"It's an interesting idea, this '15 Minutes.' It's about fame and what fame can do to you," the singer said.
After more than 30 years and more than 80 million records sold worldwide, Manilow knows a lot about dealing with fame. He was reflecting about his life in the spotlight when he started to write his latest album. He said one inspiration for the album was /*Britney Spears*/, when he saw her being chased by the paparazzi.
"Is that the price of fame, I kept saying, is that it? Is that what she has to go through?" Manilow questioned. "I know that when 'Mandy' came out I was kind of an adult and I had done jingles and I had conducted for people, and when 'Mandy' hit, it knocked me over. What is it doing to these younger people? So I thought that was an interesting subject to write about."
He said his family and "old friends" saved him and helped keep him grounded.
"They would look at me and say, 'What are you doing? What are you saying?' And those are the people that these young people need to keep around them," Manilow advised.
Along with Spears, Manilow is a fan of several of today's top-selling artists, including /*Lady Gaga*/.
"Lady Gaga is the top of the pyramid. She is great, really original and handling it just great," he said.
Manilow continues to handle his career with grace, including his permanent gig in Las Vegas.
"I look forward to being with my band and my crew and the audience in front of me. So far it's been just great. But I'm a songwriter, I've always been a songwriter and an arranger, and I love, love doing that just as much," he said.
Manilow's album, "15 Minutes," goes on sale on Tuesday.
