Justin Timberlake’s chance at Super Bowl performance redemption fell flat
IT took a Prince tribute to rescue Justin Timberlake’s all-style, little-substance and not-a-hell-of-a-lot-of-singing Super Bowl Half Time performance, writes Kathy McCabe.
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IT took a Prince tribute to rescue Justin Timberlake’s all-style, little-substance and not a hell of a lot of singing Super Bowl Half Time performance.
While he had reportedly shelved a duet with a holographic Prince after a protest from the late singer’s friend Sheila E, the Sexy Back singer projected the ‘Purple One’ on a scrim for a duet on I Would Die For You.
It was a curious song choice to pay tribute to the Minneapolis native but any Prince is good Prince and couldn’t help to remind everyone that he remains the King of Half Time after his unforgettable performance in 2007.
Only Beyonce and Lady Gaga have come close to matching that standard in the past decade.
In the lead-up to the gig, both Timberlake and Janet Jackson had quashed hopes of a Super Bowl reunion to recalibrate that Nipplegate scandal of 2004 but he did perform a slice of Rock Your Body, the song which soundtracked the world-changing wardrobe malfunction.
Despite the commercial opportunities of using his half time spot to spruik new album Man Of The Woods, JT judiciously chose only one track from the record, opening his 12 minutes of song and dance with first single Filthy.
That opener, performed on a laser-blasted, club-style stage underneath the stadium set the scene for a set which was devoted to busting moves across multiple stages rather than actual singing.
Few artists could get away with as little heavy lifting in the vocal department during a Super Bowl slot unless you were expecting someone like Britney Spears to lipsync the whole way through it.
Instead of a wardrobe malfunction dogging this year’s show, Timberlake was plagued with audio dramas.
But his setlist was a strong representation of his career and pressed plenty of buttons for fans, from Sexy Back, Cry Me A River, Suit and Tie and Mirror to his most recent Trolls soundtrack-assisted hit Can’t Stop The Feeling.
There is no doubting Timberlake is a master song and dance man but switching between stages for each new track during the medley felt rushed.
And let’s talk about that outfit: camo suit meets country scene shirt. Actually, let’s not and pretend that never happened.
He also missed the memo that selfies with fans in the stand mid show were retired after Ellen at the Oscars circa 2014.
It’s been 14 years since Justin Timberlake last took to the Super Bowl stage, in what was one of the most infamous performances in its history.
Janet Jackson, who joined Timberlake for the show, had an extremely unfortunate wardrobe malfunction when her nipple fell out of her outfit.
Speculation has been rife ever since that it was a publicity stunt, though all parties involved deny this report.
The broadcasters at the time claimed it was all Jackson’s fault, despite the fact it was Timberlake who tugged the material as he sang the lyric “bet I have you naked by the end of this song” as they performed his hit Rock Your Body.
The nip slip was said to have partly inspired the arrival of YouTube two years later.
Jackson’s career bore the brunt of the fallout, as she was banned from performing at the Grammys the following week because she wouldn’t apologise, after having already issued a filmed mea culpa demanded by the Super Bowl broadcasters.
Timberlake did go to the Grammys, accepted two awards and used one of his acceptance speeches to reiterate just how sorry he was.
Originally published as Justin Timberlake’s chance at Super Bowl performance redemption fell flat