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‘Ladies & Gentlemen, We Are *NSYNC’: Inside Justin Timberlake’s Historic One-Night-Only LA Concert

Here are Billboard 's 7 best moments from a concert that will go down in history for giving fans the boy band's first performance in more than a decade.

By Katie Atkinson

Katie Atkinson

Executive Digital Director, West Coast

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It finally happened.

Following all the rumors and cryptic memes last fall that led to an MTV VMAs appearance and a red-carpet group photo thanks to *NSYNC ’s new song for the Trolls Band Together soundtrack, fans were left desperate for a live performance from the boy band. After all, it was a band that made its name with performative music videos, blockbuster stadium tours and iconic choreography, so when fans think “*NSYNC,” they think performance. Fans were clamoring for a full tour, sure, but they really would have settled for the band singing live together just one more time.

Justin Timberlake Reunites *NSYNC at Warm-Up Concert In Los Angeles

Well, on Wednesday night (March 13), we got that one more time. More than a decade after they last performed together at the 2013 Video Music Awards as part of Justin Timberlake ’s VMA Vanguard Award medley, they once again hit JT’s stage, this time for a one-night-only concert at The Wiltern in Los Angeles ahead of the Friday (March 15) release of his sixth solo album, Everything I Thought It Was .

It all started with a trip down memory lane, when DJ Andrew Hypes played a series of hit Timberlake features, including Timbaland’s “Give It to Me,” Jay-Z’s “Holy Grail” and 50 Cent’s “Ayo Technology.” Justin had included this segment in his other two pre-release shows as well, at his hometown concert at Memphis’ Orpheum Theatre on Jan. 19 and his show at New York’s Irving Plaza on Jan. 31. Hypes had also played a handful of *NSYNC songs at those concerts, but on Wednesday night, when he dropped the first *NSYNC song — “Gone” from 2000’s Celebrity — the curtains opened behind Timberlake to reveal his four bandmates singing harmony on the chorus.

“Ear-piercing” doesn’t properly describe the volume of the fan reaction in the room. Maybe eardrum-shattering. Or “book an appointment for your ENT to investigate the possibility of shriek-induced hearing loss” levels. This was 15 songs into an already epic concert, which included three of Timberlake’s five Billboard Hot 100 solo No. 1 hits and pretty much every other song that comes to mind when you think of Justin. But there was truly a before and after point of the concert from that moment on.

“I don’t know what to do after that,” Timberlake admitted once he was alone again onstage, before saying, “But this” and giving us one final song (what more could this crowd possibly ask for?), ending the night with 2013’s “Mirrors.”

So let’s take a step back and look at all the highlights from this concert, lest it go down in history as an *NSYNC reunion and nothing more. In fact, there were two other surprise guests who popped up during the nearly two-hour show and a host of other special moments. Below, find all the best moments – yes, of course including the reunion – from Billboard ’s vantage point as a lucky crowd member at the history-making show.

Tobe Nwigwe Is the First Surprise Guest

Looking all the way back to the night’s first song, Timberlake kicked things off with “Sanctified” – the Everything I Thought It Was track he performed with Tobe Nwigwe on Saturday Night Live in January . While JT also kicked off his Irving Plaza show with “Sanctified,” that crowd didn’t get a cameo from the Nigerian-American rapper, and it was amazing to see their electric dynamic in person. While we’ve now gotten two performances of the holy-rolling duet, fans are still waiting to hear the recording of the song when the album arrives on Friday since it hasn’t yet been commercially released.

‘VIP (Go ’Head Be Gone With It)’

Timberlake gave his A-list friends in the crowd a shout-out with a certain lyric in “SexyBack,” which was the second song of the night — and you know you’re in for exclusively hits when “SexyBack” is second up. “VIP (go ’head be gone with it),” he sang while pointing up to the balcony, where John Legend and Chrissy Teigen were sitting in the front row among other famous friends and family. Before the show, Billboard spotted the couple in the balcony singing and dancing to DMX’s “Ruff Ryders Anthem.” (Later in the night, Teigen made sure to upgrade to the floor for the *NSYNC surprise, posting Instagram Stories from just outside the pit with the captions “Oh my f—ing god @justintimberlake” and simply “dead.” )

JT’s Advice for Son Silas

Timberlake is notoriously private about his family life, especially when it comes to his two kids — 8-year-old Silas and 3-year-old Phineas — and both JT and his wife, Jessica Biel, keep their boys’ faces off social media and out of the spotlight. But the proud dad did let the crowd know between songs that Silas was attending Wednesday night’s concert. “It’s also a very special night: My son is here,” Timberlake announced to supportive cheers. “He’s up with his friend, his buddy. My other one [Phineas] is too young. He can’t; he’s in bed. Son, I just want you to know how much I love you. I want you to – and this is for everybody here: Always dare to dream. Because you never know where you might end up.”

Coco Jones Gives Her Best Beyoncé as Next Surprise Guest

Newly minted Grammy winner Coco Jones arrived onstage at the tail end of Timberlake’s “Until the End of Time,” which was released as a 2007 duet with Beyoncé, and she filled in for just a taste of Queen Bey’s wordless vocal runs to wrap the song. After sharing an onstage hug, Timberlake prompted the crowd: “Do you know about this voice up here? Don’t act like you don’t know about this voice!” That led into the first live performance of Jones’ “ICU” remix with Timberlake – yet another perk for a crowd that still didn’t know just how lucky they were.

A Backstreet Boy Supporting *NSYNC

The first inkling that something special might be happening came when AJ McLean of the Backstreet Boys materialized just behind the pit and posted up to get a clear view of the stage during the throwback DJ set. A lot was made of the rivalry between BSB and *NSYNC back in their heyday, but in the decades since, they’ve spoken highly of each other, collaborated together and basically just lifted up their boy-band brethren. So it was sweet to see McLean front and center for this bit of TRL -worthy history.

‘Ladies & Gentlemen, We Are *NSYNC’

Timberlake spoke those heart-warming words after the quintet rocked with DJ tracks of “Gone” and “Girlfriend” before giving mini-performances of arguably their most enduring hits: “Bye Bye Bye” and “It’s Gonna Be Me.” But that was just the beginning.

“So we did those,” JC Chasez said of the four classics. “But you have an album coming out tomorrow. And on that album, there’s a song…”

“… By *NSYNC,” Timberlake said to finish his sentence.

“We’ve practiced the song,” Chasez said, to which Timberlake added: “Y’all wanna hear the new song?”

The new song was the lilting ballad “Paradise,” and it got its world debut on Wednesday night at The Wiltern, following a snippet posted to Timberlake’s socials earlier that day. The chorus couldn’t have had more fitting lyrics for the fans who had hoped for this very performance: “’Cause I waited/ I’ve been waiting forever/ Right here for this moment/ Between you and I/ Everything has happened/ It’s just what I imagined/ Imagined it would feel like/ Paradise.”

“I love you guys so much,” Timberlake said as he hugged his bandmates on their way offstage.

Who knows what the future holds for the blockbuster boy band, but one thing is certain: They are now well aware of how much they’ve been missed since going on hiatus more than 20 years ago. Will this lead to a new album? A tour? We’ll just have to settle for this little slice of “Paradise” for now.

Full Setlist

Sanctified (with Tobe Nwigwe) SexyBack LoveStoned Like I Love You My Love No Angels Selfish What Goes Around…Comes Around Señorita Summer Love Rock Your Body Suit & Tie Until the End of Time (with Coco Jones) ICU remix (with Coco Jones) Cry Me a River

DJ set -Holy Grail (Jay-Z) -Carry Out (Timbaland) -Give It to Me (Timbaland) -Ayo Technology (50 Cent)

*NSYNC set -Gone -Girlfriend -Bye Bye Bye -It’s Gonna Be Me -Paradise

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An ’NSync Reunion Tour? The Timing Couldn’t Be Better

By Andy Greene

Andy Greene

Taylor Swift spoke for millions of ’NSync fans all across the globe last week when the reunited quartet presented her with the Best Pop Award at the MTV Video Music Awards. “Are you doing something?” she asked them. “What’s going to happen now? There’s something they’re going to… They’re going to do something. And I need to know what it is.”

“Better Place” also invites an obvious question: Are they going to tour? If Timberlake decides to do that, since it’s fairly clear the matter rests entirely in his hands, the reunited band would pack arenas and possibly even stadiums all over the world. We also think it would be a very good idea for everyone involved. Here are eight reasons why.

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Even after the public apology, Timberlake’s reputation took a definite hit . An ’NSync reunion tour is a perfect chance to remind people why they fell in love with him in the first place. The moment they kick into “Tearing Up My Heart” on night one, a warm bath of nostalgia will wash away any mixed feelings for the fans in that room. He’ll once again be the Justin that Taylor Swift and millions of others from her generation had pinned to their bedroom walls.

They’re Still Friends

View this post on Instagram A post shared by *NSYNC (@nsync)

The Twenty-Year Rule of Nostalgia Is Kicking In

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View this post on Instagram A post shared by Justin Timberlake (@justintimberlake)

It Doesn’t Need To Be All About the Past

When Paul Simon finally folded and agreed to a Simon and Garfunkel reunion show in 1981, he didn’t want it be a strict Sixties nostalgia affair. That’s why they played Simon solo songs from more recent years, like “American Tune,” “Still Crazy After All These Years,” “Late in the Evening” and even “The Late Great Johnny Ace,” a brand-new one. Simon found a way to incorporate Garfunkel’s voice into his solo work, and he gave Garfunkel a moment of his own to sing his solo song “A Heart in New York.” Beyonce did something similar when Destiny’s Child reunited at Beyonce’s 2013 Super Bowl halftime show, where Kelly Rowland and Michelle Williams joined Beyonce for a wild rendition of “Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It).” Imagine ‘N Sync lending their voices to Justin solo favorites like “Rock Your Body,” “My Love,” and “Can’t Stop the Feeling!” — or maybe even a new hit. Doesn’t that sound fun?

It Would Be Great for the Other Four Guys , Too

It Could Even Lead to a New Album

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Comparing ’NSync to Pavement is absurd for about 78 different reasons. Let’s do it anyway. Stephen Malkmus first reunited with Pavement in 2010 after a decade-long break. They took off another 12 years before going back out in 2022 for their second reunion tour, which just wrapped. This didn’t mean he walked away from his solo career at any point. He kept making albums and touring on his own the entire time. It’s possible to have a musical career on two different tracks, with one focused on the past and the other focused on the present. And the Pavement reunions have done nothing but remind fans of Malkmus’ genius. They’ve rewarded fans of his old work and helped boost his solo career too. The same thing could happen with ’NSync. As soon as their reunion tour ends, Justin would have a ton of momentum he could transfer to his solo career. It would be a genuine win/win.

