Posted by Emily Exton on 05/17/2011 at 6:02 PM News

The Popdust Files: matthew morrison, nkotbsb

It’s no secret that Glee star Matthew Morrison is hoping to transition from television Spanish teacher to full-fledged pop star. His self-titled solo album debuted last week, and he’s been working the promotional rounds pretty hard of late, perhaps to prevent the disc from being wiped off the charts by the time Born This Way arrives. On Tuesday, the 32-year-old announced he’ll be joining boy band all-stars NKOTBSB (New Kids on the Block and Backstreet Boys) as the opening act for their upcoming tour. “This was an opportunity I couldn’t pass up. I am so appreciative of my fans and I’m planning to give them a great show,” Morrison said in a statement.

While he’s been prepping for his own solo tour in conjunction with the album, Morrison has abandoned dreams of selling out small venues all on his own in order to take advantage of the crowds these vets will likely attract. Smart move, Mr. Schue. Despite Glee‘s popularity, it’s unclear whether Morrison can establish himself as a bona fide—and profitable—solo act without the help of his New Directions costars. So instead of risking the frustration of performing to less than capacity crowds and experiencing puny album sales, why not ride the coattails of two of the biggest boy bands of all-time? His music is sweet and inoffensive, plus, he’s got just the right kind of dimples to attract any and all cougars attending NKOTBSB this summer, some of whom—if I’m doing my math correctly—may even have kids who are into the whole Glee thing. (Mother-daughter bonding!) Or maybe I’m totally off and his opening act will be really progressive and edgy (bringing the lyrics of “Summer Rain” to life onstage? Naughty Mr. Schuester!). But if not, everybody likes the sound of a little ukelele in the summer time.