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Nicholas Scott Lachey (born November 9, 1973) is an American pop singer and actor who rose to fame in the late-1990s as a writer and joint lead-vocalist along with founding member Jeff Timmons of the boy-band, 98 Degrees. The group also included Lachey's brother Drew Lachey and classmate Justin Jeffre. They sold over ten million records worldwide and charted top-forty singles.
Lachey starred in the hit reality television series Newlyweds: Nick and Jessica with his then-wife, fellow pop singer Jessica Simpson. The series ran on MTV for three seasons, from 2003 until 2005.
Nicholas Scott Lachey was born on the border of Kentucky and Virginia in Harlan, Kentucky to Cate Fopma-Leimbach and John Lachey. Growing up in Ohio, he attended Cincinnati's well-regarded public School for Creative and Performing Arts, developing his vocal talent and aspiring to become an entertainer. After graduation, he began studying at Miami University in Oxford, Ohio, majoring in sports medicine. He also became a member of Sigma Alpha Epsilon fraternity. While there, he realized his dream and followed his SCPA pals to Los Angeles. Lachey with his friend Jeff Timmons plus his brother Drew Lachey and classmate Justin Jeffre all auditioned in Hollywood and formed the 1990s boy band 98 Degrees.
98 Degrees:
Other band members were his brother Drew Lachey, Justin Jeffre and Jeff Timmons. 98 Degrees have released 4 albums to date. Their debut album was the self-titled 98 Degrees, however the band's first real success came with their follow up album 98 Degrees and Rising. Other albums include This Christmas and Revelation. In 2002, they released a compilation album "The Collection", and at that point 98 Degrees has sold over 10 million records.
On November 11, 2003, his solo debut album, SoulO, was released. Despite being released during the success of Newlyweds, the album was a commercial failure and received poor reviews. He released two singles from the album: "This I Swear" (the theme song from Newlyweds) and "Shut Up", a pop track featured in Newlyweds as Lachey was making the video. The making of the music video for "Shut Up" was chronicled on the show Making the Video, and it starred Dax Shepard of Punk'd fame. The album also featured a guest appearance by Violent J from Insane Clown Posse.
In 2005, rumors circulated that Lachey was back in the studio after SoulO underperformed. Lachey soon confirmed that he was indeed back in the studio for a second solo album, entitled What's Left of Me. The album was released on May 9, 2006, by Jive Records.
What's Left of Me was released on May 9, 2006, and was his second solo album. The album's title track, "What's Left of Me," was the first single off the album and quickly became a hit, reaching a peak position of #6 on the Billboard Hot 100. The subsequent album of the same name was released in May of 2006, and debuted at # 2 on the Billboard 200 chart, once again thrusting Lachey back into the spotlight. Also in June 2006, the single "What's Left of Me" hit #1 on Billboard's Hot Dance Airplay. Quickly after the release of the album's first single, What's Left of Me, on February 21, 2006, the media fired up speculation that the song's lyrics were about Lachey's divorce with Jessica Simpson. In the single's music video, Vanessa Minnillo, the MTV VJ and TV Personality, played Simpson's role, showcasing the last days of the couple's relationship. The music video for Lachey's second single off the album, I Can't Hate You Anymore, debuted on MTV's TRL on July 26, 2006, peaking at #4. In the spring of 2006, the album What's Left of Me was RIAA certified Gold, after selling more than 500,000 copies domestically.
In July 2006, Lachey's label, Jive Records, announced his What's Left of Me Tour. The tour began September 20, 2006 and was expected to last for about two months. Lachey's band for the What's Left of Me tour has Robbie Gennet playing rhythm guitar and singing, Al Berry playing bass guitar and singing, Kris Pooley playing keyboards and singing, Pathik Desai playing lead guitar and singing, and Derek Wyatt playing drums.
Lachey is working on a new album. He announced to MTV News that it will continue the ballad style since that has become his trademark sound, though it will have a different feel than his previous album.
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