Through this his life changed fundamentally. There were difficult decisions to be made for the Chasez family, too. In the end it was decided that his mother Karen would stay in Bowie, Maryland with his sister Heather and brother Tyler, while JC and his father, Roy, relocated to Orlando. JC soon realized that working in show business wasn't all fun, rather, it also involved a lot of hard work. JC didn't only present the show, he also sang current Top 40 hits as well as dancing along to them. Short videos and comedy sketches had also to be performed and recorded. All experiences that make JC the incredible performer he is today. In addition to all the work for the Mickey Mouse Club JC's father made sure that JC's schoolwork wasn't neglected.

During his many years of working for the MMC JC got to know a certain Justin Timberlake.

"It's something that will be with us for the rest of our lives," he enthuses. "The friends I made on that show are lifetime friends. My fondest memories were hanging out at the beach, hanging out at the apartment with my buddies and co-stars."

When the Mickey Mouse Club ended he decided it was time to learn the craft of songwriting. Short spells in Los Angeles and in the country music capital of Nashville working for free, singing on demos, etc really fine-tuned his talent. Back in Orlando, when Chris decided to put a group together, one of the first people he thought of was JC.

With his years of experience it could be said that JC really is a seasoned veteran in show business. Moreover, the other *NSYNC members profit from his experience and professionalism. JC is also the one in the group who encourages the others to get to bed early when there's a photo shoot the next morning. And despite the attention he has now and having been listed among the Top100 Eligible Bachelors by People magazine in July 2000, he isn't in awe of the fame.

"I just concentrate on the task in front of me, whatever that may be. Being famous is what it is, but that's not what I think about day to day. What I think about day to day is, 'We have to get this song done; we have to get our show ready.' I don't concentrate on the fame; I concentrate on my craft."

Like the other members of *NSYNC JC is often a bit overwhelmed by their fans devotion but he puts it down to their down-to-earth attitude.

"We're just real. People can identify the ones who are fabricated and doing it for the money. They can tell who is doing it for the love of the music. I think people see every single day how much we love it. We got into this gig because we love music; we love performing. When we go home, we don't turn off the radio and not listen to music because we've heard it all day."

JC also loves sport, with football being his favorite. Through his constant traveling, this young man with the beautiful blue eyes, can also easily add to his collection of beloved Hard Rock Cafe menus. Listening to calming music or watching a nice video helps him recover from the stress of touring.

JC is not just the band's old hand, he is also an absolute bundle of energy. It's not so surprising then that his turns during the choreographed moves are the fastest. His strength is the power of his emotional expression. When he sings song texts like, for example, "I feel the pain with or without you ..." in the final part of 'Tearin' Up My Heart' you can see the soul in his eyes. And in such situations you just want to call out to him and tell him not to worry, that everything will be all right!

As well as writing three tracks on 'No Strings Attached' JC has also written three tracks for the all-female trio Wild Orchid (www.wild-orchid.net). The tracks will appear on the trio's album, which is due for release in the summer of 2001. Musical influences include Sting, Seal and Stevie Wonder but he'll listen to anything - from vocal groups like Bell Biv Devoe to the rockier sounds of Lenny Kravitz. His broad taste is something he wants to bring to *NSYNC's music, too.

"For instance the music on 'No Strings Attached' is heavier," he argues. "It's not as polished. Pop is always labeled as being cheesy, bubble gum and candy because it's sugar and spice and everything nice. So, people forget that pop is a very broad sound. It's not just candy. We wanted to bring something to the table that wasn't, you know, all candy and overly polished. We wanted to do something a little more in your face. The sound for *NSYNC is very raw, so when you turn it up in a club, the whole place shakes."

J.C. Pictures