AJ McLean believed Taylor Swift had a 'dark side' until pop star's sweet encounter with his daughter Elliott

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA: Backstreet Boys star AJ McLean gushed over Taylor Swift as he recalled his daughter's interaction with the pop icon. 

While he initially had doubts about the 'Lover' singer's persona and even thought she had a "dark side," things changed once she met one of his children. 

AJ McLean was left surprised as Taylor Swift remembered his daughter's name  

In an interview for the latest episode of the 'Getting Grilled with Curtis Stone' podcast, McLean said Swift is "by far, in my opinion, one of the most grounded, humble performers ever." 

He recalled his daughter's interaction with the pop star saying, "She's met my oldest three times. And the last time she met her, she remembered her name, which that, as a dad alone, catapulted her into the stratosphere for me."

"You know, we were backstage. She came back, she's like, 'Ava,' and I was just like, 'What? Mind blown,''' recalled the Backstreet Boys member, noting this occurred almost four years before his daughter, Ava, decided to change her name to Elliott.

McLean and his estranged wife, Rochelle Deanna Karidis, share two daughters, Elliott and Lyric. The couple, who met in October 2001 and tied the knot in December 2011, announced their divorce on New Year's Day of this year. 

Emily Blunt recalls the 'best thing' Taylor Swift did for her children

Emily Blunt, who shares daughters Hazel, 10, and Violet, 7, with husband John Krasinski recently detailed the moment her children got the opportunity to meet Swift. 

"She's the nicest," said Blunt on the April 29 episode of Howard Stern's show. She added, "She was so nice to my kids. My oldest kid had just cut all of her hair off, this very short haircut that she was very self-conscious about. And Taylor Swift, goes like, ‘God, look at you, you're just this ‘60s Beatnik cool kid. I love your style.'"

Blunt, who calls herself a Swiftie, detailed the experience saying, "I thought my child was going to faint. It was the best thing anyone has done for my child."