It's been over a decade since the last episode of Nickelodeon's hit musical comedy series Big Time Rush aired. But the band has continued giving fans what they want: new music and a rehashing of the old hits
The group, which recently kicked off its In Real Life Worldwide Tour, went on hiatus starting in 2014. But in 2021, the group resumed live performances and released its single, "Call It Like I See It."
"When COVID-19 hit, and we put out a little remote, acoustic version of 'Worldwide', we all saw such a positive reaction from people all over the world who were scared, who were uncertain − like we were − watch that and go, 'This is the happiest I've been in a long time,'" James Maslow, who portrayed James Diamond on the Nickelodeon show, told The Cincinnati Enquirer, adding that the group had discussed going back on tour many times throughout the years.
"I think that was the encouragement that we needed."
Now, the band, comprised of Maslow, Kendall Schmidt, Logan Henderson and Carlos PenaVega, is touring for its fourth consecutive year.
"We have been so blown away with just how much excitement," he said. "It's really encouraging and it's awesome to see how many people we get to touch with our music."
Maslow revealed a 'Big Time Rush' movie is in development
Fans waiting for a reboot of Big Time Rush might not have to wait too long. The Nickelodeon show, which filled airwaves for almost four years and spanned four seasons with 74 episodes, is in development for a major reboot, Maslow said.
When asked if Big Time Rush would follow suit with the iCarly television show reboot, Maslow said re-doing a TV show is "simply a time issue," and due to that, they've "started developing a movie."
"There's no promises or guarantees here, but we have a script we're excited about and we've been in conversations for some time now, so I think there may be a chance that we get that green-lit and shot, maybe after this tour," Maslow said.
Maslow said it would be in production, with Nickelodeon's "blessing," to shoot the movie with Paramount+ and some of its parent partners because the group is "a little bit older" now and wants to share a "little bit of a different story."
"You know, I was on iCarly and I got to join Miranda (Cosgrove) and the cast for the reboot as well, and it is, it's very similar to the old show, but with swear words, whereas our movie would touch on the old characters and show, but it'd be totally different," he said.
"It's in development, but it's definitely possible."
Big Time Rush is excited to be back in Cincinnati (and wants to try the chili)
Big Time Rush first performed in Cincinnati at Riverbend in 2012, according to Concert Archives. Cody Simpson was listed among the openers for the concert.
The band returned to the Queen City in 2013, when the group performed at U.S. Bank Arena, now Heritage Bank Center. Former Nickelodeon star Victoria Justice (Victorious) was listed among the supporting acts for the show.
The group didn't return to Cincinnati until 2023, when it performed at Andrew J. Brady Music Center. Now, after a few short years, Big Time Rush is "so excited to be coming back" to the city and to show fans how they've "reinvented everything," Maslow said.
"The show itself was built from scratch, very much with the fans in mind and it's the first time that we've ever blurred the lines a little bit between the TV show and us as a band playing live," Maslow said.
"We are very much leaning in with the characters and we have, man, so many screens on stage. We have a 60-foot screen behind us, we have eight screens above us, we've even built a three-tier stage made out of screens. I think it's the most impressive show we've ever had."
Maslow also promised that anyone going to their show will leave "smiling and impressed."
"I'm not gonna even speak for myself, I'm going to speak for the other guys, it is so fun watching them on stage (and) we're at our best when we're on the stage, and we put on one hell of a performance," he said.
Since Big Time Rush's July 30 concert isn't the first time the boy band will venture into Cincinnati, there was one question which needed to be answered: Have any of them tried Cincinnati-style chili?
"Honestly, I don't recall. But if that's something we need to try, we need to have those backstage, we need to try them," Maslow said.
Big Time Rush will perform every song from every episode (with special guests)
Big Time Rush is giving fans exactly what they've asked for with this tour. During the In Real Life Worldwide Tour, the band will play every song from every episode of its hit Nickelodeon show, many of which have never been performed live.
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| Stephen Kramer Glickman, who played Gustavo on "Big Time Rush," will accompany the band on tour. | Ethan Miller, Getty Images |
The group is also set to reunite with former co-stars Katelyn Tarver, who played Jo Taylor (Kendall's love interest on the show), and Stephen Kramer Glickman, who played Gustavo Rocque (the band's manager). The two will join the band as supporting acts on all tour dates.
"We've had a lot of openers over the years, and a lot of them have been great, and some of them, we just don't really develop a personal relationship with, just because we arrive at different times (and) play at different times every night, so it's been really nice having people that just know you so well," he said.
"We grew up together in many ways, kind of like having a family around."
Maslow's tour preparation looks a lot different than it did in 2011
Like any musician, preparing for a tour is no easy feat. When Big Time Rush first hit the road in 2011, the four bandmates were in their early 20s. Fast forward more than a decade and the members are now reaching their mid-30s.
So, how do they prepare for the road? Maslow said he focuses more on his physical and mental health now than he did in his early touring years.
"We didn't really think about those things back in the day because we were relatively healthy, but these days, pre-tour, I actually started working with a physical therapist ... and I treat it like an athlete," he said.
"I've always been an athletic person, and I like to push myself on stage, and I'm so grateful because I'm out on the road now, feeling physically better and stronger, in many ways, I've ever felt. But it definitely takes a little bit more thought, and (I'm) a little more tactical about it now than I used to be."
Big Time Rush's crowd has become 'big buff bros'
The Big Time Rush TV show debuted Nov. 28, 2009. Like many boy bands, the group appealed to younger girls and teenagers. The members, however, have noticed a shift in their audience's demographic.
"(The fans) have grown up with us, and one of the interesting things we've noticed in the last four years we've been touring is we have a lot more guys in the audience and it's really exciting because you know, back in the day, (the fans) were very much younger girls," Maslow said.
The 35-year-old, whose character took his looks very seriously, said he loves getting stopped by fans who are like a "big buff bro (saying), 'Dude, I grew up, I got motivated to work out because of you.'"
"Being dudes on a TV show and being a guy who does black flips on stage, to me, that's really exciting," he added.
Maslow noted it's been "so cool" to see the band's fans grow up alongside them.
"Some (fans) become executives, some have families, just about every walk of life, being able to share their excitement for us and for the band together, it's a pretty unique crowd."
Out of all the guest stars, Snoop Dogg is someone Maslow will 'never forget'
Big Time Rush welcomed a variety of guest stars on Nickelodeon, such as musicians, actors and other Nickelodeon stars. Some of the show's most notable guest stars include American Idol winner Jordin Sparks and actors Fabio Lanzoni and Alexa PenaVega, the latter of whom would go on to marry Carlos.
But one guest star Maslow will never forget is the legendary Snoop Dogg. The "Gin and Juice" rapper guest-starred in Big Time Rush's Christmas special, "Big Time Christmas," in which Snoop and the band did a remix of the hit song "Boyfriend." The episode, which aired Dec. 4, 2010, also featured iCarly star Miranda Cosgrove.
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| Rapper Snoop Dogg and Big Time Rush perform onstage during Nickelodeon's 24th Annual Kids' Choice Awards at Galen Center on April 2, 2011. | Kevork Djansezian, Getty Images |
"My favorite part about that was the music video," Maslow said. "Snoop said, 'Look, my daughters have never wanted to go to a music video shoot and today, they were begging me to come to this, so I just wanted to say thank you.' He's just someone I'll never forget."
The legendary rapper will also perform a show in Cincinnati on Aug. 11 at Great American Ball Park.
The band's In Real Life Worldwide Tour ends Dec. 22, 2025.
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Originally published: July 29, 2025.
