The surprising role Madonna played in Ricky Martin’s early days as a global superstar
Ricky Martin was a guest on The Kelly Clarkson Show last Thursday. The Latin heartthrob is currently appearing in the acclaimed Apple+ TV series, Palm Royale.
It’s his first major acting role since he had a small part in the Gianni Versace American Crime Story show back in 2018.Clarkson probed Martin about his career, which began at the tender age of 12 when he joined the Latin boy band Menudo.
That was in 1984.Martin established himself as a huge star in the Spanish-speaking pop world. However, it was his first English-speaking album in 1999 (the eponymous Ricky Martin), that turned him into a global superstar.Subscribe to our newsletter for your front-row seat to all things entertainment with a sprinkle of everything else queer.Hopefully, his earlier stardom with Medudo prepared him for being in the public eye.
However, “Livin’ La Vida Loca” pushed his fame to a whole new level. It prompted some advice from the biggest female act on the planet at the time: Madonna.“She said ‘Make sure this industry doesn’t control you’,” Martin recalled.Clarkson, herself a successful singer, nodded in agreement, adding that it was easy for one to lose control.“It’s very easy to get seduced by fame, by the applause,” said Martin. “By the private jets, by the pressure.
