Justin Timberlake reveals he's 'been in the studio' with NSYNC following reunion
Justin Timberlake may be in his "Selfish" era, but he’s always got time for that "pop life."
Timberlake, who got his musical start in the '90s boy band NSYNC, opened up about the possibility of releasing new music with the group during an interview on "The Kelly Clarkson Show" Tuesday.
"We've been in the studio, so there may be a little something in the future, too," Timberlake told host Kelly Clarkson.
Timberlake reunited with NSYNC members Lance Bass, Joey Fatone, Chris Kirkpatrick and JC Chasez in September on the single "Better Place," which was featured on the soundtrack to Timberlake’s animated comedy "Trolls Band Together." The song marked the group’s first release since their album "Celebrity" in 2001.
NSYNC teased its reunion with an appearance at the 2023 MTV Video Music Awards in September. The group presented the best pop award during the ceremony, which was won by Taylor Swift.
"That was fun," said Timberlake of reuniting. "It’s kind of crazy, like, there’s so much that just picks up right where it left off as far as the chemistry."
NSYNC formed in 1995 and released its self-titled debut album in March 1998. The boy band went on to earn nine Top 10 hits on Billboard’s Pop Airplay chart, a trio of multiplatinum albums and eight Grammy nominations.
Timberlake, who's gearing up for the release of his sixth solo album "Everything I Thought It Was," reflected on how his time in NSYNC has shaped his musicianship.
"Growing up in the industry and getting access to so much in the studio, I just became like a studio rat," Timberlake said. "I just loved being in there, and I loved the creative process. And also, as it pertains to harmonies, I spent some time with four other guys doing a lot of harmonies."
NSYNC's Joey Fatone talks 'Better Place' success, reunion tour
Timberlake's bandmate Fatone reflected on the success of their comeback with "Better Place" in an October interview with OK magazine.
"It's as if we died and came back to life," said Fatone of the song's reception (the single debuted at No. 25 on the Billboard Hot 100). "I didn't think it was going to have the magnitude it had."
Fatone also discussed the possibility of a reunion tour, but the singer said the NSYNC boys aren't packing their bags anytime soon. Fatone is set to go on tour with Backstreet Boys member AJ McLean on the A Legendary Night Tour in March.
"People are obviously yelling and screaming for a tour, but there's a lot of things that come into play before that could happen," Fatone said. "There's five guys — some of us are married, some have kids, some may not want to do it. We have to have that conversation and talk about what we do now that the song is out there."
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Contributing: KiMi Robinson, Olivia Munson and Melissa Ruggieri, USA TODAY; Bob Mehr, The Commercial Appeal