The shape of AJ McLean’s heart will always include a soft spot for Taylor Swift after her gorgeous interaction with his daughter—a moment the Backstreet Boys alum fondly remembered.

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For AJ McLean, Taylor Swift will always be larger than life.

In fact, the “Cruel Summer” singer will always have a special place in his heart for the way Taylor treated his 11-year-old daughter Elliott—he is also dad to Lyric, 6, with ex-wife Rochelle Deanna Karidis—when meeting her.

She’s met my oldest three times,” he said on the May 28 episode of the Getting Grilled with Curtis Stone podcast. “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,’” AJ recalled, while noting this occurred before Elliott decided to change her name almost four years ago. “And I was just like, ‘What? Mind blown.’”

Because for the Backstreet Boys alum, who understands all too well how life in the spotlight can come with a big reputation, meeting Taylor exceeded his wildest dreams

She is, by far, in my opinion, one of the most grounded, humble performers ever,” he said. “It’s like, ‘OK, something’s gotta be off about you. There’s gotta be like a dark side.’ And there isn’t.”

And for those who are looking for Taylor’s dark side, they’ll need to keep searching. After all, AJ isn’t the only celebrity to recount an enchanted encounter between their kids and the 34-year-old.