July 10, 2026 • 7 mins
Howie Dorough stops by to talk new Spanish album, new Backstreet boys music, residency at The Sphere in Vegas and more!
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Listen
Watch
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
You're on with Mario Lopez.
Speaker 2 (00:03):
Sobro, Mario Lopez joining me right now. He is one
fifth of the legendary Backstreet Boys. Mister, Howie Deaux, how
you doing, Howie Hey.
Speaker 1 (00:10):
What's up my friend Mario? How you doing? Man? I'm
good to see you.
Speaker 3 (00:12):
Good to see you too, buddy, and congrats.
Speaker 2 (00:14):
I know you released a brand new solo single called
go Qui, the first song off your upcoming Spanish language project.
Speaker 3 (00:20):
All right, what inspired you to venture into this space?
Speaker 4 (00:25):
Well, you know, it's funny because a lot of people
don't know that actually the Backstreet Boys have a half
Puerto Rican in the group.
Speaker 1 (00:30):
And yeah, and.
Speaker 4 (00:34):
It's been something that I've you know, I've been wanting
to do it for many, many years. I mean I
was as a little kid, you know. I always grew
up in the fluence of my mom taking me to
Puerto Rico and stuff like that. Even believe or not,
almost got close to being Menudo many years ago. Oh wow,
but with rick when Ricky Martin was in the group
and stuff like that, and just you know, they're always
felt like a calling to want to do something in Spanish.
But I grew up, believe or not, in a in
(00:54):
a family where Spanish.
Speaker 1 (00:56):
Was not spoken.
Speaker 4 (00:58):
My mother was, you know, coming from Puerto Rico is
trying to make us, you know, that culture, trying to
make us as Americanized as possible, you know, no accents
and stuff like that. And at the time in Orlando,
we were the only half Hispanic family around in the neighborhood.
Now Orlando's like Puerto Rico number three. It's so funny.
It's like after New York, this's Orlando. But back in
the days that I was there, it just wasn't. It
wasn't that scene. So I never really had a true
(01:18):
major passion to want to, you know, try to pick
up the language, and until I had missed opportunities like
manudo and lots of auditions for acting and stuff like that.
And so when it got to the group, you know,
us coming around and starting making some of our music.
I remember at the time I boys to men, all
these other artists were doing songs translated in Spanish, and
I was like, we should do this. And so I
was able to get the guys to do a couple
(01:40):
of our songs, which led to success for us in
Mexico and in Spain and stuff like that, and I've
always felt like the fans over the years kept on
telling me, you know how we we learned English to
understand your music, and that always rang in my the
back of my head, saying, you know what, why don't
I one day use my music and translated in Spanish
to learn language to So finally, I think, just like,
(02:01):
you know, close the gap with my mother to try
to make her proud of me. You know, with my
connectings with my roots as well as with my kids,
I always, you know, I always want to influence in them.
You know, don't forget your culture, your heritage. You're part Hispanic,
you know, let's let's embrace it. And so now now's
the time. I feel like, you know, bad Bunny, all
these people are coming out, and I think the lines
are a little bit more blurred. So it just it
feels the right timing right now.
Speaker 3 (02:22):
Good for you man, well, congratulations, and all the other
songs are sort of reimagine songs from throughout your career.
Speaker 4 (02:30):
Right So yeah, So, like I say, I took the
idea of taking the Backstreet hits, my favorite songs and
translating them in Spanish, and believe or not, we've kind
of played around with all, you know, a bunch of
different Latin sounds.
Speaker 1 (02:43):
We got some meta, we got some salsa in.
Speaker 4 (02:44):
There, we got some reggaetone and actually, believe or not,
when we were playing around with I Want It that way,
we stumbled upon this fusion of Afro reggaetoni ish kind
of sound, and as we were doing it, we're like, wow,
this really fits my voice in this in this space
right here. So that's when we start experimenting, saying, let's
just see what we create if we did something original,
(03:05):
and we stumbled upon Coqui, which is believe or not,
is the national frog for Puerto Rico at night. If
you ever get to the island there, you'll hear when
you go to sleep, go okay, okay okay, and it's
like it's the most beautiful sound in the island.
