It lastly occurred.
Following all of the rumors and cryptic memes final fall that led to an MTV VMAs look and a red-carpet group picture because of *NSYNC’s new music for the Trolls Band Collectively soundtrack, followers have been left determined for a reside efficiency from the boy band. In any case, it was a band that made its title with performative music movies, blockbuster stadium excursions and iconic choreography, so when followers suppose “*NSYNC,” they suppose efficiency. Followers have been clamoring for a full tour, positive, however they actually would have settled for the band singing reside collectively only one extra time.
Properly, on Wednesday evening (March 13), we bought that yet another time. Greater than a decade after they final carried out collectively on the 2013 Video Music Awards as a part of Justin Timberlake’s VMA Vanguard Award medley, they as soon as once more hit JT’s stage, this time for a one-night-only live performance at The Wiltern in Los Angeles forward of the Friday (March 15) launch of his sixth solo album, All the pieces I Thought It Was.
It began with a visit down reminiscence lane, when DJ Andrew Hypes performed a sequence of hit Timberlake options, together with Timbaland’s “Give It to Me,” Jay-Z’s “Holy Grail” and 50 Cent’s “Ayo Expertise.” Justin had included this section in his different two pre-release exhibits as effectively, at his hometown live performance at Memphis’ Orpheum Theatre on Jan. 19 and his present at New York’s Irving Plaza on Jan. 31. Hypes had additionally performed a handful of *NSYNC songs at these live shows, however on Wednesday evening, when he dropped the primary *NSYNC music — “Gone” from 2000’s Celeb — the curtains opened behind Timberlake to disclose his 4 bandmates singing concord on the refrain.
“Ear-piercing” doesn’t correctly describe the amount of the fan response within the room. Possibly eardrum-shattering. Or “e-book an appointment in your ENT to research the potential for shriek-induced listening to loss” ranges. This was 15 songs into an already epic live performance, which included three of Timberlake’s 5 Billboard Scorching 100 solo No. 1 hits and just about each different music that involves thoughts once you consider Justin. However there was actually a earlier than and after level of the live performance from that second on.
“I don’t know what to do after that,” Timberlake admitted as soon as he was alone once more onstage, earlier than saying, “However this” and giving us one ultimate music (what extra may this crowd presumably ask for?), ending the evening with 2013’s “Mirrors.”
So let’s take a step again and take a look at all of the highlights from this live performance, lest it go down in historical past as an *NSYNC reunion and nothing extra. In truth, there have been two different shock friends who popped up throughout the practically two-hour present and a number of different particular moments. Under, discover all the very best moments – sure, after all together with the reunion – from Billboard’s vantage level as a fortunate crowd member on the history-making present.
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Tobe Nwigwe Is the First Shock Visitor
Wanting all the best way again to the evening’s first music, Timberlake kicked issues off with “Sanctified” – the All the pieces I Thought It Was observe he carried out with Tobe Nwigwe on Saturday Evening Stay in January. Whereas JT additionally kicked off his Irving Plaza present with “Sanctified,” that crowd didn’t get a cameo from the Nigerian-American rapper, and it was wonderful to see their electrical dynamic in individual. Whereas we’ve now gotten two performances of the holy-rolling duet, followers are nonetheless ready to listen to the recording of the music when the album arrives on Friday because it hasn’t but been commercially launched.
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‘VIP (Go ’Head Be Gone With It)’
Timberlake gave his A-list buddies within the crowd a shout-out with a sure lyric in “SexyBack,” which was the second music of the evening — and you recognize you’re in for solely hits when “SexyBack” is second up. “VIP (go ’head be gone with it),” he sang whereas pointing as much as the balcony, the place John Legend and Chrissy Teigen have been sitting within the entrance row amongst different well-known family and friends. Earlier than the present, Billboard noticed the couple within the balcony singing and dancing to DMX’s “Ruff Ryders Anthem.” (Later within the evening, Teigen made positive to improve to the ground for the *NSYNC shock, posting Instagram Tales from simply outdoors the pit with the captions “Oh my f—ing god @justintimberlake” and easily “lifeless.”)
