'N Sync Prep New Album and Tour

It's been barely a year since 'N Sync released the multiplatinum No Strings Attached, but the boys are already hard at work on a new album, due out in June. Although JC Chasez was the only 'N Sync member to co-write material for their last album, each of the five has contributed song ideas for the next one. For his part, Justin Timberlake says he's written a song with choreographer Wade Robson that will be produced by Rodney Jerkins, who has worked with Whitney Houston, Mary J. Blige and Britney Spears, among others. "We tapped into a lot of different flavors, even for us and our style," Timberlake says. "I did a ballad that is totally R&B. It sounds like R. Kelly could have sang it." He reports that other in-progress tracks "have such a cool, electronica space vibe going on" that they could have come off an album by the Chemical Brothers.

On May 12th, the group will kick off a tour that is expected to run through August. "People will be able to pick up the album and see [the new songs] immediately – live," Timberlake says. "It's kind of like you don't really give the music a chance to sink into their heads before they're already watching it onstage."

This story is from the March 29th, 2001 issue of Rolling Stone.