Shaking his bon bon – and the world! - CONVERSATIONS with Ricky Lo

Thank heavens nobody asked him any very personal question (about his, uh, sexual preference) during the one-on-one (with about a dozen entertainment journalists from all over Asia) and during the open forum, attended by more than a hundred (including fan-winners in Ricky Martin radio-held contests from different parts of Asia), held at a big function room of the Harbour Plaza Hotel in Hong Kong where Ricky did a concert on Oct. 9, shaking his bon bon as usual, at the Hong Kong Coliseum, which was a part of his Asian promo swing that brought him to half a dozen countries.

Instead, the questions were more about how he keeps his balance in the crazy world of showbiz, how he copes with stardom, how he feels about himself and the world in general, how it’s like to be adored and fantasized by millions and millions around the globe and, very simply, how it is to be Ricky Martin, the hottest Latin Heartthrob.

Ricky, 28, was on the homestretch of his Livin’ La Vida Loca World Tour which was kicked off in Lake Como, Milan, in April last year. He‘s all set for more tours next year for his new album (his second English-language), Sound Loaded, also released by his home company, Sony Music.

At the Hong Kong Coliseum, Ricky was his usual lively self, performing to his – and the audience’s – hearts’ content, driving everybody wild and crazy with every thrust of his pelvis and every sexy movement of his hips, his buttocks and legs clearly defined by the black leather pants he was wearing.

And he was his usual lovable and friendly self, with the wide smile never leaving his face, arms spread out as if ready to envelop you in a tight embrace, connecting to people whether he’s dancing, singing or just sitting on the sofa onstage, gazing languidly into the audience, ready to launch into a poignant rendition of She’s All I Ever Had.

At the presscon/open-forum, he acknowledged each country the journalists were coming from by recalling his own personal visits. When a Korean lady journalist wondered how he’d like to have a Korean for a wife, Ricky joked, "I’d love to; I love Korean meat, you know!" Laughter from the gallery. "Korean barbecue tastes great," added Ricky who just flew in from Seoul where he did a one-night show, "didn’t you know?"

Interviewing Ricky is like talking to a long-lost friend; he has no star complex at all, no invisible walls between you. Maybe he doesn’t always remember names but he certainly remembers faces, reminding you where you first – or last – met. It’s not a "PR" thing at all; it comes naturally with him.

Here are excerpts from the one-on-one with Ricky and the open forum that went more than 20 minutes overtime:

You’ve been on your feet these past several months, since April last year when you launched in Milan your first English-language self-titled album. You just came from Seoul (after another show a few weeks ago in Japan) and from here, you’re having more shows in Taipei, New Zealand and Australia (not to mention shows in the US and Europe). Where do you get your energy?

"You know what, I started doing this when I was 12 years old, so for me it’s normal. For me, it’s a way of life, my way of living. A lot of people say, ‘You’re crazy; you have to rest!’ There’s time to rest. Right now, I have the energy; right now, I have the desire; right now, I love to entertain people and people are supporting me.Let’s take advantage of this. I think it would be silly to let this opportunity go."

Don’t you ever go on vacation?

"I do get tired and think of resting. But then again, I have to think about it twice, thrice. Every December, I do take time off – at least a month or a month and a half – to spend time with my family. But I enjoy what I’m doing, so why create some sort of a sabotage to what my career can be? It’s very rewarding; it’s beautiful to be onstage, with the audience as part of you."

Any form of relaxation?

"Meditation. That’s very important. Meditation."

You’re very sexy in the She Bangs video (shown at the presscon), and very erotic, too. It’s, I guess, your most sexual/sexy video so far. how do you view sex?

"Yes, yes, yes, sex is great! The She Bangs (from Sound Loaded) video is yes, quote-unquote pretty explicit...well, ladies and gentlemen, it’s the Year 2000 and we‘re talking about sex which is, yes, natural and beautiful. Ladies and gentlemen, let’s forget all the taboos and let’s talk freely, please!"

You’re Latino and you’re now recording in English. It’s a nice fusion. How do you reconcile your Latino temperament/sensibility with the medium (English) you’re using?

"As a musician, I want to educate, not only entertain. I want all people, regardless of whether they’re Latino or English or Asian, to know and appreciate what we musicians can create through sounds. At the end of the day it doesn’t really matter what part of the world you’re from; what matters is that you’re moved and affected by the sounds we musicians are creating. You listen to my music and no matter what part of the world you come from, you will dance! That’s it. That’s the idea."

Your new album is called Sound Loaded. Could you tell us more about it?