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JT’s Recommendation for Son Silas
Timberlake is notoriously personal about his household life, particularly relating to his two children — 8-year-old Silas and 3-year-old Phineas — and each JT and his spouse, Jessica Biel, preserve their boys’ faces off social media and out of the highlight. However the proud dad did let the group know between songs that Silas was attending Wednesday evening’s live performance. “It’s additionally a really particular evening: My son is right here,” Timberlake introduced to supportive cheers. “He’s up together with his pal, his buddy. My different one [Phineas] is simply too younger. He can’t; he’s in mattress. Son, I simply need you to understand how a lot I like you. I would like you to – and that is for everyone right here: At all times dare to dream. Since you by no means know the place you may find yourself.”
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‘No Angels’ in Live performance for the First Time
Whereas Timberlake performed “No Angels” throughout his look Monday evening on Jimmy Kimmel Stay!, this was the primary live performance to be gifted with the yet-unreleased observe. And its clubby beat was an ideal match for The Wiltern, the place the general-admission ground is standing-room-only and all the time results in dance ground vibes. “Therе ain’t no angels right here on the dance ground,” Timberlake sings within the refrain, suggesting within the lyrics that every one the great ladies “tuck your wings away” for the evening and let free. And judging by the evening’s carefree dancing, the great ladies obliged.
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Coco Jones Provides Her Greatest Beyoncé as Subsequent Shock Visitor
Newly minted Grammy winner Coco Jones arrived onstage on the tail finish of Timberlake’s “Till the Finish of Time,” which was launched as a 2007 duet with Beyoncé, and he or she crammed in for only a style of Queen Bey’s wordless vocal runs to wrap the music. After sharing an onstage hug, Timberlake prompted the group: “Have you learnt about this voice up right here? Don’t act such as you don’t find out about this voice!” That led into the primary reside efficiency of Jones’ “ICU” remix with Timberlake – one more perk for a crowd that also didn’t know simply how fortunate they have been.
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A Backstreet Boy Supporting *NSYNC
The primary inkling that one thing particular is perhaps occurring got here when AJ McLean of the Backstreet Boys materialized simply behind the pit and posted as much as get a transparent view of the stage throughout the throwback DJ set. Quite a bit was manufactured from the rivalry between BSB and *NSYNC again of their heyday, however within the a long time since, they’ve spoken extremely of one another, collaborated collectively and mainly simply lifted up their boy-band brethren. So it was candy to see McLean entrance and middle for this little bit of TRL-worthy historical past.
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‘Girls & Gents, We Are *NSYNC’
Timberlake spoke these heart-warming phrases after the quintet rocked with DJ tracks of “Gone” and “Girlfriend” earlier than giving mini-performances of arguably their most enduring hits: “Bye Bye Bye” and “It’s Gonna Be Me.” However that was only the start.
“So we did these,” JC Chasez stated of the 4 classics. “However you will have an album popping out tomorrow. And on that album, there’s a music…”
“… By *NSYNC,” Timberlake stated to complete his sentence.
“We’ve practiced the music,” Chasez stated, to which Timberlake added: “Y’all wanna hear the brand new music?”
The brand new music was the lilting ballad “Paradise,” and it bought its world debut on Wednesday evening at The Wiltern, following a snippet posted to Timberlake’s socials earlier that day. The refrain couldn’t have had extra becoming lyrics for the followers who had hoped for this very efficiency: “’Trigger I waited/ I’ve been ready eternally/ Proper right here for this second/ Between you and I/ All the pieces has occurred/ It’s simply what I imagined/ Imagined it will really feel like/ Paradise.”
“I like you guys a lot,” Timberlake stated as he hugged his bandmates on their means offstage.
Who is aware of what the long run holds for the blockbuster boy band, however one factor is for certain: They’re now effectively conscious of how a lot they’ve been missed since occurring hiatus greater than 20 years in the past. Will this result in a brand new album? A tour? We’ll simply need to accept this little slice of “Paradise” for now.
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Full Setlist
Sanctified (with Tobe Nwigwe)
SexyBack
LoveStoned
Like I Love You
My Love
No Angels
Egocentric
What Goes Round…Comes Round
Señorita
Summer time Love
Rock Your Physique
Swimsuit & Tie
Till the Finish of Time (with Coco Jones)
ICU remix (with Coco Jones)
Cry Me a RiverDJ set
-Holy Grail (Jay-Z)
-Carry Out (Timbaland)
-Give It to Me (Timbaland)
-Ayo Expertise (50 Cent)*NSYNC set
-Gone
-Girlfriend
-Bye Bye Bye
-It’s Gonna Be Me
-ParadiseMirrors
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