Ricky Martin is one of the biggest names in the realm of Latin pop. He was responsible for the groundbreaking hits “Livin’ La Vida Loca” and “She Bangs”, not to mention numerous other singles in both English and Spanish.
Now you might be wondering what happened to Ricky Martin. It’s been a long time since he last released an English-language album. What is he up to now? Well, read on and find out more about what our favorite Latin superstar is doing in 2016. But first let’s take a trip down memory lane and see Ricky Martin’s journey towards fame and success.
Ricky Martin’s Early Life
Martin’s experience with Menudo had both its positives and negatives. He relished on the performances and tours with the band but Martin despised the authoritarian rule of the band manager. The band also opened the doors to Martin’s philanthropic endeavors and international exposure. Martin left Menudo in 1989 as per the established age limit of the band. He went back home to Puerto Rico and finished high school. Martin then went to New York City to take some well-deserved R&R. He enrolled at the Tisch School of the Arts at New York University and was accepted, although Martin did not push through with studying and instead went to Mexico City to sharpen his acting skills.
During his stay on the Mexican capital, Martin joined the stage play Mama Ama el Rock. His acting attracted the producer of a well-known telenovela Alcanzar una estrella and Martin was offered a spot in the cast of its second season. As the show was focused on a fictional band, Martin and the other members “toured” Mexican cities and released albums as well. At the same time Martin inked a deal with record label Sony Discos and worked hard until the release of his eponymous album in 1991. It peaked at number 5 on the Latin charts of Billboard and was certified Gold. Two years later he released another Spanish-language album Me Amarás which fared better commercially and cemented Martin’s name as a superstar in Latin America.
Ricky Martin Goes International
In 1993 Martin was cast as an extra in the short-lived comedy series Getting By. The following year he became part of drama series General Hospital for two years as Miguel Morez. His performance there eventually led to his inclusion in the Broadway musical Les Misérables in New York. Afterwards Martin embarked on a tour to support his third album titled A Medio Vivir which was a worldwide hit.
At this time Martin focused his career in singing and did not go back to acting. In 1998 he released his fourth studio album Vuelve which included the phenomenal single “La copa de la vida”. The song was written by Martin with the help of songwriters Draco Rosa and K.C. Porter and was used by FIFA as the official song of the World Cup that year. Martin’s live performance of the song during the World Cup finals amassed billions of viewers worldwide. The song also earned Martin a “Pop Song of the Year” award in the 1999 Premio Lo Nuestro, an awards show for Latin music.
Martin performed “La copa de la vida” in the Grammy Awards during the same year which he was met with a standing ovation. He also took home the “Best Latin Pop Performance” award for Vuelve. A few months later he released his first ever English album Ricky Martin with the highly-successful single “Livin’ la Vida Loca”. The album raked in millions of sales worldwide, peaked in numerous charts, and of course awards and nominations.
In 2000 Martin released his second English album Sound Loaded with the memorable “She Bangs” and the tandem with Christina Aguilera in “Nobody Wants to Be Lonely”. The album did well commercially and critically but was not as successful as its predecessor. He went back to his roots in the 2003 album Almas del Silencio which won the “Latin Pop Album” award during the Latin Billboard Music Awards in 2004, and the “Favorite Latin Artist” award in the American Music Awards.
In 2004 Martin founded his own non-profit organization Ricky Martin Foundation which focuses on the fight against human trafficking. Martin’s humanitarian efforts earned him numerous accolades.
His third English album Life hit the shelves in 2005 and fared reasonably well. He supported the album with the concert tour One Night Only with Ricky Martin that lasted until June 2006. Martin did not work on new material and instead released the album version of his MTV Unplugged performance in 2006. He embarked on the Black and White Tour to support this album.
Ricky Martin Slows Down
Martin stepped away from the limelight after the Black and White Tour in 2007. Only a greatest hits album titled 17 was released by record label Sony BMG Norte in commemoration of Martin’s long career.
The Latin superstar made a comeback in 2010 with the release of Me, an autobiography in English while its Spanish counterpart is titled Yo. The next year his ninth album Musica + Alma + Sexo was launched and it contained English and Spanish songs. It took the charts by storm and was as successful as his first English album in 1999.
After three greatest hits albums, Martin once again released a studio album A Quien Quiera Escuchar in 2015. It contained only Spanish language songs and was favorable in the ears of critics who gave it positive reviews. It won the “Album of the Year” award during the 2015 Latin American Music Awards.
What’s Ricky Martin Doing Now in 2018 – Recent Updates
A Quien Quiera Escuchar won Martin a “Best Latin Pop Album” in the Grammy Awards last February. In the same month he bagged the “Pop/Rock Album of the Year” accolade from the Lo Nuestro Awards.
Last April, Martin was part of a fund-raising event held by the Foundation of AIDS Research, accompanied by boyfriend Jwan Yosef. An auction was held where the first prize was a passionate kiss from the Latin superstar. Businesswoman Ana Paola Diniz got the chance to lock lips with Martin and it cost her $90,000.
He is scheduled to perform on the charity event Autism Rocks on September 22 to 23. He was originally scheduled only for 23 but due to high demand Martin was booked for 22 as well. The gig will be held in the Hammersmith Apollo in London.
Martin teamed up with singer Maluma for a new single titled “Vente Pa Ca” which will be released on September 23.
Martin is currently on his One World Tour in support of A Quien Quiera Escuchar which started in 2014 and will end on December this year.
Stay updated with Martin by following his Instagram and Twitter (@ricky_martin), and Facebook (/rickymartinofficialpage) accounts. You can also visit his official website www.rickymartinmusic.com.
