Diana Ortiz: "I think what hit us the most was when we were on the *NSYNC tour. Those guys inspire us so much. Because we see how hard they work, and we want to work just as hard, have just what they have. But they worked their butts off; it wasn't just handed to them on a gold platter. And I remember it was the first night we saw their performance, all of us were like, "We want that." We want to have that. And they are so happy and so humble, and so grounded. And that's something we really look up to, and we are really going to work hard together to get that."
Melissa Schuman: "One thing I remember *NSYNC went through at the beginning -- There was the Backstreet Boys, and then there was *NSYNC. And the Backstreet Boys were, at the beginning, bigger than *NSYNC, and what I think is kind of cool is that [*NSYNC] have kind of proven them wrong. They said, 'Oh really?' and they went and did their thing and have separated [themselves] from a lot of the boy bands which are out there right now; which I think is cool."
3LW
"We're inspired by *NSYNC, even though they're a boy band. They have wonderful singing and awesome choreography."
Janet Jackson
"*NSYNC are good dancers." (Thanx Emily!)
Brian McKnight
Talking about Justin: "He's easy. Exactly how you see him on TV that's exactly how he is for real. He wants to give to everybody. He's not one of these guys who's so successful that he knows everything. He still wants to learn; he still wants to absorb everything. I think he's going to be around for a very, very long time."
Melissa from Real World: New Orleans
Melissa: It's the weirdest thing to meet celebrities and they freak on you. Like Ray, the MTV VJ Raymond, he called me. I don't care though. I'm trying to milk this and straight up meet Justin from *NSYNC because I love him.
Interviewer: I hear he's with Britney though, are you going to try to steal him away?
Melissa: He is. But I love him so much more. And I don't think he understands how much I love him. *NSYNC is black! Have you heard that album?
Interviewer: I haven't heard the whole album, no.
Melissa: That @#%$ is like watered down Boyz II Men. It's good!
Interviewer: I love *NSYNC. Believe me, I'm no snob about that. People say they don't listen to "Bye Bye Bye". Whatever! You love it. It's a good song.
Melissa: I missed the whole *NSYNC revolution because I was filming the show and I couldn't watch. Don't you know, when I got home, I watched everything I could watch.
Keri Russell
Former Mousketeer and Felicity star Keri Russell talks about her bond with her fellow MMC alumni: "I love going to the newsstand and seeing someone I know when they were twelve on the cover of Rolling Stone. It cracks me up. J.C. [Chasez] from *NSYNC is mostly my age, but Britney [Spears], Christina [Aguilera], and Justin [Timberlake] were in a younger age groups, so I'm more protective of them. When I hear that someone's written something about any of them wearing skimpy outfits, I get upset. They're eighteen, give 'em a break!"
Jonathan Lipnicki
"I've heard when girls meet *NSYNC and the Backstreet Boys, they throw up on them and faint. I wouldn't want to get thrown up on."
Vanilla Ice
Talking about Eminem: "I think he's really lame in certain ways, because to
pick on The Backstreet Boys and *NSYNC--thats like the easiest target in the world. Why pick on them? Because
they're outselling you? Because they're just not as
hard as you? Because they're mainstream? Because the
kids can listen to them? I dont respect him for
cracking on novelty acts like that. Why dont you crack
on somebody that can say something back like me?"
Sharon Corr from The Corrs
"A band that I think is really wonderful and I don't think is gonna go away--and I think they are really, really suffering because of groups like *NSYNC and Backstreet Boys--is Hanson. Hanson are wonderful, wonderful musicians: the music they write together, the energy they have playing it. And I think they are really suffering because they can play, and they can write, and they can sing, and so they can't be manipulated. There is room for *NSYNC and stuff like that, but it is a pity if real music does suffer."
Nick Lachey from 98 Degrees
He put this quote in his "Thank You's" in 98 Degrees' new album, Revelation: "A big shout out to *NSYNC--it's been awesome watching you guys rise to the top. No one deserves it more."
Jordan Knight
Question:Were you at this years VMA?
Jordan:No, I wish I was...I thought *NSYNC was really good.
Question:How do you feel about the boybands that are out now?
Jordan:I think they are really good. *NSYNC is kicking butt. I know them, so it makes it better.
Sisqo
Sisqo revealed a closet case of *NSYNC mania after winning the award for Best Hip-Hop Video ("Thong Song") at the VMA's: "I just like good music, especially when you see groups like *NSYNC that's just putting a lot of other R&B groups to shame with their dance moves and things of that nature," he said. "Plus, their musicality on the albums is really intricate. I know, in the beginning, when the whole boy band flurry came, everybody was kind of thinking it was a joke. But being a musician myself and listening to groups like *NSYNC's album and listening to all the different intricate melodies and harmonies, and music that they use, it's not a joke no more."
