The Backstreet Boys drifted apart as their success grew in the 90s, according to Kevin Richardson.
The chart-topping band – who are set to release their first album since 2013, ‘DNA’, in January – "retreated from one another" as their global fame and popularity increased.
Kevin – who stars in the group alongside AJ McLean, Howie Dorough, Nick Carter, and Brian Littrell – recalled: "All of our dreams were coming true and we were all tripping out inside, and instead of coming closer and closer, entire together, we almost retreated from one another to get that space.
"And our bond wasn’t as tight in those moments as it could’ve been."
Kevin quit the group to pursue other endeavours in 2006, before returning in 2012.
And the singer feels that the time they’ve spent apart from each other has ultimately proven to be beneficial.
He told the band’s YouTube channel: "We had to go away from each other to once again find that individuality.
"That had to happen to create that group that we are to come back to each other."
In fact, Nick described the group as being more of a family "than my real family".
And the 38-year-old singer is delighted that the Backstreet Boys are making new music together once again.
He said: "It’s kind of crazy because it feels like the stars are kind of aligning again for us in a way. Because if you think about where we came from and how we started, it’s like a miracle that we would’ve met each other. That we would’ve bonded and connected the way we did."
In spite of their success, AJ also insisted the band feel they have lots of ambitions they’d still like to accomplish.
He said: "There is still so much left that we haven’t accomplished, that we haven’t done.
"To be able to have this, second chance, we need to know what each person’s breaking point is, which I think we know now."
The Backstreet Boys ‘drifted apart’ as their success grew
