Aaron Carter thinks he's actually a lot like Taylor Swift. Never did I thought I would write that sentence in my life, but here we are. 2017, you guys. Things got real and Aaron got even more real about how he feels about his music, why he thought he would die by the age of 30 and those head-turning T. Swift comparisons. First things first, Aaron turned 30 on December 7th so congratulations dude, you made it out alive. Next thing, we know what you're thinking, how in the world is he anything like Taylor? Their music doesn't sound the same, they have different friends, different family, different social scenes, just all around different lives. But, it's the songwriting ~process~ that Aaron is really referring to.

In an exclusive interview with Us Weekly, he said, "I’m kind of like Taylor Swift. I produce music when I feel depressed. It’s just my way out, my way of resting my mind. That’s how all these songs came about. They’re about an ex-girlfriend that didn’t work out. I wrote songs about them while I was with them, trying to get them to understand what they were doing to me." Hmm…okay, so this makes a bit more sense. But, the bombshells continued to drop.

Aaron said, "I thought I would die by 30. Even when I was 13, 14, I thought, ‘Oh, my God. I’m going to die.’" While he didn't go into the specifics of these thoughts, Aaron has had a history of substance abuse and entered a rehab facility in September. He continued, "Life, it was pretty tough. I dealt with a lot of trauma, a lot of loss, a lot of loneliness. I just felt like I needed to get away. I’ve been burnt. My goal is to be the phoenix that rises from the ashes."

With everything that has happened to Aaron, it seems like his past may be his motivation for the future. He revealed, "I have post-traumatic stress disorder. I had a different-style upbringing. I wasn’t able to go to school, have normal friends. I wasn’t allowed to have friends over. They had to sign waivers that said if they killed themselves, we weren’t responsible. I was always working and flying to different countries. One minute my dancer’s my tutor and the next minute my grandma is my tutor. I was lonely even though I was performing for millions of people." His stories are seriously eye-opening. Being a fan of the singer for over two decades, it's true that he hasn't opened up like this in a long time. But, maybe it's a good thing. Maybe this is Aaron showing the world that he really can handle celebrity life and he's ready to fully get back out there.

What will we be able to expect when he drops the album he's been working on? Pain. Aaron explained, "I never abused medication.They did a hair-follicle test and found oxycodone, Xanax, and Klonopin. But that’s because I got punched in the jaw by my drummer, and I had a fractured jaw. I had seven ulcers, and I couldn’t do anything about it. Then I went to a wellness center and they knew exactly how to prescribe me -medications that are going to take care of certain things. I go through a lot of pain, and my pain is reflected in my music."

If you or someone you know needs help, please call the National Youth Crisis Hotline at 1-800-448-4663

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