The International Organization for Migration is an intergovernmental organization. It was initially established in 1951 as the Intergovernmental Committee for European Migration to help resettle people displaced by World War II....
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
Human trafficking
Human trafficking is the illegal trade of human beings for the purposes of reproductive slavery, commercial sexual exploitation, forced labor, or a modern-day form of slavery...
, the United States Department of State
United States Department of State
The United States Department of State , is the United States federal executive department responsible for international relations of the United States, equivalent to the foreign ministries of other countries...
named Martin one of its Heroes in Ending Modern-Day Slavery in 2005.
Politics
Martin was a headliner in the 2001 inauguration ball for President George W. BushGeorge W. Bush
George Walker Bush is an American politician who served as the 43rd President of the United States, from 2001 to 2009. Before that, he was the 46th Governor of Texas, having served from 1995 to 2000....
; 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
Asignatura Pendiente
"Asignatura Pendiente" is the third single from Ricky Martin's album Almas del Silencio. It was released on August 11, 2003 in Latin territories...
".
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
Associated Press
The Associated Press is an American news agency. The AP is a cooperative owned by its contributing newspapers, radio and television stations in the United States, which both contribute stories to the AP and use material written by its staff journalists...
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".
Martin supported Hillary Rodham Clinton
Hillary Rodham Clinton
Hillary Diane Rodham Clinton is the 67th United States Secretary of State, serving in the administration of President Barack Obama. She was a United States Senator for New York from 2001 to 2009. As the wife of the 42nd President of the United States, Bill Clinton, she was the First Lady of the...
over Barack Obama
Barack Obama
Barack Hussein Obama II is the 44th and current President of the United States. He is the first African American to hold the office. Obama previously served as a United States Senator from Illinois, from January 2005 until he resigned following his victory in the 2008 presidential election.Born in...
in the landslide Clinton victory in the Puerto Rican Democratic primary
Puerto Rico Democratic primary, 2008
The 2008 Puerto Rico Democratic primary took place on June 1, 2008. It was an open primary. Puerto Rico initially planned to hold caucuses, as was done in 2000 and 2004, on June 7, 2008. In December 2007, an error in the plan was discovered; the caucus date should have read June 1, 2008. Puerto...
on June 3, 2008.
Discography
- Ricky MartinRicky Martin (1991 album)Ricky Martin is the debut album by Puerto Rican singer Ricky Martin, released on November 6, 1991 by Sony Music Mexico and on February 18, 1992 by Sony Music Latin in the United States. It peaked at number five on the Latin Pop Albums in the US and has sold over 500,000 copies worldwide.-Track...
(1991) - Me Amarás (1993)
- A Medio Vivir (1995)
- Vuelve (1998)
- Ricky MartinRicky Martin (1999 album)Ricky Martin is the fifth album by the Puerto Rican singer Ricky Martin released on Columbia Records on May 11, 1999. The album has sold 22 million copies, worldwide....
(1999) - Sound LoadedSound LoadedSound Loaded is the sixth album by the Puerto Rican singer Ricky Martin, released by Columbia Records on November 14, 2000. The album has been credited with worldwide sales of over eight million copies and went Multi-Platinum in the United States and several other territories. This album is...
(2000) - Almas del SilencioAlmas del Silencio- Charts :- Year-end charts :- Decade-end charts :- Sales and certifications :- Chart procession and succession :- References :...
(2003) - LifeLife (Ricky Martin album)Life is the eighth album by Ricky Martin. It was released on October 10, 2005 in Europe, October 11, 2005 in the US and October 19, 2005 in Japan.-Background and development:...
(2005) - Música + Alma + SexoMúsica + Alma + SexoMúsica + alma + sexo is the ninth studio album by Puerto Rican singer-songwriter Ricky Martin. It was released on January 31, 2011 in Europe by Columbia Records and on February 1, 2011 in North America by Sony Music Latin...