They Could Just Keep Going

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*NSYNC Reunites for Surprise Performance at Los Angeles Concert

*nsync performed for the first time in over 10 years after justin timberlake brought his former bandmates out during his march 13 concert at los angeles' the wiltern..

The people said, "I want you back," and *NSYNC listened.

In fact,  Justin Timberlake ,  JC Chasez ,  Lance Bass ,  Joey Fatone  and  Chris Kirkpatrick  reunited to bring da noise live on stage for the first time in over 10 years. For his One Night Only show at Los Angeles' The Wiltern on March 13, Justin brought out his former bandmates to perform a few songs together, and it's safe to say the crowd went wild. 

As seen in videos Justin reposted to his Instagram Story , *NSYNC's appearance was dramatically announced when the curtain behind Justin opened and revealed the other four members while the opening notes of "Gone" began to play.

During the night, the former boy band treated the audience to a number of their hits—including "Bye Bye Bye," "Girlfriend" and "It's Gonna Be Me"—as well as a performance of their new collaboration, "Paradise," which is a track on Justin's upcoming album which features the band. 

The show was an intimate one for its audience, and throughout it all the venue was shaking with the crowd's excitement, per an eyetwitness. An after-party was also held in the venue's upstairs, where Justin's wife  Jessica Biel   was present. 

And one of the audience members whose heart was tearin' up over the reunion was none other than  Chrissy Teigen . The  Cravings author posted a number of clips of *NSYNC to her Story, over the first of which she wrote, "Oh my f--king god," before panning the camera to her own shocked face. And then alongside a clip of the group performing their new song, Chrissy summed up her feelings with a simple, "Dead."

But just as excited as fans were to see the beloved '90s and early aughts band reunite, its members seemed just as happy to be back together. 

After the show, when Justin shared a picture of five stools on The Wiltern's stage which he captioned , "Paradise," Lance commented, "That was fun. Let's do it again soon."

The band's onstage reunion comes after an exciting fall for the group, including the release of their first song in twenty years— "Better Place," featured in  Trolls Band Together —as well as their first onstage reunion in 10 years at the MTV Video Music Awards in September. 

And while fans have been clamoring for a reunion tour ever since, the band itself is taking the time to enjoy their reunion after so many years apart. 

"Feels like a surreal moment to say that our new single, 'Better Place' is about to be released in a matter of minutes," Lance wrote on his Instagram Story in September. "This song is truly a love letter to all of our fans who have been our incredible support system. You guys have always thought that this would happen even when we didn't. I am truly grateful for every single one of you."

"To my brothers Joey, Justin, Chris, and JC," the 44-year-old continued, "there's a unique magic that happens when we come together, and i wouldn't want to do this with anyone else. This song is a testament to our bond, and I'm overwhelmed with gratitude for the journey we've shared and the one that lies ahead." 

But until the details about that future journey become clear, keep reading for fun facts you may have forgotten about the '90s heartthrobs. 

1. After Chris Kirkpatrick , 23 at the time, was passed over for the  Backstreet Boys —the first instance of shady impresario Lou Pearlman  capturing boy band lightning in a bottle—he dusted himself off and told Pearlman he was still interested in being in a group.

Pearlman agreed to put up the money if Kirkpatrick would do the work of actually finding other talented guys to join him, and so the sifting through demos and watching countless hours of tapes began. They eventually happened upon  The All New- Mickey Mouse Club alum and aspiring singer  Justin Timberlake , 14, who recommended fellow former Mouseketeer JC Chasez , 19. ("JC was the cool older guy, and Justin wanted to be just like him," co-star Christina Aguilera remembered fondly to Rolling Stone .) 

They continued the search in Orlando, and Kirkpatrick thought of Joey Fatone , 18, who he knew from his days performing at Universal Studios—and who Chasez knew from his time living in Florida when he was working for Disney. But they still needed a deeper voice.

Timberlake's vocal coach advised them to check out this kid from Mississippi,  Lance Bass , who flew down to Florida on Oct. 1, 1995. Pearlman and Timberlake picked the appropriately named 16-year-old up at the airport in the former's black Rolls Royce.

Backstreet Boy Howie Dorough , who knew Kirkpatrick way back when, gave himself a little pat on the back later on for all this serendipity, telling Pop Crush  in 2015 that BSB asked Pearlman "to help [Chris] out in any way that he could and still fulfill his dream. He went back with Chris and formed a group and little by little that spun off to eventually be 'N Sync."

2. But wait, Lance wasn't the first fifth member of 'N Sync!

That role was originally played by Jason Galasso , who had known Fatone from choir in their high school days and was dabbling in the singing-group arts when he got a page (1990s, FTW) out of nowhere from his old acquaintance. Coincidentally, he also knew Chasez because, as Galasso explained on The Digital Get Down  podcast in 2019, he "used to kind of hang out with  The Mickey Mouse Club " stars like Chase Hampton and Keri Russell .

After they "locked in perfectly" on a rendition of Boyz II Men 's "End of the Road," that was it, he was in the as-yet unnamed group. "I remember I'm like, 'Dang, Justin's young!'" he recalled. "But then I heard him sing, I'm like 'Oh, it doesn't matter how old he is, he can sing his butt off."

At the same time, however, the bass singer was also in a three-man group called Unreal, "so I'm still trying to decide, you know, what I want to do, what direction I want to go in as far as which group I want to go with," Galasso, who's in the mortgage loan business these days, recalled. "Because I remember, the first time Lou Pearlman brought over some music, he was thinking about the type of music that we would be doing, and I come from an R&B, hip-hop background. That's my love, my heart, my soul."

So when Pearlman came over with "this European-style techno, I was just like, 'Hmm, okay.'" So, he went ahead and traveled with the other guys in Unreal to Atlanta to cut a demo, which he thought turned out great.

Meanwhile, 'N Sync was starting to fashion a look and they were talking about putting a showcase together for Disney's Pleasure Island. They even took a field trip to Shaquille O'Neal 's house to check out his home studio in Orlando, but they had not yet recorded any music. And, more consequentially for Galasso, they hadn't yet signed any contracts.

Pretty soon, both groups were trying to get him to sign. Galasso said he took the dueling contracts to a lawyer and, while the deal with the trio was pretty standard issue, Pearlman had himself written into the 'N Sync contract as a sixth member, and that contract was "thick as a phone book." He felt that the other members of 'N Sync were more gung-ho than he was about the deal—which was true, because they all proceeded to sign it, whether they truly understood what it entailed or not.

So Galasso ultimately went with the group that wasn't 'N Sync.

3. Aside from Timberlake's mom complimenting that they sounded so "in sync," the group's name—sometimes NSYNC, other times *NSYNC, but for our purposes, 'N Sync—incorporates the last letter of their first names: Justi n , Chri s , Joe y , Jaso n and J C .

Oh, wait...The guys asked Lance if he wouldn't mind tweaking his name a bit to make the whole 'N Sync thing still work. And so, Lanceton was born. "They did call me Lanceton for a good year, just basically as a joke," Bass told EW.com in 2015. "I think it was Justin who first was like, 'Okay, Lanceton.' Then it kinda faded out once we got a deal and then came out. It didn't stick very long. It was either Lanceton or Landon."

4. After a couple of years in which their biggest following was in Germany, ahead-of-their time fans of the  Max Martin -penned "I Want You Back" and "Tearing Up My Heart" ("In Europe, we were on the cover of every magazine," Bass recalled), 'N Sync finally got its big break in the U.S. when the Backstreet Boys turned down a "Disney Channel in Concert" gig.

Instead,  NSYNC   in Concert  came out in 1998 and—thank you, cable—Disney Channel aired it over and over again. "The Disney Channel concert really changed our career," Bass told  20/20 . "It was incredible, and that one gig right there, to me, is what made us in America." 

5. While they were all in Miami to play in their Challenge for the Children charity basketball game, the guys ordered room service to their hotel room not long before they were due at a press call. Fatone showed up at least 15 minutes late because, as it turned out, he had been waiting for a fresh burger—because the one on his plate had a bite taken out of it! But it wasn't delivered that way, Bass  recalled  on the  Inside of You With Michael Rosenbaum  podcast. Timberlake had totally taken a bite out of it to screw with his pal.

"It was so funny. I've never seen Joey get so upset about something like that," Bass said. He "was probably tired or something," but "we make fun of him all the time for that outburst. All the time."

6. Fatone may have blown up over a partially eaten burger, but Bass admitted he wasn't always the picture of patience. He told Rosenbaum that he sometimes lost his cool when Kirkpatrick would take his resident funnyman persona too far during interviews. "Chris, you know, he's very animated," Bass said, "and he's funny and he's always cracking a joke. But when someone is always cracking the joke in every single interview, and you do like 20 a day and there's five guys, your days get long and long and long."

"So, there have been many times I'm like, 'Shut up. Just answer the question so we can move on because we are so tired right now.' So, he would always make all our interviews at least double the time."

7. At one point they were too busy to even stop by a barbershop for haircuts (or bleach jobs), so, Bass said, "that's when I started just kind of getting this bleach and putting it in my hair and just putting my fingertips in it, and that's how the frosted tips were born."

Now you know.

8. In 2000, to celebrate the diamond-selling status of their 1997 debut  'N Sync , meaning 10 million copies sold, their manager  Johnny Wright  (who had previously been the road manager for  New Kids on the Block  along with his wife  Donna ) gifted the five with diamond-and-platinum pendants. "We are diamond," Timberlake announced, mostly facetiously,  according to  Rolling Stone . "Screw all of you. I'm done. Forget this boy-band thing."

9. The members of 'N Sync did get rich—but not right away, and not until they took matters into their own hands. As it turned out, Pearlman, who died in prison in 2016 while serving a 25-year sentence for money laundering and other crimes committed in the running of a Ponzi scheme, was seemingly screwing them  and  the Backstreet Boys (and  O-Town  for that matter) out of money.

Talking to ABC News'  20/20   in 2019, Bass recalled Pearlman flying the members of 'N Sync and their families to Los Angeles in 1998 for a promised check-presentation party. The amount: $10,000 apiece.

