Kevin Richardson has officially left The Backstreet Boys, but the boy band is hoping he will return in the future. Richardson wants to step back from pop and move on with his life, leaving the band to continue work on their upcoming album as a foursome.

He says, "It was a tough decision for me but one that was necessary in order to move on with the next chapter of my life."

The band state on their website: "The door will always be open for him to return to the Backstreet Boys."

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(This news article provided by World Entertainment News Network)