Listen: Ricky Martin Reflects on Coming Out as Gay: 'I've Been Super Happy Ever Since'

Ricky Martin is looking back at his career, being closeted at the height of his career and his decision to publicly come out as gay.

Speaking with Proud Radio on Apple Music, Martin reflected back on when he took some time off during his Livin' La Vida Loca tour in 1999.

"My music was being heard all over the world, regardless of the language," Martin said. "I could high five God, but I wasn't living to the fullest. I was sad. I was depressed. I would walk on stage to perform because that was the only way I could balance my emotion is to snap out of this heavy sadness that I was moving in.

"And then actually there came a moment that I said, 'We need to stop. We need to stop the tour.' I remember I was in Australia and from Australia, we were going to go to South America," Martin continued. "And I said, 'I can't. I can't do this. I need to go home. I need silence. I need to cry. I need to be angry. I need to forgive myself for allowing myself to reach this level, to get to where I'm at.' And I took some time and I took a sabbatical."

Many people in his life knew Martin was gay but it wasn't until his 2011 memoir that he came out as gay publicly.

"I got to the place I was fighting as I was writing my book between saying, 'Am I gay? Am I bisexual? Am I gay? Am I bisexual?,'" he said. "And either is okay, just go within and do not lie to yourself. And then I said, 'Rick, you are a very fortunate homosexual man. You are gay.' And I wrote it and I pressed send, and then I cried like crazy. And I've been super happy ever since."

Elsewhere in the interview, Martin discussed his love for Elton John as well as the intersectionality of the LGBTQ community and Black Lives Matter movement.

"I think we have to join forces," Martin said. "At this point it's all about listening, it's about learning, it's about being respectful and it's about understanding that at this point it's not about us. At this point it's about giving the platform to those incredible voices that has helped us and has taught us about the injustices that, in this case, the LGBTQ+ community goes through."

Click here to check out the interview.

[H/T Variety]