Ricky Martin Trivia: 40 interesting facts about the singer!

Ricky Martin is an American- Spanish singer, actor and author. He was a huge star throughout the 1990’s around the world. Let’ see sοme amazing facts and trivia about him!

1.His full name is Enrique “Ricky” Martín Morales.

2.He was born December 24, 1971.

3. He was born in San Juan, Puerto Rico, the son of Nereida Morales, an accountant, and Enrique Martín Negroni, a psychologist.

4. His parents divorced when he was two years old and Martin spent much of his childhood shifting between his father’s home in the suburbs of University Gardens, a suburban middle-class neighborhood of San Juan, and his paternal grandmother’s house nearby.

5. Ricky Martin has two maternal half-brothers, Fernando and Ángel Fernández, and two paternal half-brothers, Eric and Daniel Martín, and a paternal half-sister Vanessa Martín.

6. Ricky Martin in an interview with Vanity Fair described his origins as Spanish, with Basque ancestry from his great-grandparents, plus some Corsican through his paternal grandmother.

7. Ricky Martin grew up in a Roman Catholic home and was an altar boy throughout his childhood but he has stated that he is open to all sorts of religious beliefs, especially the Buddhist philosophy.

8. He began singing at age six, using wooden kitchen spoons as pretend microphones; he often interpreted songs by Menudo as well as English-language rock groups such as Led Zeppelin, Journey, and REO Speedwagon.

9. His mother’s side of the family was musically inclined and his maternal grandfather was a poet, which inspired young Martin to write songs.

10. After achieving a small amount of fame in Puerto Rico for his work in television commercials, Martin auditioned for membership in Puerto Rican boy band Menudo. Although the executives enjoyed his dancing and singing at his first two auditions, Martin was rejected because he was too short. By the third audition, his persistence impressed executives and in 1984, twelve-year-old Martin became a member.

11. A month after joining Menudo, he made his debut performance with the group at the Luis A. Ferré Performing Arts Center in San Juan.

12. During this performance, he inadvertently disobeyed the choreography by walking around the stage when it was planned that he would stay still, and was chastised by the band manager after the show.

13. Ricky Martin possesses a tenor vocal range.

14. Ricky Martin cites a variety of the Latin music genres as influences, including salsa, merengue, and bolero.

15. He also is inspired by artists such as the Fania All-Stars, Celia Cruz, El Gran Combo de Puerto Rico, and Gilberto Santa Rosa, some of which his mother played for him as a child.

16. His all-time idols are Michael Jackson, Cher, Madonna, Elvis Presley, Sting, Barbra Streisand, Daniel Day-Lewis.

17. In November 2013 Martin launched Piccolo Universe, an online community for parents and caregivers from all corners of the world to celebrate and share the joys and struggles of raising kids.

18. In 1995, Martin refocused on his music career, and began work on his third album, A Medio Vivir. The first single, the ballad “Te Extraño, Te Olvido, Te Amo”, written by the producer of Lynda Thomas, Carlos Lara, was reminiscent of his earlier work.

19. After receiving commercial success throughout Asia, Europe, and Latin America, Martin prepared his first English album in 1999 in an attempt to cross over to the United States market.

20. Ricky Martin’s autobiography, Me, was published on November 2, 2010.

21. The book became part of The New York Times Best Seller list, debuting at number five on the Hardcover Nonfiction list. A Spanish-language edition entitled Yo was published simultaneously.

22. He enjoys surfing, skydiving, and also vacationing in South Asian countries like India and Nepal, partly on account of his interest in Yoga and Buddhism.

23. In November 2011, he acquired Spanish nationality in recognition of his artistic talents and for having roots in the country – Martin’s grandmother is Spanish, and he owns a residence in Madrid. In September 2011 he sold his home in Miami. In a public statement, written in Spanish, Martin explicitly stated that he has not abandoned his Puerto Rican identity: “I was born in Puerto Rico, I am a Puerto Rican, and Puerto Rico is my homeland. I made the request for Spanish citizenship some time ago, I was just waiting for a response. This step is part of planning for the future within a global community of whom I am part. Spain is a country with which I share many memories and strong ties born of my roots and the love they have given me since I first visited.”

24. In January 2013, he relocated to Sydney, Australia to accommodate his position on The Voice Australia.

25. Martin was in an on-off relationship with Mexican TV host Rebecca de Alba for more than 14 years. The pair had spoken of starting a family together,and Martin had at one point considered proposing to her.

26. In August 2008, Martin became the father of twin boys, Matteo and Valentino, born by a surrogate mother.

27. After the success of “Livin’ la Vida Loca”, Martin’s personal life became a subject of interest due to his large gay following, and he was questioned about his sexual orientation. In a December 2000 interview with The Mirror, Martin was asked to comment on the rumors surrounding his sexuality. He replied that “I don’t think I should have to tell anyone if I am gay or not, or who I’ve slept with or not.”

28. On March 29, 2010, Martin publicly acknowledged his homosexuality in a post on his official website.

29. Ricky Martin announced on The Oprah Winfrey Show that he was in a relationship.

30. In 2011, during his acceptance speech of the Vito Russo Award at the 22nd GLAAD Media Awards, Martin publicly thanked his boyfriend, Carlos González Abella, an economist.

31. His relationship with González Abella ended in January 2014.

32. Ricky Martin has also expressed support for same-sex marriage in an interview on Larry King Live, and commented on his experience of being closeted and coming out.

33. Ricky Martin delivered a speech at the UN homophobia conference on November 12, 2012.

35. As of April 2016, he is dating Syrian Swedish painter Jwan Yosef with whom they got engaged, recently.

36. Ricky Martin’s first children’s book, Santiago the Dreamer in Land Among the Stars, was published in November 2013.

37. A Spanish-language edition entitled, Santiago El Soñador en Entre Las Estrellas was published simultaneously.

38. The book was illustrated by Patricia Castelao.

39. Ricky Martin endorsed President Barack Obama for his reelection campaign by hosting a fundraiser with the President in New York on May 21, 2012. He endorsed the President for declaring his support for same-sex marriage.

40. His height is 1,80 metres!