For the 41st Annual Grammy Awards held by the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences in 1999, Ricky Martin performed “La Copa de la Vida” (translated as “The Cup of Life”). The song, which is a piece of samba-influenced Latin Pop music, was translated into English for the awards show performance and was later released as a Spanglish radio edit. Dressed in all black, Martin sang the official anthem of the 1998 FIFA World Cup in the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles, California. Martin was accompanied by several backup singers, a live band, and a percussion section which played in the auditorium’s aisles.
Ricky Martin’s performance at the 1999 Grammy Awards is often labelled as the start of the “Latin Music Boom” in the United States. Martin’s performance received a standing ovation from the audience, and he was asked to return as a performer for the 42nd Annual Grammy Awards. Martin’s performance, and the crowd’s overwhelmingly positive reception, signaled a shift in US audiences’ approach to Latino artists.
Martin, Ricky. “The Cup of Life” at the 41st Annual Grammy Music Awards. Los Angeles, California, 1999.