A. J. McLean

McLean was born on January 9, 1978, in West Palm Beach, Florida, to Denise (née Fernandez, now Solis), a hospital worker, author and motivation coach, and Robert Blue “Bob” McLean, a musician. Denise is of Cuban-Puerto Rican and German ancestry and Bob is of Scots-Irish and English descent. A DNA test described his genetic ancestry as North, West and East European, North African, Nigerian and Ashkenazi Jewish. He is an only child. He was raised by his mother and grandparents as his parents divorced when he was two years old.: 13  He rarely saw his father but reunited with him in 1997. They have since kept in regular contact following their seventeen-year estrangement.: 12