With the launch of Justin Timberlake's second solo album on Tuesday, the pop singer is seeking to be taken seriously and cement his position as one of the few boy-band members to carve out a successful career in his own right.

Timberlake, 25, broke away from boy band 'N Sync in 2002 to go solo and recently acknowledged he was largely responsible for the band's permanent split by shying away from a chance to reunite two years ago.

The 25-year-old performer said he was never running to escape 'N Sync as he enjoyed his time with the band.

"(But) I think there was something inside me that said: 'If you don't do something now you might never do it,"' he told reporters on a conference call on Monday, adding that what the band did would no longer work in today's recording scene.

With most boy bands only lasting a few years, Timberlake's break from the quintet appears to have occurred at the right time. He had been the teen frontman for the group for seven years -- since the age of 14 -- after starting his career on TV's "The Mickey Mouse Club."

His first solo album, "Justified," sold more than 7 million copies worldwide in 2002.

The debut track off his new "FutureSex/LoveSounds" album, "SexyBack," surged to No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart August 31 after it sold 250,000 copies as a digital download, and a recent U.S. tour sold out at every venue.

Reviews of the new album have been positive, with critics saying Timberlake successfully meshes hip-hop and pop and that the disc shows signs of his maturity.

"The sound may be a bit different, but the music's sex appeal remains a force to be reckoned with," said a review by music publication Billboard.

Timberlake, a favorite in U.S. celebrity magazines with actress girlfriend Cameron Diaz, has also taken on several acting roles in recent years, including "Edison Force" with Morgan Freeman, and his voice is set to be used in the upcoming computer-animated film sequel "Shrek the Third."