Photos and stats that show Ricky Martin's been amazing since age 12

Ricky Martin is doing oh so much more than livin’ la vida loca these days. Now a bona fide triple threat, the one-time teen heartthrob’s got a career with exceptional staying power — as well as an Emmy nomination.

Thirty-four years ago, at just 12 years old, Martin found fame as one of the cutest members in one of the biggest bands on the planet: Menudo. Fans all over the world were fainting over the Latino group. Five years and 11 albums later, Martin’s wild ride with Menudo ended, and he started his solo career.

The Puerto Rican-born star stretched beyond music to the small screen — in more than one language. He appeared in the Spanish-language telenovela Alcanzar una estrella in Mexico and later joined the cast of the American soap opera General Hospital. How can we forget his character, Miguel (swoon)?

But Martin never strayed too far from his first passion: music. His breakout solo success came in 1998 with “The Cup of Life,” the official song of the World Cup. The global hit reached No. 1 on charts around the world. He went on to release 10 albums, both in English and in Spanish.

His biggest hit to date, of course, is “Livin’ la Vida Loca.” It had Martin, and pretty much everyone else, shaking their bon-bons in 1999. The chart-topper is credited with igniting the Latin pop explosion of the ’90s, opening the door for Shakira, Enrique Iglesias, and Jennifer Lopez. “Livin’ la Vida Loca” won 13 awards, including a Billboard Latin Music Award for Pop Track of the Year. “It was something that was never done before, and still that song moves people,” he said. It did more than move people — it catapulted him to superstardom!

If you ask Martin, however, being a father is one of his biggest accomplishments. He’s dad to fraternal twin boys Valentino and Matteo, who were born via surrogate in 2008. Earlier this year, he revealed that he had tied the knot with his partner, Jwan Yosef, another amazing milestone.

Might an Emmy win be next, for his incredible performance in The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story? We’ll stay tuned with our fingers crossed.

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