"I was in the biggest band in the world and selling millions of records…but I can't even afford my apartment in Orlando. I couldn't even get a car," said Bass, who tried to be polite but then ripped up his check when he got back to his hotel room. Added Kirkpatrick, "With all the success you would think that we were making hand-over-fist money and we were printing money and whatever, and it just wasn't the case."

After realizing their contracts, like the members of BSB, treated Pearlman as a sixth member, meaning he got one-sixth of the group's profits as well as management fees, 'N Sync jumped ship for Jive Records—and were promptly sued by TransContinental Records and RCA parent BMG Entertainment, which had distributed their first album. It was a $150 million lawsuit, but Pearlman's big goal was to prevent them from continuing to use the name 'N Sync. They countersued for $25 million and settled for an undisclosed amount in 1999—and, most importantly perhaps, they retained the right to press on with their name intact.

10.  No Strings Attached , their smash-hit sophomore album released in March 2000, was metaphorical AF.

" No Strings Attached  just became the theme," Kirkpatrick, who thought of the concept after "I've Got No Strings" from Disney's  Pinocchio  popped into his head, told  20/20 . "It became our battle cry of, 'We don't owe anybody anymore…we have no ties to anything but each other...and our fans."

Chasez, who won a talent show in the seventh grade singing  Richard Marx 's "Right Here Waiting" only to have Marx write and produce "I Promise You" for  No Strings , told  Rolling Stone , "This album is really in your face. Nothing is sang passively; everything is chopped and punched. You can definitely hear a  Michael Jackson  influence in the way the words chop off—that's the way Michael delivers a line."

Added Timberlake, "We're pissed off now—that's what it is. We're angry white boys who didn't get our props. No, I'm kidding—I'm kidding."

Moreover, they were musically homeless for most of the time they were making it, unhappy with TransContinental and not yet ensconced at Jive, whose artists included Timberlake's then-secret (albeit a poorly kept one) girlfriend  Britney Spears  and the Backstreet Boys.

No Strings Attached  sold 2.4 million copies in its first week out, including 1.1 million on day one.

11. A year later, Jackson was delivering  on stage with them— first at the 2001 MTV Video Music Awards, appearing just as 'N Sync was winding down its performance of "Pop" and sending the crowd into a frenzy even though he didn't sing—and then for real all together days later on "Dancing Machine" at the  Michael Jackson: 30th Anniversary Celebration . The two-day concert event held at Madison Square Garden aired on CBS that November.

In 2016, Bass  revealed on  The Meredith Vieira  Show  that Jackson didn't speak to him for a year after the MSG show because, when Jackson insisted that Bass and Fatone (who had a movie premiere to attend) stay until the end for a group rendition of "Heal the World," saying it was "for the children," Bass giggled, not realizing the King of Pop was perfectly serious.

12. Once they all had more money in the bank, naturally they started spending it. In March 2000, Timberlake bought a Mercedes jeep (his first big purchase) and a BMW M Roadster, and would add a Dodge Viper, an Audi TT, a Porsche 911 and a Cadillac Escalade to his collection by the following year. Fatone treated himself to a black Cadillac truck and homes and cars for his parents and siblings. Several of them purchased homes in Orlando, and Kirkpatrick bought a house for his mom, too. Bass got a house in Orlando, one in his home state of Mississippi, and one in the border area known as Floribama.

"There's a white grand piano, a white couch and a tapestry of knights on horses, and I have this beautiful acrylic statue of a nude man and woman that my friend got me," Timberlake described the decor in his Orlando bachelor pad to  Rolling Stone . "It's a beautiful piece: You shine a light on it and it shines right through. I've got a game room that we call the  Jimmy Buffett  room, because it's Orlando tropical, and I have a country kitchen to remind me of where I grew up. The bedroom is a whole safari motif, with a Japanese screen and a big sleigh bed."

The following year, Chasez revealed he'd become a red wine aficionado, and had sprung for a $2,500 book of Helmut Newton photographs.

13. In 2000, just before No Strings Attached came out, Kirkpatrick was dating the girlfriend he'd had for about a year before 'N Sync became a global phenomenon. They weren't meant to be, as he married Karly Skladany in 2013 after three years together, with all of his former bandmates in attendance. 

Timberlake was still playing coy about whether he and Spears were actually dating ("Britney's a good friend of mine"), informing  Rolling Stone , "If I do decide to have a personal relationship with someone, I think it's best to keep it that—personal."

Bass had previously dated  Boy Meets World Star Danielle Fishel , even accompanying her to her high school prom. He'd choose to wait until 2006 to publicly come out as gay, and he's now been married to Michael Turchin since 2014.

Fatone had been on and off with high school sweetheart Kelly Baldwin since 1993—but they were decidedly back on when they welcomed daughter Briahna in March of 2001. They got married in 2004 and had second daughter  Kloey Alexandra  in 2010, but as of 2019 they were divorcing and Fatone was dating Izabel Araujo .

Chasez, meanwhile, usually had girlfriends around (in 2001 he was dating Bobbie Thomas , who was  inspired to start her own blog when she saw how the media treated Spears), but he has kept an impressively tight lid on his private life.

14. By 2000, Bass had started Freelance Management, hoping to develop country artists. Timberlake launched his eponymous foundation to benefit music and arts education in public schools. Chasez was producing music for girl group Wild Orchid and Kirkpatrick had started his own fashion and music production company called Fuman Skeeto.

15. Legions of screaming tween fans aside, they weren't  trying  to be extra adorable to appeal to as many kids (and their moms) as possible.

"We don't try to make ourselves do cute, we just are who we are," Timberlake told  Rolling Stone  in 2000. "We're boys. We burp and fart, just like boys."

16. Kirkpatrick considered himself the stereotypical guy's guy among them, telling Rolling Stone in 2001, "I'm like a bunch of college guys got together and said, 'Let's make a dude, a crazy dude.' And they made me."

The writer described Bass as a "supernice, humble, patient guy who's so pretty he almost looks like a girl, and who never, ever stops smiling." Chasez was said to be the one whose offstage personality was furthest from his onstage persona, "the one most likely to meander right past you so silently you wouldn't even notice him."

Fatone was "a giant wild boy with a rambunctious electricity bubbling constantly beneath his skin, as if he's about to make a party break out anytime, anywhere." 

17. During rehearsal in New Orleans in 2001, a platform shot up too early and Fatone's lower leg was caught between it and the stage, somehow not breaking the bone but exposing a  lot  of the interior of his leg.

"There was a hole," Bass told  Rolling Stone . "You could see the bone, you could see everything. So we applied pressure on it, and the fat was coming out, and it was not good. He can take pain good, but he was in pain. Oh, he screamed. It looked like a bullet went through his leg."

Added Chasez, "He ended up going to the hospital and they cut a piece of his leg out and had to rinse the metal out because his leg was caught between two pieces of metal. I don't know how it didn't break. He's a tough kid."

A few weeks later, Fatone, who had been using a cane to get around, was back on stage dancing. "He's in pain," Chasez observed. "But Joey's got great showmanship. He knows how to cover his steps 'cause he's been onstage longer than any of us."

18. When you think about it, 'N Sync had a relatively tame run. They're first to admit they had their fun, but they were  not troublemakers, nor did trouble have a habit of "finding them." Bass liked a Jack and Coke, but would more likely volunteer to be the evening's designated driver.  "If some twelve-year-old sees on the news that I got arrested for cocaine, that affects a lot of people," he told Rolling Stone . "I remember when I was ten and I caught my sister drinking. It was so devastating to me." He added, "I can have water and feel like I'm getting drunk."

19. Fame hadn't come overnight, but once it did, it was a whole new world.

"You realize what hard work it is and that it's not glamorous," Bass told  Rolling Stone . "It's like going to Disney World, going into the tunnels and seeing Cinderella smoking a cigarette. The whole magic is gone."

Timberlake admitted, "It's been a little tough There's definitely been times when I was totally depressed. But, you know, my spirituality helped me through that. I just feel like there's two of me: the public-eye me and the guy-who-brushes-his-teeth-twice-a-day me. They're getting along all right now. Sometimes brush-his-teeth doesn't get enough attention, but it's worth it."

"You don't want to say or do too much," acknowledged Fatone. "You know, it's like breaking the fans' hearts if there's something out there that they don't know about and might get upset about."

20. In case anyone was under the impression that 'N Sync was composed of five disparate parts who just got lucky, they'd be wrong.

"We started out as best friends, and you know, I think it shows—it shows in everything we do," Kirkpatrick, sitting down on CNN's  Larry King Live   with the rest of the group, said in January 2001. "From when we're on stage, when we're clowning around, we do, like, so many shows that each show is so different because of the interaction amongst each other. And we'll goof around with each other."

In response to King's observation that a lot of band members don't really get along behind the scenes, Timberlake added, "Well, the chemistry we have is unreal. I can't tell you, you know even with this tour last summer, I could just look at Chris and it could say 10 things at the same time, and he would know exactly what I meant just by looking at him, because we've been together...Even before everything took off, we were together, some of us working 9:00 to 5:00. But every day, singing, and you know, trying to get our act together."

21. The channeled their misgivings about living life in a fish bowl to varying effect with their third album, 2001's  Celebrity .

By then, Timberlake was openly dating Spears ("When we get together, that's just my girl, and I love her, and that's it. I don't think about what everybody's thinkin' about. She makes me happy. She's like salvation," he  told  Rolling Stone ; Bass added, "They're so perfect for each other, it's scary") and the group was making a reported $2.5 million a night on their PopOdyssey stadium tour.

22. In 2000, Timberlake told  Rolling Stone , talking about the influx of boy bands onto the music scene, "I think the next couple of years will separate the boys from the men. What worries me is the oversaturation of the market."

Well, the other boy bands wouldn't have to worry about it for long.

23. 'N Sync went on so-called "temporary hiatus" in 2002 after wrapping up their Celebrity Tour, mainly so Timberlake could focus on his solo career, and that turned out to be it. Though no one came right out and said it and the group never officially announced that they were disbanding. One Direction fans know the concept well.

"After you do something for a certain amount of time, you get into a rhythm of it and then new things spark your curiosity; you need new brain food," Chasez, who had a solo hit that year with "Blowin' Me Up (With Her Love),"  reflected to Huffington Post in 2019. "At that time, we just felt like we had exhausted every kind of idea for what we were doing and we just felt like, 'OK, let's do something different.' So, that's what we did." 

