Ricky Martin to tour on Oz stadium show

 

Singer Ricky Martin will be a coach on the next season of The Voice. Picture: AP Source: AP

Kathy McCabe, The Daily Telegraph, reports

Ricky Martin has answered the social media siren of his Australian fans and will shake his bon bon on our arena stages in October.

The wildly popular coach on The Voice told fans earlier this month he would return for his first tour in 13 years if they made their demands for shows via Twitter.

The national run has been in the works since the Latin heart-throb signed up to replace Keith Urban as a coach for the reality series' second season. Ricky negotiated with Nine Live, the network's touring arm, to promote the tour.

Fans have been hanging for Ricky to strut his stuff on stage since the show started airing last month, the popular Latin performer barely satisfying his legion of loyal admirers with the coaches' performances of Muse's Uprising and Rihanna's Diamonds.

Ricky has promised he will showcase new songs as well as the favourites from his recent Greatest Hits Souvenir Edition, which has achieved gold status in six weeks.

"This is the first time in more than a decade that I will be back on tour, live, in Australia. I am looking forward to singing all my greatest hits and some special new material that I can't wait to share with you all," Ricky said. "I'm ready to leave my soul on stage."

Visa customers can buy tickets from noon tomorrow via visaentertainment.com.au, while general tickets go on sale on June 3 from noon.

Ricky will open his tour in Melbourne on October 5. He will lob in Adelaide on October 10 to play the Adelaide Entertainment Centre before heading to Perth, Brisbane and Sydney.

First review of The Voice 2013

It's back ... The Voice / Pic: Channel 9 Source: The Daily Telegraph

Holly Byrnes, The Daily Telegraph, reports

Ladies, and a few gentlemen: prepare to fall in love with The Voice Australia's rookie, Ricky Martin.

Stepping in to fill the shoes of local favourite son, Keith Urban, was never going to be an easy task, even if the country rocker graciously gave his replacement his blessing when returning briefly to hand over his "wheels'' that spare big red chair.

As nice as the goodwill gesture was, it is clear within the opening minutes of the first episode of season two, Ricky (purr that when you say it) needs no help in winning the audience over.

In a coaching style all his own, and one that makes him an instant hit with contestants and one lucky fiancé, the Puerto Rican superstar fits comfortably into the show, livin la vida voz (that's Spanglish for living The Voice life).

He is kind, he is cool, he sings along to the songs just like Keith did.

He flirts, he encourages, he dances in his chair just like Keith did. And, some may say controversially, has sexier moves even than Mr Keith did.

He fits seamlessly into the mix with returning coaches Seal, Joel Madden and Delta Goodrem, who love and hug him even when he wins the majority of the all-in fights for contestants.

Never is their camaraderie more apparent than the blockbuster opening coaches' performance of Rihanna's hit, (Shine Bright Like) Diamonds, where appropriately the lyric goes "I knew that we'd become one right away, yes right away.''

Of course, as captivating as the new boy on the block is to watch, it's not just about him.

There's the talent.

And what talent they have found, from the quirky teens to the gigging veterans, the rocking mums to the against-all-odds natural-born artists.

While the relaunch episode is jam-packed with "super dooper, dooper, star'' performances, as Madden calls one hopeful, the nine blind auditions will deliver some of the most incredible singers this country has seen on any stage.

And after the monstrous success of last year's series, advertisers have thrown themselves at Channel 9, with Ford, Vodafone and Swisse among seven premium sponsors paying hugely-inflated rates to be back on board.

Nine's group sales boss Peter Wilshire said: "it is a testament to the results delivered by The Voice that all the incumbent sponsors had re-signed in 2013'' an impressive achievement in the tight advertising conditions.

Responding to the phenomenal viewer interest and social media interactivity last year, producers and digital rights holders, Shine have launched a HomeCoach game, allowing fans to build their own teams like sporting tragics do Fantasy Football line-ups.

Registrations open on www.thevoice.com.au from April 6 and viewers can track their favourite singers across the blinds, battle rounds and final showdowns (with a VIP trip to the finale of The Voice US up for grabs).

