Proud of their dad! AJ McLean‘s wife, Rochelle McLean, and two daughters, Ava, 7, and Lyric, 3, planned quite the surprise for the man of the house — and the 42-year-old singer couldn’t have been more surprised.
“How sweet I walked in from a 16-hour rehearsal day to this amazing display of love and encouragement from my family,” the Backstreet Boys member shared via Instagram on Sunday, September 13. “Let’s go #teamgetdown.”
In the exclusive photos obtained by Us Weekly, AJ poses on the couch with the girls in his life, as they hold a sign that reads, “#TeamGetDown, we love you.” Their living room is filled with gold and white balloons — and one mirrorball balloon!
His wife also shared photos of their daughters making posters. “Two stepping my way back on socials for a bit! Making posters to cheer on daddy from home tomorrow,” Rochelle wrote via Instagram. “You’re going to kill it lover @aj_mclean We love you and are wishing you the best of luck!”
AJ’s partner for season 29 of Dancing With the Stars will be revealed during the premiere and it’s safe to say that he’s been working extremely hard to prepare for the competition. The Florida native has dropped about 15 pounds since the quarantine started, as he began working out in his home gym and working with a trainer virtually.
“I’m on a very strict diet, grain-free, gluten-free, sugar-free, no sodas of any kind, and completely sober for almost nine months,” the songwriter said in an Instagram video posted on August 24. “This amazing, but rigorous, workout is all due to my amazing trainer, Mr. Bobby Strong. He’s been a huge asset in my transformation, trying to get myself prepared and ready for what’s to come in the next few weeks. A lot of surprises coming from me.”
Each week, the “Boy and a Man” singer will exclusively blog for Us, sharing his experiences from rehearsals, the live shows and so much more.
McLean is set to compete against quite a group of celebs in the ballroom. Season 29’s cast includes former Olympic figure skater Johnny Weir, former Bachelorette Kaitlyn Bristowe, actor Jesse Metcalfe, Selling Sunset‘s Chrishell Stause and Tiger King‘s Carole Baskin, among others.
Additionally, this season will feature a new host, Tyra Banks, and a new judge, Derek Hough, who will be filling in for Len Goodman since he is unable to travel from London.
Scroll down to see more from AJ’s surprise. Dancing With the Stars premieres on ABC Monday, September 14, at 8 p.m. ET.