As for Bass, he said, "me and the guys were never on bad terms at al...The thing I was most disappointed in was not just Justin leaving the band. It's that our whole team, our record label, our management, everything like that, they all knew. They all knew it was over for three years before they told me.

"So, for three years, I'm sitting there getting ready for a new album as everyone else knows we're moving on."

24. The guys from 'N Sync pretty much went their separate ways as they embarked on their solo aspirations and Timberlake became a superstar in their own right (though that's not why none of them went to JT's wedding in Italy when he married Jessica Biel in 2012), having released  Justified  in November 2002 and never  really  looking back.

So could their reunion performance at the 2013 MTV Video Music Awards have  been  more hyped?!

It was short but sweet, and their moves were intact.

25. Reflecting on why he didn't come out while he was in 'N Sync, Bass said at the group's Hollywood Walk of Fame induction in 2018 that "at the time, I thought that I would never be able to tell anyone because not only was I terrified of the lasting rejection—I was certain that that would happen—but more than that I didn't want to jeopardize the careers of these guys up here, much less the hundreds of amazing people who worked tirelessly to bring 'N Sync to the world."

Bass continued, "I thought if I had come out, 'N Sync would be over. So I kept my secret. And our wildest dreams were coming true and we were so incredibly thankful—and I still am. But so many nights onstage, I'd see so many young, gay fans singing their hearts out and I wanted so badly to let you know, I was you. I just didn't have the strength then. But I do today and so let me say loud and proud to all my LGBT brothers and sisters, who embrace me and show me the way to be who I am, thank you so much."

We can only imagine he's gained plenty of new fans since going public with his true self. And if he lost any, those people never deserved him in the first place.

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‘N Sync fans demand a reunion tour as band shares new video with throwback photo

Fans are still clamoring for 'N Sync to do a stadium reunion tour after the band announced they're dropping a new song together.

The '90s boy band, made up of Chris Kirkpatrick, JC Chasez, Justin Timberlake, Lance Bass and Joey Fatone, released a snippet of the track after reuniting onstage for the first time in a decade at the 2023 MTV Video Music Awards Sept. 12.

Since then, Google searches about an 'N Sync reunion tour have skyrocketed with fans desperate to know if they’ll be able to see the beloved boy band perform live and the band has leaned into the speculation and fan fervor by teasing on social media that they have a secret to share.

Fans realized that the band reunited in the studio when it previewed their new song — their first in more than 20 years — for the upcoming film “Trolls Band Together," starring Timberlake. On Sept. 14, 'N Sync released the 40- s econd snippet of the song “Better Place,” which is set to be released in full later this month.

The song is intended to be a "love letter" to 'N Sync fans, Timberlake revealed in an Instagram video of the group recording the song.

But the track and their public appearance has left fans wanting more.

"You know what’s also a love letter to fans? A whole reunion tour," one fan commented on Timberlake's post.

"new *NSYNC song on the Trolls whatever soundtrack??? oh, we are SO getting a reunion tour!!!" someone said on X.

“I really hope *NSYNC didn’t get me all hyped up- to just be coming out (with) a Trolls song I need a damn reunion tour,” another person tweeted.

The band has not announced any plans for a reunion tour, and representatives for the band did not respond to TODAY.com's request for comment.

Universal Pictures previously confirmed to TODAY.com that the band only recorded one new song for the movie.

The growing hype around the return of 'N Sync started after Timberlake posted a video on Instagram Sept. 13 of the group in an elevator talking and laughing. The other four members also posted it on their accounts.

"So five guys walk into an elevator..." Timberlake captioned his post.

He removed the audio from the video, but fans are convinced they're talking about new music and a reunion.

"FIVE GUYS NEED TO WALK INTO A STADIUM AND SING SOME HITS!!!!" someone rebutted in the comments.

"Y’all better be makin’ music in that elevator," Will Smith commented.

"Millennials, start defrosting. It’s our fkin time," another person wrote.

"SHUT THE FRONT DOOR! WHAT DOES THIS MEAN! All of us 30 something year old Mom’s need to know when we need to find babysitters ASAP!?!?" a third said.

In another video posted to social media, band members used audio of a 1991 scene from "Friends" to say in so many words that if one of them does have information about something, they cannot disclose it until another member does. They mouthed the words as the "Friends" audio played.

"Do you know something?" Timberlake mouthed, to which Fatone mouthed the same question back to him sharply.

"I might know something," Kirkpatrick chimed in, prompting Chasez to quickly slip in, "I might know something too."

"What's the thing you know?" Bass asked everyone.

"Oh no, I can't tell you until you tell me what you know," Timberlake quipped.

"I can't tell you what I know," Fatone rebuffed.

"Well then I can't tell you what I know," Kirkpatrick declared.

Fans who commented on Timberlake's TikTok post of the video say they see right through the cryptic video.

"UGGGGHHHH!!! All y'all be teasing us SOOO BAD!!! just go ahead & announce the tour already! We got ADULT $$ to spend now," someone said.

"They don't know, we know, they know......." someone commented, again referencing "Friends."

"Don't play with our millennial hearts!!" another wrote.

Then on Sept. 19, Timberlake shared a video set to the tune of Simple Plan's "I'm Just a Kid."

In the video, which can be seen here , 'N Sync gathers around and strikes a pose before the clip cuts to them around 20 years ago, posing in the same way.

While the tease videos seemingly hint at the band’s reunion for the new song, fans have pointed out that 'N Sync has also increased their social media presence, and there's now a verified TikTok account under the band's name .

"No cause *Nsync launching a TikTok, getting more active on Ig and Twitter, then updating their website? I know this isn’t just for this damn Trolls movie!" one fan tweeted.

Randi Richardson is a reporter for NBC News' TODAY.com based in Brooklyn.

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• By Victoria Miller
• Updated Mar 18, 2024 at 11:11am

Heavy/ABC "Dancing With the Stars" news.

Lance Bass and Joey Fatone were part of a major reunion in Los Angeles.

On March 13, 2024, the singers reunited with their *NSYNC bandmates for the group’s first live performance in over a decade. The reunion took place during Justin Timberlake’s one-night show at The Wiltern, Variety reported .

Fatone was the runner-up in “Dancing with the Stars”   season 4, while Bass placed third in season 7. Both had teased a potential reunion of *NSYNC, the boy band that made them household names in the 1990s.  But fans were still stunned when it actually happened.

Here’s what you need to know:

*NSYNC Performed Their New Song ‘Paradise’ on Stage

View this post on Instagram A post shared by *NSYNC UK LOVE | MAGZ 🇬🇧 (@nsync_uklove)

The *NSYNC reunion took place towards the end of Timberlake’s solo show.  As Timberlake, 43, stood before the crowd, a curtain rose behind him. He smiled as Bass, Fatone, JC Chasez, and Chris Kirkpatrick emerged and began to sing. In a set that lasted just minutes, the band performed the new song “Paradise,” which appears on Timberlake’s album “Everything I Thought It Was.” That came after they sang snippets of a few ‘90s/2000s hits such as “Bye Bye Bye,” per USA Today .

According to Billboard , Timberlake announced his old friends by saying, “Ladies & Gentlemen, We Are *NSYNC.” After they performed mini versions of  “Bye Bye Bye” and “It’s Gonna Be Me,” Chasez teased the new track. “So we did those. But you have an album coming out tomorrow. And on that album, there’s a song…” he said. “We’ve practiced the song.”

Timberlake then asked the crowd if they’d like to hear the new *NSYNC song. After they played ”Paradise,” Timberlake hugged his pals and they exited. He sang one final solo song after admitting he wasn’t sure how he could top that.

The mini-reunion marked the band’s first live performance since the  2013 MTV Video Music Awards where they performed in Timberlake’s Video Vanguard song tribute. In September 2023, the five bandmates released the song  “Better Place” for the “Trolls Band Together” soundtrack. The song was their first new music since their album “Celebrity” in 2001.

Following the reunion, a photo of five empty stools on stage at The Wiltern was posted on Timberlake’s Instagram page .

“That was fun. Let’s do it again soon,”   Bass wrote in the comment section .

Lance Bass Shared a Behind-the-Scenes Video

View this post on Instagram A post shared by Lance Bass (@lancebass)

Bass also shared a glimpse at what things looked like behind the scenes. He posted an Instagram video of him, Fatone, Chasez and Kirkpatrick going into a back entrance at the Wiltern ahead of their surprise performance at the art deco theater.

“Here we go…. one more time….everybody’s feelin’ fine,” he wrote.

Fans reacted to beg that the mini-concert was just the beginning of seeing *NSYNC back together again.

Bass previously told E! News  that “the door is always open” for the band to get back together. “I’m game and you know we will be talking at some point,” he said in November 2023. “So hopefully, fingers crossed something will work out.”

Fatone also hinted that an *NSYNC reunion tour could happen. “You know what? Never say never,” he told People magazine in a 2023 interview. “There’s been talks about it… but nothing’s in motion yet. So, I’ll say never say never, but I’m not saying no, and I’m not saying yes. But we still have to have that conversation. It looks promising.”

READ NEXT: Former ‘Vanderpump Rules’ Stars Return to TV in ‘The Valley’

Victoria Miller is a contributor for Heavy specializing in TV and celebrity news. She can be reached at [email protected]. More about Victoria Miller

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Fans want an NSYNC reunion tour — but they'll have to settle for the band's first live performance since 2013 for now

• NSYNC fans are amped for a reunion tour after the band's recent appearances.
• In 2023, the group reunited at the MTV Video Music Awards before releasing their first single in 21 years.
• On Wednesday, the band joined Justin Timberlake onstage during his free Los Angeles concert.

NSYNC performed live for the first time in over a decade, raising questions about whether the band will return for a reunion tour.

On Wednesday, JC Chasez, Lance Bass , Joey Fatone, and Chris Kirkpatrick made a surprise appearance during Justin Timberlake's free "One Night Only" concert in Los Angeles. The fivesome then performed together for the first time since 2013, running through their popular tracks "Gone," "Girlfriend, "Bye Bye Bye," and "It's Gonna Be Me." 

—Courtney McKinney (@CourtAnne1225) March 14, 2024

The band also performed "Paradise," a new NSYNC song that will appear on Timberlake's upcoming album, "Everything I Thought it Was."