"In my previous album which carries Livin’ La Vida Loca, we wanted to caress in a more aggressive way the AB sound; the radio in Puerto Rico, where I grew up, is very A&B. In this new album, we try to go back to our roots, intense Latin music that is. It’s inevitable for me to be influenced by many different sounds especially since I travel around the world. I am in constant search for new sounds, a new kind of music, so when I visit a place I have to listen to its music and maybe learn from it. Sound Loaded is an album with a lot of taste and a lot of love. People say I’m crazy because right after a show, I run back to recording the album and then run back to doing another show in another city. I tell them, ‘If I’m crazy, then I’m crazy with pleasure!’ I enjoy being crazy in this way."

Are you, well, "crazy" enough to star in movies? Do you get any (movie) offers?

"With the right cast and the right director, I’ll be ‘crazy’ enough to do one. Right now, I’m reading some scripts, with very interesting roles that will give me the opportunity to work with Gary Oldman, perhaps, with this actor and that actress, perhaps; but right now, it’s all perhaps. I’ll seriously think about doing a movie after my album. Next year...perhaps!"

Speaking about your next album-promo (Sound Loaded), are you including the Philippines in your itinerary? The last time you were there (as a solo artist, not as a member of Menudo which visited the Philippines several times) was three years ago.

"Right now, we’re going to Europe and Latin America to promote the album but we’re coming back to Asia maybe in March next year to do more concerts and promotions and, hopefully – desperately! – we might include the Philippines, and Indonesia as well, in our itinerary."

Going back to doing a movie, if ever you’re offered a sexy role (like the one in your She Bangs MTV), would you accept it?

"Well, it would be very easy for me.But, well, it all depends; we have to look for a good reason for me to do it. When I wake up every morning, I think of how I can please the audience today; I wake up the next morning and I think of the same thing – how to please the audience. If I ever do a sexy scene, it has to be presented with a lot of art, with a lot of class. Pornography is definitely out. It’s not for me. With a great director, I don’t think doing a sexy role would be a problem."

As usual, you electrified the whole Hong Kong Coliseum with your hip-swaying and pelvic thrusts last night...

"...by the way, it wa sour 78th concert to be held this year. We hope to hit the 100-mark before the year is over..."

As usual, your concert felt more like a dance party than a concert. It was fun, lots of fun!

"My concerts are about joy, my concerts are about feeling and about having a good time – it’s having a party! Yeah, come on, let’s enjoy ourselves! My concerts are not about judging anybody, but letting everybody have a good time and have fun. At the time, my concerts are peaceful and spiritual."

What’s your biggest wish, if any, at the moment?

"Peace. After a concert, your emotions are so high that your only wish is to calm down and be in harmony with the universe and everyone around you – be at peace with yourself and with the world. When you’re dealing with ... yes, this craziness, you have to watch out. Fame is not easy to deal with; fame is full of ups and downs; fame is full of joy but it’s also full of pain. Fame is full of sacrifices but at the same time it’s also full of gifts."

So what do you do to sort of keep a balance, a happy equilibrium between you and the universe?

"I have to talk to myself, look at myself closely. That’s my wish everyday when I wake up, wherever I go – to find peace and to project peace."

When you said that "fame is full of pain," what do you exactly mean?

"You know, you can’t wear mask in this business; you just have to let your emotions flow; you just have to be yourself. A lot of people say,‘Oh, shaking, shaking, shaking your bon bon!’ And I tell them, ‘You know what, it’s a cultural thing.’ Back in Puerto Rico, when you’re three-years old, for example, and you present to your family some sort of rhythm, everybody creates peace. In Puerto Rico, the dancing, the salsa, is like a beautiful ritual – you know, two people just holding each other and spinning together, letting all that sensuality and sexuality flow."

What about the "pain" you were talking about earlier?

"I don’t know. I guess every human being has something to complain about. When we talk about pain in show business, we talk about the pain of being away from your family and your loved ones all the time, most of the time. You know, you can’t even talk to your nieces as often as you want to, or everyday as you love to. The last time I saw my nieces, they were little girls. Now, they’re ladies, as tall and as big as I am."

You’re turning sentimental...

"...oh, yes, I know I’m being dramatic but it’s okay, it’s fun! The thing to do is to add, not subtract. We should focus on the positive, not on the negative."

Say, what’s the worst rumor that you’ve read or heard in the past months?

"Rumors about Ricky Martin? No rumors at all, none that I care about."

What do you do when you’re sad?

"I tell you what... When my grandmother passed away, I spent three hours in front of the computer, going to each website, reading all the condolences from around the world. It was very rewarding; I was so touched by all the condolences from people and strangers sincerely sympathizing with me. It was very uplifting."

You’re close to your mom, aren’t you? She usually travels with you. This time, though, she doesn’t seem to be around.

"Well, she was – the last time. This time, she wants to spend some time with her grandkids. Also, she’s fixing our house in Miami in time for the holidays. My brothers are with me; sometimes, my father comes along, too. I’m always surrounded by my family everywhere I go, anywhere I am."