Sobriety, Family and Starting Over

AJ McLean is ready to reintroduce himself. After 30 years in the Backstreet Boys, the singer, 47, has rebranded as Alexander James for his new solo EP, aptly titled Hi My Name Is Alex (out now).

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“AJ is a persona. He’s a character in a band,” he explains to Us. “And Alex is who I am. That’s my birth name.” The six-track project (a full album is slated for early 2026) offers a candid reflection on the past five years of McLean’s life, during which he got sober and split from his wife, Rochelle. “Authenticity has become a really big part of my life now,” he says, “and it really is leading the charge.”

What’s the story behind the song “Arizona”?