Boyz II Men
"We enjoy *N SYNC they're very talented and can sing
live very well. They are true entertainers and performers. But the other groups are dookie. BSB are
ok on their records, but not good live. Only 2 guys
from 98 Degrees can really sing, but they're our label
mates, so we gotta be kind."
Backstreet Boys
Nick Carter:"We try to be different...then all of a sudden [*NSYNC] starts following us."
Kevin Richardson:
"It's like, find your own identity."
Eminem
"*NSYNC are f---in' phony...If I lose my fans 'cos they find out [I don't] like *NSYNC, I don't give a f--k."
Jon Bon Jovi
"*NSYNC are not my cup of tea."
Kathie Lee Gifford
"*NSYNC is history in the making...I'm old enough to be their mother."
Aaron Carter
"I'm not even a fan of Backstreet Boys...I'm sorry. I'm sorry Nick, Brian and the
other guys. Actually you know what. If I said this it would be really upsetting
but I'm a fan of *NSYNC. I like *NSYNC. You know.. I just like their music a lot
more..It's just funner to listen to. The only Backstreet music I like...Their music
now has achieved more older audience so it's like the younger kids are just like
wow...and it's like 'Mom you can listen to this, I'm going to go listen to *NSYNC'"
Evan Farmer (Jerry O'Keefe) from 2ge+her
In response to the question, favorite boyband other than 2gether...:"*NSYNC. You can be really good at what you do, but if you don't love it, it shows. they look like they love it."
Darren Henson (one of *NSYNC's choreographer)
"I have so much fun with the people I work with, its really hard to pick. I will say that the guys of *NSYNC were like brothers to me. We hung out a lot and really had a great time."
Richard Marx
"I got a call last summer to write a song for the group. I had a song going that I thought would be good for them, so I did a home demo that geared toward their sound. A week later I was told they loved the song but that it would be produced by one of their regular producers from the last album. The next day, I got the call that the guys had personally requested that I produce it myself. Soon thereafter I flew to LA where I cut the track with keyboard programmer C.J. Vanston and guitarist Michael Thompson, then we waited for a hole in the group's schedule (not an easy task) and I flew to Orlando to record their vocals. I hadn't met them, and really wasn't even sure who was who. By the end of the first night, the vocals were done. These guys sing so well and are such studio pros that it was a walk in the park. Justin ended up asking to stay behind and just sing the song over and over for fun. So he and I did that until 2am. When we weren't working on vocals, we were laughing hysterically at each other. Lots of recreating scenes from Mike Myers' So I Married An Axe Murderer and Austin Powers.
I can say, without hesitation, that working with them was the most pleasurable experience I've ever had as a producer. It's just a shame the sales of the new album are so dismal."
Destiny's Child
[Beyonce talking about how they felt when *NSYNC wanted to tour with them]:"We heard them say that on the radio, and we started screaming. They're cool guys, and they are so hot right now. I'm glad they like our music, because we really love everything about them. They have great harmonies and put on such an amazing show."
Joe
"This is the first collaboration that I've done for my [own] record and I'm pretty excited about that. And the guys were so easy to work with, so professional. I mean, they came in and they stayed until it was finished. They got out of the studio at about four o'clock in the morning."
Fred Durst
"I think those guys are talented - I have nothing against them," Fred said of 'N Sync at the IAM.com party at Quixote Studios, adding, "I actually think they're better than Backstreet." Would he want to collaborate with the dudes perhaps? "You never know. I wouldn't count anything out in this business."
Gloria Estefan
"*NSYNC get a bum rap. People think they're not real, but they're totally real, and they work like animals. They do their own arrangements and choreography. They're young, but they've grown up in an amazingly complex world, so it's no surprise they're so mature."
"Justin's a cutie, but I love Lance!"
Joey McIntyre
"All of the new groups aren't doing anything different than we were. But 'N Sync is my favorite. I look in their eyes and I see that they're at the point where they've got the world by the balls and they're having a good time. It's all about hanging onto that and seeing if you can. I actually think they can transcend the whole boy-band thing."
"When you are the biggest thing in the world, you feel like you can get away with anything, like fashion. The Backstreet Boys look like the Power Rangers and *NSYNC look like the trench-coat mafia."
