It’s a well-known fact that Aaron Carter, child pop star and hip-hop artist, has often been reflected negatively in the media. It’s time, he says, to change that.
His current tour will feature some newly released music, as well as the oldies that appeal to a university-aged crowd — people who grew up with his music.
“It hasn’t been easy … a lot people just didn’t believe in me, nor did they even want to give me the chance,” he said.
“And if I have [the fans], that’s all that matters.”
In 1997, he opened for The Backstreet Boys, the popular 90s boy band that features his brother Nick Carter. His performance invited a record contract, followed by his first single “Crush On You” and a debut album release in December of the same year.
The album achieved a swift gold status, and Carter shot into stardom faster than you can say “I Want Candy,” another one of his most popular tracks.
By the time he was 10 years old, Carter had already been to 27 different countries and sold 10 million records. This, the fame and the paparazzi, have been his life since day one.
“It hasn’t always been easy,” he said. “I have people that think they know who I am and they know what I do, and they don’t have any clue about what goes on in my personal life,” Carter said. “I figure that it’s pretty much none of my business what somebody’s opinion is about me.”
He’s a man of his experiences and attributes a lot of his success to what he’s gone through in his life.
“My comeback isn’t about my personal life … obviously my personal life has made all of this happen, if I didn’t get through it … I wouldn’t be here,” he said. “So I respect where I’ve been and what I’ve been through.”
Often, Carter said, people want to catch him in a bad place. He said he’s not here to capitalize on his personal experiences — at the end of the day, he’s a performer, and that’s what he’s always loved to be.
“Don’t come up to me expecting me to be a train wreck or something like that and [try] to pry into my personal life,” he said. “I’m here to be a performer and to entertain you, not to entertain you with the negative stuff of my life.”
Now, on his first tour in about eight years, his sound has changed, but he’s still in it for the same reason, he said.
“Obviously my sound is more mature and I’m an adult now, so I sound a little different,” Carter said. “I’m just going to be as real as possible to the core of who I am, and target my music to my fans.”
Unlike many celebrities who are transparent about the overwhelming fan presence, Carter said this is the best part of his job — it’s what he yearns for.
“It’s what I’ve always known in my life … I’m always craving it, I’m always looking for it,” he said. “I love my fans and their affection and when they show up at the shows, or are waiting at the airport for me, I’m always appreciative of it.”
And that’s exactly what this tour is for, he said — to reconnect with his fans and show them that he’s become a true musician in all aspects.
“I can’t wait to come up to Canada and all other parts of the world and just show these people, ‘look at what I’ve become.’ I’ve become a real artist,” he said.
Aaron Carter will be playing a sold-out show at the Mansion on Sept. 23.
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