Justin Timberlake has definitely been a hot topic of conversation for the lead-up to his Super Bowl Halftime performance. The pop singer released his new album, Man Of The Woods on Friday, and has been facing the kind internet takedown that has become ubiquitous for pop stars looking to reinvent themselves over the last several years. And while takedown culture as a whole has become exhausting, it certainly didn’t stop Timberlake from performing like the pop star he is during tonight’s show.
Kicking off the show with his new single “Filthy,” Timberlake found a way to mesh his pop past with brand new material off his latest album, moving from a small venue out into the full stadium and kicking into the more classic “Rock My Body,” while backed by a couple dancers who look suspiciously close to his NSYNC bandmates.
And with a rumored reunion from NSYNC and ongoing chatter from fans that potentially even Janet Jackson could even be built into the performance, the conversation around his show has been relentless, especially with late-breaking news about a Prince hologram, that also was supposed to not materialize — but still did later on. Still, he managed to take it all in stride and stay focused on bringing a world-class show to the Super Bowl crowd and audiences watching from all over the world.
Watch the opening number above and stay tuned for follow-ups on the rest of his show.
