If you think you know AJ McLean, wait until you meet Alexander James.
After cementing his spot in music history as a member of the Backstreet Boys, the man formerly known as AJ McLean has embarked on the next chapter of his career by going back to the beginning. In “Electric,” premiering exclusively on Us Weekly, McLean channels the electropop sound of the mid-’80s, returning to the days when he first fell in love with music and decided to make it his life’s pursuit.
The new video celebrates McLean’s history, long before he sold over 140 million albums as part of one of the most successful boy bands in music history. There’s the nerd barely able to skate around the roller disco, a mulleted rocker in a video game marathon and the confident rock star lighting up the rink. The video serves as McLean’s sonic yearbook, functioning as a groovy bridge between the past and the present while laying out his future.
“The past few years have seen me do a lot of soul-searching about who I am and what that means,” McLean tells Us Weekly exclusively. “AJ has always been a huge part of me, but at the end of the day, I am Alex.”
As McLean, the vocalist released his debut solo album, Have It All, in 2010. He’s since dropped a handful of singles, including 2022’s “Smoke.”
This new chapter doesn’t mean McLean is leaving his BSB days behind. He will celebrate the sound and songs that made him a superstar when he joins ‘NSync’s Joey Fatone for an eight-city tour in March. The duo will perform renditions of their biggest hits while accompanied by a seven-piece band, offering fans intimate conversations and never-before-told stories from their time on the road.
“I’m so excited to head out for this round of dates with my friend Joey,” McLean said when announcing this special tour. “[It’s] the perfect chance to listen to old favorites and share some special new songs that our loyal fans will be the first to hear.”
Following the March tour, McLean will join the rest of the Backstreet Boys — Nick Carter, Howie Dorough, Brian Littrell and Kevin Richardson — to headline a residency at Moon Place in Cancún, Mexico. The spring break extravaganza runs from April 18-21.
