Interview: Ricky Martin

4 July 2011

Ahead of the release of his new Greatest Hits collection, Ricky Martin took the time to chat to us about politics, Livin' La Vida Loca and who he wants to duet with most.

-How are you?
Great, thank you for your time.

-Are you excited for the release of your Greatest Hits?
I am very excited. I'm also adding a couple of new tracks. The idea of being able to go back on stage with a Greatest Hits is really good. It's been a beautiful couple of years, so I can't wait to go back to the UK.

-You mentioned the new tracks. What direction are you taking with the new material?
I've always worked with fusion. I've always added a bit of a Latin sound, which is very important to me because it's who I am, but I'm also influenced by European sounds.

We can go from dance to Latin in the same song. We can do it very organically, not abrupt, but yeah I do want to take a few risks, to do things I haven't done in a long time.

I'm very happy. The reaction has been very positive, from the media and the audience. We'll see what happens.

-What can fans expect from the collection?
We'll go back in time, and go back to good moments. The songs that we've chosen for this CD were hits and they will take you to those great summer days, but at the same time will take you to romantic moments of life and to where we are today.

There's a bit of dance, that energy and repetitive hook. Musicality is very important. I'm working again with Desmond Childs, someone I have a lot of respect for and I've worked with in the past. Everything is very positive, man. It just doesn't get better.

-Is this signaling the end of one phase of your career as you move onto something new?
I try not to do the same thing today that I did 10 years ago. Yes, I do want allow myself to experience and go through motions as transparently as I can when I'm in the studio.

Right now, after this tour, I'm going to New York where I'll do one year working in Evita doing theatre. What I'm trying to say by this, is I'll have the time during the day to be creative, musically speaking, and go to places I've never been.

Exactly where I'm at or where I'm going with my next production, I really don't know. I know it's going to be mature, transparent...I'm not going to pushed or seduced by a fear of running out of time, which usually happens.

-Was the release your idea, rather than a push from management or the label?
Well, everything that's happened in the last 2 years has been so organic. Releasing my book, from the book to this album and then the tour.

I'm doing what I need to do in order to feel good about myself and my career. I guess the reaction of the audience, that's what they feel.

The honesty, the transparency of it all. The record company feels it, they get it. I'm very happy that they're supporting me on this.

-The track-listing of the collection alone shows some of the collaborations you've done. Do you enjoy getting to work with other artists?
I do, I think it's necessary. It's about learning, isn't it? I've been locked in a studio since I'm 12 years old. Still, that doesn't mean I know it all.

Yes, there are people I would love to work with still. I need to work with Prince at a certain moment of my life. I'm sending all the energies out there for that to happen.

Just give me 30 seconds on stage with you, and let's do something crazy! It's really my dream. With this album I worked with Joss Stone.

I believe she's adorable, she's a really talented woman. The energy she brought to this production was amazing. I've had the opportunity to work with Madonna, I was on stage with Sting many times in the past.

It's about learning, allowing yourself to know nothing. Practice some humility. It doesn't matter, you sell out stadiums, I mentioned legends, but if it's a new artists not damaged by the show business or the record industry, it's also important to know what they have to say. That's what I've done with this album.

-Do you think it's important to work with younger artists in the way the legends did with you?
Yeah, I'm working with two really talented kids from Puerto Rico. They're doing really good in Latin America, and they have all the talent to make it internationally because of the sounds they're creating.

They don't speak English, but the sounds are very international, man! I remember what I started working outside of Latin America I was promoting a Spanish album.

It worked in many continents, so I believe they can do it as well. It's because of approach and the anger, as in the passion, and the strength they bring to the music.

-Are you proud to have made the crossover to being an international star, when you were promoting the Spanish album?
It was what needed to happen. When I did a tour back in 1998 with a Spanish album, we visited I think 34 or 36 non-Spanish speaking cities, I said...what's next? Let's try English.

I had recorded in French, Italian, even Portuguese and Filipino back then. So, what's next? It was the obvious step to take back then in my career, and it worked beautifully.

The album sold almost 20 million copies around the world. The tour we did with Livin' La Vida Loca was amazing. So, it was perfect. It needed to happen.

-You've been playing some of these songs for a long time. How do you keep it fresh, for yourself?
When I go on stage I try to create different arrangements for, say, 'Livin' The Vida Loca', 'She Bangs'...we try the classics that people are always expecting to hear.

I bring different instrumentation and musical arrangement, keeping the same melody which is what people love to sing.

I try to bring another approach, that being more rock, more focused on ska, maybe turn it into something more urban which has worked in the past. I do it for the audience, I also do it for myself.

-Do you think, without the new arrangements, you'd get bored of some of these tracks?
A couple of years ago, after spending three years without listening to my music at all, I walked into my studio and I pressed play on 'Livin' La Vida Loca'.

I said...what the f*** is up with this song? It is a f****** massive track! The fusion of the ska, with the rock and the Latin horns. It is what is it!

It's a classic today, and I'm like...we can't change this. People don't get tired of this song. Then I was talking to great producers and composers who are like...Rick, this is in my Top 5 of the last ten years.

What I'm trying to say is we try to create different arrangements for the songs, but when I go back to the beginning, to the moments of 'Livin' The Vida Loca' being created...it's creates a really heavy comfort zone.

It's needed. At the same time, hey man, don't try to fix what's not broken.

-You've been tied in the past to George Bush, then pulled away from that with the war. Is it important for people to use the platform they've got to raise awareness?
Well, it's incredible. You know with the power of social media, Twitter, Facebook...I press button and 7 million find out about what I'm thinking or need to say.

Yeah, it's a big responsibility and we need to take advantage of it. It's a power that not everybody has. If was go back in time to the moment where I took the picture with Bush, it was the Inaugural Ball.

With my Foundation, I've always had to talk to politicians. It's very important that, if I'm a human rights activist, to get them involved in my mission. I was talking about human trafficking specifically.

It was Bush's first night as President. Then the war came, and I was just not pro-war at all, I never have been. I will always meet with leaders because of the activist that I am.

They need to be part of this. We need to reinforce laws, and create laws if necessary. When I don't agree, I will talk. I will be diplomatic, but I cannot stay quiet.

-What are your plans for the rest of the year?
It's going to be tour, tour, tour until December. We started in Puerto Rico, then Canada, the United States and Mexico. Now we're doing Europe, then we finish the year in South American.

Then I will become a New York City resident, because I'm doing Broadway. I'm doing Evita. I'm reviving Che. So, it's going to be a very cool year.

Like I said before, I'm going to be able to be creative on stage, and also have time to spend with my kids, and to write.

-What final message would you give to anyone reading?
Hm, a final message? You know, have a beautiful summer. Just be yourself and enjoy. Life is too short.

Female First - Alistair McGeorge