—steven j. horowitz (@speriod) March 14, 2024

While many NSYNC fans might see this as a sign of the band's intention to reunite, it may not be that simple. 

In September 2023, when the five band members appeared onstage at the MTV Video Music Awards to present the award for best pop video to Taylor Swift , fans also took this as a sign that the band might be planning a reunion tour.

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Even Swift had questions when she collected her award, asking the group: "Like, are you doing something? What's going to happen now? They're going to do something and I need to know what it is."

Two days later, NSYNC announced via a video post on their Instagram account that they would release their first single in 21 years. But the song, "Better Place," was just part of the soundtrack to a new animated movie, "Trolls Band Together," in which Timberlake stars.

"Better Place" started at No.25 on the Billboard Hot 100 the week of its release in September 2023 before sinking down and disappearing after six weeks.

NSYNC also appeared on the YouTube interview series "Hot Ones" to promote the new track, but no reunion announcement arrived after the movie.

Plus, Timberlake's concert was organized to promote his upcoming album, which will be released on Friday, so the reunion could have been a tactic to promote it.

The last time the complete NSYNC band performed together was during Timberlake's 12-song medley at the 2013 VMAs after he received the Video Vanguard Award.

But the group performed without Timberlake in 2019 when they joined Ariana Grande for a surprise appearance during her Coachella set.

As of yet, there has been no announcement about a reunion tour, but at least NSYNC fans will now have two new songs.

NSYNC's representatives did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Business Insider.

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*NSYNC Reunited For A Surprise Performance And Fans Are Really In Their Feels

Fans were “Bringing ‘da Noise” for *NSYNC’s surprise performance.

While we thought 2002 would be the last time we saw *NSYNC perform, children of the ‘90s were in for a surprise when Justin Timberlake , Joey Fatone, Lance Bass, JC Chasez, and Chris Kirkpatrick reunited for their Trolls Band Together single “Better Place.” While it seemed like the reunion might not go further than that single, the boyband shocked everyone again at a Justin Timberlake concert. Now, fans of the group aren't holding back their excitement about this massive moment.

*NSYNC fans' dreams came true on March 13th when Justin Timberlake was in the middle of singing the boyband's “Gone” at his One Night Only show at Los Angeles' The Wiltern. Suddenly, the curtains dramatically opened to reveal Fatone, Bass, Chasez and Kirkpatrick. Everyone understandably freaked out as you can see in the X video down below:

The full moment leading up to @NSYNC coming out 😭😭😭 I’m not ok pic.twitter.com/YTQyG7mlJ1 March 14, 2024

I can imagine everyone in the crowd losing their voices from all that cheering seeing *NSYNC back on stage again. 

Audiences had the pleasure of hearing a number of their hit singles like “Would You Be My Girlfriend,” “Bye Bye Bye,” and, of course, the meme-worthy track “It’s Gonna Be Me" (or May) . So, you can understand why fans must have had the tears of joy described in this X GIF right here:

WE ARE NSYNC pic.twitter.com/Mgnvl3ONgb March 14, 2024

Even though members of *NSYNC have had solo projects throughout the years, it still brings back good vibes when they all come together. Even just seeing them stand side-by-side when they re-reunited for the Trolls Band Together premiere does something wonderful to you, taking you to “a better place.” 

This X concert snippet describes how we’re all feeling being a witness to the pop band performing at the Wiltern:

You. Guys. I know it’s free agency but Justin Timberlake One Night Only at the Wiltern with a surprise ‘NSYNC reunion and I am dyyying pic.twitter.com/jRo0whaB5U March 14, 2024

The *NSYNC members truly were in sync singing “Bye Bye Bye” with their harmonies and movements flowing so well together. It’s almost like time never stopped since their last performance. Another X user , Variety’s senior music writer Steven J. Horowitz, was “crying” seeing *NSYNC performing this next memorable song we all know:

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NSYNC reuniting in my lifetime I’m crying pic.twitter.com/h7r4e42uDt March 14, 2024

Wow, the audience really did pronounce it as “It’s gonna be May.” That still gets me to this day as you just sing along to a song without caring if it’s “me” or “May.” According to E! News , the unconventional pronunciation wasn’t Justin Timberlake’s idea. It was written that way because the track’s songwriters spoke in Swedish dialects. Pronouncing “me” as “May” was still a catch-all with the song inspiring a viral TikTok dance challenge.  

Along with fans screaming "it's gonna be May," this next social media user expressed how “grateful” she was to see her “first loves,” and I have to agree:

I cannot put into words what tonight meant to me. As a fan of almost 3 decades…. This moment was everything I am so grateful I was in the building for this. The first loves of my life! @NSYNC pic.twitter.com/bfHfnjGGn6 March 14, 2024

If you couldn’t recognize what song *NSYNC was singing in that video, there’s a reason for that. That was their new single “Paradise” which drops on March 15th! As member Lance Bass opened up about a possible future for the reunited boyband, he wasn’t kidding around about getting back to work, as “Paradise” will be part of Justin Timberlake’s upcoming album Everything I Thought I Was. 

Fans were lucky to be able to hear this before the single dropped. It sounds like it follows a similar tune to previous love ballads they’ve done like “This I Promise You.” Get ready to hear this song play at upcoming weddings. 

Overall, this hilarious GIF conveys how we all feel seeing a bunch of videos of this new song and other moments from the legendary concert reunion:

Sipping coffee watching 100 videos of @NSYNC back on stage together last night I literally can’t feel my toes 😆 pic.twitter.com/BwtFpu52Y6 March 14, 2024

That’s the reality of today’s tech-centric world, right? With concertgoers so quick to take out their phones and publish their videos on social media, you don’t even have to feel so terrible about missing out on anything live. You’ll get many different angles of the same concert whether the lucky fan was sitting up front or in the very back. It makes me feel like I was there, that’s for sure. 

One X post spoke the truth of what we’re all thinking watching an *NSYNC concert that occurred, posting:

I… saw NSync? In person? In the year 2024? pic.twitter.com/n6G7mPEHDx March 14, 2024

Yes, fans can all say they had the chance to see *NSYNC in concert this year. And after seeing millennials freaking out on TikTok when the band announced their first single in 20 years for the third Trolls movie, it's not surprising that they had such an extreme reaction to this concert.

Honestly, there's nothing like seeing your favorite band live in front of your eyes. One final tweet made a couple of observations that’ll surely stay with us:

1. Justin looks so damn happy.2. Can we just live in the moment of *NSYNC hugging each other. pic.twitter.com/oxh5mjT3TQ March 14, 2024

It was a real treat for fans to have Justin Timberlake bring out his musical bros to take us back to the good times. Hopefully, a new album and reunion tour are in their foreseeable future as *NSYNC looked so happy sharing the stage again. 

You can hear the band’s single “Better Place” in Trolls Band Together, which will be available with a Peacock subscription on March 15.

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Justin Timberlake reunites with NSYNC for first performance in 11 years: 'Let's do it again'

NSYNC said hello, hello, hello to their fans who have long awaited a reunion.

Justin Timberlake held a free show in Los Angeles on Wednesday night at the Art Deco theater where he surprised the crowd with a special performance of his upcoming song "Paradise," which features his NSYNC bandmates.

Videos on social media show Timberlake, 43, standing as the curtain behind him slowly revealed Lance Bass ,  Joey Fatone ,  Chris Kirkpatrick  and  JC Chasez . The crowd instantly went wild, screaming louder than the group as they began singing.

The group performed "Paradise" and "Bye Bye Bye" together, bridging their new music with their classic hit. The night marked their first performance with all five band members since their reunion at the 2013 VMAs.

Timberlake, who is gearing up for the release of his sixth solo album  "Everything I Thought It Was,"  shared a photo of the stage with five empty stools on Instagram after the show.

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"That was fun. Let’s do it again soon," Bass, 44, teased in the comments section.

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 " in January.

"We've been in the studio, so there may be a little something in the future, too," Timberlake told host  Kelly Clarkson .

It was later revealed that his upcoming album includes a song featuring NSYNC. Timberlake posted a snippet of "Paradise" on Instagram Wednesday.

Bass told USA TODAY earlier this month, that the song "Paradise" made his mom emotional.

"We recorded that a long time ago when we recorded 'Better Place,' so we've been sitting on this for a while," Bass said. "Hard not to talk about it. But I'm glad that it's about to come out because it is such a special song. One of my favorites I've ever recorded. My mom cried immediately when she heard it. So it's Mom-approved."

Timberlake previously reunited with NSYNC 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.

Lance Bass says new NSYNC song on Justin Timberlake's upcoming album made his mom cry

NSYNC teased a reunion after their 2023 MTV Video Music Awards appearance

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."

Timberlake's bandmate Fatone  reflected on the success of their comeback  with "Better Place" in an October interview with  OK magazine .

"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."

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 .

Justin Timberlake tour begins in April

The "Mirrors" singer, actor and former member of of the boyband NSYNC announced  The Forget Tomorrow World Tour in January , his first tour in five years. The North American leg of the tour is set to kick off a month after his free show on April 29 at Rogers Arena in Vancouver, Canada, and includes stops in cities in the U.S., Canada, Europe and the U.K.

In February, he announced that the  second leg  of the tour will restart this fall and include eight new shows in the U.S. and Canada.

Previous: Justin Timberlake reveals he's 'been in the studio' with NSYNC following reunion

It's unclear if his NSYNC bandmates plan to join him for any of the shows on Timberlake's upcoming tour.

Contributing: Emily DeLetter, Edward Segarra, KiMi Robinson, Olivia Munson and Melissa Ruggieri, USA TODAY; Bob Mehr, The Commercial Appeal

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Justin Timberlake Reunites NSYNC in First Performance in 11 Years for ‘One Night Only’

• Oops! Something went wrong. Please try again later. More content below

Justin Timberlake and NSYNC reunited for the first time in more than a decade for a live show promoting Timberlake’s new album Everything I Thought I Was , out today. Wednesday night’s free, One Night Only show at Los Angeles’ Wiltern Theater was billed as a solo Timberlake show, Variety reported, but the “Sexy Back” singer surprised the audience by introducing his former bandmates.

Rumors of an NSYNC reunion have persisted for months, ever since the group came together in September to record a track for the Trolls Band Together soundtrack; and audience members at the Wiltern were reportedly primed for a big surprise on Wednesday, with rumors swirling that an NSYNC reunion could be in store.

