Posted August 27, 200717 yr http://www.nndb.com/people/034/000022965/justin-timberlake49-med.jpg How do we love Justin Timberlake? We'd count the ways, but that could take all day. See, even though we're not usually the type to go for pre-fab boy-band fluff, we've been completely won over by Timberlake's late-career, bringer-of-sexy-back makeover. While former contemporaries like Backstreet Boys have been reduced to playing clubs for nostalgic ex-teenyboppers, Timberlake is selling out stadiums and crafting inspired pop music. He's also a capable comic, a promising actor, and most importantly, savvy enough about the media to rise above the tabloid antics of ex-flame Britney Spears. Is there anything Timberlake can't do? Well, an interview with this paper was apparently too much to ask. But we can forgive the guy. Heck, we'll even help tide you over until this weekend's MTS Centre shows (Saturday is sold out, but tickets are still available for Sunday) with a highlight reel of his rise to the top. 1. The Humble Beginnings A Tennessee native, Timberlake honed his vocal skills the old-fashioned way -- in a church -- before moving to Florida and losing on Star Search at the ripe old age of 11. Three years (and countless Mickey Mouse Club sketches) later, he got a taste of stardom as unofficial frontman of the Backstreet Boys ripoff 'N Sync. But it's perhaps a testament to Timberlake that 'N Sync was soon surpassing BSB in both sales and admiration (seriously, try stacking Bye Bye Bye against I Want It That Way -- it sounds positively bad-ass). Even so, when the group went on hiatus in 2002, and Timberlake floated the idea of a CD, his plans were met with skepticism. Which leads us to ... 2. The Knockout Debut Few performers have parlayed boy-band fame into a credible career. One is Timberlake; the other is Michael Jackson. And despite the frequency with which the former pays homage to the latter -- the guy is nothing, if not loyal -- it's been a while since Jacko was a credible source of anything. Timberlake, meanwhile, made converts with his CD Justified, a catchy pop-rock-and-R&B hybrid that owed much to Stevie Wonder, Prince, and well, Jackson. Some of the lyrical content (in particular Cry Me a River) was inspired by his breakup with Britney. For the rest, we can thank ... 3. The Collaborators: On Justified, it was production duo The Neptunes, who wisely paired Timberlake's falsetto with nasty funk drums, Spanish guitar flourishes, and enough attitude to sway even hardened cynics. And Neptunes weren't the only ones thanked in the Justified liner notes. Noted knob-twiddler Timbaland also finessed a few tracks, leading to a continuing partnership that opened the door for Timberlake to share studio time with the likes of Nelly Furtado, 50 Cent and Snoop Dogg. These days, he's even rumoured to be working with Madonna, who likely added the kid to her wish list on the strength of ... 4. The Sophomore Hit On his second album, FutureSex/LoveSounds, Timberlake cranked his Prince fixation up to 11, delivering a disc that's part concept album, part club anthem, and part down-and-dirty make-out record. He also cemented his status as a crossover sensation with such inescapable singles as SexyBack, My Love, and What Goes Around ... The latter is notable for the seven-minute video, which features Timberlake in a karmically charged love triangle with Scarlett Johansson and Shawn Hatosy, whom he may not have met but for his ... 5. Big-Screen Aspirations Seems Timberlake's Mickey Mouse Club stint paid off. Since his first appearance on Saturday Night Live back in 2000, the 26-year-old has garnered strong notices for his comic timing, most recently in the viral video D-- in a Box. But he's also been turning heads as a serious actor, appearing with Christina Ricci in Black Snake Moan, and as a conflicted teen hothead in Alpha Dog. Oh yeah, and he leant his vocal talents to Shrek the Third, taking a less-than-subtle dig at himself by playing a wimpy prep-school bully magnet. If that's not reason enough to love the guy, we're not sure what is Edited August 27, 200717 yr by Dino
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