(2011)
Filmography
- 1987 : Por siempre amigos (TV series) as Ricky
- 1990 : Alcanzar una estrella (TV series) as Pablo Loredo
- 1991 : Alcanzar una estrella II (TV series) as Pablo Loredo
- 1992 : Más que alcanzar una estrella as Enrique
- 1993 : Getting By (TV series) as Martin
- 1993 : General HospitalGeneral HospitalGeneral Hospital is an American daytime television drama that is credited by the Guinness Book of World Records as the longest-running American soap opera currently in production and the third longest running drama in television in American history after Guiding Light and As the World Turns....
(TV series) as Miguel Morez (1994–1996) - 1996 : Barefoot in Paradise (TV series) as Sandoval
- 1997 : Hercules (Spanish Language, Voice Only) as Hercules.
- 2002 : Les Diables as Brian Rodriquez
- 2003 : Ricky Martin: En la intimidad (TV) as a guest star
Television appearances
- Phua Chu KangPhua Chu KangPhua Chu Kang Pte Ltd, also known as PCK Pte Ltd or Phua Chu Kang for short , was a Singaporean sitcom on MediaCorp TV Channel 5. The show debuted in Singapore in 1997. A sequel, Phua Chu Kang Sdn...
(2003) – as himself (guest appearance in season 6) - General HospitalGeneral HospitalGeneral Hospital is an American daytime television drama that is credited by the Guinness Book of World Records as the longest-running American soap opera currently in production and the third longest running drama in television in American history after Guiding Light and As the World Turns....
(1995) (television series) – Miguel Morez (unknown episodes, 1994–95) - Alcanzar una estrellaAlcanzar una estrellaAlcanzar una estrella is a Mexican telenovela first broadcast on Canal de las Estrellas in 1990.The telenovela, which was also broadcast in Latin America and on Univision in the United States, tells the story of an introverted girl's infatuation with her teen idol...
(1991) (television series) - Sos mi vidaSos mi vidaSos mi Vida is a 2006 Argentine romantic comedy TV series, starred by Facundo Arana and Natalia Oreiro, directed by Rodolfo Antúnez and Jorge Bechara and broadcast by Canal 13. It began broadcasting on January 16, 2006 and ending January 9, 2007, and during its broadcast averaged 26.9 points...
(2006) – as himself - The Oprah Winfrey ShowThe Oprah Winfrey ShowThe Oprah Winfrey Show is an American syndicated talk show hosted and produced by its namesake Oprah Winfrey. It ran nationally for 25 seasons beginning in 1986, before concluding in 2011. It is the highest-rated talk show in American television history....
(1999, 2004, 2005, 2011) – as himself - The Ellen DeGeneres ShowThe Ellen DeGeneres ShowThe Ellen DeGeneres Show, often shortened to Ellen, is an American television talk show hosted by comedian/actress Ellen DeGeneres. Debuting on September 8, 2003, it is produced by Telepictures and airs in syndication, including stations owned by NBC Universal. For its first five seasons, the show...
(2010) - as himself - The Tonight Show with Jay LenoThe Tonight Show with Jay LenoThe Tonight Show with Jay Leno is an American late-night talk show hosted by Jay Leno that initially aired from May 25, 1992 to May 29, 2009, and resumed production on March 1, 2010. The fourth incarnation of the Tonight Show franchise made its debut on May 25, 1992, three days following Johnny...
(2011) - as himself - American Dad (2011) - as himself
Theatre
- Les MisérablesLes Misérables (musical)Les Misérables , colloquially known as Les Mis or Les Miz , is a musical by Claude-Michel Schönberg, based on the novel of the same name by Victor Hugo....