Speaker 1 (03:18):
They're only indigenous to Puerto Rico.
Speaker 4 (03:20):
They haven't been able to get off the island and
survive anywhere else, so it's almost like the national mascot.
And so a lot of these songs to me are
are really like I'm when I am actually doing original stuff.
It is getting a little bit more telling my story
growing up, not you know, in a Spanish speaking family,
but you know, it's in my blood and I've always
felt it and stuff like that.
Speaker 2 (03:43):
And speaking of a backstreet I know you guys got
more shows coming up at the Sphere in Vegas summer.
Speaker 3 (03:48):
Are you going to maybe incorporate some of them into
the show or.
Speaker 4 (03:51):
You know, I would love to, but unfortunately that show
right there is on wheels and it's nonstops.
Speaker 2 (03:58):
You got, Yeah, you're right. You can't really adjust because
of everything. You're right, you can't like you can't like
improvise because everything's uh synchronized. Yeah something, It's true. That's
the one thing about playing say, that's exactly.
Speaker 3 (04:11):
I just thought about. You're right, it's not like you
could take a request and going on right now, that's true.
Speaker 1 (04:17):
That show is push play and it goes yeah yeah, yeah.
Speaker 4 (04:20):
Screens you know, it's it's to film that stuff in
sixteen Ky was a production within itself, you know, to
be on that three hundred fifty foot screen, of course.
And we have we actually have a song out called
bottle Bock, which I'm very proud of. It's on the
Patrol soundstrack. Ye, And believe me, we would love nothing
more than to put that into the show. It's just
it's unfortunately that's that's productions already done with. But we're
actually talking about that for the German uh God Willing
(04:43):
World tour that we're going to do starting off in
Dusdorf in September, a stadium tour.
Speaker 1 (04:47):
That's we're incorporating that in there.
Speaker 3 (04:49):
Oh that's cool.
Speaker 2 (04:49):
Yeah, I was asked about that song too, but that's
true because I didn't even think about that because I've
seen some shows there and yeah, they can't really improvise
because they got everything sick.
Speaker 1 (04:57):
Yeah, everything's all locked in.
Speaker 3 (04:59):
Yeah, that's cool.
Speaker 2 (05:01):
Your debut album with the group Man is thirty years
old this year, which is crazy to think about it,
and you guys are still obviously selling out venues all
over and putting out these hit songs and.
Speaker 3 (05:12):
You know, you all get along. It's it's cool to see.
Is just kind of sitting back right there.
Speaker 2 (05:17):
But after all this time, what's changed the most from
you guys as a group?
Speaker 3 (05:23):
Would you say?
Speaker 4 (05:25):
I think now more than ever. I think we're more
comfortable in our skin. I think the communication now is
better than ever. I think, you know, when we first started,
we were you know, five guys thrown into this hot
here and being like, good luck, guys, Let's try to
get to know each other. Let's try to make music together.
Let's try to figure out who's doing what parts and everything,
and let all the egos you know, behind checking behind
(05:47):
the doors and stuff like that. And so I think
since then, now we've been in the business over thirty years,
I think we know what we want to do with
our career.
Speaker 1 (05:56):
Now, you know, we know how much, how hard we
want to work, how much we want to put in.
Speaker 4 (06:00):
We also know when there's times that we need to say, yo,
we need to take a break, you know, I love you,
or I need a break from you. I need to
you know, be with our families and stuff like that.
Just like yeah, I'm sure like you now, you know,
having a family changes the dynamic of of you know,
not only your relationship with your wife and stuff like that,
but even your partners.
Speaker 1 (06:18):
So now it's like.
Speaker 4 (06:19):
We really we think we think a lot more ahead
of time when we're going into making a tour. I mean,
even believe not the Sphere was initially was not meant
to be the Sphere. It was meant to be a US.
