Share

Ricky Martin biography

1 photo

Quick Facts

Best Known For

Pop singer Ricky Martin was a member of Menudo as a teenager and is now known for such solo pop hits as "Livin' La Vida Loca" and "She Bangs."

Videos see all videos

Quiz

Think you know about Biography?

Answer questions and see how you rank against other players.

Play Now
Ricky Martin - In the Spotlight watch more videos (1)

Synopsis

Born December 24, 1971, in San Juan, Puerto Rico, Ricky Martin began appearing in commercials at age six. He was a member of teen singing group Menudo until he turned 18. After finishing high school, he appeared on stage and television while also pursuing his solo music career. His debut English album and single were hugely successful. He continues to make music in both Spanish and English today.

Menudo

Born Enrique Jose Martin Morales IV, he began appearing in commercials on local television around the age of six. He auditioned three times for the teen singing group Menudo before finally earning a spot in 1984. In his five years with Menudo, Martin toured around the world, singing in several languages. He reached the group's age limit of 18 in 1989, and returned to Puerto Rico just long enough to finish high school before moving to New York to pursue a solo acting and singing career. His debut solo album, Ricky Martin, was released in 1988 by the Sony Latin division, followed by a second effort, Me Amaras, in 1989.

Acting Debut

Martin traveled to Mexico to appear in a stage musical; the gig led to a role as a singer on the 1992 Spanish-language telenovela, Alcanzar una Estrella, or To Reach a Star. The show proved so popular that he reprised the role in a movie version of the serial. In 1993, Martin moved to Los Angeles, where he made his American TV debut in the NBC sitcom Getting By. In 1995 he acted on ABC's daytime soap opera, General Hospital and in 1996 he starred in the Broadway production of Les Miserables.

While Martin was actively pursuing his acting career, he was also recording and releasing albums and making concert appearances. He had become well-known in his native Puerto Rico and among the Latin/Hispanic community as a whole. His third album, A Medio Vivir, came out in 1997, the same year that he lent his voice to the Spanish-language version of Disney's animated feature, Hercules. His fourth album, Vuelve, released in 1998, featured the hit single, "La Copa de la Vida" ("The Cup of Life"), which Martin performed at the 1998 World Cup soccer tournament in France, as part of a showcase broadcast to 2 billion people around the world.

Growing Fame

At the Grammy Awards in February 1999, Martin, already a global pop sensation, gave a sizzling performance of "La Copa de la Vida" at Los Angeles's Shrine Auditorium just before picking up an award for Best Latin Pop Performance for Vuelve. He followed that star-making Grammy night with the release of his phenomenally successful first English single, "Livin' La Vida Loca." His album Ricky Martin debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard chart. Martin was also featured on the cover of Time magazine and credited with helping to bring a growing Latin cultural influence into the mainstream of American pop music.

To add to the phenomenal popular success of his debut English album and single, Martin was nominated in four categories at the Grammy Awards, held in February 2000. Although he lost in all four categories—to veteran male pop artist Sting (Best Pop Album, Best Male Pop Vocal Performance) and Santana, the band led by resurgent guitarist Carlos Santana (Song of the Year, Record of the Year)—Martin delivered another red-hot live performance, a year after his triumphant Grammy debut.

ADVERTISEMENT
9542230 9542230
profile id: 9542230
profile name: Ricky Martin
profile occupation:
related profile id: 9542230
related profile name: Ricky Martin
related profile occupation:
related profile img: /imported/images/Biography/Images/Profiles/M/Ricky-Martin-9542230-1-402.jpg
related profile URL: /people/ricky-martin-9542230
profile
pop
Your Connections

Sign in with Facebook to see how you and your friends are connected to famous icons.

specific profile connection
See More Bio Connections
Your Friends' Connections
specific friend connection
Profile Connections
    Show More Connections
    Included In These Groups
      18 others

      Hispanic Musicians and Singers

      View group

      Hispanic Musicians and Singers 21 people in this group

      35 others

      U.N. Goodwill Ambassadors

      United Nations Goodwill Ambassadors are prominent individuals who volunteer to highlight important areas of the U.N.'s work. Actors, athletes, authors and musicians use their celebrity to raise awareness of the issues faced by victims of poverty, famine, and violence worldwide. Goodwill ambassadors make widely publicized visits to the world's most troubled locales, and make appeals on behalf of their people. Here are some of the stars who use their famous names to promote causes close to their hearts.

      View group

      U.N. Goodwill Ambassadors 38 people in this group

      7 others

      Guests on Glee

      The TV musical Glee, which debuted in 2009, follows the adventures of a diverse high school singing group who covers everyone from Michael Jackson to Madonna. The show has become famous for its jubilant song and dance numbers as well as for its guest stars. Gwyneth Paltrow made headlines with her turn as a mini-skirt clad substitute teacher who wowed with Cee-Lo's "Forget You," while Ricky Martin did a chair dance to LMFAO's "Sexy and I Know It." Legendary comedienne Carol Burnett also appeared as the Nazi-hunting mother of Sue Sylvester (actress Jane Lynch), leading the two in a duet of "Ohio." Who's been your favorite guest star on Glee?

      View group

      Guests on Glee 10 people in this group

    See all related groups

    ADVERTISEMENT

    Celebrity Connections

    Show More Connections
    Fact Check: We strive for accuracy and fairness. If you see something that doesn't look right, contact us!