In a heartwarming and inspiring conversation, Leighanne Littrell opens up about her incredible journey—from her early passions in acting to meeting her future husband, Brian Littrell of the Backstreet Boys—before he found fame.

Leighanne Littrell on Falling in Love with a Backstreet Boy

It was love at first sight, but their story didn’t end there. As a young actress, Leighanne met Brian on the set of one of his early music videos, before the Backstreet Boys became famous. The couple admits it was love at first sight. Not long after they got together, the Backstreet Boys exploded onto the music scene—first in Europe, and then in the U.S.

Several months into their relationship, Brian told her, “I’ll call you when I get back,” and Leighanne recalls, “He showed up on my doorstep…”

She traveled with him overseas, but admits it was a crazy time. The couple had to hide their relationship. “Girls were just wicked mean… I mean, they would pull hair. I got death threats…” Leighanne shares. It was a daunting period, and it almost made her question whether she should continue dating Brian. But his humility and strength only made her love him more.

Trust was a big issue for them in the beginning, but their long-distance relationship grew stronger over time, with phone calls as their main connection. “I think the best thing for our relationship was getting to know each other on that level,” she says. “All we had were our phone conversations, and you had to talk—you had to communicate. There was no texting. We had pagers… Communication was key, and it still is.”

Leighanne Littrell on Becoming a Mom

Leighanne also admits that becoming a mother wasn’t something she initially wanted. She was surprised when she became pregnant during one of Brian’s hiatuses.

“I was thinking, ‘I’m just starting. I’m still pounding the pavement.’ Honestly, I didn’t really want kids. He did, but I didn’t… God wanted us to have kids. We got pregnant with Baylee, and everything changed. I always call him my present. It was a great surprise, but I was scared,” the momager admits.

Now, years later, Leighanne wears many hats: wife, mother, entrepreneur, and former manager of Brian’s Christian album and current manager of their son Baylee’s music career. In our latest podcast episode, she shares what it’s been like supporting and managing their musical paths, including Baylee’s journey through American Idol and his launch as a rising singer-songwriter.

Leighanne gives a behind-the-scenes look at what it takes to keep a family grounded in the entertainment world, offering honest reflections about passion, faith, and balancing motherhood with ambition.

Whether you’re a longtime Backstreet Boys fan, a mom pursuing your own dreams, or someone curious about blending family and business with grace, Leighanne’s story is sure to inspire and encourage you.

Listen to the podcast episode below!