Melissa Schuman Breaks Silence On Recording Duet With Nick Carter After Alleged Assault
Melissa Schuman, former Dream singer, is opening up about why she recorded a duet with Nick Carter months after he allegedly raped her. Melissa, now 39, shares her story in the new Investigation Discovery docuseries, Fallen Idols: Nick and Aaron Carter. She recounts how, at 18 years old, she was allegedly raped by Nick in his Santa Monica apartment in 2003.
In the docuseries, Melissa reveals her reluctance to record the duet There for Me with the Backstreet Boys star after the alleged incident. She felt pressured as she was trying to launch a solo career and needed the support of her management. Kenneth Crear, who managed both her and Nick, presented the song to her. Reflecting on the situation, she now sees the song as a strategic move to protect Nick.
“When I look back on this song now, it feels almost premeditated, where it was presented as if it was going to actually help me, but in reality it feels more like an alibi for him. People don’t understand and are like, ‘Well, you followed him on Twitter. You sent him condolences. You liked a tweet.’ I was truly trying my best to find forgiveness for him and move on with my life,” she stated.
Kenneth, in a court declaration from April 2023 obtained by PEOPLE, stated he did not recall officially signing Melissa to his management company but did offer to help her break into the industry after she approached him. He remembers her being “excited at the opportunity of working with” Nick, showing “no hesitation, stress or anxiety.”
After the alleged assault, Melissa says she was in denial and feared filing a police report would harm her career. She hoped to avoid Nick for the rest of her life, according to her.
About a year and a half later, she decided to restart her music career and signed with Kenneth’s management company. However, she later discovered Kenneth was “like family” to Nick. Kenneth reportedly brought her a song recorded by Nick, proposing they sing it as a duet.
“My first thought was, ‘Do I have to be alone with him?’ And Kenneth goes, ‘Oh, no, it’s already pre-recorded. You only have to go in and do your part.’ I could feel Kenneth’s eyes on me, like he was observing me. And he goes, ‘Nick is dating Paris Hilton,’” she recalled.
Despite feeling conflicted, she decided to move forward. Later, a showcase was arranged for Sony Records to help her secure a deal, but she was shocked to learn Nick would be joining her to perform the duet. Overwhelmed, she went along for business reasons.
“When the showcase happened, I remember seeing him and I froze. Completely froze. I was scared. And I was very cold to him and we sang our duet. I don’t even think I looked at him and eventually he goes, ‘Well clearly we don’t like each other.’ And those were the last words he ever said to me,” she recounted.
Weeks after the showcase, Melissa says Kenneth informed her that the label found her “vocally weak” and would not sign her, effectively ending her music career.
Kenneth claims the showcase was for multiple artists and Melissa knew in advance she would be performing the duet with Nick. He adds that Nick agreed to the duet as a favor to help launch Melissa’s solo career and that they “hung out and socialized” after the performance.