The Martins enjoy the wildlife at Taronga Zoo

Ricky Martin and family at Taronga Zoo / Pic: Splash Source: The Daily Telegraph

The Daily Telegraph reports

Designer threads? Check. Perfect coiff? Check.

Cutting edge eyewear? Check.

No it isn't Ricky Martin's style book we're dying to take a leaf from. It's that of his adorable sons Matteo and Valentino, who stepped out at Sydney's Taronga Zoo looking fashionable enough to rival Harper Beckham and Suri Cruise in the celebrity tot sartorial stakes.

Forget dad and his black cowl-neck scarf, high-top black sneakers, and jet-black aviators.

It was all about Valentino and his blue rectangular glasses, a bright blue polo, white shorts and sandals.

Matteo, meanwhile, sported a grey zip-up, striped white Armani pants and casual blue shoes.

Of his to-die-for twins Martin said recently; "They're amazing, and they're growing up so fast. They've changed my life completely and I can't imagine my life without them."

The Martins arrived in Sydney on Tuesday, with Martin to join Delta Goodrem, Seal and Joel Madden on the panel of The Voice. No sign, however, of Martin's long-term partner Carlos Gonzalez Abella.

The Voice a family affair for Ricky Martin as he heads Down Under with twin sons

Singer Ricky Martin will be a coach on the next season of The Voice. Picture: AP Source: AP

Holly Byrnes, The Daily Telegraph, reports

Ricky Martin is about to call Australia home. The Voice Australia coach is tweeting about his return from Los Angeles with his twin sons.

The proud papa was clearly bracing for the long night flight, prepared to keep his sons Valentino and Matteo entertained with the Qantas in-flight activity pack for children he snapped, with the message: ''Australia here we go! #longflight.''

Martin is due back on set for the next phase of recording for Channel 9's hit series, with battle rounds to begin filming this weekend.

The Grammy-winner chose his team of 12 singers last month and has since invited Aussie chart-topper Jessica Mauboy to help mentor Team Ricky this week.

The Twitter fanatic sent his new Voice partner an excited message over the social media site, posting: ''@jessicamauboy Cant wait 4 us 2work together @TheVoiceAU Its going 2B really cool! Lets have some fun & help/see them shine! Send u a hug!''

Mauboy was hand-picked by Martin, after he saw her film The Sapphires as an in-flight movie on his last flight Down Under.

''Ricky got off the plane after seeing The Sapphires and said 'who's that girl, she's fantastic,' Adrian Swift, network executive for The Voice said.

Martin was not expected to bring his children to Sydney until the live finals in April, but is understood to have found the separation from them and partner Carlos Gonzales Abella difficult.

Ricky Martin replaces Keith Urban on The Voice

Singer Ricky Martin will be a coach on the next season of The Voice. Picture: AP Source: AP

Holly Byrnes and Kathy McCabe, The Daily Telegraph, report

The Voice coach Joel Madden has endorsed the choice of Latino sensation Ricky Martin as the replacement for Keith Urban on the Channel 9 talent series next year.

Martin will be confirmed to join the hit program on Nine's A Current Affair tonight, but the global superstar appears to have spoiled the surprise by taking to Twitter to thank his Australian fans for their congratulations on the deal, posting: "sending mad love to everyone in #Australia. Can't wait to go back. Peace!"

The news was also welcomed by Madden and his brother Benji on the ARIAs red carpet, who said Martin's signing was a huge coup for the Shine format and local viewers of the blockbuster competition.

Joel Madden said Martin's "catalogue and body of work and what he has accomplished in his career precedes him. He’s a huge worldwide star."

While the new coaching line-up is yet to assemble - and not likely to until Martin's run on Broadway in Evita ends on January 26 - Madden said he had met the Livin' La Vida singer before but welcomed the chance to get to know him better during The Voice season.

"He's a classy guy and he will bring a real warm vibe," Joel said, with Benji adding "it's a good call, he's a smart guy. Even though Keith is irreplaceable."

It is understood the deal was only finalised three weeks ago, with Nine stalling on making the announcement at its 2013 programming launch on Tuesday.