Ricky Martin

Who is the hottest thing since sliced bread? Ask any woman, no matter what age or nationality, and the answer is the same: Ricky Martin. Born two days before Christmas 1974 in San Juan, Puerto Rico, Ricky Martin has been performing since grade school. He began honing his skills at age six by appearing in TV commercials and school plays. Although he was first rejected by Menudo for being too young, Ricky was eventually accepted by the all-boy Latin sensation in 1984 at the age of 12. After five years of constant work with Menudo, he was on the verge of manhood, so Ricky left the group to pursue a solo career.

The elevator ride to the top was just about to begin for Ricky Martin. Settling in Mexico, his first solo album produced eight gold records all over the Americas. In conjunction with his second release, Ricky landed a role on the popular daytime soap "General Hospital" as "Miguel" which landed him a place in the hearts of millions of American women.

To no one's surprise, Ricky Martin's third and fourth solo efforts went gold. His fourth album Vuelve has sold more than 6 million copies worldwide. The phenomenal sales of Vuelve have been boosted by three major factors: the single "La Copa de la Vida" released as the World Cup Theme Song, Martin's 1998 win at the Grammy's for Best Latin Pop Album, and his performance at the Grammys that was heard around the world.

May 11, 1999 marked an important point in Ricky Martin history. Columbia Records released his fifth album, a self-titled cross over to English. This album was a calculated decision and has been two years in the making. Ricky wanted his first English album to be something that he can be proud of in 30 years. For all of the fans of his Spanish flavor, you have no reason to worry - Ricky will never abandon singing in Spanish.

At present, you cannot turn on MTV without seeing Ricky or hearing the album's first hit "Livin' La Vida Loca" which has shot to the top of the charts. Look for Ricky Martin fever to continue well after the summer months have ended.

Courtesy Yahoo! Web Celebs June 1999