Justin Timberlake reveals why he really left NSYNC
Justin Timberlake has revealed the real reason he left popular boy band, NSYNC, back in 2002.
For years (15 to be exact), fans have wondered what exactly made JT say Bye Bye Bye to the group that shot him to fame as a teenager. And now, he's finally dished the dirt.
Speaking to the Hollywood Reporter, the 36-year-old hit-maker said: "I was about 15 or 16-years-old. We'd just given a concert in Germany at a festival on this huge field."
"And we were in the tour bus afterward, driving on a dirt road, and I looked out the window and saw all these young, impressionable females running after the bus...I think we can all agree that I did not have a normal childhood."
NSYNC, made up of Justin and fellow bandmates Bass, JC Chasez, Chris Kirkpatrick and Joey Fatone sold over 70 million albums during their career together. But still, there was something missing for the Can't Stop The Feeling singer...
"I felt like I cared more about the music than some of the other people in the group," he said. And I felt like I had other music I wanted to make and that I needed to follow my heart."
And boy, are we glad he did! It brought us the solo JT we all know and love today.
In 2013, NSYNC got together for a one-off reunion performanceat the MTV VMAs (it was EPIC). Despite announcing their hiatus in 2002, their break-up wasn't officially confirmed before 2007.
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Boy knows how to rock a suit, y'all. And tie. Sexiest penguin we ever did see.
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Justified. In its entirety. Pop. Frickin'. Gold.
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He used to look like this. And be in a band with members with amazing names such as Lance Bass and Joey Fatone. The irony of the latter = not lost on anyone.
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He's multi-talented and plays instruments and everything. We always knew there wasn't a tiny man on a Spanish guitar hidden behind a screen somewhere for the rapid opening strum of Like I Love You.
PacificCoastNews.comReason 6/40
He can walk unaided. So normal.
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His really awkward Tom Ford introduction speech, followed by impromptu floating muppet dance at the GQ Awards 2013. He can read, by the way.
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He's the world's premiere shoulder brusher. Ain't no flies on the trousersnake.
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He used to be one half of our favourite ever pop couple. And then wrote Cry Me A River.
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He also wore this double-denim effort (and not forgetting that hat) to walk the red carpet with Brit back in the day. That takes real guts.
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The man isn't afraid to show his sensitive side.
He once told Rolling Stone magazine he wasn't sure he would ever get over Britney and revealed that he cried himself to sleep after the break-up.
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He's a relative veteran: he's been in the game since he was 13. That's 24 years. And he still looks EXACTLY THE SAME, too.
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And lest we forget his musical beginnings. As a Mouseketeer in the Mickey Mouse Club TV show alongside Britney Spears, Christina Aguilera and, er, Ryan Gosling.
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Speaking of Ryan and those Mouseketeer'ing days, JT's mum Lynn became Ryan's legal guardian for six months while they filmed the show.
JT must have had something to do with that decision. The man's all heart.
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Gotta love Lynn, and JT definitely does.
A man who's nice to his mother is a keeper, in our book.
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He's such a cutie. Is that reason enough?
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Those Dirty Dancing remake rumours. For the love of God, JT.
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His completely random dating history. "He was 16 and I was 23… It was before he got real heavy with Britney," says FERGIE, BLACK EYED PEAS. We know. Weird.
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Remember his brief turn as an interior designer? Before life imitated art for The Social Network star, and he became the Creative Director of the new Myspace? Love that about JT.
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Speaking of The Social Network, he aced that role.
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He's so cool, he'll even star as the love interest of an ex-girlfriend in a movie.
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Even cooler? He's found a wife that'll let him star in a movie as the love interest of his ex-girlfriend. And put up with him wearing comedy glasses on the red carpet.
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Second only to the golfing monster Alice Cooper, JT's a dab hand on the putting pitch.
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And on the court, too. Ballin'.
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The sheer delight on his face when he realised he'd just met a Beatle. A real one and everything! They're well famous that lot.
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He was the first star to appear on Ashton Kutcher's hit TV show Punk'd – and didn't he take it well? Sort of.
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That time he channeled Robocop and got away with it. Kind of. Ah, who cares, we love him.
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He was writing and producing with Pharrell Williams long before THE WHOLE WORLD jumped on the bandwagon.
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He stopped one of his concerts in Louisville to let a member of the audience propose to his girlfriend (she said yes).
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He got married to Jessica Biel in Puglia, Italy. The man has taste (or, at the very least, good judgement to let his wife decide on such important matters).
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He's a man of many talents. Singing, dancing, acting and, er, making tequila.
That's right, JT has his own brand of tequila, 901.
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He's so down to earth. After his wins at this year's People's Choice Awards he celebrated by visiting his local Taco Bell... and posed with the staff. #cool
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And...
He brought Sexy Back – and for that we'll be forever thankful.
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He has a baby boy with wife Jessica Biel and they've given him a cute name - Silas. You also just know he's a good dad.
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His song Can't Stop The Feeling was the hit of summer '16... And the music video was just as good.
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He performed at the Eurovision Song Contest 2016. YES.
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His unrivalled love for hats. We'll forgive you for the bandana JT.
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His support for the Time's Up campaign. He proudly wore his pin at the Golden Globes.
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His dedication to great suits. Swoon.
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Is there a look he can't pull off? Here he is at his Man Of The Woods listening session in New York. We are so ready for our new favourite album.
