Backstreet Boy AJ McLean & Wife Rochelle in Separate Lives: What it Means for their Marriage

The air seemed a little different within the Backstreet Boys realm. The band seeing success since 1993 and still selling out concerts today made a statement that AJ McLean, one of the original members, and his wife of 12 years are going through a difficult time in their marriage and have been living separately for a few months. The announcement came as a shock from the couple who seemed to be living the perfect life. From trips together as a family to posts about affirming love and admiration for each other, things weren't what they appeared to be in what many thought was a strong marriage.

The duo met in 2003 when McLean starred in the romantic drama ‘Love Will Never Do’, where his wife played his love interest, both sharing an on-screen and off-screen connection. The two tied the knot in a lavish Beverly Hills ceremony devoted solely to them, witnessing their family and friends join them in celebrating a milestone of finding eternal happiness with one another. They've been blessed with two children, 8-year-old Ava Jaymes and a 2-year old Lyric Dean. In 2018, McLean publicly thanked his love for standing by him during his battle with addiction, overcoming the greatest of obstacles hand in hand and proving to be emotional rocks for one another.

At times, it can feel like the skies are filled with promises of never-ending love, but it's hard to find a picture-perfect scenario where every promise is kept and all hope left undamaged. Growing as individuals both, at times, can create a disconnection in the marriage if both parties aren't expecting the same thing or are not on the same page. It could be that McLean and Rochelle need some time apart to recalibrate and gain clarity into understanding their individual needs, but only they know what their hearts are calling for.

Every relationship requires fuel to survive. Oftentimes, the relationships we find ourselves in call for us to give up pieces of ourselves to grow something between us, which can take away from other aspects of our lives. With pursuing individual and collective dreams and self-discovery, we can forget what it was that put us in a relationship and start to refer more to ourselves than the person we're married to.

It's human nature to always want to seek out a better version of ourselves and turn inward to try to find ourselves, leading to fighting for a consistent balance between self-improvement and making sure our partners don't suffer the collateral damage of neglect.

It can be painful dreaming and wishing for a picture perfect relationship without recognizing any negative qualities, but healthy relationships never come without difficulties that can engulf us if not fought authentically. What matters most is the willingness to face and address issues as they arise instead of running away and pretending these issues don't exist. Taking a break should be seen as a positive point of growth than a failing at loving deeper.

Marriage is no doubt one of life's greatest complexities, yet there are values to build upon. Both Aj McLean and his wife need to discover the right equation to recreate a lasting bond between them and build a strong foundation for their family, which is what matters most. Hopefully, this separation will open their eyes to gain greater understanding and perspective in their personal journey. Only time will tell, but for now, both need to respect each other's choices, prioritizing themselves in hopes of being able to come back together with a renewed hearts and minds.