How Backstreet Boys Ended Up Collaborating with Britney Spears on theGloryTrack 'Matches' (Exclusive)

Mar. 15, 2025

Backstreet Boys in December 2022; Britney Spears in July 2019.Photo:Jamie McCarthy/Getty Images for iHeartRadio; Jon Kopaloff/FilmMagic

Jamie McCarthy/Getty Images for iHeartRadio; Jon Kopaloff/FilmMagic

Back in 2020,Backstreet BoysandBritney Spearsgave music fans the ultimate dose of pop nostalgia.The band — made up ofNick Carter,AJ McLean,Kevin Richardson,Brian LittrellandHowie Dorough— and the pop megastar, 43, teamed up for the dramatic electro-pop number"Matches,“which was featured on the deluxe version of her albumGlory.As the “I Want It That Way” group recalls it, both Backstreet Boys and Spears had recorded versions of “Matches” — their first-ever collaboration — in the past, but neither of them wanted to release it.Britney Spears in Las Vegas in May 2016.Kevin Winter/Getty"It was during COVID [and] the label came and said, ‘What about us doing a mashup with the two of you guys on this record?'” Dorough, 51, recalls in a hotel room in New York City.He added: “And we were like, ‘Why not?’ We grew up with Britney, on the same label with Jive Records.“They shared many years of being in the music industry together at “the top of our careers.“Elsewhere in the conversation, Backstreet Boys discussedtheir forthcoming residency at the Spherein Las Vegas, which is set to kick off in July. Titled “Into the Millennium,” they will bring their 1999 albumMillenniumto life onstage.“It’s kind of cool to be able to not only just do stuff with new up-and-coming artists, but also to do stuff with your peers that were around the same time as us,” explains Dorough. “So it made sense for us to do it.“He adds: “I mean, it’s a comeback on the next level. You can’t get any bigger than the Sphere.“Backstreet Boys’ last residency in Las Vegas was an “unbelievable experience,” and they were just waiting for the right opportunity to make their return.“We’re bringing a rebirth to a record that we released years ago and taking our fans, some that have either seen some of the show back in the days, or some that weren’t even probably born yet that are seeing it for the first time,” he explains. “We’re very blessed to be able to go back to Vegas too in this style — larger than life!“Never miss a story — sign up forPEOPLE’s free daily newsletterto stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer​​, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.Backstreet Boys in New York City on Feb. 14, 2025.Theo Wargo/Peacock via GettyWhile the “Everybody (Backstreet’s Back)” band is still deciding how they’ll handle the visuals at the Sphere, according to Richardson, 53, the band recently went on a “scouting trip and saw the Eagles” to get some inspiration.“Hearing ‘Hotel California’ live and seeing the visuals, it blew my mind,” he says. This venue is one of a kind, the possibilities are endless, and so we are just in full creative mode right now with our creative team, getting the setlist together, going over visual concepts.“Now, Backstreet Boys are planning to head to Las Vegas to test some of their creative concepts.“After 30 years of being in this business, something like this comes along, and it reignites your passion and inspires you, so we’re stoked,” says Richardson.

Back in 2020,Backstreet BoysandBritney Spearsgave music fans the ultimate dose of pop nostalgia.

The band — made up ofNick Carter,AJ McLean,Kevin Richardson,Brian LittrellandHowie Dorough— and the pop megastar, 43, teamed up for the dramatic electro-pop number"Matches,“which was featured on the deluxe version of her albumGlory.

As the “I Want It That Way” group recalls it, both Backstreet Boys and Spears had recorded versions of “Matches” — their first-ever collaboration — in the past, but neither of them wanted to release it.

Britney Spears in Las Vegas in May 2016.Kevin Winter/Getty

Kevin Winter/Getty

“It was during COVID [and] the label came and said, ‘What about us doing a mashup with the two of you guys on this record?'” Dorough, 51, recalls in a hotel room in New York City.

He added: “And we were like, ‘Why not?’ We grew up with Britney, on the same label with Jive Records.”

They shared many years of being in the music industry together at “the top of our careers.”

Elsewhere in the conversation, Backstreet Boys discussedtheir forthcoming residency at the Spherein Las Vegas, which is set to kick off in July. Titled “Into the Millennium,” they will bring their 1999 albumMillenniumto life onstage.

“It’s kind of cool to be able to not only just do stuff with new up-and-coming artists, but also to do stuff with your peers that were around the same time as us,” explains Dorough. “So it made sense for us to do it.”

He adds: “I mean, it’s a comeback on the next level. You can’t get any bigger than the Sphere.”

Backstreet Boys’ last residency in Las Vegas was an “unbelievable experience,” and they were just waiting for the right opportunity to make their return.

“We’re bringing a rebirth to a record that we released years ago and taking our fans, some that have either seen some of the show back in the days, or some that weren’t even probably born yet that are seeing it for the first time,” he explains. “We’re very blessed to be able to go back to Vegas too in this style — larger than life!”

Never miss a story — sign up forPEOPLE’s free daily newsletterto stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer​​, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.

Backstreet Boys in New York City on Feb. 14, 2025.Theo Wargo/Peacock via Getty

Theo Wargo/Peacock via Getty

While the “Everybody (Backstreet’s Back)” band is still deciding how they’ll handle the visuals at the Sphere, according to Richardson, 53, the band recently went on a “scouting trip and saw the Eagles” to get some inspiration.

“Hearing ‘Hotel California’ live and seeing the visuals, it blew my mind,” he says. This venue is one of a kind, the possibilities are endless, and so we are just in full creative mode right now with our creative team, getting the setlist together, going over visual concepts.”

Now, Backstreet Boys are planning to head to Las Vegas to test some of their creative concepts.

“After 30 years of being in this business, something like this comes along, and it reignites your passion and inspires you, so we’re stoked,” says Richardson.

source: people.com