Backstreet Boys member AJ McLean and *NSYNC’s Chris Kirkpatrick have made our tween dreams come true with a new collaboration they debuted this week.
The pair showcased their new single – called ‘Air’ – as part of the Music for Life fundraiser at the Westgate Las Vegas Resort and Casino on Tuesday, June 8.
The ’90s icons performed the new track as ATCK (All the Cool Kids), a group AJ co-founded which features a “revolving door” of artists, such as Kirkpatrick, while playfully debating which of their bands’ hits were better.
Much to fans’ delight, the pair even went back-and-forth performing hits like Backstreet Boys hit ‘I Want It That Way’ and *NSYNC’s ‘Bye Bye Bye.’
Following the exciting debut, the former teen heartthrobs, along with 98 Degrees’ Jeff Timmons, sat down with Variety to discuss the collab.
They also spilled some major ’90s tea about the Backstreet Boys and *NSYNC rivalry from back in the day, with Chris spilling that he couldn’t stand AJ during the groups’ heyday.
“There was a time when I couldn’t be in the same room with this guy,” Chris shared.
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“But there’s always been a mutual respect, and now that we’re all parents, we’ve grown up. Reflecting on things, it’s cool to see what each of the bands did and how it all worked together.
“It really was this symbiotic relationship with Backstreet, 98 Degrees, us and even O-Town and other bands that came in.”
AJ added that Chris, Jeff and himself have since become close, saying: “It’s pretty much like the Three Stooges.”
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Check out AJ from Backstreet Boys and Chris from *NSYNC perform ‘Air’:
