Backstreet's back! Well, one of them is. Pop star Nick Carter to perform at UF, other Florida shows

It's difficult to imagine any music lover in the world who hasn't heard of the Backstreet Boys.

Whether you were dancing your teenage heart out in a mirror behind a closed door or poking fun at the boy band fad from the mid-to-late 1990s, the group and its members regardless are staples in American pop culture and adored around the world.

Next week, singer Nick Carter hopes to bring back some of that nostalgia to fans throughout Florida, with stops in Orlando, Tampa, St. Petersburg and Gainesville, for what what will be his first solo tour in seven years. The pop star said he plans to pull out an arsenal of jams that extend well beyond the Backstreet Boys' catalog by performing a series of 80s covers that he grew up listening to while living along Florida's west coast — songs that shaped him into the household name he is today.

“I want it to feel like if you didn't even know who I was, and you went to a bar or something like that and you saw this guy up on stage singing great songs and hits throughout the years, that you're just going to have a good time,” he said of the upcoming tour.

Sitting at his Las Vegas home with two MTV Moonman Video Music Awards in the background by each of his shoulders, Carter's success is undeniable.

With a long list of hits that include “I Want It That Way,” “As Long As You Love Me” and “Quit Playing Games,” Carter and the Backstreet Boys are proven international superstars. The five-member group is among the few select artists to ever have multiple albums reach diamond certification (selling 10 million copies or more) by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA).

Fans may remember feeling heartbroken when the band went on a brief hiatus, at which point Carter began exploring his career as a solo artist. Though the band eventually reconciled and began releasing other platinum-selling albums and touring the world to sold-out crowds, Carter has kept his solo work going for two decades, allowing him the opportunity to creatively venture out by playing guitar, drums and writing his own songs.

You would assume that the 43-year-old pop star, fresh off his worldwide four-year tour with the Backstreet Boys — hitting 44 different counties and singing to 3 million people — would want a break. But Carter said he was quick to plan out his “Who I Am” tour upon arriving home.

“As an entertainer, you have an itch,” he said.

Like many of his fans, Carter desires that sense of nostalgia, too, more so since coming out of the COVID-19 pandemic that interrupted touring plans for all artists. He said he wants to connect with audience members in a different way than he has been able to in a group and hopes the string of shows will people back to a special time in their lives, regardless if audience members are fans of his or not.

He said he will sing a host of cover songs he loves, in addition to his new music and, of course, sprinkle in hits from the Backstreet Boys.

“I’m going to make it this theme like we’re traveling through the decades,” he said. “The greatest thing about being a Backstreet Boy is I can kind of do whatever I want, musically. It’s not like I have to be a genre ... Music has no boundaries. I’m just having fun with it.”

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Like most superstars, Carter has signaled that he wished much of his personal life could remain private, but his stardom has made that nearly impossible.

In August, a woman accused the singer of sexual assault from an incident she says happened 20 years ago, making the third such lawsuit Carter has faced. He and his legal team have unequivocally denied all allegations and filed counter-suits against the accusers. That same month, a judge ruled in Carter’s favor to move forward with a defamation suit against Melissa Schuman, a former member of the girl group Dream, who made similar allegations.

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Carter has also fended off numerous unfounded claims over his career made by his late younger brother, Aaron Carter, who died last year in a drowning accident after a long battle with drug addiction. The two, who admittedly grew up in a dysfunctional home, had a somewhat estranged relationship at times. Still, the older Carter has always shared that he deeply cared for his brother through it all. He and his sister, Angel, have since launched a donation fund for the “I Want Candy” singer through On Our Sleeves, a children's mental health organization.

Though his brother’s death is still a tough subject for the pop star to speak about, his emotions are often heard through his lyrics.

The father of three’s latest single, “Superman,” comes from a place of pain, he says, and is about wanting to protect and shield his family from harm.

“The song is basically about a man who will do anything humanly possible to save his family,” Carter said.

Prior to kicking off his tour on Oct. 4, Carter said he’s been busy preparing for the new run of shows and is ready to get back into the groove of performing new songs live in front of crowds. The singer said he intentionally booked a round of Florida dates and views the upcoming shows as a “welcoming home” tour of sorts.

“I'm the kind of person that just loves music,” he said. “If you don't know who I am, that’s fine. But if you have nothing else to do, come check it out. It’s going to be fun.”

The upcoming Florida run of shows include:

Oct. 15 - Orlando - Walt Disney Theater / Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts

Oct. 19 - Gainesville - Curtis M. Phillips Center for Performing Arts

Oct. 20 - Sarasota - Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall

Oct. 22 - Tampa - Straz Center

For more dates and ticket prices, visit www.nickcarter.com.

This article originally appeared on The Gainesville Sun: Backstreet Boys' Nick Carter to perform in Gainesville at UF