NEW YORK (May 23, 1999 7:19 a.m. EDT ) -

Ricky Martin's people skills go WAY beyond charm. He doesn't just say "hello" when he sees a reporter waiting as he rushes down the hall to grab something to eat between interviews; he makes immediate eye contact, smiles widely and shrugs, as if to say, "Can you BELIEVE how hectic this day is?"

Before the interview starts, he admires a piece of jewelry, asks if the interviewer would like something to drink, and apologizes for the short time allotted for questions. Then, he settles his lanky, 6-foot-plus frame into the chair and waits attentively for the first question.

Others might be uncomfortable being the center of attention, always having to be personable. Not Martin.

"I always had the need to be in the spotlight," said Martin, 27, a former member of the Latino teen group Menudo.

His enthusiasm for anything connected to his music is all-encompassing. And it's contagious, judging by the thousands of fans who waited hours to see him at a Manhattan record store on the day his latest record was released.

"Livin' la Vida Loca," the first single from his new English-language album "Ricky Martin," is at the top of the music charts. The video is in heavy rotation, he's been on morning television and "Saturday Night Live." And thanks to his high eye-candy quotient, the Puerto Rican-born Martin is on People magazine's list of the 50 "most beautiful people in the world" for 1999.

"Some people have something special, and Rick has that," said Robi "Draco" Rosa, another former Menudo member, who has written songs and produced for Martin.

Instant celebrities always run the risk of fizzling out. But Martin doesn't plan to be just a flavor-of-the-month.

"I want to come back to America in 10 years and still be respected," he said..

Martin is no stranger to stardom. He's been through it with Menudo, then again when he went into acting on a soap opera and on Broadway. His Spanish-language albums have sold millions of copies globally, and "La Copa de la Vida" became the theme for the 1998 World Cup of soccer.

He is much better known outside of the United States. But Martin doesn't let that bother him.

"I cannot expect for everybody to know me," he said. "What am I going to say? 'How come you don't know me? What are you talking about? Where have you been, under a rock?' That's not how it goes. I'm more into, 'Yeah, let's start today, this is me.'"

He's hoping his English-language album, which features a duet with Madonna, will be his introduction to audiences in the United States - and their introduction to his Latin musical heritage. "I want people to know where I come from and if, in order for that to happen, I have to speak in their language, I will," he said.

Martin said the message of the album is to "be who you are. Express yourself how you want to express yourself. Don't be afraid."

He is quick to allay fears that his foray into English means he's turning his back on his Spanish roots.

"I will never stop singing in Spanish," said Martin, who is already working on his next Spanish-language album. "That's my mother tongue, and I'm very proud of it."

So why did he do an English-language album when he's sung in Spanish elsewhere in the world?

"Because I wanted to do it. ... It's very simple, it's not a science project.. I felt like it. Why not? It's not that if you don't do it in English in America, you're not going to make it. I didn't do English because of that."

Martin said the album also showcases his spirituality, which he credits with keeping him from getting caught up in his own hype.

"It's very seductive to be part of that wave and I've felt it," he said. "You start feeling that grandiosity complex and it becomes part of you, and then you think you're God and you deserve it all ... That's not good for you."

Finding a balance is key, Martin said. For him, that includes taking time every morning to be by himself, to think about what's going on, and to take a step back and gain some perspective. He's been doing that for six years, and it's what keeps him enjoying his career.

"I love this. I love it because I have a balance," he said. Not having that, he said, "would be like creating a sabotage to your talents ... This is your mission, this is what you came to life for. In order for you to follow this path in a healthy way, look for the balance."