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Ricky Martin
Rod Laver Arena
Latin heart throb Ricky Martin is know for cementing history for recording the greatest World Cup anthem of all time with his 1998, kicking off the global Latin fever of the late 90s. Melbourne is the Australian kick-off of his “Live 2025” tour, and the buzz in the venue was electric from the moment the lights dropped, the crowd ready to dance.
In Australia for the first time since 2015, Ricky Martin hit the stage with his unique blend of Latin world music, the party kicks off with Pégate, the Puetro Rican is flanked by dancers. Moving through his slew of Spanish hits with Marìa, Martin is having the time of his life as he dances along the catwalk, waving to fans.
The arena is awash with dancing and celebration, and Martin switches to English with ease to ramp things up with Shake Your Bon Bon and She Bangs making the crowd go wild. From the opening moments, Martin seized control of the stage, fans from every corner of Latin America clearly adoring of the singer.
During Por Arriba, Por Abajo, Martin challenges each side of the arena to a dance off- and the crowd loves it. As he leads the charge, he acknowledges fans from Latin America and waves to people holding flags representing their heritage. From Columbia to Brazil and Puerto Rico, the room is full of Latin American fans, drinking in the superstar. Martin declares the right side of the auditorium the winners, raising his arms and fist pumping the air.
Ricky Martin has a universal appeal across two genres, world music and mainstream pop, and it isn’t difficult to see why. The choreography and band interplay are tight; you got both a spectacle and musicianship, which can be rare in big-arena shows, pyromania and confetti rounding out the spectacle.
Wrapping up with Livin’ La Vida Loca and La Copa de la Vida ( Cup of Life), he is one of those rare performers that is immersed completely in the performance and the smile never leaves his face for the entire show. With costume changes, dancing and a high energy performance, Ricky Martin is pure joy to watch.
Ricky Martin’s Melbourne show delivered what it promised: big hits, strong energy, professional production, audience connection. If you’re a fan of his era, Latin-pop or just a great live pop show, this was a very solid outing. It felt celebratory and polished — the kind of show where you leave humming the songs, already looking forward to next time.
Words by Amanda Lee Starkey