Timberlake made his fans wait almost until the end of the night, though. As he began the crowd-work section of his performance, the DJ began playing NSYNC’s “Gone.” At this point, the curtain rose to reveal the remaining NSYNC members: Lance Bass, Joey Fatone, Chris Kirkpatrick, and JC Chasez. The five performed “a brief, but powerful, mini-set,” according to Variety , that included a number of their most famous tracks.

“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,” the outlet reported.

NSYNC reunites at Justin Timberlake's "One Night Only" L.A. show. pic.twitter.com/Va3ZjJGMUi — Variety (@Variety) March 14, 2024

At the end of their appearance, the quintet debuted “Paradise,” their collaboration for Timberlake’s new album.

“Each of them took a seat for ‘Paradise,’ their concluding number, which Timberlake explained that they had just practiced,” Variety revealed. “Harmonies flew, eyes were wet, and they stood at the front of the stage at the end, soaking up the rapturous applause.”

the new NSYNC song “paradise” performed live for the first time pic.twitter.com/7IHVCr8Wv1 — steven j. horowitz (@speriod) March 14, 2024

Audience members were visibly emotional during the reunion. The prospect of an NSYNC tour has tantalized fans for decades now, ever since the group officially split in 2001. Since then, Timberlake has focused on his own musical and acting careers, while the other members of NSYNC have dabbled less successfully in solo work.

NSYNC’s last joint performance was at the 2013 MTV Movie Awards, where Timberlake received the Video Vanguard Award. The last time they performed together before that was before their split at the beginning of the millennium. Bass, Fatone, Chasez, and Kirkpatrick reunited for a guest spot during Ariana Grande’s 2019 Coachella set, but Timberlake was conspicuously absent.

After his bandmates left the stage, Timberlake seemed unsure of how to proceed with the show. “I don’t know what to do after that but this,” he said before launching into his final song of the night, “Mirrors.”

Timberlake’s new album, Everything I Thought I Was , drops today.

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Is NSYNC Going on Tour? Justin Timberlake Reunites the Band for First Performance in 10 Years

J.T. gave Los Angeles fans the surprise of their lives when he brought out the members of NSYNC during his latest concert. Find out if they're going on tour together.

NSYNC fans rejoice! The beloved boy band reunited for their first performance since 2013 during his latest Los Angeles concert on March 13, 2024. Justin Timberlake, JC Chasez, Lance Bass , Joey Fatone,   and  Chris Kirkpatrick brought the crowd to tears as they sang some of their biggest hits, like “Bye Bye Bye,” “It’s Gonna Be Me,” “Girlfriend” and their latest single “Paradise.” Last year, the group dropped “Better Place” as part of the Trolls Band Together  soundtrack on September 29, 2023. While it’s not certain what other projects will come of the reunion, it’s certainly exciting to seesinging together again. Not only that, but the band collaborated on the song titled “Paradise” on Justin’s 2024 album, Everything I Thought I Was .

Along with the new music, fans are clamoring to see the boy band take the stage again! It’s been over a decade since the group’s last musical reunion, and it’s been even longer since their last full-blown tour. Lance did hint that there was some hope for an NSYNC reunion in an appearance in the online game show Rent Free .  Hollywood Life has all the details for you, below.

The full moment leading up to @NSYNC coming out 😭😭😭 I’m not ok pic.twitter.com/YTQyG7mlJ1 — 🪩 Ashley 🪩 (@ashleyhollabakk) March 14, 2024

NSYNC Reunite for New Music

Reports that NSYNC had gotten back in the studio for the new song had surfaced back in August. Before announcing the track, the boy band took the stage at the 2023 MTV VMAs to present   Taylor Swift   with the Best Pop award. “Over 20 years ago, we were just kids when we won Best Pop Video for ‘Bye Bye Bye.’ It was our first VMA, and it meant the world to us. It validated our hard work,” Justin said at the start of the presentation.

Ahead of the official track announcement, the band had lip-synced along to the audio from a Friends  scene asking “Do you know something?” It was later revealed that “Better Place” would be a part of the  Trolls Band Together  soundtrack. Snippets of the band singing the new track can be heard in the trailer . Justin voices the Branch character in the movie.

Justin also dropped the track list for his 2024 album, which includes one collab with NSYNC titled “Paradise.”

Is NSYNC Going on Tour?

While nothing official has been announced, Lance did hint that he hoped to have more to tell fans in the near future during the  Rent Free  appearance, per  Page Six .  “Look, we are talking about it — and I hope to have some good news, at some point,” he said when talking about the reunion.

Joey Fatone had spoken to Hollywood Life about the possibility of a reunion in an exclusive interview in November. He said that he hoped to have a definite answer for fans in the near future. “I don’t mind answering, because of the fact that hopefully soon, I will get an answer,” he said. “Whether it be yes, whether it be no, I hate saying, ‘I don’t know yet,’ but it is true.”

Joey also expressed some hope for a reunion so that his daughters could get to experience what the band was like. “My kids have never really seen me perform with NSYNC. So for people that are fans that grew up listening to us, I feel almost the same way. It sounds weird, but it is true because I want my kids to see what I did,” he said.

Earlier, Lance said that the quintet isn’t planning on a reunion tour, in an Entertainment Tonight   interview. As the interviewer mentioned that fans have been clamoring for a tour, he said that there’s nothing on the horizon. “Hopefully in a perfect world, that might happen one day, but again, no plans right now,” he said.

While there’s nothing set in stone, Lance did seem open to the idea. He admitted that the group were listening to the fans. “I’ve been telling the fans: we don’t have solid plans right now, because we’re waiting for the strike to end. We’ve got things to do, but they’re definitely shaping our future,” he told  ET. Ahead of Lance’s interview, a report from TMZ   said that they didn’t plan on touring, releasing an album, or doing a residency.

Most recently, Justin appeared on  The Kelly Clarkson Show   on January 30, 2024, and confirmed that he and his pals have been working on new music together. “And also as it pertains to harmonies… I’ve spent some time with four other guys doing a lot of harmonies,” he said during the talk show appearance.

J.T. also touched on their 2023 reunion. “That was fun,” he said to Kelly Clarkson . “It’s kind of crazy, like, there’s so much that just picks up right where it left off as far as the chemistry.” Additionally, Justin reassured NSYNC fans that something is coming soon. “We’ve been in the studio, so there may be a little something in the future, too,” he added. Despite the exciting tease, Justin did not reveal if he and his bandmates will release a new album or if they will head on tour this year.

Less than two months later, Justin invited his bandmates to perform with him during a concert in L.A., fueling rumors that there could possibly be a tour in the near future. Nevertheless, they haven’t confirmed the rumors.

Earlier NSYNC Reunions

While NSYNC split up in 2005, the boy band has gotten together on a handful of occasions over the years for both musical and non-musical reunions. When Justin earned the Video Vanguard award at the 2013 MTV VMAs, the group was part of his medley performance, singing “Girlfriend” and “Bye Bye Bye.”  When the group was given a star on the Hollywood Walk Of Fame in 2018, they all got together for the ceremony and appeared on Ellen  together.

The group has also had a few occasions that they’ve had partial reunions. All of the members except Justin joined  Ariana Grande   on stage for her 2019 headline set at Coachella, where they sang her song “Break Up with Your Girlfriend, I’m Bored” and their own “Tearin’ Up My Heart.” In April 2022, Joey, Lance, and Chris gave an impromptu performance at Ryan Cabrera   and  Alexa Bliss’  wedding.

When Was the Last Time NSYNC Toured?

While there have been a handful of performances since the group split up, the boy band’s final tour was in 2002 to promote their album Celebrity. The tour ended in April 2002, and the band began a hiatus, which they never returned from. The members’ final appearance as NSYNC was in 2005 at the “Challenge for the Children,” but they didn’t perform. They released a greatest hits album that same year.

While the band has not toured together in over 20 years, Justin has set out on numerous tours as a solo artist. His most recent time on the road was in 2019 for his  The Man of the Woods  tour. 

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Is *NSYNC Going on a Reunion Tour?

It's all we ever wanted, it's all we ever needed: Are *NSYNC heading out on a reunion tour in 2024?

On Tuesday (Sept. 12), Chris Kirkpatrick, JC Chasez, Justin Timberlake , Lance Bass and Joey Fatone reunited on stage at the 2023 MTV Video Music Awards to present Taylor Swift the award for Best Pop video.

Their appearance at the 2023 VMAs marked the first time the group has been together in its entirety in 10 years. They briefly reunited in 2013 to join Timberlake on stage at the VMAs, where he performed and was awarded the coveted Video Vanguard Award. The group's reunion was brief, however, as they only performed a 2-minute medley of their hits "Bye Bye Bye" and "Girlfriend" before Timberlake took the spotlight again.

READ MORE: *NSYNC Reunite to Give Taylor Swift Pop VMA, Friendship Bracelets

On Wednesday (Sept. 13), *NSYNC, who broke up in 2004, announced their first new song together in more than 20 years. The group worked together on the track "Better Place" for the upcoming animated movie Trolls Band Together , which features Timberlake as a troll named Branch. The song is out Sept. 29.

In the film, Branch reconnects with his former boy band — a meta nod to Timberlake's real-life work with the chart-topping '90s and '00s band.

Is *NSYNC Touring Again?

*NSYNC's appearance at the VMAs and new song announcement naturally sparked a wave of optimism among fans who are now convinced the iconic boy band is readying a reunion tour of some sort.

The timing would make sense. After all, 2024 will mark exactly 20 years since the band first broke up — a noteworthy anniversary in millennial pop culture.

Plus, something like a Vegas residency, which requires less traveling, would be a no-brainer for the band. According to one TikTok user, the Sphere Las Vegas, which officially opens next year, even liked one of *NSYNC's Instagram posts about their VMAs reunion. Hmmm...

Meanwhile, Timberlake, the member who has been most successful as a solo artist and has likely been holding up the possibility of a full reunion for the group, hasn't released a new album in over five years.

His 2018 record Man of the Woods wasn't as well-received as his previous solo music, and his reputation has taken a hit in recent years, making it the perfect time to revitalize his career and legacy via a nostalgia tour.

But don't get too excited, *NSYNC fans...

According to TMZ , the boy band's VMAs-timed reunion was simply to promote their upcoming Trolls track, not to preface an impending world tour, no matter how highly anticipated.

A source with alleged "direct knowledge" told TMZ that the group has no imminent plans for a tour, concert or residency.

And while it's tearin' up our heart, we're still holding out hope.

