As Ricky Martin’s new effort LIFE storms into the album chart at number 40, we take some time to examine where his campaign went wrong. In Ricky’s words: “My dream is to unite lifestyles with my music, that is why I went from rock to Middle Eastern sounds, from Asian to Hip Hop, from Pop to Reggaeton, making it easy for people from all over the world to relate”.
Careful now, Ricky. This slightly Michael Jackson-esque, schizophrenic approach didn’t work for Mel B when she released her ground-breaking debut Hot, what makes you think it will work for you?
Let’s take a close look at the packaging: It seems the cover for LIFE aims to establish Martin as a credible artist, whilst crushing all gay ‘rumours’ in one felt swoop, with its serious, gritty feel, brooding stare, hard stubble and macho tattoo. Like a life-long sentence to the bon-bon prison, this CD is clearly marketed at hardcore hip-hop buyers. People who punctuate their sentences with ‘Dog!’ and ‘True-that’. And anyway, look: Fat Joe raps on several tracks, and he’s totally 1000% hardcore. It’s a Latino thing, Dog! True that.
Truth is we will probably always think of Ricky Martin as the Vida Loca guy who dances like an embarrassing dad on coke, or the guy that Madonna recorded a song and video with, then quickly got pregnant cuz she realised it was all a flash in the pan that didn’t deserve her time or effort.
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