By Jake Sutera
It was the year 2000 all over again for hundreds of Northeastern students last night as Lance Bass, of ‘NSYNC fame, arrived on campus to discuss his professional and personal life.
The predominantly female crowd shrieked at the sight of the former pop star, and some were even at a loss for words during the Q’A session.
The lecture in Blackman Auditorium covered a range of topics, from the formation of ‘NSYNC and coming out to the world as a gay man to his experiences in Russia training to become the youngest person ever in space, his stint on Broadway and his recent stint on the TV show “Dancing with the Stars.”
Being on stage is nothing new for Bass – he has been singing and dancing since he was 16 years old, when he did so with ‘NSYNC in front of thousands of screaming fans. Last night, however, he stuck to talking.
“I love doing these lectures at colleges,” Bass said in an interview with The News before the show. “It gives me the opportunity to talk directly to fans about all of my experiences in my career, whether that be with the music industry or anything else I’ve done.”
The event was presented by sorority Sigma Sigma Sigma and was the last of three lectures in their speaker series. Dana Brown, the education director of the sorority, was in charge of putting the event together and said she felt that Bass was a perfect way to conclude the set.
“The theme is basically to be yourself and love yourself and by Lance being so open with his personal life while still being in the spotlight, it’s just a great message to convey,” she said.
Bass rose to fame as a member of the successful pop music group ‘NSYNC that has sold more than 50 million albums worldwide, according to Nielsen SoundScan, a company that tracks music and video sales throughout the United States and Canada. The band’s albums “No Strings Attached” (2000) and “Celebrity” (2001) sold 2.4 and 1.9 million copies respectively in their first single weeks of release. This was the top two first-week sales totals in music history. Their choreographed dancing and songs propelled the five members to teen heartthrob status.
Bass said the band went on hiatus in 2002 as Justin Timberlake pursued a solo career.
“It was supposed to be six months, but it has turned into six years. Who knew he would do so well,” Bass joked, explaining ‘NSYNC’s extended absence from the music scene.
In July 2006, five years after the release of the band’s last album, Bass revealed that he was gay to People magazine. He said he received an outpouring of support from fans across the country.
A year later he released his memoir “Out of Sync,” which discusses his successes in his career, his life as a gay man and the struggles to keep his sexuality hidden from millions of fans around the world in fear of jeopardizing the band’s success.
“After the People magazine article, my fans wanted me to tell the whole story, so that’s how I decided to write the book,” Bass said before the show. “I also thought it was a relatable subject – people struggling to find themselves.” It debuted on the New York Times bestseller list after its release.
His talk at Blackman Auditorium was filled with stories about his life, including some that were not well known. Bass said ‘NSYNC got their big break when a TV special about them aired on the Disney Channel, a program offer that was turned down by the Backstreet Boys. “Really, we have them to thank for our success,” he laughed.
Attendees said the Q’A session allowed them to interact with Bass in a relaxed setting.
Fans lined the aisles waiting patiently for a chance to ask a question, some asking for advice on how to get started in the music industry while others keeping the mood light with questions like what his favorite cereal is. One girl even asked if he would ever be interested in women again. He also sang “Happy Birthday” to one girl.
A book signing followed the show that allowed fans to meet with him one-on-one.
“This event was a great opportunity to provide entertainment as well as deliver a positive message,” said afterHOURS interim program coordinator Sarah Weiner, who was involved in the process of bringing this show to campus. “It gives students a well rounded college experience.”
Bass said he wouldn’t rule out an ‘NSYNC reunion, even hinting that they would be talking about doing something together in a few months. Although it has been seven years since they have released any new material, they still have fans here on campus, including Orli Wachs, a freshman physical therapy major.
“When they were together, Lance was always my favorite,” she said. “It was a great show and it’s awesome that he came to campus.”
