Ricky Martin relies on friends’ criticism to stay grounded.

The ‘The Best Thing About Me is You’ singer knows how easy it is to be “seduced by fame,” so always keeps his closest friends from his childhood with him, in order to keep his ego in check.

He said: “My family and friends have always kept me grounded. I’ve been surrounded by good friends – people I’ve known since I was a kid – who are as raw and honest as they come.

“They know how to say, ‘You suck. That was horrible.’ When you’re seduced by fame and applause, and people telling you you’re good, it’s easy to get a big head.”

Ricky, 39, also admitted he has more “freedom” since a pivotal point in his career in 1989 when he quit boy band Menudo to go it alone.

He added: “Menudo was all about discipline. I was part of a band and was supposed to say whatever they told me to say, wear the clothes they told me to wear and dance the choreography they told me to dance.

“I quit in 1989 because I wanted to be my own man. I was sick of being told what to do, so I moved to New York. Now it’s about entertaining – it’s freedom. It’s about being who I am.”

Source: BANG Showbiz

Ricky Martin has to “force” himself to go out and have fun now he is a father

The gay singer – who became a dad to twins Matteo and Valentino through a surrogate mother in August 2008 – is much more content staying at home with his sons and partner Carlos Gonzalez than going out partying these days.

He said: “Everything used to be about me and now everything is about my boys.

“I used to be a night owl but now I hardly go out. I have to force myself to go out because it is too easy to stay at home as a family on the couch.

“I love reading them stories and being there to put them to bed.”

Ricky has previously used his time in London to go out socialising, but this time he wants to use his visit to educate the boys.

He explained: “This time on tour, it isn’t about me going out clubbing, it’s about the boys.

“I want to take them to London Zoo and to the Natural History Museum, but I think they will be scared of the dinosaurs.”

Ricky wants his sons to have as many diverse experiences as possible so they can pursue their own interests, and says they are already fascinated by different things.

He told Hello! magazine: “I just want them to be happy. I am going to expose them to as many things as possible – sports. Arts, music – and let them find their own way.

“Matteo is very musical – he loves dancing – but Valentino loves nature and animals. He’s not afraid of picking up worms.”

Source: BANG Showbiz

Latin super star Ricky Martin calls himself a “fortunate homosexual man.”

The Puerto Rican pop star Ricky Martin has ultimately announced he is gay, after all this years of speculation over his sexuality has come to an end. Ricky has sold more than 60 million albums in a career for three decades , he said on his website that he felt “blessed to be who he was”.

It was very hard for him to face this truth to the rest of the world as he was advised not to expose his sexuality to safeguard his career.

He wrote: – These years in silence and reflection made me stronger and reminded me that acceptance has to come from within and that this kind of truth gives me the power to conquer emotions I didn’t even know existed.

What will happen from now on? It doesn’t matter. I can only focus on what’s happening to me in this moment. The word “happiness” takes on a new meaning for me as of today. It has been a very intense process. Every word that I write in this letter is born out of love, acceptance, detachment and real contentment. Writing this is a solid step towards my inner peace and vital part of my evolution.

Ricky Martin, who is the father of two children with a surrogate mother, said on his website: “Today I have accepted my homosexuality as a gift that gives me life.”