His career began at age 12 with the iconic boy band Menudo, where he gained early fame across Latin America. After departing in 1989, he pursued acting in Mexican telenovelas and on the U.S. soap opera General Hospital. His solo music career reached a fever pitch with the 1998 World Cup anthem “La Copa de la Vida” and his subsequent electrifying performance at the 1999 Grammy Awards. This momentum fueled his first English-language album, featuring the global smash hit “Livin’ la Vida Loca,” which sold over 15 million copies. Beyond his musical achievements—including two Grammy Awards and five Latin Grammys—Martin has been a prominent humanitarian. He established the Ricky Martin Foundation in 2000 to combat human trafficking and advocate for children’s rights. In 2010, he made headlines by publicly coming out as gay, later detailing his journey in his bestselling memoir, Me. With over 70 million records sold worldwide, Martin remains a vital force in entertainment, recently earning an Emmy nomination for his role in The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story. Ricky recently played at the 2026 Super Bowl Halftime show for over 120 million viewers and continues to tour the world!