Backstreet Boys star AJ McLean: Britney Spears deserves to have her own life

Backstreet Boys star AJ McLean said he was “thrilled” for Britney Spears but the end of her conservatorship should have come sooner.

The 44-year-old said the controversial arrangement, which controls many aspects of Spears’ life, including her finances, has prevented her from accessing the things she’s worked hard for.

Spears was released from the arrangement in November after nearly 14 years.

McLean, who previously expressed his support for the pop superstar, told the PA news agency: “I’m happy for them. It’s been a long time coming and she deserves to be free. And she deserves to live her own life.

“She’s human. she is a mother She deserves to live the life she chooses to live. No one should be prevented from living the life they worked their ass off to create.

“She earned everything she owns. She did. Nobody else did it.”

McLean, who formed the Backstreet Boys with Nick Carter, Howie Dorough, Kevin Richardson and Brian Littrell, recalled getting the news in November.

The decision to end her conservatoire closed one of the most controversial chapters in the history of modern pop music and handed Spears the keys to her estimated US$60 million (£45million) fortune.

He said: “When I got the news, I was literally in the studio with a mate of mine and my phone blew up and I was like, ‘What’s up?’ And when I saw it, I was like, ‘Damn, yeah. Thank you God. Good for you’.

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“It sucks that it took so long and it shouldn’t have been. But she has such a great support team. Her fans love her.

“She has people like us who are in the industry and have been family and friends for years. And we all supported them. And I’m really happy for them.”

The Backstreet Boys have been rehearsing in Las Vegas ahead of their postponed DNA World Tour, which includes a performance at London’s O2 Arena on November 6.

McLean said the band “reconnected” after lockdown disrupted their original touring plans two years ago.

He said: “When we got back together in LA about two weeks ago to do some pre-rehearsals to dust the cobwebs and get back on track, it was great.

“It felt like I hadn’t seen the boys in 10 years. We all hugged and laughed.

“Now that we’re out here in Las Vegas, we’ve got this little crew of ours. Me, Howie and Brian, we go out to dinner every night and try new foods.

“We call ourselves the Steakhouse Crew because we do a lot of steakhouses. We did Italian a few nights ago.

“It was really fun. It was a great thing to connect, reconnect and all, so it was great. All morale is really, really up.”

Formed in Orlando, Florida in 1993, the group was one of the biggest acts of the decade, selling millions of records worldwide thanks to hits like “I Want It That Way,” “Everybody,” and “As Long As You Love Me.”

The DNA World Tour kicks off this week with a series of shows at the Colosseum at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas before the band visits Europe in October and November, with dates in Portugal, Spain, Germany, Italy and more.

In response to the war in Ukraine, part of ticket sales will go to UNHCR.