What's next for Drew Lachey: More 'label•less,' new music and maybe a home repair show

In 2018, Drew Lachey and his wife, Lea Lachey, hatched the idea of creating the show "label∙less" based on the stories students in their School for Creative and Performing Arts class told them about discrimination they had faced.

Now, six years later, "label∙less" is still going with different actors, different stories and new songs.

The eighth iteration of "label∙less" runs July 6-19 at the Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park.

Lachey stopped by The Enquirer's "That's So Cincinnati" podcast to talk about why the show still resonates with audiences.

"Lea had the idea to create art that would bring attention to it," Lachey said. "(The show) 'label∙less' is a 90-minute show that deals with everything from mental health to bullying to homophobia to racism in a way that's still entertaining and hopeful."

3 things to know about Lachey

Will 'label∙less' go to Broadway? Maybe someday

"Ultimately, the goal is to set it down on Broadway," Lachey said. "That is the feather in the cap of every producer and creator, to have their show in New York. But is that our ultimate goal? Is that our defining moment of success? For us the defining moment of success is to know 'label∙less' is changing people's lives, that it's moving people, getting these stories out there and keeping them in people's consciousness."

98 Degrees still hot and on the road

Lachey's band 98 Degree is still going strong. New shows will be announced soon and new music is coming. The group had a Top 40 hit on Billboard's Adult Contemporary chart with the re-recording of the Christmas song "The First Noel 2023" last year.

"We're actually in the studio right now creating new music," Lachey said. So much can be done remote, making it easier to work with his brother, Nick Lachey, who lives in Hawaii, Justin Jeffre and Jeff Timmons.

What's next for Lachey?

Lachey is pitching a documentary that follows "label∙less" on the road and focuses on how the show is perceived in different communities. And he's also hoping to sell a home renovation show that he would star in.

"Anybody who follows me on Instagram knows that is my other passion," Lachey said.

Miss last week's episode? No problem. Listen here. Follow Cincinnati.com editor Beryl Love on X @beryllove and City Hall reporter Sharon Coolidge @SharonCoolidge.

This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Drew Lachey is bringing back 'label•less' and making new music