Every week HELLO.RU talks about what celebrity children wear. Last time we got acquainted with the style of Cruise Beckham, the third son of football legend David Beckham and designer Victoria Beckham, and today the heroes of our column are the sons of singer Ricky Martin - Matteo and Valentino.
Text: / Photo: Gettyimages.com, Splashnews.com/Gallo Images RUS, Instagram.com, Legion-media.ru, Scott Brinegar/Disneyland Resort
On August 6, 2008, Ricky Martin became the father of twin boys, Matteo and Valentino, whom he carried surrogate mother. This was first reported by People magazine, publishing an official statement from the singer’s representative:
The children born from the surrogate mother are healthy and are already in Rika’s care. He is very proud of the new chapter of his life and does not intend to lead a public lifestyle until the end of the year in order to devote more time to his children.
Two years after Martin became a father for the first time, he came out, publicly declaring his homosexuality in a post on the official website:
I'm happy to say that I am a happy gay man. I'm proud to be who I am.
Ricky Martin with his sons Matteo and Valentino
Ricky Martin with his sons Matteo and Valentino
Of course, this was followed by a wave of criticism from members of the public advocating traditional families. But Ricky tried to ignore the criticism and raise his sons as he saw fit. By the way, Martin never hid his love for children: long before he had sons, the singer founded a charitable foundation Ricky Martin Foundation, whose goal is to help children around the world.
My boys are my whole life, they are the best thing that happened to me,
Martin spoke in an interview, noting that he does not see any problems in the fact that Matteo and Valentino do not have a mother, because they are surrounded by the care and boundless love of their father and nannies. Until 2014, Ricky raised his sons with his partner Carlos Gonzalez Abella, but the couple broke up, and the singer expressed hope that he would soon meet the person with whom he wanted to spend his whole life. In 2016, such a person was found: Martin’s chosen one was the artist Jwan Yosef, to whom Ricky had recently proposed marriage.
Ricky Martin with his sons and fiance
Ricky Martin with his sons Matteo and Valentino
I proposed to him. I was very worried! I got down on one knee, presented him with a bag with a ring and instead of saying, “Will you marry me?” said "I have something for you!" Not best words! But then I said I wanted to spend the rest of my life with him. He clarified: “So what was the question? Will I marry you?” That's it. It was wonderful! After about 30 minutes I grabbed my head: “Wait, so you told me “Yes”? And he said: “Yes”
Martin said in an interview with Ellen DeGeneres. Ricky also said that Jwan gets along great with Matteo and Valentino, although the boys have absolutely different characters. Back in an interview with the Spanish Vanity Fair in 2012, Martin said that Valentino is growing up as a very romantic boy, and Matteo is a born leader:
Valentino is an ambassador of love and peace. He loves flowers and nature. If I suddenly lose sight of my son, I know exactly where to find him - in the garden behind the acacia bushes. Valentino is very calm and noble. And Matteo is an alpha leader. He always tells his brother what to do.
Ricky Martin with his sons Matteo and Valentino
Ricky Martin with his sons Matteo and Valentino
Despite the difference in personalities, Matteo and Valentino's clothing style is very similar. Since childhood, boys have been dressed in the same minimalist clothes - smaller copies of those worn by their star dad. In their wardrobe huge amount T-shirts - both classic and polo - in all colors of the rainbow. Boys love plain T-shirts and T-shirts with prints - stripes, checks, and occasionally prints with cartoon characters and animals. Like their dad Ricky, they wear short-sleeve shirts in the summer, pairing them with safari shorts, loose cotton pants or military-style sweatpants. Speaking of sportswear: Matteo and Valentino have a special passion for comfortable clothes, because, according to Martin, they lead a very active lifestyle and often play pranks:
Fatherhood is incredible. Every day brings you something new. Matteo and Valentino are always bullies, but I can handle them. They are amazing.
This love of boys for activity is also manifested in travel: at the “Evening Urgant” show in September of this year, Martin admitted that he has been touring the world with his children for 15 months. According to him, Matteo and Valentino are so used to moving that when they stay in a city for more than a few days, they begin to ask their father when their trip will continue. With this approach, boys can grow into real artists! At least they definitely have an example before their eyes.
Click on the photo to view the gallery Ricky Martin with his sons Matteo and Valentino
Ricky Martin with his sons Matteo and Valentino and fiance Jwan Yosef
Martin is raising twins - Valentino and Matteo. His children were born to him by a surrogate mother in 2008. And in 2010, Ricky officially announced that he was gay. But in 2016, in an interview, he admitted that he considers himself bisexual and is ready to have sexual relations not only with men, but also with women.
