Biography

Name: Enrique Martin Morales Jr.

Nickname: Kiki

Birthday: 24 December 1971 (Capricorn)

Place of birth: Hato Rey, Puerto Rico

Height: 6'1

Eye color: dork brown

Hair color: light brown

favorite Food:  Cuban and Italian

Least favorite food: Seafood

Family: mother: Nereida Morales

             Father: Enrique martin Negroni

             Siblings: Angel, Vanessa, fernando, Eric and Daniel

Favorite Designer: Georgio Armani

Favorite actor: Robert De Niro

Favorite Movie: The Godfather

Favorite Song: Fragile (sting)

Best Quality: Sincerity

Worst Quality: Sincerity

Worst Fear: Snakes

Favorite song on his "Ricky martin" : I Am Made of You

   Ricky's parents were separated when Ricky was just 2 years old his parents' divorce was anything but amicable: his dad once asked Ricky to choose between he and his mother.He was hurt and angered by his dad's ultimatum, Ricky stopped talking to his father for more than a decade.Father and son reconciled a few years ago.Growing up, Ricky loved all kinds of music. "I listened to Boston, Cheap Trick, Journey, David Bowie. When I was a kid, my brothers and I were all into rock, rock, rock."Ricky was introduced to Latin music by his mom. "One day she got tired of rock,"
he recalls with a smile. "She said, 'I can't stand it anymore!' and grabbed us by the ears and took us to a Celia Cruz concert. It really affected me."From the beginning, Ricky loved to perform, becoming active in local plays and in choir as a boy. At the age of 6, he scored parts in commercials and became very comfortable in front of the camera.Wanting to excel in his craft, Ricky started taking singing and acting lessons before he was 10.       Though raised Catholic, Ricky is studding other religions like Hinduism, Buddhism and Judaism . Ricky served as an altar boy for years before joining Menudo

    The first time Ricky auditioned for Menudo, he was rejected for being "too small" and "too young".Ricky tried out again, and was rejected again.Third time's a charm! Ricky was selected to join Menudo in 1984 at the height of the band's fame.
Overnight, he went from an anonymous 12-year-old to a heartthrob performing for tens of thousand of people in stadiums around the world.His nickname in the group was "New Ricky". Ricky wanted to be in Menudo to learn the lifestyle of an entertainer.With Menudo, Ricky traveled all over South America and to the U.S., Italy, Japan, Guam,
the Philippines and Spain. Ricky was with Menudo for five years and non-stop recording, rehearsing and performing.In English, Menudo mean "something small" or "change." 

      After five years, he was rotated out of the youth-driven band.Ricky says he learned an important lesson from being in Menudo: How to be disciplined. Post-Menudo, Ricky graduated from high school and traveled to New York to study and reflect on his early fame. In all, he took a one-year break in 1990, Ricky reentered the record biz as a solo artist, signing with Sony Records"Ricky Martin," the 1992 Latin album, earned him solid reviews and eight gold records in M�xico, Chile, Argentina, Puerto Rico and the United States.Ricky released his second album, "Me Amaras," in 1993.  Wanting to try his luck in the acting biz, Ricky picked up and moved to Los Angeles the same year he released "Me Amaras."  After a few additions, Ricky snagged the role of Miguel on "General Hospital" and instantly became a daytime television heartthrob. After "General Hospital," Ricky earned the coveted lead role Marius in the Broadway production of "Les Mis�rables."Ricky dubbed the Spanish version of Disney's "Hercules.      His third album, "A Medio Vivir," in 1995, was produced by Robi Rosa and KC Porter, and sold more than 600,000 copies in six months. Ricky repeated that success with "Vuelve," which was certified gold on July 7, 1998. "Vuelve" has sold more than six million copies worldwide. Ricky has sold over 18 million albums as a solo artist. Ricky entertained more than 275,000 fans in Buenos Aires, Argentina in 1996. It was his largest audience ever.

              More than a billion viewers in 187 counties witnessed Ricky's electrifying performance of "La Copa de la Vida" at the 1999 Grammy Awards . Ricky's full-length Latin recording, "Vuelve," won the Grammy for Best Latin Pop Performance.   "La Copa de la Vida" was the official song of the World Cup France '98. It has reached No. 1 in more than 30 countries.

