‘I Want Candy’ Singer, Aaron Carter, Talks of His ‘Coming of Age’ American-Classic Stage Role

Back in the days of Disney Channel’s Lizzie McGuire, a young Aaron Carter wowed preteen girls with his boyish “I Want Candy” love song. Fast forward to the present, and he is wowing audiences again, playing a stage role that is an American classic: “Matt” from The Fantasticks. Although he wasn’t initially familiar with the play, he quickly learned that it was one of the longest running plays in American history, he said on The Today Show on Jan. 23.

Aaron Carter Has Grown Up from His “I Want Candy” Days

America knew him as the young blond kid featured on Hillary Duff’s Lizzie McGuire, and as the mischievous preteen who coaxed his parents out of the house so he could have “Aaron’s Party” in his young music video. He sang the lyrics, “I always tried to be the flyest kid on the block; The popular one with the rising stock…”

But now, Carter has “come of age,” and he tells The Today Show that he’s singing a new song – one with a timeless, universal theme: young love.

The Fantastics is a Broadway “Revival”- A Rebirth of the 1960-2002 Classic Production

The play originally opened in May of 1960, with 17,162 performances before closing in January of 2002. Its story taught the world of “youthful love,” and essentially became a “part of our natural culture,” according to thefantasticks.com.

“Eight times a week, the story unfolds, radiating a timeless sweet and sunniness: the starry-eyed boy and girl next door fall in love, yearn for the dangerous attractions of the world outside, then opt instead for fulfillment in each other’s arms and in hearth and home,” quotes the website.

Aaron Carter is a Good Fit for the Role of “Matt”: He Too Can Look Back on His Youthful Past

The play romantically models a youthful love and vigor, now remembered by a boy and girl who have gone through their share of life’s struggles. They sing, “Try to remember when life was so tender; that no one wept except the willow…Try to remember when life was so tender; that love was an ember about to billow…”

In comparison, Aaron has a lot to remember as well. He had his life on display at a young age: He followed his brother’s footsteps into show business when he was seven years old. His brother, Nick, was a part of the Backstreet Boys, and Aaron opened a concert for them in Berlin, in 1997 (IMDb). Next came his first record contract, then his first album, all before he’d reached age ten.

He’s Learned Humility and Understanding through Media Scrutiny

“It’s hard sometimes, always having your life in the spotlight, and the media always looking to tear you down,” he said candidly in his Today interview.

With these harsh spotlight experiences, Aaron learned how to deal with the pressure, and the media has shaped and molded his character in a positive way: “The great thing is that I don’t feel [the media is] trying to tear me down,” Carter said in the interview. “They’re just calling me out on what it is. And when I’m in a better place, they’ll pick me back up.

Indeed Carter can now look back on his growing experiences with a healthy life-perspective. Just as the characters in The Fantastics reflect on their journey, Aaron too can remember the lessons he’s picked up along the way.

“The media looks for someone to take it all out on. Sometimes they run out of options….They pick me. And that’s fine, because at the end of the day it makes me a stronger human being, and I have a better appreciation for life…” [Source]