Hey, Hollywooders! For this week’s Good in the ‘Wood Wednesday, we’re celebrating Ricky Martin as People’s cover star for their second annual Pride Issue.
The Puerto Rican singer and actor, known as the “King of Latin Pop,” has been in the music scene for over 20 years. Ricky Martin has sold more than 70 million records worldwide and ranks as one of the most influential Latin artists of all time.
Speaking with People, Ricky says that now “he’s more comfortable in his own skin than ever before.”
Ricky Martin has had a long, successful career
Born in Puerto Rico on December 21, 1971, Ricky Martin always loved performing. When he was a teen, he joined the Puerto Rican singing group Menudo. After leaving the band in 1989, he pursued an acting and music career. The singer released his debut, self-titled album in 1991, which became popular on the Latin charts. Ricky’s second album, Me Amaras, pushed him to superstardom in Latin America.
In 1994, Ricky Martin starred as Miguel Morez in the soap opera General Hospital. He continued acting as he made his debut on Broadway in Les Misérables. Ricky also went on to release more albums, including A Medio Vivir (1995) and Vuelve (1998).
Ricky Martin earned major success from his 1999 album Ricky Martin, which landed him at the top of the Billboard 200 chart. The album included major hits like “Livin’ La Vida Loca” and “She’s All I Ever Had.” After his many GRAMMY nominations (including winning Best Latin Performance for Vuelve), Ricky Martin has released more albums throughout the years and embarked on multiple world tours.
Ricky Martin tells People he is now “a man with no secrets”
Although Ricky Martin had public romantic relationships with women in his early career, there were many questions surrounding his sexuality. In an interview with Barbara Walters in 2001, Ricky refrained from answering questions pertaining to his sexuality.
“When she dropped the question, I felt violated because I was just not ready to come out,” Ricky tells People now about the Barbara Walters interview. “I was very afraid.”
Ricky Martin later came out as gay in 2010. He reflects on the experience, expressing to People that figuring out his identity was a complicated process:
“A lot of people have said, ‘Rick, you were trying to prove yourself, because of fame and being a sex symbol.’ Well yeah, it could be. I don’t know. Everyone knows you don’t have to be a gay man to know that love is complicated. Or to know how confusing attraction can be. Sexuality is one complicated thing. It’s not black and white. It’s filled with colors.”
International superstar @ricky_martin opens up about his latest EPs “Pausa” and “Play,” the role his father played in his life changing decision to come out in 2010, and finding lasting love with husband Jwan Yosef and their four beautiful children: https://t.co/rWee3w2cUB pic.twitter.com/R6HAEMXn2R
— PeopleTV (@peopletv) June 2, 2021
Ricky Martin is living true to himself
Ricky Martin is happily married to Syrian-Sweedish artist Jwan Yosef and has four kids. He’s also set to release his 11th album Play soon, while his next single is coming out June 10.
When thinking about what he could’ve done differently, he tells People he would’ve come out sooner:
“Well, maybe I would have come out in that interview. It would’ve been great because when I came out, it just felt amazing. When it comes to my sexuality, when it comes to who I am, I want to talk about what I’m made of, about everything that I am. Because if you hide it, it’s a life-or-death situation.”
As Ricky Martin lacked support or guidance about his sexuality when he was younger, he relates to the young people out there who feel alone.
“You can’t force someone to come out,” he tells People. “But if you have an egg and you open it from the outside, only death comes out. But if the egg opens up from the inside, life comes out.”
Thank you, Ricky Martin, for being your authentic self! We wish you and your family all the happiness!
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