By that time, the singer had already met with the artist Jwan Yosef and why he needed such a statement is unclear. Soon the couple announced their engagement, and now about the wedding, which, according to Ricky, will take place in the coming months.
Photo: instagram.com
"We exchanged vows, signed all the documents we had to sign, marriage contract and everything else", Martin told reporters.
He also said that they would organize a beautiful and memorable ceremony, and the celebration would last for at least three days. The couple still has to decide on the wedding venue:
“I have become a husband, we will have a big party in the coming months, I will let you know.”.
Photo: instagram.com
And in a recent conversation with reporters at the Golden Globes, Martin said that two sons are not enough for him:
"I want four more pairs of twins. Yes, I would really like to have a big family. But at the moment I have a lot of work and plus I’m preparing for the wedding. We want to get these things over with first, and only then will we prepare for the adoption of children.".
Photo: instagram.com
So, soon we should expect a magnificent wedding, and then messages about children - everything, like with people.
As you know, on September 20, the island of Puerto Rico experienced a natural disaster. The monstrous Hurricane Maria hit him. Ricky Martin brought it to the island's residents.
After years during which popular Puerto Rican singer Ricky Martin (aka Enrique Martin Morales) remained silent in response to all questions regarding his personal life, the pop idol finally confessed to the whole world about his homosexuality. sexual orientation.
“I am proud to say that I am a happy gay man,” Ricky Martin said in a post on his personal website, “and what and who I am today is truly a blessing from above.”
In his memoirs, Ricky stated that he thought his young twin sons would have allowed him to come out.
“To continue to live the way I have lived until today would mean that I am indirectly reducing the popularity my children were born with. Enough means enough. Everything must change. This should happen not in five or ten years, it should happen now. Today is my day, this is my time and this is my moment,” he wrote.
Although the 38-year-old singer has kept his sexuality a secret throughout his career, Ricky said he has gained strength and courage over the years.
“These years of silence and reflection have made me stronger and reminded me that public acceptance must begin with self-acceptance and that this truth gives me the strength to feel emotions that I never knew existed ", the singer continues. - “What will happen after this? Doesn't matter. I can only focus on what is happening to me at the moment. The word “happiness” has taken on a new meaning for me after today. Happiness has become for me a process that takes place somewhere inside you. Every word I write in this message is born of love, acceptance, relaxedness and true peace. The fact that I am writing this is a very serious step towards achieving my inner harmony and a vital part of my personal growth.”
Shortly before this important event in the life of Ricky Martin, Barbara Walters told The Toronto Star that it was categorically wrong for her to interrogate Ricky about his orientation during her 2000 interview with the “La Vida Loca” singer.
“In 2000, I very roughly pushed Ricky Martin to admit whether he was gay or not, and the way he refused to do so made everyone think that he was gay after all. Many people said it ruined his career, and when I think back on it now, I come to the conclusion that I asked him an inappropriate question."
Ricky also posted a link to his statement regarding sexual orientation on his Twitter, simply writing "my life." In an earlier tweet, the singer posted a quote from the late Martin Luther King: "Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about the things that really matter."
After the singer's bold statement, he attracted even more attention from the paparazzi. Rumors began to spread that Ricky and his long-time partner Carlos Gonzalez had already entered into an official marriage, but Martin debunked these gossips and also stated his attitude towards religion and equality:
“I don't want to blame the government. I think there is a deliberate lie going on here - I'm talking about the interpretation of the Lord's words. This is your God - and I have my own God. Here it concerns only civil rights. I'm not telling you what to believe. I wish all people would perceive these public expressions of love a little differently. Let me live the life I want in peace, and I won’t interfere with yours.”
When Martin is asked questions about family and romantic relationships, the singer does not try to evade at all, but answers each question honestly and openly. He even admitted that he once canceled a concert just to be with his lover!
But now, of course, everyone is concerned about the question of his children, whom a surrogate mother gave birth to in 2008. Ricky said the following about his sons:
“I am the father of two kids, and raising them is a lot of physical activity, both on biceps and triceps. But I try to approach it with love. This helps."
Unexpected separation of a couple
Ricky Martin and Carlos Gonzalez broke up in 2014 - on January 2, the Daily Mail news agency reported the couple's breakup. According to an insider, the former partners broke up quietly and peacefully, without quarrels or scandals.
The source said then.
However, nothing unusual - stars often justify their breakups in this way. It is strange that statements like “we still love each other” rarely have any basis in reality, and such couples almost never reunite in the future.
After Ricky Martin broke up with Carlos Gonzalez, the singer's biological children remained with him. Photos of two twin boys, Matteo and Valentino, often appear on the musician’s official Instagram page.
