So What’s Left of Nick Lachey?

I’ve been dying inside
Little by little
Nowhere to go
But goin’ out of my mind
In endless circles
Runnin’ from myself until
You gave me a reason for standing still

That stanza from the song What’s Left Of Me, carrier single of his latest album (released by Sony BMG), sums up Nick Lachey’s state of being after his divorce from Jessica Simpson. Nick wrote most of the songs in the album (excerpts of some songs quoted as you read on) which is described as "one man’s story."

A former member of the group 98 Degrees, Nick is a Kentucky native who grew up in Cincinnati, Ohio. Until he quit 98 Degrees and went solo and married Jessica, Nick kept a low profile. With Jessica, Nick was turned from pop stardom to pop cultural icon in three seasons of the MTV runaway hit Newlyweds: Nick & Jessica which led to a series of Nick & Jessica Variety Hour specials on ABC, reminiscent of the Sonny & Cher show. The couple also embarked on a tour of duty during which they visited Iraq and sang for American soldiers.

And then, the Nick-Jessica balloon burst.

Enter Vanessa Minnillo, the Fil-Am former (1997) Miss Teen USA said to be Nick’s current date.

A certain "Ms. Ganda" furnished Conversations the following backgrounder on Vanessa:

Born on Nov. 9, 1980, at Clark Air Force Base in Pampanga, to a Filipino mother (Helen Berecero) and an American father (Vince Minnillo, a USAF aircrew member stationed at Clark), Vanessa traveled widely throughout her childhood. When she was one-year-old, her family moved to Los Angeles where her parents separated in 1983. With her mother, Vanessa moved to Florida and then to Nevada.

After divorcing Vince, Vanessa’s mom married another serviceman. The family then moved to Turkey from which they were forced to flee when Iraq, Turkey’s neighbor, invaded Kuwait in 1990. Upon returning to the US, Vanessa and her brother were entrusted to their father by their mother from whom they haven’t heard ever since.

A bright student, Vanessa attended seven different schools while abroad. She was an honor student and head cheer leader. As Miss Teen USA, she traveled some more and acted as spokeswoman for The Partnership Against Drugs.

She has done TV shows and hosts, among others, the Wild On segment of E! Channel.

I did an exclusive 20-minute phone interview with Nick (who was in Japan promoting his album).

You’re beautiful

That’s all that I can say

Unforgettable

I’m caught in every way

Don’t ever let the mirror tell you lies

Just look at your reflection through my eyes

You’re beautiful – from Beautiful

Hello, Nick! How are you?

"I’m okay. How are you?"

I’m in the Philippines.

"Ah, the Philippines, one of my favorite places."

Of course! Aren’t you coming for your album promo?

"Not on this trip. Hopefully, in the near future I’ll go back to the Philippines."

Oh, you’ve been here before?

"I was there in 1998 and then in 2001. I had a great time there."

What do you remember from those visits?

"I remember the people... how friendly they are and how they love music."

Now, the Philippines is associated with you because, well, your current date, Vanessa Minnillo, is a Filipina.

"Yes, yes, yes! Vanessa."

How did you meet? What do you find interesting in her?

"She’s a great person. I’ve known her for years. I did a video with her."

What do you have in common?

"Love for life. Not taking yourself too seriously."

Do you know any other Filipinos aside from Vanessa?

"Yeah. My best friend’s brother is married to a Filipina. My cousin is also married to a Filipina." (Jessica’s sister Ashley Simpson’s boyfriend is a half Filipino. – RFL)

Thinking back on my mistakes

Can’t undo all the days I missed

Thought that you’d always stay

It’s hard to face the simple truth

That time brings no relief – from Shades of Blue

Going over the lyrics of your songs, I find them too personal. Am I right? Why did you call the album What’s Left Of Me?

"Because the songs are about facing a hard time in my life and learning lessons from life and how to move on to the next chapter of my life. All the emotions and feelings that I put into this album really do reflect what’s left of me. I think it’s a very appropriate title."

Of course, you mean your break-up with your wife, Jessica. So what’s left of you after what happened?

"Ah, I think there’s a lot left. Sometimes, you know, going through an experience that I’ve just been through teaches you a lot about yourself and about life. I feel like I have lost a lot, but still have a lot left of me."

In some of your songs, you sound like you’re still hurting. Am I right?

"Hurting? You see, when I wrote the album I was right in the middle of a personal crisis. Maybe I was hurting then. But not now, not anymore. I’m not hurting any longer."

