ABC/Kelsey McNeal While fans have been able to see AJ McLean on ABC’s Dancing with the Stars for the last few weeks, what about his day job as a member of Backstreet Boys? Well, there’s sort of good news and bad news on that front.
Earlier this year, Backstreet’s Howie Dorough told ABC Audio that they’ve wanted to make a Christmas album “forever,” but AJ says sadly, we won’t be finding that under our trees this holiday season.
“We’ve put the Christmas album on hold for now for obvious reasons,” he tells ABC Audio. “I think the next thing is to try to get back on the road, hopefully next year.”
Like every other artist in the world, Backstreet had to reschedule their DNA tour due to the pandemic: It’s now set to resume in the spring of 2021.
“God willing…the dust settles enough and people feel safe enough to come see concerts again, because I really feel like that part of culture — when that comes back, it will definitely lift people’s spirits,” he adds.
AJ feels that the lack of live music has really contributed to the depressing times we’re currently living.
“Losing that personal connection with music and with your favorite artist…it’s been very detrimental to, I think, just the kind of morale of the entire planet,” he explains. “You know, music brings joy to people…so fingers crossed, we can get back on the DNA tour as soon as we can.”
Meanwhile, AJ continues to battle it out in the ballroom on Dancing in the Stars — and he actually has some solo music in the works. He tells ABC Audio that he’s “thrown in the towel” on doing country music and has gone back to “what really is…my personal roots: funk and soul and R&B.”
By Andrea Dresdale
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