(1996), Broadway – Marius - Evita, (2012), Broadway – scheduled
Tours
| Ricky Martin Tour | (1992) |
| Me Amaras Tour | (1993–1994) |
| A Medio Vivir Tour | (1995–1997) |
| Vuelve World Tour | (1998) |
| Livin' la Vida Loca Tour Livin' la Vida Loca Tour The Livin' La Vida Loca World Tour was the first major world concert tour by Puerto Rican singer Ricky Martin to support his first English-language album Ricky Martin... |
(1999–2000) |
| One Night Only with Ricky Martin One Night Only with Ricky Martin One Night Only with Ricky Martin was the worldwide concert tour by Puerto Rican singer Ricky Martin, in support of his 2005 album Life. The tour visited Latin America, North America, Europe and Middle East. In Spanish-language countries, it was named Una Noche con Ricky Martin.-About the tour:Ricky... |
(2005–2006) |
| Black and White Tour Black and White Tour Black and White Tour was the worldwide concert tour by Puerto Rican singer Ricky Martin, in support of his 2006 album MTV Unplugged. The tour visited Latin America, North America and Europe... |
(2007) |
| Música + Alma + Sexo World Tour Música + Alma + Sexo World Tour -Tour dates:-Box office score data:-External links:... |
(2011) |
Records and achievements
- Martin was chosen along with Félix TrinidadFélix TrinidadFélix 'Tito' Trinidad, Jr. is a Puerto Rican professional boxer, considered one of the best in Puerto Rico's history. After winning five National Amateur Championships in Puerto Rico, he debuted as a professional when he was 17. He won his first world championship when he defeated Maurice Blocker...
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 AwardsLo Nuestro AwardsLo Nuestro is an awards show honoring the best of Latin music, presented by television network Univision. The awards began in 1989. Notable recipients include Selena, Gloria Estefan, Juan Gabriel, Olga Tañón, Marc Anthony, Ricky Martin, Juanes, Laura Pausini, Luis Miguel, Maná, Juan Luis Guerra, ...
in Miami. - Martin was honored as the 2006 Latin Recording Academy Person of the YearLatin Recording Academy Person of the YearThe Latin Recording Academy Person of the Year is an award presented annually by the Latin Academy of Recording Arts & Sciences, the same organization that distributes the Latin Grammy Awards, to commend musicians for their artistic achievement in the Latin music industry and dedication to...
by the Latin Recording AcademyLatin Academy of Recording Arts & SciencesThe Latin Academy of Recording Arts & Sciences , is a multinational membership-based association composed of music industry professionals, musicians, producers, recording engineers, and other creative and technical recording professionals...
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 FameHollywood Walk of FameThe Hollywood Walk of Fame consists of more than 2,400 five-pointed terrazzo and brass stars embedded in the sidewalks along fifteen blocks of Hollywood Boulevard and three blocks of Vine Street in Hollywood, California...
star, shortly after receiving the key to the cityFreedom of the CityFreedom of the City is an honour bestowed by some municipalities in Australia, Canada, Ireland, France, Italy, New Zealand, South Africa, Spain, the United Kingdom, Gibraltar and Rhodesia to esteemed members of its community and to organisations to be honoured, often for service to the community;...
of Miami Beach, FloridaMiami Beach, FloridaMiami Beach is a coastal resort city in Miami-Dade County, Florida, United States, incorporated on March 26, 1915. The municipality is located on a barrier island between the Atlantic Ocean and Biscayne Bay, the latter which separates the Beach from Miami city proper...
on October 11. The star is located besides the Hollywood and Highland complex. Los Angeles mayor Antonio VillaraigosaAntonio VillaraigosaAntonio Ramón Villaraigosa , born Antonio Ramón Villar, Jr., is the 41st and current Mayor of Los Angeles, California, the third Mexican American to have ever held office in the city of Los Angeles and the first in over 130 years. He is also the current president of the United States Conference of...
and Rita MorenoRita MorenoRita Moreno is a Puerto Rican singer, dancer and actress. She is the only Hispanic and one of the few performers who have won an Emmy, a Grammy, an Oscar, and a Tony, and was the second Puerto Rican to win an Academy Award....
were invited to the unveiling ceremony.
- In addition to the numerous awards received throughout his musical career, Martin has also been honored with many accolades for his humanitarian efforts.
|- style="background:#ddd;"
| colspan="5" style="text-align:center;"| Grammy
|- style="background:#ddd;"
| colspan="5" style="text-align:center;"| Latin Grammy
See also
- List of best-selling music artists
- List of Puerto Ricans
- Honorific nicknames in popular music
- White Latin AmericanWhite Latin AmericanWhite Latin Americans are the people of Latin America who are white in the racial classification systems used in individual Latin American countries. Persons who are classified as White in one Latin American country may be classified differently in another country...