'Sound Loaded' released

Ricky Martin loads a world of music in latest sound

"Sound Loaded" is Ricky Martin's second English-language CD and was recorded while touring for his first

By Mark Scheerer
CNN Showbiz Today Correspondent

NEW YORK (CNN) -- Ricky Martin -- ebullient, boyish, blonder -- on Tuesday released "Sound Loaded" (Columbia), his second English-language CD.

Hard to believe, but it was just February 1999 when Martin released his self-titled debut CD and performed "The Cup Of Life" on the Grammys telecast. It touched off his soaring ascent to pop music's pinnacle.

"Sound Loaded" was recorded while Martin was touring behind the success of that first CD.

He spoke recently with CNN about sexy women, success and yoga.

CNN: Is your new album loaded with sound, or is that a computer term?

AUDIO Sound sample: 'She Bangs' off 'Sound Loaded' WAV sound Ricky Martin on his music style on the new CD ... WAV sound

Ricky Martin: When I gave my album a name -- when I started talking to people about "Sound Loaded" -- they said, "Is it about computers?" ... It is about listening to all those different sounds and having the opportunity to exchange ideas with, you know, people from different parts of the world, and just making all these different sounds part of my sound. ... It's all about educating.

It's all about letting people know it doesn't matter what part of the world you are from. ... It's about feeling good with yourself. It's about trusting your emotions and your instincts -- things that I talk about in my album.

CNN: So much has happened in such a short amount of time. Your head must be spinning.

Martin: My head is spinning sometimes. If it wasn't spinning, I think I would need professional help. At this point, I do my meditations everyday because that is the only way that I can survive all this euphoria.

... Yoga came into my life (with) such perfect timing. It came into my life right before the Grammys. ... I learned it in India and I am ready to go back.

Ricky Martin in his new video "She Bangs"

CNN: Have you performed in India?

Martin: I have. I did a concert in India two years ago for 55,000 people, and it was just fascinating because of the culture. It was a big stadium and yet all you could see (were) men ... because the ladies, they sit in the last rows. ... It was a little weird.

CNN: Is that the most exotic place that you have played?

Martin: It was Beijing (China), actually. ... People are not allowed to express themselves. People are not allowed to dance at the concert. And I said, "I am not leaving this arena until I see everyone dancing." Well, they did not leave me. They did not let me leave the stage, because they wanted more.

CNN: You get the most beautiful people to dance in your videos. How do you do that?

Martin: They are all from Miami (Florida), the Dominican Republic and Puerto Rico. No casting director; it was a very good friend, (and) I told him, "Go out there and find people." And you know, it was very easy for him. ... "Would you like to spend a weekend in the Bahamas shooting a video?" Nobody said no to that.

CNN: Why are "dangerous women" the subject of so many of your songs?

Martin: To be spontaneous is something that really excites me, and that is what I mean when I talk about these women that drive me crazy. They drive me crazy because I can be having dinner in a fancy restaurant and all of a sudden she stands up in the middle of the table and she starts dancing. Who doesn't like that?

And a lot of people feel a little bit embarrassed: "God, what is going on here?" But if you focus for a little while you really enjoy it, you know.

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Ricky Martin

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