NSYNC has had a real presence in 2024 thanks to Justin Timberlake’s upcoming album, Everything I Thought It Was: The group reunites to feature on the song “Paradise.” This news came months after the five-piece got back together to release “Better Place,” a new song from the Trolls Band Together soundtrack. Now, the comeback continues: Timberlake performed at the Wiltern Theatre in Los Angeles last night (March 14), where his NSYNC bandmates joined him on stage for a stretch.
via: Variety
The last time that NSYNC joined together as a quintet was at the 2013 MTV Video Music Awards, when Timberlake received the Video Vanguard Award. Before that, it was back in their glory days. Rumors were circulating in the audience and music industry reps were promising something special would take place at The Wiltern, with speculation flying that a reunion was in store. And just before the end of the show, when Timberlake typically wades into the audience while the DJ plays some of his classics, the opening notes of NSYNC’s “Gone” kicked up. As the curtain rose, the four additional members joined Timberlake for a brief, but powerful, mini-set, touring some of their biggest hits and debuting their new collaboration “Paradise,” included on Timberlake’s “Everything.”
Fans in the audience were deeply moved; tears were streaming down faces. After all, NSYNC is one of the foundational acts for millennials, and the reunion has been a hope and a wish since their final album in 2001, “Celebrity.” Timberlake has largely focused on his solo career apart from his NSYNC bandmates—the group reunited without him during Ariana Grande’s headlining set at Coachella in 2019—and there was a tiny spark of hope that a full-blown NSYNC project or tour would arrive after they recorded and released “Better Place” last September for the “Trolls Band Together” soundtrack.
But nothing came of it, other than a few press appearances and some TikTok videos featuring the band. Pleas for an NSYNC tour went unacknowledged. So the NSYNC performance at The Wiltern held weight, even if lasted for a few moments.
After joining Timberlake, the four other members—JC Chasez, Joey Fatone, Lance Bass and Chris Kirkpatrick—ran through a few of their biggest singles as a fivesome. They wandered into the audience as the DJ cut up “Girlfriend,” and came back to the stage to sing glimpses of “Bye Bye Bye” and “It’s Gonna Be Me.” Each of them took a seat for “Paradise,” their concluding number, which Timberlake explained that they had just practiced. Harmonies flew, eyes were wet, and they stood at the front of the stage at the end, soaking up the rapturous applause.
Of course, there was more to the show than just the NSYNC reunion. Timberlake gave a greatest hits performance for an hour-and-a-half, running through “Suit & Tie,” “Rock Your Body,” “My Love,” “Señorita” and “Cry Me a River.” He brought out Grammy-winning R&B singer Coco Jones for their remix of her song “ICU,” explaining that he was shocked when he reached out and she agreed to join. He also gave shine to “Everything,” giving renditions of single “Selfish,” “No Angels” and “Sanctified,” where featured artist Tobe Nwigwe joined him.
NSYNC reunites at Justin Timberlake's "One Night Only" L.A. show. pic.twitter.com/Va3ZjJGMUi
— Variety (@Variety) March 14, 2024
Justin Timberlake brought out coco jones tonight at his la show ? pic.twitter.com/3Amfz9wK4K
— steven j. horowitz (@speriod) March 14, 2024
the new NSYNC song “paradise” performed live for the first time pic.twitter.com/7IHVCr8Wv1
— steven j. horowitz (@speriod) March 14, 2024