I mean started off in the US at an arena
recreation of the Millennium Show. But Kevin came to us
and said, hey, guys, you know I want to I'm
not going to stop this wheels in motion. But his
oldest son is going to be a senior this past year,
(06:41):
and he's like, if I have to miss a lot
of the time away from him while he's going through
these last moments, you know, last year of being at home,
He's like, it would make me really sad. We're like, bro,
we got you. Let's let's just figure this out. He
was when I came up with Vegas idea. I thought
we'd maybe get to plan out Hollywood or the Park if.
Speaker 1 (06:57):
We were lucky.
Speaker 4 (06:58):
Never thought Spear was even in the wheels or possibility.
And when management said no, we're going after Sofia, I'm like,
good luck. I'm like, that's the Eagles, that's you two
and there no Backstreet Boys going there, And believe it
or not, we're like, it's been a blessing man. We're
selling out numbers. They're loving us. I think we're getting
given the Eagles a little bit of a run for
the money on some of the amount of dates that
(07:19):
we're doing.
Speaker 1 (07:19):
And stuff like that. So it's it's been.
Speaker 4 (07:21):
A blessing where you know everything. I feel like everything
happens for a reason, and that's why I think now
with the group, more than ever, we're starting to figure
out why, you know, and how to make those things happen.
Speaker 2 (07:31):
Well, good for you, man, congratulations and give everything. Look
forward to checking out the new album and everyone be
sure to check out the new single Cookwee which is
out now and you can get all the info on
Backstreet Boyds Show at BackstreetBoys dot com.
Speaker 3 (07:45):
Howie, thanks for checking in.
Speaker 2 (07:46):
Brothers, It's something Ego they go with you
Speaker 1 (07:52):
With Mario Lopez
You're on with Mario Lopez.
Speaker 2 (00:03):
Sobro, Mario Lopez joining me right now. He is one
fifth of the legendary Backstreet Boys. Mister, Howie Deaux, how
you doing, Howie Hey.
Speaker 1 (00:10):
What's up my friend Mario? How you doing? Man? I'm
good to see you.
Speaker 3 (00:12):
Good to see you too, buddy, and congrats.
Speaker 2 (00:14):
I know you released a brand new solo single called
go Qui, the first song off your upcoming Spanish language project.
Speaker 3 (00:20):
All right, what inspired you to venture into this space?
Speaker 4 (00:25):
Well, you know, it's funny because a lot of people
don't know that actually the Backstreet Boys have a half
Puerto Rican in the group.
Speaker 1 (00:30):
And yeah, and.
Speaker 4 (00:34):
It's been something that I've you know, I've been wanting
to do it for many, many years. I mean I
was as a little kid, you know. I always grew
up in the fluence of my mom taking me to
Puerto Rico and stuff like that. Even believe or not,
almost got close to being Menudo many years ago. Oh wow,
but with rick when Ricky Martin was in the group
and stuff like that, and just you know, they're always
felt like a calling to want to do something in Spanish.
But I grew up, believe or not, in a in
(00:54):
a family where Spanish.
Speaker 1 (00:56):
Was not spoken.
Speaker 4 (00:58):
My mother was, you know, coming from Puerto Rico is
trying to make us, you know, that culture, trying to
make us as Americanized as possible, you know, no accents
and stuff like that. And at the time in Orlando,
we were the only half Hispanic family around in the neighborhood.
Now Orlando's like Puerto Rico number three. It's so funny.
It's like after New York, this's Orlando. But back in
the days that I was there, it just wasn't. It
wasn't that scene. So I never really had a true
(01:18):
major passion to want to, you know, try to pick
up the language, and until I had missed opportunities like
manudo and lots of auditions for acting and stuff like that.
And so when it got to the group, you know,
us coming around and starting making some of our music.
