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The Backstreet Boys admit they now pray they don't get hurt before shows
Now they are getting older, the Backstreet Boys' pre-show prayers include a request to protect them from injury.
The Backstreet Boys say their pre‑show ritual has taken on new meaning as they get older, with the group now praying they make it through their high‑energy performances without injury.
Nick Carter revealed that the band — who have been wowing audiences with their mind-blowing Into the Millennium residency at Las Vegas Sphere — still gather for a moment of reflection before stepping on stage, but their requests have shifted with age.
The 46-year-old star told People: “We pray that we don't fall, we pray we don't break an ankle, we get the lyrics, pray we don't pop an Achilles heel."
AJ McLean added that the circle‑up tradition has always been a constant, whether it’s just the five members or their wider team.
He said: “No matter what, us five circle up — that’s something we do unified."
The group — completed by Kevin Richardson, Howie Dorough and Brian Littrell — also take stretching far more seriously than they once did.
AJ explained that he now meditates, warms up quietly, and lifts light weights before shows, admitting that in the past “maybe one of us might be stretching, but for the most part, we weren’t.”
With around 90 per cent of their show involving full‑out choreography, he said staying limber is now essential.
Howie joked that the band has “an extra wrinkle or two,” while AJ admitted there’s “a little bit more back pain” these days. But Nick believes the group is performing better than ever.
He said of their early years: “I sounded like Mickey Mouse back then.
“All of our voices have matured… it’s just a natural progression of getting a little bit better. So I think maybe a better version of ourselves.”
