Inside Ricky Martin’s Private Family World as a Father of 4

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Seeing the enthusiastic reaction to Ricky Martin when he unexpectedly joined Bad Bunny’s Apple Music Super Bowl Halftime Show, it’s easy to believe Bad Bunny always feels confident being himself.

Ricky Martin’s path to fame began with the boy band Menudo, and later blossomed into a hugely successful solo career. He became one of the first artists to truly break through as a bilingual star in the 1990s.

He continued on this path until becoming a father. He welcomed twins, Matteo and Valentino, in 2008, followed by his daughter Lucia in 2018 and son Renn in 2019, all born through surrogacy. For many years, he avoided discussing rumors about his personal life and didn’t confirm or deny questions about his sexuality, which now seem outdated.

He shared with Oprah Winfrey that he was content with himself before becoming a father. It was while holding his children that he knew it was time to publicly share who he was, in his first interview after coming out in 2010.

He shared his truth in a carefully considered statement posted to his website.

He announced a personal turning point, saying his understanding of happiness had deepened. He described the journey as challenging but ultimately rewarding, explaining that he was writing from a place of love, self-acceptance, and peace. He felt this act of writing was crucial for his emotional well-being and personal growth, and proudly stated he was a happy and fortunate gay man, grateful for who he is.

And he’s been living his life openly, on his terms, ever since.

He explained in his 2010 memoir, Me, that his biggest struggle wasn’t with others, but with understanding his own feelings. He emphasized that his relationship with Rebecca de Alba was genuine and loving, not a facade. Even after he began relationships with men, he hadn’t fully accepted his own sexuality. He wrote that despite the truth of the rumors, he hadn’t reached a point of self-acceptance, and for him, it wasn’t yet a reality.

Martin overcame his personal struggles and has now become a source of hope and encouragement for many, particularly within the Latinx LGBTQ+ community.

In a 2018 interview with Out magazine, the 54-year-old explained their goal: to be seen as a normal family and challenge outdated expectations. They shared that their children often ask about having two fathers, and they respond by emphasizing that they represent a modern family—something they see as liberating and wonderful. It’s a message they hope to share with the world, and one their children also embrace.

Martin introduced Lucia and Renni, along with his husband, Jwan Yosef, a fellow artist. They married in 2017 and separated in 2023, but continue to co-parent their children and maintain a close relationship.

The Swedish-Syrian painter described their relationship with their ex-partner as “wonderful” in a September interview with Attitude. They’ve created a stable and peaceful co-parenting arrangement, living just ten minutes apart and communicating every other day, with a shared focus on their children’s well-being.

Whether as a single father traveling with his sons, Matteo and Valentino – whom he described in 2015 to Billboard as “warriors born on tour” – or as a father of four with plans for even more children (joking to Entertainment Tonight in 2020 about having embryos waiting), family has always been central to Ricky Martin’s life.

Ricky Martin, receiving the first-ever Latin Icon Award at the 2025 MTV Video Music Awards, dedicated the honor to his four children – Matteo, Valentino, Lucia, and Renn – sharing that they inspire everything he does.

Although all four of their children have seen how the entertainment industry works from the inside, 17-year-old twins Valentino and Matteo have become key advisors to their father, especially when it comes to music.

During his concerts, Valentino jots down notes, and then shares any issues with the dancers with Martin, as Martin revealed on SiriusXM’s Andy Cohen Live in 2024. Matteo would also speak up, particularly if something risked being embarrassing.

“He’s like, ‘No, dad, you cannot do that,'” Martin said. “‘No dabbing. That’s not cool anymore.'”

The musician was grateful that, despite feeling past his prime, his teenagers still enjoyed spending time with him.

“They want to stay with me,” Martin said. “They don’t want to go anywhere.”

Perhaps the enthusiastic reaction to his father during the Super Bowl slightly improved how cool people think he is.

Read on for some super-sweet glimpses into Martin’s vida de familia:

Taking care of kids can be exhausting! That’s why Ricky Martin enjoyed some quality time with his oldest son, Valentino, during their summer break in June 2015, calling it ‘bonding time’.

In an October 2015 selfie, Martin affectionately called Valentino and his twin brother Matteo “my everything.”

Let me tell you, a real adventure happened for me and my sons back in August 2016! We were in Tanzania, experiencing the incredible Serengeti National Park on safari. I remember snapping a photo and simply captioning it ‘Chasing,’ because that’s exactly what we were doing – chasing unforgettable moments and incredible wildlife!

Martin and his then-husband, Jwan Yosef, welcomed their daughter, Lucia, on December 24, 2018, and recently introduced her to his Instagram followers. They shared that becoming parents to Lucia has been a wonderful experience, and both Jwan and Martin’s sons have already fallen in love with their new sister. They are excited to see what the future holds for little Lucia.

At the 2019 Grammys, Martin shared the stage with Camila Cabello and J Balvin and had a special guest in the audience: his date, Matteo. He excitedly shared on social media, calling Matteo a “cool cat” and enjoying a date night at L.A.’s Staples Center.

He affectionately called Lucia “the light of my eyes” in an August 2019 Instagram post.

On September 28, 2019, Martin attended a Human Rights Campaign dinner in Washington, D.C., bringing his husband, Yosef, and their two oldest sons with him.

In October 2019, Martin and Yosef welcomed their youngest son, Renn, and announced his arrival with a post on Instagram stating, “Our son Renn Martin-Yosef has been born.”

Someone is likely going to cause him to stumble. In March 2020, Martin posted a selfie with Matteo and commented, “He’s so cute.”

His bebé: Martin shared a selfie with Renn on Dec. 17, 2020. 

In December 2021, to celebrate his and Lucia’s shared birthday on Christmas Eve, Martin posted a photo taken by his then-husband, Yosef. He wrote a heartfelt message to Lucia, calling her his “light, inspiration, and motivation,” and playfully acknowledging her as the head of the household. He ended with a loving declaration of his feelings for her.

Assistant director Matteo checked in from the set of a music video shoot in Malibu on June 25, 2022. Martin shared a photo, excitedly announcing a surprise guest had joined him for the filming!

He’s often with his close group of friends, as shown in this November 2023 photo taken in Las Vegas. He jokingly said they were going ‘to infinity and beyond’ when the picture was taken.

He brought his sons, Matteo and Valentino, as his plus ones to the premiere of his Apple TV series, Palm Royale, on March 14, 2024.

Martin and his older sons were visiting Tokyo and immediately started looking for food, as the musician explained in a social media post on April 23, 2024. He simply stated, “We are hungry.”

Martin shared a photo from Disneyland on May 26, 2024, calling it a perfect day with his four kids and himself. He captioned the picture, “4 kids and a happy dad!”

Let me tell you, traveling can be amazing! I recently had the pleasure of flying private with my dad from Turkey to Azerbaijan on August 1st, 2024, and it was the definition of a first-class experience. Honestly, it was pure luxury from start to finish!

Martin’s team doesn’t need lavish perks to enjoy themselves. As he playfully pointed out in a social media post on August 18, 2024, being with ‘Papi’ – meaning him – is the best experience, and it’s free.

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2026-02-09 22:20