Burning up the charts

LOS ANGELES -- Nick Lachey's current album "What's Left of Me" debuts on the Billboard Top 200 album chart this week at Number 2 with over 172,000 album sold.

At radio the title track is still going strong. Current chart positions are Number 14 on the POP R&R charts, Number 28 on Adult Contemporary Top 40 and Number 17 Adult Contemporary.

"What's Left of Me" debuted on AOLMusic.com in February. The album debut on the site has been the best performing Full CD Listening Party in last six months. This week the song it Number 1 most played on AOLMusic.com.

In April, MTV presented an anticipated look inside the life of Nick Lachey as he prepared to release his album with the one-hour special, "Nick Lachey: What's Left Of Me."

This was followed by the MTV world premiere of Nick's new video "What's Left Of Me" along with an inside look of its production with "Making The Video: Nick Lachey."

The video has been in MTV TRL's Top 10 since its debut. This week it is the Number 1 most played video on the channel.

Recent TV appearances have included Good Morning America, Live With Regis & Kelly, MTV's TRL, Tonight Show with Jay Leno, Jimmy Kimmel Live, and The Ellen DeGeneres Show. Upcoming TV performances include Late, Late Show with Craig Ferguson (5/19), and CBS Early Show (5/26).

"What's Left of Me" consists of 12 tracks, eight of which were co-written by Nick. Other talent on the album includes Andreas Carlsson (Celine Dion), Anders Bagge (98 Degrees, Madonna) and Dan Muckala (Backstreet Boys).

Nick on Marriage

Nick Lachey wants to get married again as soon as his divorce from Jessica
Simpson is finalised.
The star, who shot to fame on reality TV show 'Newlyweds' with the
singer-turned-actress, admits he would love to tie the knot again despite
his first attempt at marriage being a failure.
He told America's Access Hollywood TV show: "For me, a phase was certainly
going through that emotion of not wanting to marry again. But I'm a romantic
at heart. I don't want to be a 'serial marrier' but at the same time, I just
can't imagine not being married again."
Nick has also denied claims he has a new woman in his life.
The pop singer has been linked to a host of beauties since splitting from
Jessica last year, including 'Laguna Beach' star Kristin Cavallari and
beauty queen Elizabeth Arnold, who was named Miss Kentucky USA in 2002.
However, he insists he is definitely single at the moment but is looking for
love.
Nick, who is gearing up to release a new solo album, added: "I certainly do
not have a girlfriend. My girlie has been my work, which has been a real
blessing through this."

On the Record

Nick Lachey Reveals 'What's Left of Me'
Friday, May 05, 2006

NEW YORK — Are you reeling from a painful breakup? Going through a divorce? Unwilling to let go of an erstwhile lover?

If so, then Nick Lachey's new solo album, "What's Left of Me," could prove cathartic; If not, it might leave you a bit depressed.

Lachey's much-publicized split from Jessica Simpson has released an avalanche of media speculation, rife with rumors of infidelity and other marital woes. Recently, Lachey revealed that Simpson had dumped him, but he still loves her and would marry her again.

The disc -- a somber, soulful, angsty collection of 12 ballads -- is a slickly produced, raw-nerved confessional of his heartbreak and an open letter to Simpson.

In "Shades of Blue," one of the album's best tracks, Lachey pines for a lost love, foolishly awaiting her return. He asks, "Why did you have to leave? Why did you have to set me free? Why did you have to go?" But he takes an angrier tone in "I Do it For You," expressing his wish to see her "bleed and see how it feels."

Nice work, Jess. This guy's a wreck.

Realizing that he must move on ("I don't want to waste another day stuck in the shadow of my mistakes"), the title track has Lachey telling a potential lover to make him "whole once again."

His brooding songs, sung in a clear tenor, span different stages of grief, sometimes within the same track -- there's resentment, regret and acceptance in "I Can't Hate You Anymore" -- until he reaches his "Resolution," pledging his commitment to let go. Finally.

Set to a pop soundtrack, his pain becomes palpable, raw, universal. His pain becomes ours.

But do we really want to feel it?

Nick Speaks About His Divorce

NEW YORK (AP) - Nick Lachey said his divorce from Jessica Simpson is a "nasty situation," but he's not trying to hurt her with his revelations about their split - and, he still loves her
Lachey's new solo album, "What's Left of Me," is set for release May 9.
He sings openly about divorce-driven heartbreak and angst on the title track and in songs such as "I Can't Hate You Anymore."
"It's a nasty situation," Lachey reveals in his MTV special, "Nick Lachey: What's Left of Me," broadcast Saturday afternoon.
"It's not fun. ... So, it's not in any way vindictive or an assault on her. In a lot of ways, it's more of an assault on me."
If Simpson feels attacked, Lachey said he doesn't mean any harm: "Jessica knows I still love her."
Lachey, 32, and Simpson, 25, starred in the MTV reality show, "Newlyweds: Nick & Jessica."
The singer-actress filed for divorce in December, after
three years of marriage.
As a result of the breakup, the former boy band star said he's "more guarded."
"I can't be as open with people because I've been burned."
He said his "biggest fear is being alone" and feeling like he'll "never find that person that you're looking for, especially when you thought you had it."
Still, Lachey remains hopeful.
"Do I believe that I'll fall in love again one day? I certainly hope so. I certainly hope I'm not going to be the jerk, uncle, bachelor the rest of my life," he said.
"You know, i t's not what I envisioned for myself, but at the same time, when I got married, that was it for me, you know, that was my life."