Ricky Martin (b. December 24, 1971) was born and raised in San Juan, Puerto Rico. As a child, he sang in the choir and performed in school plays. When he was six, he began acting in television commercials. Shortly aftereward, he took professional singing and acting lessons, which paved the way for his auditions for Menudo. In 1984, when he was 12 years old, he became a member of Menudo. For the next five years, he was the lead singer of the group, helping them become international sensations. Once he outgrew Menudo in 1989, he went back home to Puerto Rico, where he completed high school. After graduation, he moved to New York, where he simply relaxed for several months.

Following a few months of inactivity, he began to work his way back into the entertainment industry. He returned to Mexico, where he acted on stage for a year before returning to the music industry. In 1991, he released his self-titled debut album, which he co-wrote with his fellow Menudo alumnus Robi Rosa, who would become a regular collaborator over the course of Martin's career (often credited as Ian Blake). Ricky Martin became a sizable hit on the Latin charts. Two years later, he followed it with the Juan Carlos Calderon-produced Me Amaras, which was an even bigger hit, launching him to superstar status in Latin America.