Check out more eager reactions to the possibility of an *NSYNC reunion tour, below:

Artists Who Canceled Their Concert Tours

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Sarah Becker -- a reality television star who appeared on MTV's "The Real World" -- has died by suicide ... TMZ has learned.

A family member of Becker confirmed the tragic news to TMZ ... telling us she died early last week at her home in Illinois. She'd moved to the area to take care of family last year, but had plans to move back to California.

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She was a 25-year-old from La Jolla, California who worked in the comic book industry at the time ... and, fans may remember when she brought a puppy back to the house during the 13th episode of the season.

Becker's season marked the first time the cast was given a season-long task to complete -- starting a business with $50k. Conflict and disorganization ultimately doomed their efforts.

Sarah's family remembers her as a selfless person who took care of everyone else ... but, never seemed to take care of herself. She was 52.

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Justin Timberlake Sells Undeveloped 127-Acre Tennessee Plot for $8 Million

By Katie Schultz

Justin Timberlake just made a solid profit on his 127-acre Tennessee property, almost a year after first listing it for $10 million. The “Suit & Tie” singer ended up getting $8 million for the scenic parcel when it sold last month, Mansion Global reports. Though the multi-hyphenate ultimately parted ways with the property for a discounted price, Timberlake snagged the undeveloped land for just $4 million in 2015.

The sprawling plot, located near a village outside of Nashville called Leipers Fork, is reportedly protected to maintain its undeveloped state. Among the grounds are rolling pastures, three ridges that overlook the surrounding valley, horse riding trails, a fishing pond, and meandering creeks.

Timberlake was reportedly inspired to buy the land with words of encouragement from his creative director, Trace Ayala, who grew up with the “SexyBack” singer in a Memphis suburb. “We were touring everywhere, and lived in LA, and it was so far from where we’d come from,” Ayala told The Tennessean in 2015. “I think now that we’ve found this place and landed here, we’ve kind of settled things back down.”

Love celebrity homes? Shop some of our favorites from Sofía Vergara, Sienna Miller and more.

The longtime friends opened Millville, a creative space inside an old house in the tiny town, around the same time. The venue hosted their clothing line, William Rast, and music development company, Villa 40. More recently, the space has been offered as a short-term rental .

Timberlake, who is currently on a world tour following the release of his album Everything I Thought It Was , made headlines last week when he was arrested in the Hamptons for a DWI. “It’s been a tough week, but you’re here and I’m here, and nothing can change this moment right now,” the former *NSYNC member said at a Chicago concert last Friday following the arrest.

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By Sam Cochran

Jessica Biel supports Justin Timberlake at concert following DWI arrest

Jessica Biel is supporting her husband, Justin Timberlake , following his DWI arrest in the Hamptons.

The actress was spotted in the crowd at his New York City show on June 25. "Real Housewives of New York" star Jessel Taank snapped a video of Biel dancing and singing along to her husband's show and shared it on Instagram .

Timberlake caught fans' attention before taking the stage, when he returned to social media for the first time since his arrest.

JUSTIN TIMBERLAKE THANKS FANS FOR ‘RIDING WITH ME’ AT SECOND CONCERT FOLLOWING DWI ARREST

Authorities arrested the 43-year-old singer on June 18 in Sag Harbor, a week before he reappeared on Instagram.

Timberlake posted a video of his Madison Square Garden concert merchandise, captioning the post: "Had to do it."

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APP USERS CLICK HERE TO VIEW THE INSTAGRAM POST

"This is so important right now," he said in the video as he held up the shirt, which featured the colors orange and blue in honor of the arena's team, the New York Knicks.

Timberlake's arrest occurred in the middle of his world tour. The singer took the stage twice in Chicago just days later. He told the crowd, "It's been a tough week," at Chicago's United Center. "I know I'm hard to love sometimes, but you keep loving me right back."

Timberlake began his "The Forget Tomorrow World Tour" in April in Vancouver, Canada.

The "Cry Me a River" singer released his sixth studio album, "Everything I Thought It Was," on March 15.

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In the early morning hours of June 18, Timberlake refused a breathalyzer test after failing to make a stop and failing to stay in his lane while driving down Madison Street in the Hamptons, according to police.

When pulled over by authorities, Timberlake "performed poorly on all standardized field sobriety tests," the arresting officer stated in documents obtained by Fox News Digital.

Timberlake told the arresting officer he had one martini and was following some friends home, according to the documents. After being arrested and taken to a police station in nearby East Hampton, he refused a breath test, according to the court papers, which listed his occupation as "professional" and said he's "self-employed."

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The *NSYNC member had "bloodshot and glossy" eyes, a "strong odor of an alcoholic beverage was emanating from his breath" and he was "unable to divide attention," according to the complaint. Timberlake also exhibited "slowed speech" and was "unsteady afoot."

He was charged with one count of driving while intoxicated along with citations for failure to keep right and failure to stop at a stop sign, the district attorney's office confirmed to Fox News Digital. He is expected to appear virtually for his first court hearing in the matter on July 26.

A spokesperson for Timberlake's lawyer, Ed Burke, told Fox News Digital at the time, "No comment from Mr. Burke at this time."

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Original article source: Jessica Biel supports Justin Timberlake at concert following DWI arrest

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Jessica biel rocks out at justin timberlake’s madison square garden concert post-dwi arrest.

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It might ruin the tour , but it won’t ruin their marriage.

Jessia Biel was seen dancing in the crowd at her husband Justin Timberlake’s Forget Tomorrow World Tour concert in New York City a week after the pop star was arrested on DWI-related charges.

The “7th Heaven” alum, 42, was spotted getting down to Timberlake’s performance at Madison Square Garden in an Instagram video shared by “The Real Housewives of New York City” star Jessel Taank on Tuesday.

In the clip, Biel nonchalantly swayed her hips and sang along to Timberlake’s tune before taking a sip of her beverage. She also stood alone at a cocktail table in the VIP section of the venue.

The actress appeared to be keeping a low profile by wearing a black baseball cap, though she also wore an eye-catching twisted-knit tank paired with high-waisted black jeans.

“What Tour? The World Tour. @justintimberlake,” the Bravolebrity, who attended the show with her “RHONY” co-star Ubah Hassan, captioned the post while referencing Timberlake’s DWI bust. Taank also shared a photo of his viral mug shot where he appeared glassy-eyed and stoic.

As Page Six reported, the “SexyBack” singer was arrested last week for getting behind the wheel after a boozy night out at the Ritzy American Hotel in Sag Harbor, LI.

The former *NSYNC frontman was cited for running a stop sign and driving outside the proper lane before being charged with a DWI (driving while intoxicated).

A source told us at the time that Timberlake, 43, was pulled over by a young police officer who “didn’t recognize him or his name.”

A second source shared that Timberlake told the cop under his breath, “This is going to ruin the tour. When the confused cop asked, “What tour?” Timberlake replied, “The world tour.”

The Grammy-winning artist failed a field sobriety test and repeatedly  refused to take a breathalyzer test .

Timberlake told law enforcement officials that he only had “one martini” before driving off in his 2025 gray BMW — which was confirmed by the bartender who served him.

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Later in the day, Timberlake was released from the police station  without bail. His next court date is scheduled for July 26.

Sources confirmed to Page Six that Biel — who shares sons Silas, 9, and Phineas, 4, with Timberlake — was not with him at the time of his arrest. The couple tied the knot in 2012.

Despite her presence at Timberlake’s show, Biel is  reportedly “extremely upset”  over his actions.

Timberlake resumed his world tour in Chicago and addressed the arrest to his fans.

“It’s been a tough week,” Timberlake told the audience at United Center.

He added, “I know I’m hard to love sometimes but you keep loving me right back.”

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The 84-Year-Old Visionary With One Answer for Two Real Estate Crises

While his peers were building Modernist towers, the architect Joseph Pell Lombardi devoted his life to restoring beautiful old buildings.

Joseph Pell Lombardi in his apartment in Liberty Tower, considered the first commercial-to-residential conversion in New York’s financial district. Credit... Graham Dickie/The New York Times

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By William Falk

• June 28, 2024

When Liberty Tower went up for sale in Manhattan’s financial district in 1978, there was only one bidder for the 33-story skyscraper. The building was dated and dilapidated, and even though rent had plunged to $5 a square foot, it was two-thirds vacant. New York City itself had tumbled into a downward spiral after a severe fiscal crisis and a deep recession.

But Joseph Pell Lombardi, a 38-year-old preservation architect, envisioned a future for the tower, the former headquarters of Sinclair Oil, that others could not. “The city was failing,” Mr. Lombardi recalled recently. “The financial district was failing. Nobody wanted to be here.”

He was entranced by the neo-Gothic elegance of its terra-cotta exterior, adorned with gargoyles, alligators and birds; its huge windows had an unobstructed view of New York Harbor. With just $25,000 down, he bought the 1909 building at a bargain-basement price of $922,000, and then — to the bafflement of the real estate industry — he converted it into 89 co-op apartments. Liberty Tower was the first major residential conversion of an office building in New York’s financial district.

It was not an obvious solution to empty office space. At the time, the area around the New York Stock Exchange and World Trade Center was largely deserted in the evening; supermarkets, restaurants, retail stores all closed by 5 p.m.

“It was an outpost,” said Mr. Lombardi, who moved his own family into the former executive suite of Harry Sinclair, the founder of the company. “We were pioneers in the urban wilderness.”

The building soon filled, and its surprising resurrection opened eyes. “Joe was way ahead of the curve on that Liberty conversion,” said Richard Gluckman, a partner at Gluckman Tang Architects who specializes in restorations. “His foresight inspired a lot of architects. He showed what was possible.”

Today, the ideas Mr. Lombardi pioneered nearly 50 years ago are serving as a template for addressing twin problems: the city’s enormous office glut and its growing housing crisis. Mr. Lombardi, now 84 and still running a 16-person firm, is part of a wave of architects and developers now undertaking the mammoth work of converting financially distressed office buildings into multifamily housing.

Mayor Eric Adams’s newly established Office Conversion Accelerator seeks to expedite the transformation of some of New York City’s 100 million square feet of vacant office space into housing. The city has also proposed zoning changes that will make virtually all office buildings in the five boroughs eligible for conversion, with the hope of spurring the creation of 20,000 new housing units.

