Espejismo translates to 'mirage' or 'illusion' and perfectly derives from the root word espejo, which means mirror.
In this iconic dance hit, Ricky Martin describes María as an espejismo, a captivating illusion that drives you completely crazy. It is a highly poetic word to describe someone who is undeniably alluring but ultimately impossible to hold onto.
Get ready to dance, but be careful who you're dancing with! Ricky Martin's massive hit "María" is all about a woman who is completely irresistible but also seriously dangerous. He describes her as being out of this world, literally "como caída de otro planeta" (as if fallen from another planet). But she's not a friendly alien; she's a "laberinto carnal / Que te atrapa y no te enteras" (a carnal labyrinth / that traps you and you don't even realize). The song warns you from the start that falling for her is a bad idea.
The whole song is a list of warnings disguised as a party anthem. María seems pure, "blanca como el día" (white as the day), but she's actually "veneno si te quieres enamorar" (poison if you want to fall in love). The lyrics get even more intense, calling her a "pecado mortal" (mortal sin) and a "espejismo sexual / Que te vuelve loco, loco" (a sexual mirage that drives you crazy, crazy). While he's telling you she will absolutely destroy you, the chorus just keeps repeating the simple, catchy dance steps: "Un, dos, tres un pasito pa'lante María" (One, two, three, one little step forward María). It's a fun, dark mix of obsession and salsa.
Ricky Martin was turned down by Menudo twice for being too short. The third audition worked, and in 1984 Enrique Martín Morales joined the Puerto Rican boy band at twelve, staying past his age-mandated retirement until July 1989. Two solo ballad albums followed, Ricky Martin (1991) and Me Amarás (1993), before he changed direction.
A Medio Vivir (1995) carried "María", his first hit well beyond Latin America, and Vuelve (1998) carried "La Copa de la Vida", the official song of that year's World Cup in France. He sang it at the 1999 Grammy Awards, where Vuelve took Best Latin Pop Performance, and that spring "Livin' la Vida Loca" spent five weeks at number one on the Billboard Hot 100 as the lead single from his first English-language album. He has gone on recording in Spanish throughout: Almas del Silencio (2003), and A Quien Quiera Escuchar (2015), which won Best Latin Pop Album. He came out publicly in 2010, and his foundation campaigns against human trafficking.