It may seem like people have been snapping up Justin Timberlake tickets for
eons, but the truth is that he’s still a young artist. Timberlake has already
experienced an enormous amount of success, and his career path looks like it’s
going to take him to places where few have traveled before him. He has every
“talent” a star could ever want - singing and dancing ability, good looks, a
stage presence and a loyal legion of fans. A look at his life and career to this
point will help define just how he’s gotten to this point and where his future
could take him.
Early Life
Justin Randall Timberlake was born on
January 31, 1981 in the musical city of Memphis. Timberlake was introduced to
the art of musical performance early in life, as his father was a choir director
at a Baptist church, and Justin was exposed to the gospel genre almost
immediately.
He spent his childhood admiring all things involving song
and dance, and ventured into the musical world at the age of 13, when he joined
the Mickey Mouse Club. It was here that he was exposed to several future stars,
including future girlfriend Britney Spears, singer Christina Aguilera and future
band mate JC Chasez. The show ended two years later, and Timberlake had become
inspired.
Band Beginnings
After the Mickey Mouse Club ended,
Timberlake recruited Chasez to join a new all-male band he was forming with
another childhood friend, Chris Kilpatrick. The band would come to be known as
‘N Sync. The group started touring relentlessly in 1996, and most of their early
shows were in Europe. The band noticed almost immediately that they were gaining
popularity, and returned to the United States in 1998.
They played
several shows around the country after their return, and they began to work in
the studio. They ultimately released their first album that same year, entitled
*NSync. The album was an instant smash hit, as it sold over 10 million copies.
The band released three subsequent albums over the next three years, and all of
them went multiple platinum. Basically, a star was born.
New
Direction
After their fourth album, ‘N Sync decided to take some time
off, and Timberlake decided to work on a solo effort. It took months of
production, but Timberlake ultimately released Justified in 2002, and the album
was also a smash hit, selling over 7 million copies around the world. Timberlake
also promoted the album with several live shows, and Justin Timberlake tickets
were just as popular as his album.
Timberlake also began to attack his
squeaky-clean boy band image, as the lyrics in the album touched on his
much-publicized breakup with Britney Spears and was generally more “adult” in
theme. Timberlake also began to branch out by playing gigs with artists such as
the Black Eyed Peas and Christina Aguilera, and his status as an icon began to
take shape.
Controversy
Timberlake became best known because of an
ironic twist. He was chosen to perform the halftime show at Super Bowl XXXVIII
with Janet Jackson, and during their dance routine, a “wardrobe malfunction”
revealed Jackson’s breast on worldwide television. Timberlake “made good” with
the public by accepting a demand for an apology during the next Grammy Awards
ceremony, while Jackson refused. As a result, Timberlake’s role in the issue has
been largely forgotten.
Future Possibilities
Timberlake is
planning to take his success to new heights, as he is beginning to dabble in
acting and other interests. However, he doesn’t appear to have lost interest in
music, so Justin Timberlake tickets will be on the market for many years, and
his possibilities are limitless.