I remember at the time I boys to men, all
these other artists were doing songs translated in Spanish, and
I was like, we should do this. And so I
was able to get the guys to do a couple
(01:40):
of our songs, which led to success for us in
Mexico and in Spain and stuff like that, and I've
always felt like the fans over the years kept on
telling me, you know how we we learned English to
understand your music, and that always rang in my the
back of my head, saying, you know what, why don't
I one day use my music and translated in Spanish
to learn language to So finally, I think, just like,
(02:01):
you know, close the gap with my mother to try
to make her proud of me. You know, with my
connectings with my roots as well as with my kids,
I always, you know, I always want to influence in them.
You know, don't forget your culture, your heritage. You're part Hispanic,
you know, let's let's embrace it. And so now now's
the time. I feel like, you know, bad Bunny, all
these people are coming out, and I think the lines
are a little bit more blurred. So it just it
feels the right timing right now.
Speaker 3 (02:22):
Good for you man, well, congratulations, and all the other
songs are sort of reimagine songs from throughout your career.
Speaker 4 (02:30):
Right So yeah, So, like I say, I took the
idea of taking the Backstreet hits, my favorite songs and
translating them in Spanish, and believe or not, we've kind
of played around with all, you know, a bunch of
different Latin sounds.
Speaker 1 (02:43):
We got some meta, we got some salsa in.
Speaker 4 (02:44):
There, we got some reggaetone and actually, believe or not,
when we were playing around with I Want It that way,
we stumbled upon this fusion of Afro reggaetoni ish kind
of sound, and as we were doing it, we're like, wow,
this really fits my voice in this in this space
right here. So that's when we start experimenting, saying, let's
just see what we create if we did something original,
(03:05):
and we stumbled upon Coqui, which is believe or not,
is the national frog for Puerto Rico at night. If
you ever get to the island there, you'll hear when
you go to sleep, go okay, okay okay, and it's
like it's the most beautiful sound in the island.
Speaker 1 (03:18):
They're only indigenous to Puerto Rico.
Speaker 4 (03:20):
They haven't been able to get off the island and
survive anywhere else, so it's almost like the national mascot.
And so a lot of these songs to me are
are really like I'm when I am actually doing original stuff.
It is getting a little bit more telling my story
growing up, not you know, in a Spanish speaking family,
but you know, it's in my blood and I've always
felt it and stuff like that.
Speaker 2 (03:43):
And speaking of a backstreet I know you guys got
more shows coming up at the Sphere in Vegas summer.
Speaker 3 (03:48):
Are you going to maybe incorporate some of them into
the show or.
Speaker 4 (03:51):
You know, I would love to, but unfortunately that show
right there is on wheels and it's nonstops.
Speaker 2 (03:58):
You got, Yeah, you're right. You can't really adjust because
of everything. You're right, you can't like you can't like
improvise because everything's uh synchronized. Yeah something, It's true. That's
the one thing about playing say, that's exactly.
Speaker 3 (04:11):
I just thought about. You're right, it's not like you
could take a request and going on right now, that's true.
Speaker 1 (04:17):
That show is push play and it goes yeah yeah, yeah.
Speaker 4 (04:20):
Screens you know, it's it's to film that stuff in
sixteen Ky was a production within itself, you know, to
be on that three hundred fifty foot screen, of course.
And we have we actually have a song out called
bottle Bock, which I'm very proud of. It's on the
Patrol soundstrack. Ye, And believe me, we would love nothing
more than to put that into the show. It's just
it's unfortunately that's that's productions already done with. But we're
actually talking about that for the German uh God Willing
(04:43):
World tour that we're going to do starting off in
Dusdorf in September, a stadium tour.
Speaker 1 (04:47):
That's we're incorporating that in there.
Speaker 3 (04:49):
Oh that's cool.
Speaker 2 (04:49):
Yeah, I was asked about that song too, but that's
true because I didn't even think about that because I've
seen some shows there and yeah, they can't really improvise
because they got everything sick.
Speaker 1 (04:57):
Yeah, everything's all locked in.
Speaker 3 (04:59):
Yeah, that's cool.
