The music collaboration you never knew you needed happened in Toronto on Saturday night when Drake joined the Backstreet Boys on stage to sing “I Want It That Way.” According to TMZ, the classic Backstreet Boys song is a special one for Drake — and he shared why he loved the song so much with the crowd before he and the band pulled off the instantly unforgettable performance.
Drake reportedly revealed that when he was 13, a girl asked him to dance to the song, and he explained it was the first time he ever felt “cool.” The “Jimmy Cooks” singer said it was the “first time I ever felt acknowledged, it was the first time I ever felt, you know, like I had a shot at being cool.” He continued, “And like I said, the song that she wanted to dance with me to is one of the greatest songs of all time, one of the greatest songs I’ve ever heard. I want you to make some noise and I want you to sing this song as loud as you possibly can.”
As the video shared by the Backstreet Boys on Instagram reveals, the crowd obliged. Not only did the fans sing along, the Backstreet Boys left it up to Drake to croon the song’s last line before they all took a bow. “What’s better than I Want It That Way?” the band tweeted after the show. “I Want It That Way…. f/@Drake.”
The Backstreet Boys Toronto show is just one of many the ’90s pop stars are scheduled to play in 2022. The group is currently in the midst of their “DNA World Tour,” which includes shows all across North America, Europe, Asia, and Australia. Meanwhile, 2022 is shaping up to be a landmark year for Drake as well.
In June, Drake surprised fans with the release of his seventh studio album, “Honestly, Nevermind.” A week after its release, it became his 11th album to hit number one on the Billboard 200 chart, as reported by The New York Times. Add in his surprise performance with the Backstreet Boys and it’s clear Drake’s summer is off to an excellent start.