Backstreet Boys’ AJ McLean Details Interaction With Britney Spears That “Broke” His Heart

Backstreet Boys alum AJ McLean recalled the last time he ran into Britney Spears at a local cupcake shop, saying she had a "glass face" that made him feel like "this wasn't her."

By Lindsay Weinberg Jul 14, 2021 8:32 PMTags

From one '90s superstar to another, AJ McLean made it clear that he is Team Britney during a recent interview with Andy Cohen.

The Backstreet Boys singer called Britney Spears' conservatorship "asinine," "insane" and "completely brutal" while speaking on SiriusXM's Andy Cohen Live on July 14. "My thoughts and my prayers are with her. I am 100 percent team Britney," he shared. 

AJ then explained that Britney is "pretty much my neighbor" and doesn't live very far from him. In fact, he sees her "often" because they both go to the same shopping center in the Los Angeles area.

"There's this amazing cupcake shop that she goes through, that I go to," he said. Though they don't usually chat when he runs into her, AJ revealed why his most recent interaction with the "Toxic" singer was so heartbreaking for him. 

"The last time I saw her, it broke my heart," AJ began. "Last time I saw her, she was with a gentleman. I'm assuming it was security or maybe a driver."

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Britney Spears Through the Years

The "I Want It That Way" artist was there because his wife had asked him to get some cupcakes for a birthday party for one of his daughter's friends. 

"Went in, she was there, she looked right at me and I was like, ‘Hey, it's AJ,'" he recalled. "And she just kind of had this glass face. Like, she just didn't know who was there. It took her a minute. And then she realized it was me, and we hugged and we talked for a brief moment, but I could just see that this wasn't her. Like, I'm not looking at the person I knew from years and years ago." 

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During his interview, AJ also gave his thoughts on other restrictions the pop star said she has been enduring.

For example, the boy bander said it "really grinds my gears" that Britney allegedly isn't allowed to "stay in contact" with anyone from her AA meetings or fellowship due to her conservatorship.

She told the judge in June, "I have a friend that I used to do AA meetings with. I did AA for two years. I did three meetings a week. I've met a bunch of women there. And I'm not able to see my friends that live eight minutes away from me, which I find extremely strange," according to the transcript of her testimony published by Variety.

ABC/Kelsey McNeal

After saying he is also part of a sobriety program, AJ remarked, "That is BS to me, because that's the whole core of what we do in this program is fellowship."

As he put it, "We lean on each other, we look up to each other for support and... if somebody were to take that from me, it would really be difficult for me to stay sober, honest to god... I just wish [that] for her, honestly."

AJ slammed another part of Britney's situation that he said "really irks me," pointing to her testimony that she cannot remove her IUD to have another baby, despite her wishes to do so.

"That, to me, is physical abuse. Just the whole thing to me is just, it's grotesque," the Dancing With the Stars alum reflected. "I really feel in my heart that she's going to break free of all of this, and I really hope that she does. She's a sweetheart." 

On July 14, Britney scored a legal victory when a judge ruled that she can hire her own private attorney. She chose former federal prosecutor Mathew Rosengart and delivered another powerful testimony during the court hearing.