Speaker 2 (05:01):
Your debut album with the group Man is thirty years
old this year, which is crazy to think about it,
and you guys are still obviously selling out venues all
over and putting out these hit songs and.
Speaker 3 (05:12):
You know, you all get along. It's it's cool to see.
Is just kind of sitting back right there.
Speaker 2 (05:17):
But after all this time, what's changed the most from
you guys as a group?
Speaker 3 (05:23):
Would you say?
Speaker 4 (05:25):
I think now more than ever. I think we're more
comfortable in our skin. I think the communication now is
better than ever. I think, you know, when we first started,
we were you know, five guys thrown into this hot
here and being like, good luck, guys, Let's try to
get to know each other. Let's try to make music together.
Let's try to figure out who's doing what parts and everything,
and let all the egos you know, behind checking behind
(05:47):
the doors and stuff like that. And so I think
since then, now we've been in the business over thirty years,
I think we know what we want to do with
our career.
Speaker 1 (05:56):
Now, you know, we know how much, how hard we
want to work, how much we want to put in.
Speaker 4 (06:00):
We also know when there's times that we need to say, yo,
we need to take a break, you know, I love you,
or I need a break from you. I need to
you know, be with our families and stuff like that.
Just like yeah, I'm sure like you now, you know,
having a family changes the dynamic of of you know,
not only your relationship with your wife and stuff like that,
but even your partners.
Speaker 1 (06:18):
So now it's like.
Speaker 4 (06:19):
We really we think we think a lot more ahead
of time when we're going into making a tour. I mean,
even believe not the Sphere was initially was not meant
to be the Sphere. It was meant to be a US.
I mean started off in the US at an arena
recreation of the Millennium Show. But Kevin came to us
and said, hey, guys, you know I want to I'm
not going to stop this wheels in motion. But his
oldest son is going to be a senior this past year,
(06:41):
and he's like, if I have to miss a lot
of the time away from him while he's going through
these last moments, you know, last year of being at home,
He's like, it would make me really sad. We're like, bro,
we got you. Let's let's just figure this out. He
was when I came up with Vegas idea. I thought
we'd maybe get to plan out Hollywood or the Park if.
Speaker 1 (06:57):
We were lucky.
Speaker 4 (06:58):
Never thought Spear was even in the wheels or possibility.
And when management said no, we're going after Sofia, I'm like,
good luck. I'm like, that's the Eagles, that's you two
and there no Backstreet Boys going there, And believe it
or not, we're like, it's been a blessing man. We're
selling out numbers. They're loving us. I think we're getting
given the Eagles a little bit of a run for
the money on some of the amount of dates that
(07:19):
we're doing.
Speaker 1 (07:19):
And stuff like that. So it's it's been.
Speaker 4 (07:21):
A blessing where you know everything. I feel like everything
happens for a reason, and that's why I think now
with the group, more than ever, we're starting to figure
out why, you know, and how to make those things happen.
Speaker 2 (07:31):
Well, good for you, man, congratulations and give everything. Look
forward to checking out the new album and everyone be
sure to check out the new single Cookwee which is
out now and you can get all the info on
Backstreet Boyds Show at BackstreetBoys dot com.
Speaker 3 (07:45):
Howie, thanks for checking in.
Speaker 2 (07:46):
Brothers, It's something Ego they go with you
Speaker 1 (07:52):
With Mario Lopez
Host
Mario Lopez
Popular Podcasts
Stuff You Should Know
If you've ever wanted to know about champagne, satanism, the Stonewall Uprising, chaos theory, LSD, El Nino, true crime and Rosa Parks, then look no further. Josh and Chuck have you covered.
Dateline NBC
Current and classic episodes, featuring compelling true-crime mysteries, powerful documentaries and in-depth investigations. Follow now to get the latest episodes of Dateline NBC completely free, or subscribe to Dateline Premium for ad-free listening and exclusive bonus content: DatelinePremium.com
The Joe Rogan Experience
The official podcast of comedian Joe Rogan.