Nick Carter Announces Solo Who I Am Tour: Interview – Billboard

Nick Carter feels most himself when he’s making music. After touring the world with the Backstreet Boys for the previous 4 years, one would possibly assume he’d step again and take a a lot deserved break — however, in reality, he’s simply getting began.

“Once I received again house and was lastly capable of be with the household, it was so wonderful, however I’m a musician, I’m a performer. I really like music, and so I made a decision that I needed to get again on the highway and do what I really like,” the 43-year-old celebrity tells Billboard.

That’s why he’s heading out on the highway for his first solo tour in seven years. The Who I Am tour, introduced completely through Billboard, goals to seize the music, the tales and the journey that, fittingly, made Carter who he’s. “I used to be born in 1980 and there was numerous music that influenced me all through the years to be one of many members of the Backstreet Boys. So, I’m going to carry out numerous songs that I really like,” he says of what followers can anticipate from the 14-show run. “80s songs, 90s songs — songs that that all of us grew up with, after which additionally some solo songs and numerous the Backstreet Boys songs. It’s simply going to be an actual enjoyable present.”

The tour kicks off on October 4 in Lexington, Ky., earlier than making its manner via cities like Nashville, Tempe and Orlando earlier than wrapping up on October 25 in Las Vegas. Whereas Carter can be honoring his Backstreet Boys pop roots, followers may also anticipate to see a brand new aspect of the singer.

“I’m going to exit with a band, and I play guitar. I’m going to be enjoying drums all through the present. So, it has a bit extra inventive private expression and is just a little bit extra natural, I assume you could possibly say,” he says of how his tour differs from a BSB run, earlier than sharing the “stunning” songs he hopes so as to add into the setlist. “There’s no partitions for me in the case of music,” Carter says with amusing. “One of many songs I actually need to do is Easy Thoughts’s ‘Don’t You (Neglect About Me)’ from The Breakfast Membership and one other one I need to do is Bon Jovi’s ‘Wished Lifeless or Alive.’ I’m truly going to do some rap as a result of I grew up listening to rap music. I’m gonna tear up some rap and do my very own East Coast versus West Coast!”

Don’t fear, Backstreet Boys followers. Simply because Carter is embarking on a solo tour, doesn’t imply he’s not nonetheless shut with the remainder of the blokes. “I’m in all probability going to jot down a music with AJ [McLean], and I simply frolicked with Kevin [Richardson] lately. We went to a yoga retreat collectively,” he says.

Carter’s Who I Am tour comes at a very poignant time within the celebrity’s life. In November, his youthful brother and fellow pop star Aaron Carter died at age 34 after he drowned within the bathtub at his house in Lancaster, Calif., after inhaling difluoroethane and taking alprazolam. His reason behind demise was deemed unintended.

“It’s been a really tough yr for me and my household and dropping my brother remains to be one thing that I’m processing,” Nick shares. Following Aaron’s demise, Nick and his sister Angel launched a donation fund of their late brother’s reminiscence to profit On Our Sleeves, which advocates to interrupt the stigma surrounding psychological well being and supplies youngsters’s psychological well being sources to households and lecturers nationwide.

“You attempt to discover methods to deal with the issues which might be being thrown at you in life. Leaning into something philanthropic or charitable, it makes it about one thing greater than your self,” Nick says of his previous few months. “When my sister and I [launched the donation fund], I feel that was the one manner we had been capable of course of what we’ve been going via. It’s develop into about how can we flip what we’ve been feeling into one thing that may hopefully assist someone else, after which we are able to be taught from it after which someone else can be taught from it.”

“I really like my brother. He’s my child brother and I really like him. Dropping him, it’s been actually arduous,” he provides, earlier than taking time to supply some recommendation for these additionally going via the lack of a cherished one. “You simply must take life because it comes and be taught from it and, most significantly, simply know that you just’re not alone.”

Amid the grieving course of, Nick has additionally been dealing with a brand new sexual abuse lawsuit from Melissa Schuman – a former member of teen-pop group Dream who has lengthy claimed that she was assaulted by the singer. “I’m a extremely robust believer within the authorized system,” the Backstreet Boys member tells Billboard, noting that he can’t share too many particulars concerning the ongoing lawsuit at the moment. “I’m assured that justice can be served in the long run, and I truly look ahead to talking about it extra when it’s throughout.”

As for now, Nick says that the Who I Am tour has offered a a lot welcomed beam of sunshine in a very tumultuous yr. “I’m a musician. I’m an artist. I’m a performer, however I’m additionally a human first,” he explains. “Music is therapeutic to me and all of us discover methods to handle the issues that we’re going via in life. Getting on the market and performing for followers and simply being who I’m — it’ll assist me throughout this this time.”

Tickets and unique VIP packages for the Who I Am tour go on sale beginning July 21 right here. See under for the total record of tour dates.

Oct. 4 – Singletary Heart for the Arts – Lexington, KY
Oct. 5 – The Household Enviornment – St. Charles, MO
Oct. 7 – Schermerhorn Symphony Heart – Nashville, TN
Oct. 8 – The Basic Heart Theatre – Athens, GA
Oct. 9 – Harbison Theatre – Irmo, SC
Oct. 11 – Shaftman Efficiency Corridor Jefferson Heart – Roanoke, VA
Oct. 13 – Wilson Heart – Wilmington, NC
Oct. 15 – Walt Disney Theater at Dr. Phillips Heart – Orlando, FL
Oct. 17 – Pompano Seashore Amphitheater – Pompano Seashore, FL
Oct. 19 – Curtis M. Phillips Heart for the Performing Arts – Gainesville, FL
Oct. 20 – Van Wezel Performing Arts Corridor – Sarasota, FL
Oct. 22 – Morsani Corridor Straz Heart for the Performing Arts – Tampa, FL
Oct. 24 – Mullett Enviornment – Tempe, AZ
Oct. 25 – The Theater at Virgin Lodge Las Vegas – Las Vegas, NV