              Ricky says he'll never stop singing in Spanish, but recording an album in English was always part of his plan "Ricky Martin," his first full-length English-language recording, took over two years to produce. "I was not going to release this album until I was completely content with what I'd be presenting," he admits.

              Ricky's confident that America will devour his English-language debut as much as the rest of the world ate up his Spanish-language offerings. "With all humbleness,". Ricky says, "I think we'll sell 10 million copies."

              Honesty is what Ricky wants to get across to the world with his latest album. "I cannot wear a mask. This is Ricky Martin. That's why the album is called 'Ricky Martin.' As simple as that. We want to keep it simple. Like Albert Einstein said, 'Let's make it simple, but not simpler than what it is.' And this is me."

              Ricky wanted to release the single "Livin' La Vida Loca" as a way of saying "Hey! Boom! I'm here! Check this out!"

              Ricky loves the multinational, multidimensional attitude of the song:"[It] has a little bit of Latin, a little bit of ska, a little bit of rock, and there's even a little bit of the '60s, sort of a James Bond sound.".  "Livin' La Vida Loca" was co-written by fellow Menudo alumnus Robi Rosa.

  Many people advised Ricky against recording with international icon Madonna because of their contrasting music styles. When the two pop powerhouses did meet in the studio, Ricky wasn't concerned with getting a song that would go on his album. He just wanted to have fun! The meeting did produce a song for the album:"Be Careful" (Cuidado Con Mi Coroz�n"). And it perfectly blends Ricky's Latin life and Madonna's techno experiences. Madonna wrote the song and Ricky translated a couple of the lyrics into Spanish. The song probably won't be the second single released to radio because Madonna's
schedule is so packed that the two singers can't pin down a date to film a video

              The second radio-released single will most likely be "She's All I Ever Had." Don't expect Ricky to record an all electronica album anytime soon. "I don't want my voice to sound too technical; I want it to sound like me. The way I feel is, I don't have to sound perfect, but my emotion has to nail it."

               Another standout duet on "Ricky Martin" is "Private Emotion," featuring the sensational Swedish song stress Meja.  Ricky loves to boast about the "dream team" that helped put the album together, including
Jon Secada, Emilio Estafan, and Desmond Child. Sony, Ricky's record label, was so hyped to release "Ricky Martin" after his electrifying
performance at the Grammy's that CEO Tommy Mattola purportedly quarreled with Madonna over delays in the recording of "Be Careful." Madonna wasn't pleased and allegedly walked out. Ricky managed to calm the ruffled feathers, and Madonna came back to finish the song.

              Ricky was more excited about performing at the Grammy's than actually bringing home an award
because the audience was one of the most demanding of his career. Ricky also had an extended yoga session to ease his pre-Grammy jitters, Ricky has one goal when he steps in front of an audience: "Make them go crazy!". Ricky is the spokesman for Puerto Rican tourism, and appears in television commercials touting the tropical island getaway. Ricky joined Mariah Carey, Michael Jackson and Gloria Estefan in Modena, Italy for Luciano Pavorotti's annual benefit, Pavorotti & Friends, for the non-profit organization Warchild. Ricky recently opened a Puerto Rican restuaranct, Casa Salsa, in South beach, Florida .

    Yes, he is a perfectionist. "I want to listen to my music in 30 years and say, 'Great album!'" . Ricky's musical tastes today are as diverse as when he was a child. "I listen to everything.  I'm like a sponge!" Ricky counts on his family, especially his mom, to keep down to earth in
the face of worldwide popularity. "My mother pulls my ear every time she sees I need it." Ricky is used to being very affectionate withy his family. "If I walk into my father's house and I don't give him a hug, he'll say something."

          Ricky likes to support AIDS causes since he's seen many friends succumb to the disease.      Ricky wants his success to help bust stereotypes about Latinos and Puerto Rico.  "It's all about breaking stereotypes. For me, that fact that people think that Puerto Rico is "Scar face," that we ride donkeys to school - that has to change."

                  Ricky calls himself a romantic , he thinks a rose can say more than 1,000 words.  Intelligence is the No.1 quality Ricky looks for in a girl.   Ricky doesn't like to talk about his private relationships, though he admits he has an on-gain, off-again girlfriend - rumored to be Rebecca de Alba, a Spanish TV personality.