So is doing this album part of your moving on?

"Yeah, I think so. It’s a big part of being able to move on. After the break-up and the divorce, it’s such a relief to get those feelings out."

An empty room can be so deafening

The silence makes you wanna scream

It drives you crazy

I chased away the shadows of your name

And buried the picture in the frame – from I Can’t Hate You Anymore

You sound so emotional.

"Yeah, you’re right. I wear my emotions on my sleeves. That’s the kind of person that I am. I’ve always been like that and I’m not worried about that."

I wonder, how did you (and Jessica) feel about the tab stories about you? Didn’t you feel that the tabs were intruding into your private life too much?

"You’ve read the tabloids, right?"

Well, some of them (National Enquirer, etc.).

"Unfortunately, that’s part of being a celebrity. I never enjoyed it at all but you learn quickly that that’s something that you can’t control. You know, you have to take the bad with the good."

So you try to go with the flow.

"Yeah. You can’t change what people think, you can’t dictate what people write about. I’ve learned to live my life the best way I know how. If people are gonna write and say what they want, I can’t do anything about it."

And that’s what makes you hot copy.

"A hot copy? I guess in some way that’s flattering – you know, people are interested in what you’re doing and how you’re doing it. But at the same time it’s difficult because too much of your life is misrepresented, too much of it is untrue."

Did you feel that the media was focusing on the "wrong" side of you? You know, more on your personal affairs than on your work as an artist?

"Of course, I’d like to be known more for my talent and for my music."

Now I feel my world

Coming back to life

I’m finally on the outside

And I feel my world

Coming back to life – from Outside Looking In

It says in your bio-data that you wanted to pursue a career in sports medicine. What’s sports medicine?

"An athlete trainer. You know, to look after athletes when they get hurt and injured. You know, treat them and get them back on track. Thankfully, music intervened. My brother Drew and I were accepted to study at the Cincinnati (High) School for the Creative and Performing Arts. But I’m still a fan of the Cincinnati Bengals, the Cincinnati Reds, the Cincinnati Bearcats and the USC Trojans."

Have you always wanted to be a musician?

"I’ve always loved music and I’ve always loved singing. But I’ve never really been one of those kids who would sing in front of the mirror and wanted to be a star, doing a Michael Jackson."

How long did you stay with 98 Degrees?

"From 1996 to 2001. Five years."

Why did you decide to go solo?

"Sometime in 2001, 98 Degrees decided to take a break, I decided to go solo."

I’m curious... Do you remember the first song that you’ve ever sung?

"I can’t remember. That was a long time ago!"

So I am picking up the pieces

And I’m trying not to cut my eager hands

It’s strange, it’s not even sadness

To accept the things you cannot understand – from Ghosts

The note on the album quoted you as saying, "I believe that God has a plan for me and I trust in it." Aside from being emotional, you must be religious.

"Yeah, I have my faith. I believe what I believe."

And, of course, you’re very romantic, judging from your songs.

"Ha, ha, ha, ha, ha! You think so?"

How do you cope with fame and popularity in a field full of intrigues? How do you handle success?

"Success hasn’t changed me at all. I’m still the same person I used to be. I don’t see any reason for me to change. No matter how successful or unsuccessful you are, no matter what you do, you have to remain true to the core of what you are as a person. As long as you do that, you’ll be all right."

So you have your feet firmly on the ground.

"Yeah. And there’s my family and my friends who keep me grounded."

What are you like away from the limelight? How do you relax? How do you enjoy yourself?

"I think I’m a pretty normal guy. I work a lot. I hang out with friends and my family. I live a very typical life."

How do you maintain your beautiful body? What sort of diet do you follow? What sort of workout do you do?

"You know, I enjoy working out; some people don’t enjoy it. I enjoy running. I run as often as I can, every day or every other day depending on my schedule. I eat anything but I am careful with what I eat."

Aside from your voice, what part of your body do you consider the most sexy?

"What part of my body do I find sexy? I don’t know. But what I find sexy in a woman’s body is her eyes. And her attitude. I think a woman who is sure of herself is sexy."

What song on the album best describes your present state of being?

"I think it’s Resolution. It talks about letting go and moving on."

Here’s my resolution

I’m letting go

All I need to learn is

Along this road

And I just wanna be the best man I can be

Breathe

It’s my resolution – from Resolution

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