'N Sync adding bilingual twist to newest single

They've gone platinum. Now they're going . . . bilingual?

'N Sync, the effervescent boy band from Orlando, is not onlyreleasing another single off their record-breaking "No StringsAttached" album, they're doing it in English, Spanish and Spanglish(a combination of the two languages).

Three versions of the band's guitar-laden ballad, "This I PromiseYou," will be released Sept. 18 on the radio, six days after the much-anticipated debut of fellow teen sensation Christina Aguilera'sSpanish-language album, "Mi Reflejo."

While Aguilera is half-Ecuadoran, the fact that none of themembers of 'N Sync is of Latin descent or fluent in Spanish-let aloneSpanglish-may make their latest venture seem like a bold move.

But representatives for the band say the boys just want to payhomage to their broad fan base.

"They have a lot of fans, and this is just another way they feelthey can touch upon and reach out to everybody," said publicist KimEstlund.

English-speaking artists recording in Spanish is nothing new. Inthe early 1990s, Boyz II Men released a handful of their hit songs inSpanish, including "On Bended Knee" and "I'll Make Love to You." Morerecently, the Backstreet Boys, that other Orlando boy band, recorded(but never released) a Spanish version of their hit, "I'll NeverBreak Your Heart."

Meanwhile, the so-called Latin explosion into the Americanmarketplace, fueled most notably by Ricky Martin, continues.

Industry insiders seem to respect 'N Sync's foray into the Spanish-speaking market, though some aren't so sure how well they'll bereceived.

"I think it's remarkable, and I'm happy that they're doing this. .. . However, I think their appeal to anyone in the Latinomarketplace will probably be among the English-speaking Latinopopulation," said Erik Bradley, music director and assistant programdirector at WBBM-FM, an urban contemporary music station.

If anything, the new, three-version single is another smartmarketing move by an extremely talented band, says Billboard talenteditor Larry Flick.

"They don't play as white, if you will, as a lot of the other boygroups. They play as a bunch of city boys, so i think this is justmeans of adding to (their appeal). And it's their third single in. Itjust adds a little more spice to them in general."