|
Puerto Rican pop star Ricky Martin cut his teeth in the
Latin heartthrob band Menudo, moving on to television,
Broadway and a Grammy-winning solo career.
Martin was born on Christmas Eve, 1971 in San Juan, Puerto
Rico. At 12 he was rotated into the lineup of the Latin
boy band Menudo. Five years later, at the peak of
superstardom, he was rotated out. Following his departure
from Menudo, Martin spent several years getting his
bearings; he graduated from high school, dabbled in
acting, spent time in Mexico and New York, and eventually
released two solo albums (Ricky Martin and Me Amaras) that
became hits on the Latin pop charts.
In 1994 Martin landed a regular role on the soap opera
"General Hospital." His character, Miguel Morez,
was a singing bartender, providing a national showcase for
Martin's sexy voice and good looks. The role on "GH"
eventually led to a year-long role in the Broadway
production of "Les Miserables."
In 1995 Martin released his third solo album, A Medio
Vivir, a rock album with Latin stylings, produced by Ian
Blake. Three years later, Martin released Vuelve, his most
successful album to date. The CD contained the
international hit "La Copa de la Vida/The Cup of
Life," which became an anthem for the 1998 World Cup
and which won Martin a Grammy for Best Latin Pop
Performance. His show-stopping performance at the 1999
Grammy Awards presentation resulted in a standing ovation
and sky-rocketing record sales of Vuelve.
Martin quickly followed up on his success with the release
of Ricky Martin, his English-language debut.
|
