I have a confession to make. I’m an AC/pop junkie. There, I said it. What does it mean? I have always harbored a secret fondness for boy bands, girl bands and pretty much everything in between. That being said, I’ll proudly admit that I own several Backstreet Boys CDs. (And I’ll also go on record as saying that I always thought Backstreet was much cuter than ‘N Sync.)

And, apparently, I’m not the only 30-something fan of Brian Littrell and his Backstreet Boys cohorts. Following on the heels of his No. 1 Christian radio hit “In Christ Alone,” the remake of the classic song which was included on last year’s WoW #1s collection, Brian Littrell once again found himself surrounded by fans of all ages – many looking to be my age or older, even – in what some may regard as an unlikely arena … the annual GMA (Gospel Music Association) Week festivities in Nashville, Tenn.

When Littrell’s publicist later points out the vast array of people he attracted to an autograph signing session and, in particular, the number of guys who weren’t afraid to be seen in line, too, Littrell laughs, “There were a lot of guys, and it’s funny – I was joking with several of them – they were joking with me like, ‘Well, I’m probably the only guy in the [line].’ And I was [saying], ‘No, there was one just a few minutes ago, and if you look behind you there’s a …’ So you know he was like, ‘Oh, OK. Cool.’”

All joking aside, Brian Littrell is thankful for his success. “It’s been 13 years in the making, and I do have loyal, gracious, trustworthy fans,” he says. And the fans, alongside an established 13-year career with the Backstreet Boys, who have now sold more than 74 million records worldwide and garnered a veritable mountain of awards and accolades, have provided Littrell a platform.

Littrell has met many people who tell him, “‘I don’t really listen to Christian music, but I’m intrigued by your project; and I’m intrigued by your testimony; and I want to know more,’” he shares. “I’m hosting this show that’s called “Gifted”. It’s a talent show around the United States that’s looking for Christian artists. And I had this young lady come up to me, a mother of two, and she said, ‘You know, my 14-year-old doesn’t know Jesus Christ, but I think you sparked something tonight’ (because I do a small little performance, like four songs). And I was [thinking], ‘You know, that’s what it’s about. …' Whether or not you’re a Backstreet Boys fan or a Brian Littrell fan, if you’re a music fan in general, any genre of music, my project is for music lovers. You know, it’s for all walks of life, just people that enjoy a good, positive message. That’s hopefully what we’ve been doing with the Backstreet Boys for 13 years, and that’s what we’ll continue to do.”