Where did your inspiration to become a part of entertainment come from?
A: My inspiration mainly came from my idols. Music has always been a huge part of my life and I’ve always aspired to be a part of it. The first time I heard Prince, I was hooked. Other artists such as Michael Jackson have also inspired me to be who I am today, and if it weren’t for them, I’d probably be working right now at some place in Memphis. What was your experience like with the New Mickey Mouse Club? A: Performing with Christina Aguilera, Britney Spears, Ryan Gosling and other big names throughout those couple years was absolutely fantastic. Having the opportunity to perform and act on the show at such a young age was a great way to launch my career and get my name out into the world. MMC was a great experience for me and I will always be grateful for everyone that performed with me. When do you feel like you really made an impact in the music industry? A: You know, that’s a really hard decision to make. Being a part of N’Sync really made me feel like people became inspired by our music but, I did not feel like I impacted the music industry on my own. Justified was my first solo album, which you may already know, and it sold extremely well. I didn’t quite feel like I actually impacted the music industry up until I released my second album, FutureSex/LoveSounds. So many hits from that album rose to popularity and I felt appreciated by everyone. SexyBack went viral and I swear I never heard the end of it but it was enjoyable for me. So to answer your question, I feel like I made an impact in 2006. What pushed you want to be a part of the band, N’Sync? A: I’ve always enjoyed being on a stage entertaining people, so after performing with JC on MMC, we ultimately decided to form a band, since the show was over. We both agreed we wished to continue performing for crowds, so that’s exactly what we did. We gathered together 3 other men, including Lance Bass, Joey Fatone and Chris Kirkpatrick, and we collaborated to create music for everyone to enjoy. What motivated you to be a solo artist? A: You see, I wrote the song Gone originally for Michael Jackson, hoping for it to become a duet between the two of us but, the band decided to take the song and sing it all as one group. "It was one of those songs where, it felt a little more personal to me, because I had written it for the biggest artist of all time." Eventually, Michael did get ahold of me and we did talk about the song becoming a duet with N’Sync and Michael Jackson, however he made it extremely clear to me that he only wanted it to be between him and I. Michael is an idol of mine and him saying that to me really did give me the confidence to go solo. So, that’s the real reason why I decided to part from the group. I’ve noticed that you’ve wrote and co-wrote songs for huge artists, why didn’t you keep those songs for yourself? A: Yes I have written songs for other artists. I co-wrote Hard Candy with Madonna, co-wrote with Timbaland, I wrote Rehab for Rihanna, and I also wrote many songs for Beyoncé, including Partition, Rocket and Blow. I’ve always enjoyed writing music, it’s something that comes naturally to me, so I tend to share songs with other artists I’m close with. All of the songs I write don’t necessarily fit me and sound better coming from other artists, so I offer them the songs, and they’ve all been successful. How do you manage the rumors spread around about your personal life? A: My personal life has gotten out a few times, quite a bit with cheating on my wonderful wife, which I can confirm is false, and with other flings but that's what the media enjoys to do. I enjoy being alone, which is quite ironic because I’m well known and constantly surrounded by people, but my has mom always told me, "You have to know that there is something in you that you need to get out and show the world but it comes with challenges. It's testing your character, but just to know how serious are you taking it. It is normal for you, but not for the others. NEVER forget that it doesn't mean that you are more than anybody else. There is going to be a point when you will realize that you will always have to work harder than the others." Those words help me cope with the drama and realize the bigger picture. How have you enjoyed being a father? A: My son, Silas Randall, was born on April 8th, 2015. Him and my wife are the two most important people in my life and I am so appreciative for the two of them. Being a father this past year has taught me quite a bit and I’ve learned to take on new responsibilities I never had to before, but that isn’t a bad thing. Having my son has given me insight and helped me become a better person. I love being a father and I only want to be the best role model for my son. |