A preservationist at heart, Mr. Lombardi won the respect of other architects with his restorations of historic buildings. Kent Barwick, a former chairman of the New York City Landmarks Preservation Commission, credits Mr. Lombardi with proving to planners and architects that restoring “the built environment” can work both aesthetically and financially. “Joe’s work has been groundbreaking,” Mr. Barwick said. “He changed the way we see cities, the way we see the utility of old buildings. He’s been widely imitated.”

But when he began, Mr. Lombardi was an outlier. Modernism dominated architecture in the 1960s and ’70s, and his focus on preservation and restoration put him at odds with the industry. His work has spanned an astonishing range of styles and periods, from European castles to log cabins to loft conversions: more than 650 properties in New York City and beyond, driven by what he calls “the magic of the past.”

Perhaps Mr. Lombardi’s most poetic work can be found in his restorations of two highly idiosyncratic properties: Château du Sailhant, a 12th-century castle in the Auvergne region in France, and the Armour-Stiner Octagon House in Irvington, N.Y. He spent decades researching these landmarks’ histories and meticulously recreating every possible detail, right down to the doorknobs, paint colors and period silverware on the tables. Both properties now serve as museums.

Mr. Lombardi, a genteel man who always wears a suit and tie to business meetings, hasn’t been as celebrated as some of his peers. He attributes that to his introversion and his all-consuming focus on his work: He avoids social events and civic projects where admired architects rub shoulders with wealthy power players.

“Some architects are social animals,” Mr. Lombardi said. “I’m not.” He also has declined to put his name on buildings he’s restored, insisting instead on crediting their original owners and architects.

He says he knew he wanted to be a preservation architect since childhood, when his father, an architect who was the facility manager at the City College of New York, had given him a book, “A History of Architecture,” by Sir Banister Fletcher. He was 6 years old. It became, Mr. Lombardi says now, “my Bible.”

Growing up in the apartment his family owned in Harlem, Joe was a quiet boy who sought to escape the after-school fights and bullying by exploring the neighborhood’s side streets with Fletcher’s book in hand, comparing the details of the Italianate, Moorish and Renaissance Revival townhouses. His interest in romantic architecture was also kindled by the community of “rustic storybook” stone-and-log lodges at Lake Valhalla, a kind of fantasyland upstate in Putnam County where his family spent the summers.

But by the time Mr. Lombardi enrolled in the architecture program at the Carnegie Institute of Technology in Pittsburgh in the 1960s, modernism dominated the field. Mr. Lombardi’s interest in preserving century-old buildings was “heresy,” he recalled.

“The other students made fun of me,” he said. “We’d be sitting around the drafting room, and they were dreaming up glass skyscrapers and planning on working for big, established architecture firms. I told them I was going to open my own firm and do preservation and restoration, and they said, ‘Joe, you’re nuts.’ Restoration was not architecture to them.”

Mr. Lombardi’s Italian American roots also set him apart. “Architecture was a blue-blood profession at that time,” he said. “There was some subtle discrimination — a sense that I didn’t belong.”

The disdain helped fuel his ambition and his drive. “I felt I had to work harder than everybody else.”

Rather than work for conventional architects, he launched his own small firm after graduating. He struggled to find clients interested in restoration, so he scraped together $5,000 to buy a brownstone rooming house in Kips Bay, a struggling neighborhood on the east side of Manhattan, and then he bought several more. What had once been elegant single-family townhouses built in the 19th century had sunk into squalor. He and a business partner did much of the demolition and restoration themselves on nights and weekends.

Under the grime and neglect were original crown moldings, rich wooden doors and floors, and marble fireplaces that just needed to be revealed.

At the time, most architects would have gutted and completely rebuilt the interiors. “Why do that?” Mr. Lombardi asked with evident indignation. “To rip out the beautiful original work so you can put your own fingerprint on it. … It’s like a painter touching up the Mona Lisa. It’s a desecration.”

He acquired townhouses in other down-at-the-heels neighborhoods such as the Upper West Side and Park Slope, restoring them and selling them at considerable profit. At the time, most architects considered it gauche to invest in the properties they worked on. But Mr. Lombardi, already an outsider, was unconcerned with such rules of decorum. “I was very interested in acquiring money,” he said. “I was a good capitalist.”

His profitable restoration of about 150 brownstones was a turning point in the profession, said John Stubbs, a longtime professor of architecture who came to know Mr. Lombardi after both obtained master’s degrees at Columbia University’s Graduate School of Architecture.

“Joe largely invented the specialty of converting commercial into residential,” said Mr. Stubbs, who spent a decade working as assistant director of historic preservation projects at Beyer Blinder Belle, one of the city’s largest architectural firms. “He demonstrated that it’s good business to invest in existing buildings.”

Sensing an opportunity, Mr. Lombardi soon focused on the empty commercial buildings in SoHo and TriBeCa. In the early 1970s, these former manufacturing spaces were largely vacant; a small number of artists had become illegal homesteaders, moving in with a hot plate, a refrigerator and a bed. Mr. Lombardi saw the tarnished beauty in these derelict buildings, which had elegant lobbies, high-ceilinged open spaces and giant windows and skylights. “It was a preservation architect’s dream,” he said.

He bought several empty commercial buildings and developed a lawyer’s level of expertise in zoning and building code approval to make them legal. His successful conversions helped spark the loft movement, with dozens of old downtown warehouses, factories and stores converting to residences.

He remembers attending gallery openings and loft parties in spaces he had restored, where he found himself mingling uncomfortably with the likes of Mick Jagger, Andy Warhol, Lauren Hutton and members of the bands Blondie and the Ramones.

“You’d have this string of limos on these dark side streets in SoHo,” Mr. Lombardi recalled, “with light coming from one loft and music blasting out. You’d go upstairs, and everyone was wearing black clothes, and there were all these celebrities wandering around.” He says he stayed an hour to be polite, and then went home to bed, so he could get back to work at 4 a.m.

After SoHo, his next big project was the conversion of Liberty Tower, which paved the way for the residential development of the financial district. “Joe had a real tenderness for the building,” said Kenneth Miller, a screenwriter and publisher who bought one of the first apartments in Liberty Tower in 1980 — an 1,850-square-foot, four-bedroom unit with 17 huge windows. “He painted a picture of the neighborhood as a residential mecca, which no one else could see at the time.”

Liberty Tower has also remained Mr. Lombardi’s principal residence, although he owns four other restored homes in New York State, Vermont and France. His attachment to his converted skyscraper is so great that he refused to leave it on Sept. 11, 2001, though he was just two blocks from ground zero.

He was in a business meeting that morning on a roof in TriBeCa when he saw the first plane hit the North Tower. He raced downtown toward Liberty Tower, against the tide of thousands of frantic people fleeing north.

“It was a bizarre, irrational reaction,” he said. “I was going to go back to my home to defend it against this attack by whoever the hell was flying planes into skyscrapers.”

From his windows at Liberty, he witnessed the horrors of that day; when the first tower collapsed, the shock wave threw him against a wall. He slept that night in a construction mask and woke to an apartment covered in inches of dust.

In the following months, Mr. Lombardi found it difficult to work. “I felt total emptiness, a blackness, a loss of interest in nearly everything,” he said.

A psychiatrist gave him a diagnosis of PTSD, Mr. Lombardi said, and told him his prognosis was “poor.”

The blackness took a year to lift. It was only when a developer told him the financial district was dead that he regained his motivation. “It fired me up,” he said. The challenge of completing new conversions and resurrecting downtown got him back to work. So did the lure of finishing his signature restoration, the Armour-Stiner Octagon House, which he calls — with some understatement — “one of my most obsessive projects.”

When he bought Octagon House from the National Trust for Historic Preservation in 1979 for $75,000, it was in shambles. A unique, eight-sided summer retreat from the Victorian era, the property was shabby and unwanted, its signature dome on the verge of collapse. But as with Liberty Tower, Mr. Lombardi could see past the neglect and felt compelled to resurrect the whimsical beauty of Octagon House — even though the renovations would consume much of the money he’d made in conversions. “It’s a magnificent, lyrical house, and I wanted it to be exactly as it was,’’ he said. “I risked my reputation and my career on it.”

Today, Octagon House looks like it emerged from a time machine set to 1872. The home boasts cast iron railings, detailed scrollwork, a slate roof and a colonnaded wraparound veranda, and is painted a rainbow of exotic colors, including rose, violet, blue and red. Mr. Lombardi likes to quote a visitor’s description of Octagon as “an arrested carousel.”

It is unlikely that another property will captivate him like Octagon House, but he has no interest in retiring. “I can’t imagine that happening,” Mr. Lombardi said. He still rises at 4 a.m. and works 14-hour days, and is now focused mostly on the conversions of offices vacated by people working from home.

“The owners are not making mortgage payments,” Mr. Lombardi said. “At some point, they will be worth zero. I don’t think there’s any other choice but to convert them.”

Mr. Lombardi has a signed agreement and city approval to transform an office building at 660 Madison Avenue — where the ground floor once housed Barneys men’s store — into condominiums. Over the next decade, Mr. Lombardi predicted, market forces and government policy will drive the transformation of hundreds of empty office buildings into condos, co-ops and rental apartments.

He and other architects have shown that even modern office buildings with wide floor plans can be converted — though at considerable expense — by dropping shafts through them to create courtyards and provide windows and light for interior apartments. Today, he noted with pride, his ideas are widely accepted; virtually every architectural firm has a preservation department and does commercial-to-residential conversions.

“The city has continually evolved since the Dutch settled in Lower Manhattan,” he said. “We’ve had many other problems we had to solve. We’ll get it figured out this time, too.”

Exploring New York City’s Buildings

505 State Street: In an ever-changing Downtown Brooklyn, high-rise apartment buildings nearing completion are a familiar sight. But there’s something different about  this one: It will be the first all-electric residential tower  in New York City.

Kingsbridge Armory:  It was supposed to be a mall, and then ice rinks. Nearly 30 years later, a community group may have the best shot at revitalizing the palatial fortress in the Bronx .

Empire State Building: Views of the iconic skyscraper are being obscured by a new 860-foot luxury tower rising just blocks away. Should New York regulate its skyline ?

Morris-Jumel Mansion: The 258-year-old house is the “crown jewel of Sugar Hill” in Manhattan — and a victim of bureaucratic and financial neglect .

Sea View Hospital: The Staten Island complex is now in ruins. But in the 20th century the structure and the Black nurses working in it played a key role in the battle against tuberculosis in the 20th century .

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