Adios, La Vida Loca!

He lived la vida loca and the world lived along with him. When he "banged," everybody swayed to his beat (including American Idol reject William Hung who enjoyed his own 15 minutes of fame by doing his own version of She Bangs). And then, he slipped into serenity, hushing the world into silence with his album Almas del Silencio (Souls of Silence), making everybody wonder why. Without much ado or a by-your-leave, he disappeared from the music scene – where on earth did Ricky Martin go?

"I traveled," Ricky told Conversations in an exclusive 20-minute one-on-one last Friday morning in connection with his new album, Ricky Martin MTV Unplugged (released as a CD and DVD compilation by SonyBMG). "For almost 20 years, since I was with the Menudo, it had been work, work and work. I felt a need to stop and take stock of what I was doing and what I have to do, where I had gone and where I should go."

The soul-searching that brought him to various parts of the world did Ricky a lot of good. It recharged him and reinforced his music which now bears influences of the cultures his travels have exposed him to.

Away from the limelight, Ricky also preoccupied himself with his work as UNICEF Ambassador of Goodwill. He dedicated the one-hour Ricky Martin MTV Unplugged special (the 19th MTV Unplugged production for MTV Latin America and a first for the newly-launched MTV Tr3s, which was aired last month on MTV Latin America, MTV Tr3s and MTV Puerto Rico) to the children of the world "who suffer from oppression, poverty and the casualties of war." Last month, Ricky was honored by the Latin Grammys as Person of the Year for his humanitarian efforts.

"I’m a different person now from I was five years ago, 10 years ago, 20 years ago," claimed the chart-buster who has sold more than 70 million albums worldwide. "I continue to reinvent not only my music but also my personality."

Here’s the rest of the Conversation (Ricky from New York where he now resides):

Could you tell me more about the Ricky Martin MTV Unplugged?

"The MTV Unplugged for me is a way to go back to the beginning of my career... reliving those emotions that were, you know, very simple. It’s not a greatest-hits album. It’s an album that presents songs that are important to me. Some of the songs are known internationally. All the songs are, once again, about emotions, about me allowing myself to really play with different musical influences that created an impact on me as a person."

What do you mean?

"I mean, you can listen to songs (that range) from a very aggressive, percussive Latin sound to a very simple and nostalgic song that is born out of the classical sound of a play on Broadway because of the time that I spent in theater. It’s a very, very musical album with a texture and color different from those of my previous albums. Very complete."

How would you compare your life now from your life, say, 20 years ago?

"My life 20 years ago was very, very simple. And then it became very complicated with a crazy itinerary full of concert tours. But I don’t regret any of that. You know, some people would ask me, ‘Ricky, what else do you want to do?’"

Yes, what else do you want to do?

"I can’t ask for anything more. Everything that I have dreamed of, I was able to accomplish in music. I have been able to collaborate with great musicians...I have been able to bring my music and my last concert tour to many, many countries all over the world, even to countries where Spanish is not spoken. Today, it’s all about gratitude. What can I say? It feels very good! I look back in time and I have to be very happy and contented with what I have and what I am. I’m taking one step at a time."

Do we expect you back in the Philippines during the world promo of your MTV Unplugged album?

"Hopefully, hopefully! I’m gonna start my world concert tour in February next year, starting in Latin America, then we go to the US during the summer and then to Europe, the Middle East and Asia. I really, really want to go back to the Philippines."

You have everything, fame and fortune, and much, much more. Isn’t there really anything else that you want in life?

"You know, I just want to live every moment as it comes. What can I say? Yes, I don’t feel the need to prove anything to anybody, you know. Before, my goal in life was to be No. 1. I think I have more than proven myself with my many albums and my concert tours. It was beautiful, you know! Now I’m taking my time."

What inspires you now?

"Yes, the humanitarian work that I’m doing through the Ricky Martin Foundation. It’s a non-governmental, non-profit organization whose funds and programs are directed to serve the common welfare of children around the world in social areas such as health and education, among others. Financial resources are directed toward the implementation of programs, especially in geographies characterized by precarious social, economic and political conditions."

The foundation’s beneficiaries are mostly children, right?

"Yes, you’re right."

Why children?

"The children are the most vulnerable population on our planet. They are threatened by crazy things, like sexual exploitation, pornography and prostitution. Our foundation tries to create awareness for the things to be done for the protection of children."

We Filipinos have watched you grow from your Menudo days to the time you embarked on a successful solo career, from your Livin’ La Vida Loca days to She Bangs to your days of Almas del Silencio (album released in 2003) to Life (released last year) and now to the Ricky Martin MTV Unplugged album.

"Life is an album that marks a detachment from old habits and old ways."

What do you mean? What are the "old habits and old ways?"

"Well, as I just said, that’s exactly what I meant when I said I’m free from ‘old habits’ such as the need to be accepted by everybody and the need to be No. l and to sell as many albums in the world as possible. I may be contradicting myself because that attitude actually helped me reach a level of success and I’m very grateful for that. Today, what’s important to me is to savor life."

Haven’t fame and fortune made you completely happy?

"You know, happiness comes and goes. I hope that my life will always be full of emotions, of everything that will make me feel alive...anything that will help me polish my personality. And if you ask me if I have been happy, I will tell you, ‘Yes, I’ve been happy.’ If you ask me if I’ve been sad, I will tell you, ‘Yes, I’ve been sad.’ But it’s not something that I should blame on my career. It’s the price that I am willing to pay."

How do you enjoy yourself? What do you do away from work?

"Oh, I love sky-diving. I love surfing. I love practising martial arts. I love watching movies. I love nature."

What sort of movies do you watch?

"Movies from Walt Disney to (Pedro) Almodovar."

Oh, like Volver (Almodovar’s latest, critically-acclaimed work starring his protege Penelope Cruz in probably her finest performance so far, worthy of an Oscar).

"Yes, Volver! A very good movie."

Do I presume that you’ve stopped living la vida loca?

"You know, I have my moments of insanity. What I call ‘insanity’ are those moments of creativity where you really need to be open and to feel whatever emotion is called for at the moment you’re making a particular music. I call it ‘creative chaos’, not so much ‘insanity.’ You know, ‘crazy’ is relative. What’s ‘crazy’ for you may be not be crazy for other people. It’s all a matter of perception, isn’t it?"

You’ve been changing your image with almost your every album – somewhat "wild" on Livin’ La Vida Loca, very sexy on She Bangs (promoted with a Ricky in a suggestive dance with sexily-clad women) and reflective/pensive on Silencio and Life. Is this constant reinvention part of your career plan?

"I’m glad you’re asking me that question because I believe that when you try too hard, it usually doesn’t work. Everytime I release an album, I have to present myself as who I am at that specific moment of my life and career. I am very happy to say that I am not the same person that you saw when I was with the Menudo. I change constantly. I guess it’s part of being an artist – you know, constantly reinventing yourself."

By the way, how do you plan to spend Christmas?

"I’m spending Christmas with my family in Puerto Rico. Christmas also happens to be my birthday so who knows, I might take a quick trip to the Caribbean with a good pina collada, surrounded by my family. It’s going to be a lot of fun."

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