Enrique Martin IV was born on Christmas Eve of 1971, in San Juan, Puerto Rico. His parents, Enrique III, a psychologist, and Nereida Morales, an accountant, got divorced when Ricky was 2 years old. Although the divorce itself wasn't hard on little Ricky, it was trying to split his time between his parents that had a greater effect on him once he grew older.
Martin attended Colegio Sagrado Corazon grade school, and although he was an average student, was above average when it came to performing and being charming. He would perform on the streets, participate in plays, and sing in the school choir, where it was evident early on that he had the talent and charisma to captivate an audience.
With the encouragement of his parents, Martin enrolled in voice lessons and auditioned for television commercials, and he never had trouble landing roles. In 1982, Kiki (as close family and friends refer to him) discovered the Latino boy band Menudo. He attended the audition with his father, but he was rejected on account of being too young and short (he now stands at 6'2"). |