Maggie Lawson
Talking about her kissing scene with Justin: "I thought (his fans were) going to be like, 'No! No! He's mine!' They made us stand there forever. They were like, 'Now go in for the kiss--but turn this way and turn that way."
"He's a hard worker. The boy doesn't stop!"
Innosense
Advice Innosense got from *NSYNC: "Don't trust anyone!"
Veronica talking about advice she recieved from *NSYNC: "Just stay together, the five of you, no matter what, no matter who comes in and out of your lives, just as long as you stay together, stay on the same page, that's all that matters. That's the main advice."
Jenny talking about advice she recieved from *NSYNC: "In groups people love to pull one person away. And you can't let people do that, you can't let anyone tug you away from the group because then they can manipulate you. So if you don't let anyone in your circle, if you have this massive shield around you, then you have power in that."
Mandy from Innosense talking about Justin: "Justin?! I think his fans know more about him than his mom does! He's very funny. Very witty. He's always making me laugh, every time I'm around him. He's a very positive person."
Nikki talking about 'N Sync's music: "'N Sync has kinda been like an inspiration to us since the very beginning, just because of the talent that they do have, and the chemistry that they have with each other and their music."
Jenny talking about 'N Sync's music: "We heard some of their new stuff for their new album comin' up--they've been recording some of it around Orlando and they're letting us have some peeks--and it sounds really cool. We're excited for them. It's really happy and stuff."
Danay talking about 'N Sync's music: "I'll tell you a little secret--when we first got together, way back when we were in Memphis, we would put on their music on the way to rehearsal--and we would listen to 'N Sync to get pumped up. I mean, seriously--that's how it would be. They have been our inspiration since the beginning."
Charlotte Church
On starring with 'N Sync on Touched By An Angel: "There were loads of girls waiting outside and screaming. I like some of their songs, but I don't have the album. I got their autographs for my friend."
Christina Aguilera
"We used to hang out a lot at Pleasure Island, me and
Britney and Justin (Timberlake). We'd go dance and dance."
Mandy Moore
So whaddaya say--Backstreet or *NSYNC?
Backstreet. I could sit here contemplating--and you know what duded, I love *NSYNC--but at the end of the day, how can you compare "I Want It That Way" to "Bye Bye Bye"? They're totally different. Backstreet's music is--I know it's a cheesy word to use--a little more timeless. Like, my Dad likes the Backstreet Boys. And my Dad listens to, like, The Eagles.
"Justin is so sweet. He's just the nicest guy."
On the difference between 'N Sync and the Backstreet Boys:"There are differences, "They are two different groups, and
they're both so talented, and they're great entertainers.
They sell out shows. They have such dedicated fans. But
to me, being on both tours, I really see a difference in the
audience. With 'N Sync, it was
over the summer, and it was an
amphitheater tour, but I saw a lot more
kids my age and a little bit older. I
mean, there were some younger people
there, but it was mostly around my age,
like 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, and 18, maybe.
And they weren't there with their
parents a lot of the time. They were
there with their friends."
Carson Daly
"It's cool to hook up my friends and family. If my little cousin wants to see *NSYNC, I just call Joey on his cell phone."
"I can't wait to speak to *NSYNC again, 'cause they're all like my little brothers."
Jeff from 98 Degrees
We've been good friends since we went on tour with *NSYNC about a year and a half ago. They're very down-to-earth, very talented guys."
Blaque
"'N Sync are like big brothers to us."
"We went on tour with 'N Sync in the spring. We're real good friends with them. We have the same management."
Shamari from Blaque:"Those boys are great. I
mean, they put their energy into their show. They go home, they practice,
they're talented, and they're amazing, and I can't take nothing from them. They're like brothers to us, We kick it with them on off
times. And when we're not kickin' it with them, we try to see if we could
reach them on their cell phones just to say hello, you know. They're amazing,
we love being around 'N Sync."
B*Witched
"They're all really, really nice. Joey spoke to us a little more. Seems like we always kept bumping into him. Every time we arrived somewhere, he was always coming out of a door."
Divine
"We love all the guys in the group--especially JC!"
Zac Hanson
"*NSYNC is like 40 [years old]. They should call themselves Man Group."
"They're doing a great job, so all the power to them!"
Kathy Griffin
It's every girl's dream to be serenaded by 'N Sync."
The Honeyz
"'N Sync-I don't think I've met a group of guys that get on so well. They walk into a room and you know that 'N Sync has arrived. There is just this atmosphere around the five of them, because they've got such a sense of humor and a big aura around them. They are just fun to be around. They liven up any party!"
