Aaron Carter spoke to Us Weekly exclusively about his friendship with the late Michael Jackson, what he learned from him and how he’s determined to live despite getting down to the same weight as Jackson when he died.

“There were times when I would get scared. You know what I mean? I would stress out because of all the stuff going on inside of me, and then I’d lose all this weight, and then I get in a bad relationship. Then that shit would stress me out, and then I would be emaciated — 115 pounds. I couldn’t believe it,” Carter revealed to Us earlier this month.

“Michael died at 115 pounds. It was heartbreaking,” Carter continued, referring to Jackson, who passed away in June 2009 from the combination of drugs in his body at the time. “I love Michael, but that’s not going to be me. Look at me. Look at my transformation, in months … My health is very important. Health is very important for everybody, and I was so scared.”

As previously reported, the former child star checked into rehab at the end of September after being arrested for driving under the influence and possession of marijuana that summer.

Carter also compared his relationship to his siblings, including Backstreet Boys member Nick Carter, to Jackson’s relationship with his brothers and sisters.

“I’m close with my siblings, but it’s not like what you think. I’m close to my siblings like I am with like Michael Jackson was with his,” Carter told Us. “Like that’s how I am. It’s weird if you think about it. I don’t know. I knew Michael very well, and he told me a lot of things that I can’t really repeat just because it would be every where.”

The “I Want Candy” singer was so close with the late King of Pop that he wrote a song about him one day after his death. Carter revealed he wrote a beat for Jackson when he was opening up about making music for his father, Bob, who passed away suddenly in May.

“A day. I couldn’t bear it,” Carter explained to Us about writing a song called “Champion” the day after his father’s death. “Because my dad was a professional boat racer, and a race car driver and he never lost a race.”

“And you know what’s funny?” Carter continued. “Actually when Michael Jackson died, I spent the same amount of time making a beat for him too … I was really good friends with Michael. That one really hurt.”

Carter, who released his new single “Don’t Say Goodbye” on his 30th birthday, has plans to release even more music in the upcoming year.

“Turning 30, you know I have goals and aspirations. All of those require my attention for music and I’m telling you man, I live in a studio,” he said. “It’s the safest place for me, and very therapeutic.”