“My sons are my main and harshest critics,” Ricky said in one exclusive interviews People magazine.
New relationships
Ricky Martin introduced Jwan Yosef's new boyfriend to the public in April 2016 on the red carpet of one of the star-studded events in Sao Paulo, a few months after meeting the Swedish artist of Syrian origin and almost three years after the end of his previous relationship with Carlos Gonzales.
In mid-February 2017, People magazine cited an interview with Ricky Martin on one of the Western radio stations. The musician told for the first time how he met his current fiancé.
“I was scrolling through my Instagram feed and came across his profile. His photographs were a true work of art. I checked his page in this social network, and then decided to write to him,” Ricky told radio listeners. - Then we corresponded for six months. We communicated without hearing each other's voices, only by text messages. We were busy with art, we each had our own lives, and besides, Jwan lived in London. And then I flew to him and we met.”
And who will then say that it is impossible to meet your soulmate online?
Ricky Martin married a man
In November 2016, the public learned that Ricky Martin and Jwan Joseph decided to officially legitimize their relationship, and a truly large-scale wedding was planned. The Puerto Rican musician announced this in an interview with popular US TV personality Ellen DeGeneres on her evening show.
A little nervous, Ricky Martin told the story of how he proposed. Instead of asking, “Will you marry me?”, he said, “Here, I have something for you,” and handed over a ring with the words, “I want to spend my life with you.” To which Jwan said, “So what’s the question?” "Will you marry me?" - Ricky Martin added. Thirty minutes later, the singer caught himself: “So what’s the answer?” Jwan said yes.
While wedding preparations are in full swing, Ricky and Jwan are vacationing in Ibiza with an old friend, model Esther Canadice. One of the reporters from the Daily Mail news portal managed to photograph the couple on board a small yacht.
After a holiday in Spain in 2016, the couple began wearing simple gold rings. “Ricky Martin and Jwan Yosef got married,” the singer’s fans came to this conclusion. None of the couple gave official comments at that time.
Official confirmation of the marriage was released in January 2018. According to Ricky Martin, the wedding was secret and formal. They are still planning to hold a magnificent celebration.
So, after two years of relationship, Ricky Martin and Jwan Yosef legalized their relationship. Jwan helps raise Ricky Martin's 9-year-old twins, who were born to him through a surrogate mother.
Ricky Martin, a Puerto Rican pop musician, actor and writer, said he had finally found personal happiness. Recently, he legalized his relationship with his boyfriend, Swedish-Syrian artist Jwan Yosef, whom he began dating in 2016.
“I’m already a husband, we exchanged vows, signed all the papers that were needed. We'll have a big celebration in the next couple of months - I'll let everyone know."“, - this is how the singer commented on his wedding in one of his interviews.
Ricky Martin announced that the men were engaged back in November last year on The Ellen DeGeneres Show. He was the one who proposed, got down on one knee and put on the ring.
View this post on Instagram
“I got down on one knee, presented him with a bag with a ring and instead of “Will you marry me?” said: “I have something for you!” Not the best words! But then I said I wanted to spend the rest of my life with him. He clarified: “So what was the question? Will I marry you?” That's it. It was wonderful! After about 30 minutes I grabbed my head: “Wait, so you told me yes?” And he said: "Yes!"- the singer shared the details.
At one time, he hid his orientation for a long time, and it did not appear immediately. At first, for 14 years he maintained an unstable relationship with Mexican TV presenter Rebecca de Alba, in which there were many episodes of breakups and reconciliations.
Afterwards, representatives of the gay community began to be noticed in his circle. In this regard, Ricky Martin began to receive uncomfortable questions, to which he reacted aggressively. “It’s no one’s business whether I was in bed with a cow, a broom or a woman. I'm not going to tell anyone whether I'm gay or not.", he told The Mirror journalist in an interview in 2000.
Over time, his reactions softened. Obviously he's gotten used to his new role so much so that she stopped causing internal contradictions in him..
.
“I am happy to tell you that I am a happy gay man. I'm very happy to be who I am. All these years of silence and criticism have made me stronger and reminded me that acceptance comes from within, that such truth gives me the strength to fight emotions I didn’t even know I had.”, - this confession statement was published on the official website of Ricky Martin in 2010.
He spoke in support of same-sex marriage on The Oprah Winfrey Show in 2011: "Saying I'm gay feels right... If I had known how good it was, I would have done it ten years ago."
Relationships with a member of the same sex are not the only thing that interests the singer. He also thinks about the issue of procreation. In 2008, Ricky Martin already became the father of two children, twin boys Matteo and Valentino, who were born to him by a surrogate mother.
