By Angela Villanueva
LatinaLista.net
Enrique Martin Morales or Ricky Martin, as most of us know him, has always been a very private man. Constantly battling rumors that he was gay, he would always respond with a “no comment” when posed the question.
If pressed, he would simply say it was a private matter. The public was left to draw its own conclusions. Yet, in the new autobiography, “Me” written by Ricky Martin and published by Celebra, the singer doesn’t keep his fans guessing anymore.
Ricky Martin finally reveals that he is indeed gay, as well as, answering many other questions that have followed him throughout his long career. He starts off by talking about his childhood, which is where everything started.
He joined the Hispanic boy band Menudo where he was a regular for five years. Needing a break from the group, Martin took a year off and moved to New York City. It was there that he decided to become a solo artist and where he first learned some hard lessons of the music business. For instance, he was so excited about the prospect of cutting his first solo album that he signed the contract without consulting his lawyer first. It was a mistake he never repeated again.
Ricky went on to make more albums but it wasn’t until he made some albums in English that he became one of the most successful Latino crossover artists in the business. He toured all over the world. It was during one of his tours in India that he witnessed human trafficking.
Disgusted by what he saw, he knew he had to do something about it. So he started the Ricky Martin Foundation to help advocate for the well-being of children. The organization’s main project is People for Children, which helps educate the public about human trafficking.
Experiencing burnout from years of touring, Martin eventually settled down at his parents’ home in Puerto Rico, the place where he grew up and felt so much love in his childhood. During this time, he decided he was ready for fatherhood.
Not having a partner, Martin chose to have a baby on his own using the surrogate method. Twin boys, Valentino and Matteo, were born in early August 2008. Though he mostly cares for the boys on his own, his parents help out since they all live together in Puerto Rico.
Anyone who has grown up with Ricky Martin’s music, or has at least heard of him in some way, will likely enjoy “Me” since readers are given a front row seat to a life made famous living “La Vida Loca.”
