Ricky Martin

Ricky Martin has been one of Latin pop’s leading ambassadors since the '80s when he started out as a member of the boy band Menudo, bringing Puerto Rican pop all over the globe. Born Enrique Martín Morales in San Juan in 1971, Martin gained renown as an actor and singer after leaving the group in 1989, and his 1998 album Vuelve was a worldwide sensation, with the swaying title track and the rousing World Cup anthem “La Copa de la Vida” showing off his grown-man tenor. His eponymous 1999 English-language debut cemented his megastardom, with the giddy chart-topper “Livin’ la Vida Loca” and the swooning Madonna duet “Be Careful” proving he was a major player. In the years since, he’s balanced his A-list status as an actor, philanthropist, and advocate for Puerto Rico with his musical curiosity, collaborating with next-generation artists like Bad Bunny and Maluma on cutting-edge tracks and tugging at listeners’ heartstrings on ballads like “Tal Vez” and “Falta Amor”—all while celebrating the legacy and future of Latin pop. “I remember in 1999, when ‘Livin’ la Vida Loca’ came out, everybody said, ‘Oh, my God! The Latin explosion—boom!’” Martin told Apple Music. “Thank you, thank you very much… but it’s been there for a while.”