Ricky Martin to Bad Bunny: When One of Ours Wins, We All Win

Written by Isabella I.
Isabella I.

Isabella is a writer for Instinct Magazine who lives and breathes all things pop culture and LGBTQ+. She loves exploring the stories that make the community shine, from the latest celebrity buzz to he...

All Articles by Isabella I.

Published Feb 5, 2026

Long before global superstardom, Ricky Martin was just a kid from Puerto Rico breaking hearts as the standout member of Menudo—but what really defines his legacy isn’t just the catchy hooks or the MTV glory. It’s the way he’s always carried his culture with pride while pushing open doors for the next generation. So when Bad Bunny made history at the 2026 Grammy Awards, winning Album of the Year for Debí Tirar Más Fotos—the first album performed entirely in Spanish to earn that honor—it wasn’t just another red-carpet moment. It was a watershed, and Ricky Martin felt it deep.

martin

In a heartfelt open letter published in El Nuevo Día, titled “When One of Ours Succeeds, We All Succeed,” Martin didn’t just congratulate Bad Bunny—he spoke directly to what this moment means for so many of us. “You won without changing the color of your voice,” Martin said, praising the Puerto Rican icon for staying true to his roots and winning without erasing his identity—a cultural and human victory that resonates far beyond the music charts.

RELATED: Ricky Martin and His Twins Crash Bad Bunny’s Show–And We Loved It!

A Cultural Moment That Hit Different

Bad Bunny’s Grammy sweep wasn’t just a personal achievement—it was a cultural earthquake. Along with Album of the Year, he also took home Best Música Urbana Album and Best Global Music Performance for EoO, solidifying a night that felt like long-overdue recognition for Spanish-language music on the global stage.

 

 

Martin wrote,

“I know how heavy it is, what it costs, and what is sacrificed when you decide not to change because others ask you to. That’s why what you have achieved is not just a historic musical accomplishment, it’s a cultural and human victory.”

martin

Martin’s message wasn’t the typical industry applause. He acknowledged something deeper: the emotional weight of success without compromising language, identity, or heritage. “I know what it means to succeed without letting go of where you come from,” Martin wrote, connecting with Bunny not just as a fellow artist, but as a fellow Puerto Rican who has walked world stages with language and accent intact.

That’s a sentiment that hits especially hard for queer and immigrant communities—the reminder that success doesn’t have to mean assimilation, erasure, or selling yourself short to fit into someone else’s mold.

 

Lessons From a Legend

If you grew up watching Ricky Martin, you might remember him as the infectious force behind hits like Livin’ La Vida Loca—a song that flipped the late ’90s pop world upside down and made Latin rhythms irresistible to mainstream audiences. But behind the explosive energy was a young man who understood something few pop stars publicly embraced back then: that authenticity can be a superpower.

That’s why Martin’s reaction to Bad Bunny’s win feels like a passing of the torch. It’s the acknowledgment that Bunny’s success isn’t an isolated moment—it’s a part of a larger narrative about representation, pride, and visibility.

martin

What Bad Bunny’s Win Represents

For many fans, seeing Bad Bunny accept the Album of the Year award in Spanish was emotional and validating. As he spoke about his roots and dedicated his win to his people, many felt like they were watching a moment where identity wasn’t just present—it was center stage. And Martin saw that too.

martin

In his letter, Martin highlighted more than just musical achievement—he pointed to Bad Bunny’s powerful Grammy acceptance speech, where Bunny spoke up for immigrant communities and used his platform to challenge systems that marginalize and divide. That courage to speak truth to power from a place of love and cultural pride is exactly what made the moment unforgettable for Martin and for so many others.

Why It Matters to All of Us

Ricky Martin concluded his letter with gratitude—not just as an artist celebrating another artist, but as a Puerto Rican celebrating someone who embodies the kind of success that doesn’t ask you to shrink who you are. “From one Boricua to another,” he wrote, success is a shared experience, and when one of us wins, we all win.

 

 

That message resonates far beyond the Grammys. It’s a reminder that whether you’re queer, bilingual, immigrant, or anybody navigating identity in a world that often asks you to change to be accepted, success doesn’t have to come at the price of authenticity. Bad Bunny’s historic moment wasn’t just his—it was a moment for everyone who’s ever been told to soften, to translate, to disappear.

And Ricky Martin, who once pioneered his own global breakthrough while proudly carrying his culture with him, was there to remind us all: you can shine without losing yourself.

And don’t forget: Bad Bunny is about to take that same unapologetic Puerto Rican pride to the biggest stage of all, headlining the 2026 Super Bowl Halftime Show and proving that Spanish-language music belongs everywhere.

 

 

REFERENCE: El Nuevo Día

Leave a Comment