Larger Than Life: Reign of the Boybands, the new documentary celebrating boybands and their impact, premieres November 12 on Paramount+. In a preview clip shared by Billboard, *NSYNC’s Lance Bass opens up about the harsh reality many boybands face, revealing how young artists often find themselves signing challenging contracts to achieve their dreams. His reflections resonate with *NSYNC’s own journey, which was marked by difficult battles for fair treatment and compensation.

“Everyone kind of has the same story. The first deal is horrible; we got taken advantage of here — but people will still sign that contract because they know that sometimes, that’s the only way they can get their foot in the door,” Bass explains in the clip. “Then, after finding success, people think, ‘They can change it. I can start here, but I know I can change that. It won’t last forever; I can renegotiate.’ When you sign a contract, especially teenagers sign these entertainment deals, they’re ironclad. They’re very, very hard to get out of.”

Lance’s insights reflect the struggles *NSYNC faced in their early years. In 1999, they entered a public legal battle with their former manager Lou Pearlman, who had promised to take only a small share of the group’s earnings but ultimately took far more, leaving *NSYNC with just a fraction of what they earned. This legal battle eventually led the group to freedom and a new start with Jive Records.

Directed by Tamra Davis, Larger Than Life: Reign of the Boybands dives into stories like these and features appearances from other boyband legends, including members of Backstreet Boys, 98 Degrees, and SEVENTEEN, among others. Produced by MTV Entertainment Studios in partnership with Gunpowder & Sky, the documentary takes fans behind the scenes and celebrates the lasting influence of boybands from the ‘90s and early 2000s.

Check out the clip of Lance sharing his thoughts below, and get ready for a revealing look into boyband history!

*NSYNC, Chris Kirkpatrick, Johnny Wright, Justin Timberlake, Lance Bass, Larger Than Life: Reign of the Boybands