AJ McLean Remembers Friendship With Liam Payne | iHeartRadio Music Awards 2025

10 months ago

AJ McLean chats with THR at the iHeartRadio Music Awards red carpet and shares what fans can expect for the Backstreet Boys' upcoming performance at the Las Vegas Sphere. Plus, he remembers his friendship with the late Liam Payne.

Transcript

00:00Coming up, the Backstreet Boys are taking over the Sphere.

00:02What has it been like designing that experience for fans?

00:06You know, it's an interesting process.

00:10It takes about almost five months to build a single show.

00:17It can only be shot on one camera.

00:19It's in 16K, which I thought 4K was the highest.

00:22Apparently, I'm wrong.

00:23Learned something new today.

00:25But to see these visuals and to see these concepts,

00:29it's going to be one hell of a ride, man.

00:31I'm telling you, no one's ready for what they're going to see.

00:35We're telling everyone to wear white.

00:36We want everyone to wear white to commemorate

00:38the 25th anniversary of Millennium.

00:40You will hear the entire Millennium album.

00:42We start to finish, some of our favorites,

00:45and a couple of tricks up our sleeve.

00:47This is my sign.

00:47I need to get my tickets.

00:49You do need to get your tickets, because it's selling out.

00:51And we're going to keep adding more dates.

00:53That's so amazing.

00:54And we're here tonight at the iHeartRadio Music Awards.

00:56What do you remember about the first time

00:58you heard Backstreet Boys on the radio?

01:02I was in the car with Brian.

01:04He had just bought a brand new Honda Civic.

01:07We were driving down I-4 in Orlando.

01:10We got it going on, came on, and we swerved off the road,

01:13both panicked, screaming, parked on the side of the road,

01:16and just listened to our song, screaming bloody murder.

01:21And this is like kind of pre-cell phone, really.

01:24So we had our pagers.

01:26So we texted each other.

01:27It wasn't called text.

01:28It was two-way.

01:29Like, guys, we're on the radio.

01:31So yeah, it was a pretty cool thing.

01:33It's still, to this day, to walk into a mall,

01:36or to be in an elevator, or to be in a restaurant,

01:39and to hear our song, it's still, it's still,

01:42I've got to pitch myself, you know?

01:44I mean, almost 32 years together, still doing this.

01:48It's crazy.

01:49What's it like seeing Brian's son now step out as a singer?

01:53You know what?

01:54All hands on deck.

01:55Bailey, you're kicking butt.

01:57I'm a proud uncle.

02:00He is just beyond talented.

02:03Incredible songwriter.

02:04The apple does not fall far from the tree.

02:07And he's probably written about 400 original songs

02:10that are all incredible.

02:12I think he could take this thing all the way, honest to God.

02:15I really do.

02:16And I really hope he does.

02:18So.

02:18We can't wait to see him on this season.

02:20And for you, you have solo music coming out this year, right?

02:23What can you tell us about it?

02:24You know, I've been working on this record now

02:26for about three years, because we were on tour,

02:28and this, that, and the other.

02:29And finally, it's coming into fruition.

02:33I am so beyond excited for the world to hear it.

02:36The EP later this year, the single

02:38within the next couple months.

02:39And I'm introducing myself as who I really am.

02:46The EP and album are going to be Hi, My Name Is Alex.

02:50I want the world to get to know Alexander James.

02:53AJ, I've learned, is a character in a band.

02:56But both can coexist.

02:58But I want the world to get to know me.

03:00So I'm excited.

03:02We're excited to hear it.

03:04Also excited to see your new reality competition show.

03:07What can you tell us about it?

03:08And also, what was it like working with Liam on the show?

03:11So the show is building the band on Netflix.

03:13It'll be coming out later this year.

03:16Myself, Nicole Scherzinger, Kelly Rowland, and, of course,

03:18the late Liam Payne.

03:20You know, Liam was an absolute light.

03:22He lit up the room anytime we were on set.

03:25We spent pretty much six weeks, 14 hours a day,

03:28locked in a soundstage together, sharing stories, laughs,

03:32talking about music, talking about life,

03:35talking about sobriety.

03:37You know, he was just an absolute light.

03:39And we're dedicating the show to him.

03:43And I'm glad that people get to see this side of him,

03:48to remember him this way.

03:50Because this is really truly who he is.

03:53And I know he is in a safer place.

03:57And I still have the last text conversation we had.

04:00I refused to delete it, just to remind myself, you know?

04:05Because I'm still an addict myself.

04:08I'm still in recovery.

04:09And if I don't do what I'm supposed to do, who knows?

04:12So, you know, got to always take care of myself.

AJ McLean Remembers Friendship With Liam Payne | iHeartRadio Music Awards 2025

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