In the world of entertainment, it is not uncommon for celebrities to adopt a stage persona that differs from their real self. This allows them to maintain a certain level of privacy and protect their personal lives from the prying eyes of the public. Aj McLean, a member of the iconic boy band Backstreet Boys, is one such celebrity who separates his “persona” from his real self as Alex.
The decision to create this separation can be seen as a means of self-preservation. As an artist, McLean understands the importance of maintaining a certain image in order to appeal to his fans.
By creating a stage persona, he can control how he is perceived by the public and ensure that only certain aspects of his life are made available for scrutiny.
Aj McLean was born Alexander James McLean. Alex has had a love for music since he was 4 years old. At that time he had a lisp and also stuttered. He also discovered that he loved to act so he wanted to pursue that as well as dance. His mother has signed him up for dance classes. He took ballet, tap, jazz, hip hop, contemporary, ballroom, and other dance categories. In interviews, he said, “Dancing was really my thing in the early days. I wanted to be a dancer way above an actor or a singer.” Aj landed roles in Nickelodeon’s Truth or Dare, and Hi Honey I’m Home. When he was in Junior High, Aj won a part in Welcome Freshman. When he was on the show GUTs it was where he met Nick Carter and Howie D. The three of them were the roots for Backstreet Boys.
At the beginning of being in the Band Alex had made a character called “Johnny No Name” who would have been his alter ego.
Alex shared with E! News a look back on his wellness journey this week. One of the biggest lessons he learned was ” turning off AJ and letting him live in the world of Backstreet. I have self-worth.”
He further explained the difference between him and his onstage alter ego. Alex said, “The biggest thing for me is knowing that AJ is a persona. AJ is my job, but Alex is who I am.” Alex is married to Rochelle DeAnna McLean they have 2 children Elliott,10, and Lyric,6. He said that when he comes home from work he is more than Aj. “When AJ’s done doing work, I’m Alex. I’m a husband, I’m a father, I’m a friend.” Since he has separated work from his personal life Aj, is “much happier than I’d ever been.”
He is proud of where his onstage persona has taken him and the Backstreet Boys. He finds that the new generation of fans is “really cute. It’s a little painful to know that I got a fifth grader and now a first grader, that just means I’m getting old. ” Aj jokingly said he was old due to all the teachers and parents are actually fans of The Backstreet Boys. “A lot of my oldest daughter’s friends know who we are and love our music.”
One job that he feels is the best is that of being a father. “I love it. It’s so rewarding. My girls love me to death and I love them to the moon and back.” One place that his family will not be traveling along with him and Nick Carter, Kevin Richardson, Brian Littrell, Howie Dorough, Jason Derulo, Eric Cubeecchee, and DJ YO-C will also be making appearances. They will all be performing at Backstreet’s Bash to the Beach which is geared to be a multi-day concert performed at a resort in Cancun, Mexico
Separating his persona from his real self allows McLean to have some semblance of normalcy in his personal life. Being constantly in the spotlight can be overwhelming and invasive, leaving little room for personal growth and development. By keeping aspects of his true self private, McLean can maintain a sense of authenticity and protect himself from being consumed by fame.
Photos aj_mclean Instagram