Now they are 9 years old. Ricky intends to continue raising them. He claims that his sons get along well with his new husband and are extremely positive about his arrival in the family: “They love each other! Everything is perfect and special.”
How do you like the news? Share your impressions in the comments.
The popular singer wrote a book of revelations, which immediately became a bestseller.
In December, the memoirs of the popular Puerto Rican singer Ricky Martin became a bestseller in the United States and Latin America. He titled his book briefly and simply - “I”. Well-known American television journalist Larry King decided to find out how frank the idol of millions of listeners around the world was with his fans. Shortly before Martin's 39th birthday (December 24), he invited the singer to the CNN studio
“Mom was the first one to whom I confessed that I was in love with a man.”
Good evening! Today our guest is Ricky Martin, a Grammy Award winner, a singer whose discs have sold over 80 million copies around the world! Ricky, you wrote a book about your life. Why now? And why did I give it such a name?
The book has this title because it is about me. About my ups and downs, about life and career. About my children. And now, because I felt an overwhelming desire to tell my story myself.
- You have twins, right?
Yes, two boys. I love them very much. I admit, I always dreamed of becoming a father.
- Really?
I assure you. I have wonderful memories of my father. And I wanted to have my own family.
- Was it difficult to write?
At times I felt unbearably tense. Not everything in life was smooth. Reconstructing some events in detail caused me pain. But I had to finish what I started.
- It's clear. Since you're talking about children, tell us how you became the father of twins?
I turned to a surrogate mother for help. Believe me, I considered many options. It was possible to adopt a child. But I liked the path I chose better.
- So, they used your sperm during conception?
Mine. Everything turned out to be simple. From the moment I first dialed in search engine on the computer the words “surrogate mother”, and exactly a year passed until the minute when I took my sons in my arms.
- Great. Listen, how old were you when you started your singing career?
12 years old. This was in Puerto Rico. I was accepted into the boy group “Menudo” in 1984. The team members were already celebrities. I sang with them for five years. It was a hard life. We gave several concerts every day. They moved from city to city, from country to country. On the other hand, I went through an excellent school. Learned discipline. Well, you know, at that age you feel like a star! Just yesterday I was riding my bike to school in Puerto Rico, and today I’m flying on a private Boeing 737! Now I understand that we were used to siphon money. And then I was just tired. I needed a break. I left the group and came to New York. For the first time in my life I felt free, I didn’t have to follow a rigid schedule. And I looked at the stage with different eyes. Singing began to bring me joy again.
I was at your first solo concert in New York. Great show. My son was then six months old. You picked him up and danced with him on stage while he laughed.
I remember this too.
Ricky, already at the beginning of your career, rumors began to spread about your sexual orientation. Why didn’t you immediately tell me that you were homosexual?
There are several reasons, Larry. First of all, I just wasn't ready to admit it. Sometimes it’s hard to say such things to yourself! Secondly, they simply wouldn’t let me.
- Who?
Producers.
- Why?
You've seen my performances and videos. They are built on sensuality and sexuality. They created a macho image for me. And they succeeded in this, you must agree. My revelations would ruin everything.
Okay, who was the first person you confessed your homosexuality to? I don't mean your partners, of course.
The first was mom. In fact, she started this conversation. I came home for a few days. She said that I looked great, that I looked happy. “Only a person in love looks like that. Are you in love, son?” - Mom asked. And I really was in love then. “And this is a man?” - Mom asked. I couldn't deceive her. “Yes, man,” I replied. She said, “Come and hug me, son!” It was incredible! Such a heavy weight has been lifted from my shoulders. And when dad congratulated me, I almost burst into tears. He patted me on the shoulder and said: “Be happy, son!”
- Listen, but how did you manage to pretend to be a macho so well? They say gays don't like women.
This is a misconception. I'm gay, but I love dancing with women. You know, it seems to me that for a long time I could not understand who I was.
-Have you had sexual relations with women?
Yes. In general, the sexuality of any person is a whole complex of instincts, sensations, and misconceptions. This is a search. And everyone goes their own way. I have fallen in love with both women and men. I felt good with both of them.
- In the physical sense?
That's what I'm talking about.
- So you are bisexual?
Honestly, I don’t care about all this terminology. Today I am a homosexual. And I'm happy. I feel good. For many years I considered myself bisexual. Perhaps he was mistaken. One thing I can say for sure, I never deceived my partners, I was faithful to them regardless of their gender. And one more thing - I was never interested in casual acquaintances, one-night stands. Even if I liked someone sexually, I was in no hurry to jump into bed with this person, shouting at the same time: “I’m Ricky Martin!”
