’90s and 2000s pop group NSYNC reunited for the first time in almost exactly a decade with a surprise performance at the 2023 MTV Video Music Awards.
Justin Timberlake, 42, JC Chasez, 47, Joey Fatone, 46, Lance Bass, 44, and Chris Kirkpatrick, 51, all took the stage at the VMAs to present the night’s first award: Best Pop, Almost Ten Years following their reunion performance at the 2013 VMAs.
The NSYNC performance was unveiled just hours before the show, and when they took the stage together, pop icon Taylor Swift jumped to her feet in complete amazement.
She was seen saying: ‘Are you kidding me?’ before covering her mouth in shock, as all five members took the stage – all wearing tie-less suits of different cuts and colors.
Timberlake bowed to the crowd, who gave them a raucous ovation, as they once again showed off a stunned Swift…
Ten years of waiting: ’90s and 2000s pop group NSYNC reunite for the first time in almost exactly a decade with a surprise performance at the 2023 MTV Video Music Awards
Reunion: Justin Timberlake, 42, JC Chasez, 47, Joey Fatone, 46, Lance Bass, 44, and Chris Kirkpatrick, 51, all took the stage at the VMAs to present the night’s first award: Best Pop, Almost a decade from their reunion performance at the 2013 VMAs (above)
Stunned: The NSYNC performance was revealed just hours before the show, and when they took the stage together, pop icon Taylor Swift jumped up completely stunned
“Hello VMAs! More than twenty years ago we were just kids won the award for best pop video for Bye-bye bye. It was our first VMA and it meant a lot to us,” Chasez said.
Kirkpatrick added, “That award was validation of our hard work and, well, we might have won for Pop again,” before asking, “Do you guys remember that?”
Bass continues, “A lot has changed in the last twenty years, but the one thing that remains the same is that a creative, groundbreaking video leaves a lasting impression for decades.
Fatone said, “We just wanted to thank you, MTV, and especially all of you. Thank you so much, each and every one of you, for supporting your favorite music artists. Thanks guys.”
They presented the award for Best Pop, which Taylor Swift won for Anti-Hero, beating Demi Lovato (Swine), Dua Lipa (Dance the Night), Ed Sheeran (Eyes Closed), Miley Cyrus (Flowers), Olivia Rodrigo (Vampire) ) and P!nk (Trustfall).
Timberlake announced the winner as ‘The Unstoppable Taylor Swift’ as she took the stage and gave each of the NSYNC members a hug, clearly still stunned, with Lance Bass even giving her a custom friendship bracelet.
‘I’m not doing well switching from this to this. I had your dolls. Are you doing something? What is going to happen now? They’re going to do something and I need to know what it is,” Swift said of the group, assuming they’re getting back together to announce a new tour or album.
‘You are… you are the personification of pop, so to receive this from your golden pop hands is… really, it’s too much. Thanks for the friendship bracelets,” she added.
20 years: ‘Hello VMAs! More than twenty years ago we were just kids won the award for best pop video for Bye-bye bye. It was our first VMA and it meant a lot to us,” Chasez said
Thank you: Fatone said, “We just wanted to say thank you, MTV, and especially all of you. Thank you so much, each and every one of you, for supporting your favorite music artists. Thanks guys’
Bracelet: Timberlake announced the winner as ‘The Unstoppable Taylor Swift’ as she took the stage and gave each of the NSYNC members a hug, clearly still stunned, with Lance Bass even giving her a custom friendship bracelet
Turning: ‘I’m not doing well turning from this to this. I had your dolls. Are you doing something? What is going to happen now? They’re going to do something and I need to know what it is,” Swift said of the group, assuming they reunite to announce a new tour or album.
Elevator: The group also shared a short video of them all in an elevator before their breathtaking performance
“I love making pop music, I love making pop music videos, I love making country too. “I love dabbling between different genres and the only reason I get to do that is because you, the fans, gave me the opportunity to do that,” she said to applause.
“It’s all one big adventure and it’s all so challenging to challenge myself to make music that’s different from what I made last time, and I just love it. But I really love making pop music, so thank you very much,” Swift concluded.
Although the group didn’t provide any details during the VMAs, it was announced in August that they would all be reuniting in the upcoming film Trolls Band Together.
Timberlake returns as Branch, while the other four members will also have acting roles, with their first song in 20 years – Take You To a Better Place – set to appear on the film’s soundtrack.”
The group also shared a short video of them all in an elevator before their spectacular performance.