BACKSTREET Boys member AJ McLean has revealed he has a surprising second identity.
The singer showed off his alter ego Poppy Love to the world as he appeared on RuPaul’s Secret Celebrity Drag Race.
5
5
AJ, 44, decided to take part in the second season of the VH1 show, which premiered on August 12.
In a similar format to The Masked Singer, the identities of the competing celebrities were kept under wraps until a dramatic reveal during Friday’s episode.
The queen is known as Poppy Love, who had given audiences performances of Christina Aguilera’s Show Me How You Burlesque and Brandy and Monica’s The Boy is Mine, was revealed to be AJ.
The judges, including RuPaul, Carson Kressley, Michelle Visage and Ross Mathews, were shocked to learn he was on the show.
Fans were equally stunned, as one shared on social media, “This ‘ruveal’ blew my mind.”
“It’s an honor to be here,” AJ told Drag Race viewers.
“I’m going to do whatever it takes to win this crown. I want this.”
Despite his ambitions, AJ was eliminated from the show shortly after his revelation.
Most read in Entertainment
He was competing for a $100,000 donation to a charity of his choice alongside Chakra 7, who is Tatyana Ali, Chic-Fil-Lay, who is Kevin McHale, Mark Indelicato as Thirsty Von Trapp and Daniel Franzese like Donna Bellissima.
‘MOMENT OF MY LIFE’
After the shocking episode aired, AJ took to Instagram, telling his 1.1 million followers, “Secrets finally out, ha!”
He continued, “Thank you so much RuPaul’s Drag Race for letting me be my most glamorous self, I had the time of my life being Poppy Love!”
During her performances on the show, Poppy showed off an array of exciting costumes including a Spice Girl Geri Halliwell tribute and an open cut leather bodysuit with nipple tassels.
DAY WORK
It’s no surprise fans of Poppy found it hard to believe when they learned she was actually the star of the Backstreet Boys, who is more often seen wearing jeans, t-shirts and baseball caps.
Still performing with the boy band, now on their tenth album, AJ also has his own career as a solo singer.
The hitmaker is married to hairstylist Rochelle Karidis, and they share two children together, Ava and Lyric.
In 2020, AJ launched a nail polish line with Ava Dean Beauty, citing her daughters as inspiration.
5
5
5
