AJ McLean wants people to call him by his birthname when he's not being a Backstreet Boy
AJ McLean has asked the Backstreet Boys to use his real name when he isn't working in order ot separate himself from his pop persona.
AJ McLean has revealed he is setting firm personal boundaries by asking those closest to him to call him by his birth name when he is not working as a member of the Backstreet Boys.
The 48-year-old singer, who has spoken candidly in recent years about his struggles with addiction and recovery, explained that the decision came after a period of deep self-reflection during treatment in 2023.
While AJ said his sobriety was already secure, he realised he needed to explore the emotional roots of his addictive behaviours and, in doing so, separate his true self from his pop star persona.
Speaking to the New York Post newspaper’s Page Six column, he explained: “My sobriety was on lock, but I wanted to dig a little deeper and find out what was at the root of my addiction. [Being] AJ McLean from Backstreet had its perks… It also had its downfalls.”
The singer, whose full birth name is Alex James McLean, said the process taught him the importance of boundaries — something he admitted he had rarely practised before.
He added: “And so going on this little self-realisation moment, I learned boundaries, something I never really utilised in my life. AJ is a character in a band and doesn’t define who I am. Alex got stifled for the last 40 years. The two entities, which are one, can coexist.”
As part of that shift, AJ said he addressed the issue directly with those around him, including his bandmates in Backstreet Boys and his family.
He said: “I immediately set up boundaries with my bandmates first, and my family, and said, ‘Hey, like, when I’m not in work mode with you boys, call me Alex.’”
While the adjustment took time, he described the change as life-affirming.
He said: “It took a little adjusting… but it’s been such a, like, revelation to finally be comfortable in my own skin."
The move comes as McLean prepares to step further into his solo career with the release of his new album, Hi, My Name is Alexander James.
He admitted that working outside the safety net of his bandmates has been daunting, but ultimately necessary for his personal growth.
He said: “[It’s] terrifying at first because, you know, you are so used to having four shoulders to lean on, but you have to kind of lean into that uncomfortableness… you have to lean into the fear.”
Although he accepts that his Backstreet Boys identity will always follow him, AJ is hopeful that, over time, fans will come to see him simply as himself.
He added: “I’m reintroducing myself as me."