- So, you made your sensational confession.
March 29, 2010. It was Monday. I wrote a press statement on Friday. But he didn’t send it right away. Support was needed, although I felt ready to tell the truth. On Saturday, my mother flew to see me in Miami. And it became easy.
- Tell me, when did you first realize that something was wrong with you? Lord, forgive me, I seem to have blurted out something stupid.
It's okay, Larry. The meaning of the question is clear. I was 20 years old. I fell in love with a man for the first time. And for his sake I was ready to give up my career and leave show business.
- Did he have anything to do with show business?
None. We were both young, we wanted to live for our own pleasure, to travel Naive romantics.
- And how did it all end?
Nothing like the vast majority of similar novels at that age. But the breakup was terrible. My heart was breaking with pain. I decided I was wrong and started dating women again.
You know, now I’m thinking, perhaps religion also played a certain role in your sexual problems? Are you a Catholic?
Yes. I was raised and raised as a Catholic. As you know, there are many religions that are okay with homosexuality. But not Catholicism.
- Do you have a partner now?
Yes, I have a loved one, and we are happy. It is possible that soon we will go out together, appear at various events and ceremonies.
- Aren't you afraid that they will laugh at you?
I don't see anything wrong with this. I am constantly insulted, but I don’t notice it.
- Are they insulting? Where?
I receive hundreds of letters every day, regular and electronic. The vast majority of them are kind and sincere. But there will definitely be a couple written evil people, who set themselves the only goal - to hurt me as painfully as possible.
“I melt like ice cream in the sun when my twins hug me and confess their love.”
- Tell me, you disappeared for a long time, took care of the children. Don't you miss being on stage?
How! I'm ready to go back. And I hope that this will happen soon. In March I'm going on a world tour with a new program.
- Good news. Have you always wanted to become a singer?
I was nine years old when I decided to become an artist. When all my aunts and uncles gathered at home, I would seat them and then take wooden spoon and sang for them, holding it in front of him like a microphone. And at the age of 12 I was already in the Menudo group.
- How does your partner feel about children?
Very good. My twins get along with him, they love him.
- Have your sons changed your life, you?
But what? Everything revolves around them.
- Don't you get tired of this?
Not at all. Their love keeps me going. I melt like ice cream in the sun when these tomboys hug me and whisper: “Papi, te amo” (“Daddy, I love you” in Spanish. - Ed.). And they know this and confess their love to me every hour.
- And you understand that they do not belong to you, but you belong to them.
That's for sure. They own me, my home. When I was a boy, I asked my parents for permission to go for a walk. Now, to leave, I ask my children for permission.
-Will you take them on tour with you?
Certainly. They already have passports. The children go with me everywhere. I am often criticized for this. They say that children need stability, and constant travel is harmful to their development. I answer, what could be more stable and reliable for a child than the presence of his own father? I have always been there for them, since their birth.
- They don’t ask where their mother is?
Not yet, but when that moment comes, I will try to explain to them that everyone is different. There are families with two parents, and there are families with one. Nowadays there are many families where children have two dads or two mothers. And sometimes there are three mothers. So we have a completely modern happy family.
- How did your parents perceive the appearance of their grandchildren?
With delight. Judge for yourself, Larry. For ten years I tried to persuade my mother to move to Miami with me, but she even refused to stay for the holidays. She said, you better come to us. And then before I knew it, she was already standing in my living room, cuddling the twins. Now she lives with us.
- And your father?
Oh, he's a psychologist. True, retired. Lives in Puerto Rico, but we see each other much more often now.
- I know that you founded a charitable foundation that your name. What does this organization do?
Many years ago I was invited to visit an orphanage in Calcutta. I thought this was an ordinary orphanage. It turned out that there were children living there who had previously been forced into prostitution. It was terrible, Larry. Girls aged 4 to 7 years! And they have already become a commodity. I promised myself that I would fight this terrible phenomenon - child prostitution, child trafficking. He flew to Washington and began meeting with different people: lawyers, human rights activists, politicians, financiers. I found like-minded people. This is how my foundation came into being. And it works. We help children all over the world.
- Your foundation helps victims of the earthquake in Haiti, right?
And them too. Previously, we provided accommodation for children left orphans as a result of the tsunami in Thailand. Child trafficking and child prostitution flourish precisely in areas where natural disasters or wars have occurred. General poverty and hunger push people to do terrible things. And children, as the most defenseless, are sold into slavery, including sexual slavery, or, as creepy as it sounds, they are sold for their organs. I know hundreds of stories like this, Larry.
