Aaron Carter Interview: Singer Talks ‘Ooh Wee,’ Tour + Rita Ora [EXCLUSIVE]

Forget the 12-year-old Aaron Carter you recognize from precocious pop/hip-hop hits in the early aughts. More than 10 years later, the singer is dropping a new single, going on a high-energy tour and proving he's got the talent to back it all up.

Aaron wants his new music to show fans the "real deal" -- and this sincerity was evident during a recent conversation with PopCrush. ("People like Justin Bieber and Miley Cyrus, I have respect for them, but the difference is I’ve been doing this since I was literally six years old," he explained.)

Years of performing -- including numerous albums, live shows and even a stint off-Broadway -- have brought the singer to this point in his career and he's not about to take it for granted.

Get all of the details on Aaron's new single, his most challenging song and more in the interview below!

What inspired the title of your new single, 'Ooh Wee'?

This is kind of like a thing, I guess. Something people say these days, including myself, about girls or somebody who’s good-looking. Like, ‘Ooh, wee!’ It's definitely a very flirtatious record.

I definitely got that vibe.

Absolutely, this is exactly who I am and it portrays who I am. It’s not something I’m not, you know. I’m a super-flirt. I’m always flirting with girls. I’m single. The song just kind of makes sense for me.

I’m sure it’s fun to play live because of that.

Oh, absolutely, and the fans have been responding amazing to all of the music. So that’s really what it’s all about. Everybody really grew up with me, with Aaron Carter and ‘Caddyshack’ and all that stuff, but I grew up. As much as people want me to stay 12, I can’t. And I’m not going to.

It’s been a minute since you’ve put out new music. What do you want people to take away from the album?

I just want people to see the real deal and to see that I’m a person that is in an industry that I’m a part of. I’m not just doing this, this has been a lifestyle for me, ever since I was six years old. People like Justin Bieber and Miley Cyrus, I have respect for them, but the difference is I’ve been doing this since I was literally six years old. My earliest, fondest memories all stem back to performing, being a musician, being interviewed. That’s what my life has been.

Are you working on a full-length album?

It’ll be about eight to 10 songs on this record. So it’s not going to be a bunch because it’s been a while since I’ve been releasing new music. Now that I’m starting to get back in that game of releasing new music, I’m not going to release 20 songs right away and be like, “Here’s 20 songs.” I’m going to release songs that I know are really going to do well with me.

Do you have any date when you think that might be out?

You know, we haven’t really discussed it because right now it’s about the first single and I do have the record finished. I’m doing all new songs in my show, the Wonderful World Tour. ‘Wonderful World’ is actually a song too. The tour is named after one of the new songs as well.

Can you give us some details on that song?

It’s one of the most challenging records that I have, vocally. I don’t think people understand how serious I’ve been in my life and the things that I’ve taken and what I’ve done. I did off-Broadway for 500 performances, eight shows a week. I had to be a good singer in order to be good at my job. They didn’t hire me off of my celebrity status. They hired me because I can sing the range and the songs. When I did ‘Wonderful World,’ I think it was a very, very difficult song to sing and I don’t think anybody expected me to be able to do it. They didn’t know what to expect.

You've been very open about your former relationship with Hilary Duff in the past. Did any of that inspire new music?

Not one bit.

Got it. By the way, when Rita Ora visited PopCrush last spring, she told us you were her first celebrity crush!

Oh, you better believe that when I see Rita Ora, I’m going to give her my number and we’re going to go on a date. Unless she’s got a man at this point, but if she don’t got a man, I’m definitely going to take Rita Ora out on a date. We’ll go out for pizza.

Watch Rita Ora Reveal Her Childhood Crush on Aaron Carter

Sounds like a plan! You just kicked off your tour, right?

Yep, we just started it and today I’ve got to go do the music video for ‘Ooh, Wee.’

What can we expect from the video?

It’ll definitely be out in October. The single releases Oct. 14, so the video will follow right away.

[On the tour], fans can expect a very high-energy show. This is literally the most high energy show because I’m making a comeback. Last year, I started with the After Party Tour and I did a ton of dates with that with two male dancers and then I did it with a DJ. And then I brought my band back for a lot of my bigger college venues, shows where they wanted a full-on band.

This tour is actually inspired off DJ AM and Travis Barker. So I have a drummer and a DJ, and I also have a celebrity DJ with me. His name is DJ D-Wrek. He has been on Nick Cannon’s ‘Wild ‘N Out’ show. So the DJ that’s been on MTV, that’s who I’ve got with me. I also have Shane Sparks, who did the choreography and he’s been a judge on ‘America's Best Dance Crew.’ He’s a talented person, and to have this caliber of people wanting to work with me is amazing. As well as my producer, Aaron Pearce, the guy who produced my new music. He’s a Grammy Award-winning producer. It’s pretty amazing, the things that are happening right now. Getting back to the tour, it’s incredible. I can’t believe all of this is happening, to be honest.

It sounds amazing and like it’s an awesome way for your fans to hear the new music.

Yeah, I’m going to give it my best and I’m not going to stop, and I’m going to keep pursuing my dreams.