About the Artist

Who Sounds Like Who
Shonlock  Jonathan Thulin  Joe Melendrez  NEEDTOBREATHE 

Who Is He
Singer. Songwriter. Actor. Philanthropist. Businessman. Producer. Restaurateur. Fashion Designer. Justin Timberlake is not content with being categorized. As a member of N SYNC, he became a household name but decided to leave at the height of their popularity in order to pursue solo stardom. His solo career was instantly successful, with many hailing him as “the next Michael Jackson”. Indeed, his musicianship and moves drew rightful comparisons to the King of Pop, and he has provided pop music with memorable hits like “Cry Me A River”, “Sexyback” and “Mirrors”. As an actor, he has starred in films alongside Hollywood heavyweights including Clint Eastwood and Ben Affleck. He is also a staple as both a host and performer on Saturday Night Live. Timberlake’s successful clothing line, William Rast, is named after his grandfather. He has won nine Grammy Awards, sold over 18 million solo records worldwide, and an additional 50 million records with N SYNC. Justin married actress Jessica Biel in 2012.

What Are His Messages
Justin Timberlake makes some of the most quality music of any modern pop star. However, most of his earlier work was squarely focused on positioning him as a lothario with only one thing on his mind: sexual conquest. Songs like “Like I Love You”, “Rock Your Body” and “Lovestoned” are pretty straightforward paeans to both his prowess and the desirability of women. As he has grown and gotten married, his content has matured a bit. There are still some songs that praise the various attributes of the woman he loves, but now that woman is his wife. With songs like “Mirrors” and “Not A Bad Thing”, he explores the more mature side of love, addressing lifelong contentment as a spouse and the idea of a significant other complementing him. These themes are certainly more mature than the physically-propelled, one night stand anthems of his past work. It will be interesting to see what messages he explores with his next release.

What Does A Youthworker Need2Know
There is almost certainly no student in your group who doesn’t know who Justin Timberlake is. Known for his multi-pronged hold on popular culture, it is likely that each of your students is a fan of some aspect of his work. He has uniquely positioned himself as one of the most likeable stars of his generation and as such, it can sometimes be difficult to separate his magnetic charm and charisma from his actual work. He is certainly growing and maturing as a person and lyricist, but many of his songs are sexually straightforward and lyrically inappropriate. Some songs are certainly worth discussing though, looking into the ideas of unconditional love with a spouse instead of just sexual satisfaction.