Backstreet Boys star AJ Mclean on lockdown: I really embraced the little things
Ahead of the boyband’s European tour, the singer and dancer talks lockdown, sobriety and the prospect of new music with Alex Green
Alot of people had time to do some true self discovery, and really try and figure out what they want to do with their lives and what kind of life they want to lead.
“And that’s what I did. I was like, ‘Okay, now I have all this time. What am I going to do with it that’s productive?’ I had to see the silver lining in the world shutting down.”
AJ Mclean is speaking to me from his hotel room in Las Vegas where the Backstreet Boys are rehearsing ahead of the shows that will kick off their postponed DNA world tour.
Lounging on his bed, the 44-year-old from West Palm Beach in Florida, beloved by fans for his wide-brimmed hats and distinctive, everchanging facial hair, explains how the group are “chomping at the bit to get back out there on the road”.
They are a week and a half into rehearsals and will arrive in Europe in October with a show at London’s O2 Arena in early November.
Mclean has been focusing on getting match fit. “For me it started with Dancing with the Stars,” he explains. “I got in really great shape and I have just continued.
“I did not put on the Covid-15,” he adds, referring to the lockdown weight gain phenomenon. “I chose not to do that. I went the other way and I’ve been on a very, very, very strict regimen – diets and everything.
“Just trying to be the healthiest I could possibly be and really get myself mentally and physically ready to go back on the road. It’s been really nice. I could have very easily let myself go, as I know a lot of my friends did, but I went the other way.”
Mclean formed the Backstreet Boys with Nick Carter, Howie Dorough, Kevin Richardson and Brian Littrell in Orlando, Florida, in 1993. They became one of the biggest acts of the decade, selling millions of records worldwide thanks to hits such as I Want It That Way, Everybody and As Long As You Love Me.
Things are a little different now that many of them have families. Mclean says lockdown allowed him to spend more time with his wife, Rochelle, and their two young daughters.
“Now that we’re all family men and we have kids and things, we definitely try to work our schedule around that because obviously we can’t go out for four months straight anymore. We’ll do a few weeks on and then we’ll come home for a few weeks.
“The biggest stretch we have coming up is the summer tour. It’s about three months. We have about a week off in the middle, where I will definitely be coming home, and then going back out.”
Referencing his past battles with alcohol and drug addiction, he adds: “I picked up mountain biking, I got back into golf, really continued to work on my sobriety, just taking time for myself.
“But also getting to pick my kids up from school, take them to dance, go to dinner, have dance parties at night and do the things that I was missing out on. These are the pivotal years with my kids that I don’t want to miss, because before you know it they are moving out and getting married and then you’re a grandpa and it’s like, ‘What! No! Hold on, slow down’.”
Mclean did indeed use the first year of the pandemic to slow down – before accelerating again. He competed on the US version of Strictly Come Dancing, hosted a TV show in South Africa and worked on his debut solo EP.
“I do like to be busy,” he says. “Now it’s nice because I can control my schedule, and really have a nice healthy balance. So I can work for a few months and then be home for a few months.”
Mclean was eliminated eighth on Dancing With The Stars, competing alongside a head-spinning line-up that included Carole Baskin from Netflix series Tiger King, singer Nelly and Selling Sunset star, Chrishell Stause.
He still feels the judging panel treated him a little harshly. “It was kind of bittersweet,” he says. “I feel like the judges might have been a little harder on me because of my experience.
“I’ll say this much. I had a great time. It was very difficult. It was definitely harder than I thought it would be. I’ve been dancing my whole life but not ballroom. I don’t know s*** about ballroom – I know hip hop, I know every other dance style."
Conveniently, the punishing training regimen helped him get back in shape ahead of the Backstreet Boys rehearsals.
“We’re doing these shows, which are full dance shows, we’re dancing 90 per cent of our show. We’re all getting older so things are hurting a little more here and there if we don’t take care of ourselves.”
So far Mclean has only appeared on Strictly Come Dancing with the Backstreet Boys, performing a medley of their hits in 2018. Could he have another punt at claiming the Glitterball trophy on the UK equivalent of Dancing With The Stars?
“I would rather perform with the guys like we did the last time on Strictly Come Dancing – not be on the floor again,” he admits with a laugh. “Because, again, it was a lot of work and even though I was home, I still barely saw my kids.
“I was working crazy hours because it’s a really hectic schedule. You’re learning a dance in two days and then you are going live. It’s like, what? But maybe. Who knows? Look, I don’t mind going out and spending a month in the UK. I love it there.”
As well as their tour, fans will finally have a chance to listen to the Backstreet Boys’ first Christmas album this festive season. And Mclean reveals they are considering making an album to mark their three decades together.
“We are definitely talking about going and making a 30th anniversary album,” he says. “So there there will definitely always be new music from the Backstreet Boys.
“But, right now, our Christmas album is our next thing. And we cannot wait to share it with the world. It is an incredible Christmas album.”
● The DNA World Tour visits Europe in October and November, with dates in London and Manchester, as well as Portugal, Spain, Germany, Italy and more.