After nearly four decades of being known as AJ McLean , the Backstreet Boys singer is ready to introduce fans to the man behind the stage name.

McLean is currently embarking on his first North American solo tour, Alexander James: The Better Man Tour . Ahead of his Oct. 25 performance at The Paramount in Huntington, New York, the singer spoke exclusively with Men’s Journal about the mental-health journey that helped him separate AJ the performer from Alex the person.

McLean said the shift began after the Backstreet Boys completed their DNA World Tour. Although he had already been sober for approximately two years, he realized sobriety had not resolved every underlying issue affecting his life.

“I didn’t really like the person that I was,” McLean said. “Even though I was sober, I wasn’t happy with the person that I was. I wanted to get to the root of it.”

He traveled to Scottsdale, Arizona, intending to spend four weeks addressing love and relationship addiction.…