AJ McLean Reveals How Backstreet Boys Linked With Drake for ‘I Want it That Way’ in Toronto, Debuts Provocative Video for New Solo Song
Leena Tailor It’s been an action-packed few weeks for the Backstreet Boys — from the group’s DNA World Tour relaunch, which included a special engagement in Las Vegas and a duet with Drake on “I Want It That Way” in Toronto, to their Hollywood Bowl bow, where the five guys — Nick Carter, Howie Dorough, Brian Littrell, AJ McLean and Kevin Richardson — were joined by their kids onstage, to officially announcing BSB’s first Christmas album.Always one to turn it up, McLean is adding to the slate a new solo song, “Smoke,” coupled with a provocative video, premiering below. (Note: may not be suitable for work.) The funky track is the lead single from McLean’s first solo album in 12 years, “Sex and Bodies,” due out in late October. “I was doing the country thing and it was fun, but COVID hit, I had time to self-reflect and I don’t want to try and be something I’m not,” McLean tells Variety.