Launch --
*NSYNC's new album Celebrity comes out in the U.S. on July 24. The album is the follow-up to last year's No Strings Attached, which set a record by selling 2.4 million copies in its first week of domestic release. Since then, the album has sold a whopping 11 million copies in the U.S. alone.
One might think the members of *NSYNC would feel at least a little pressure to better the success of No Strings Attached, but that's not how they feel at all, according to singer Lance Bass. Bass told LAUNCH that the recording process for Celebrity was actually quite "relaxing" due to the fact that *NSYNC has now firmly established itself as a leader in the realm of pop music.
"It's way more relaxing, definitely," he said. "You know, at the beginning you have to prove yourselves. You really have to fight the criticism and all the comparisons, and you go through a lot of crap the first four years of your career, and I think it's harder on a group like us that's definitely not respected at all at the beginning."
Bass explained that the members of *NSYNC have also finally reached a level where creative control of the album belongs solely to them. "You can do whatever you want to now and be very creative, and you know that you're in control," Bass said. "And even if there are critics out there saying negative things, you don't have to worry about it. You make fun of it yourself. You're, like, 'Oh...ah, well,' and you have your fan base that you know are gonna get that album and enjoy it and respect it."
In related news, *NSYNC has firmed up the guest list for its Challenge For The Children III (CFTC) charity-basketball event taking place July 27-29 at the Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas, Nevada. The confirmed list of NBA stars for the weekend includes Reggie Miller, Tracy McGrady, Antawn Jamison, Cuttino Mobley, Dan Marjerle, Steve Francis, Elton Brand, Dennis Scott, and NBA Inside Stuff host Ahmad Rashad.
Other notables scheduled to attend include Britney Spears, Lil' Bow Wow, Jermaine Dupri, Christina Milian, Soul Decision, Dante Thomas, Brian McKnight, Ludacris, Kelly Price, and others.
Proceeds from CFTC will benefit the Arnold Palmer Hospital For Women & Children, the Epilepsy Foundation, the Las Vegas Boys & Girls Club, the Justin Timberlake Foundation, and Camp Good Days.