Entertainment

Here's The Reason Justin Timberlake Missed *NSYNC's Reunion Performance With Ariana Grande

by Kelli Boyle
Alberto E. Rodriguez/Getty Images/Mike Coppola/Getty Images for Billboard

*NSYNC, you're all I ever wanted. You're all I ever needed. So tell me what to do now, 'cause I want you back — with or without Justin Timberlake! In case you've been living under a rock, Ariana Grande brought *NSYNC on stage to perform with her at Coachella on Sunday, April 14. To the disappointment of some fans, however, Justin Timberlake wasn't part of the performance. But the reason why Justin Timberlake missed *NSYNC's Coachella reunion with Ariana Grande makes a lot of sense. He just didn't have the time.

Joey Fatone was met by TMZ reporters at Los Angeles International Airport on Monday, April 15, just a day after he reunited on stage with Lance Bass, JC Chasez, and Chris Kirkpatrick. Naturally, Fatone was asked why Justin Timberlake was nowhere to be seen during their epic Coachella performance with Grande. (They sang part of "It Makes Me Ill" and all of "Tearin' Up My Heart," in case you were wondering. It was majestic.) His response? JT's solo touring schedule was just too grueling to fit in more rehearsals, but he apparently did try to make a full *NSYNC reunion happen.

"He was still doing his tour," Fatone told TMZ. "He just finished his tour, so he wasn't able to come back to do rehearsals with us." Fatone never has an ounce of bitterness whenever he talks about Timberlake and *NSYNC, so his comments really were just that of an understanding friend. The TMZ reporter pressed a little more, doubting that Timberlake couldn't fit this reunion into his schedule.

"No, he wasn't able to, man," he said, "I mean, think about it. You've been doing a long tour. Would you want to do something after that?" Timberlake's last performance of his Man Of The Woods tour was on Saturday, April 13, and the *NSYNC reunion was slated for April 14, so it makes sense that he couldn't fit this performance into his schedule.

Following their epic Coachella performance, fans are begging the group to get back together and tour.

When Fatone asked if that's in the cards, he said, "Who knows? I always say never say never." Just give us a tour already!

People were so pumped to see *NSYNC take the stage with Ariana Grande at Coachella on Sunday.

They first came on stage to sing a mashup of Grande's "Break Up With Your Girlfriend, I'm Bored" and their "It Makes Me Ill" (which Lance Bass says is his favorite *NSYNC song). Then, Grande and *NSYNC cranked the '90s nostalgia up to 100 by performing all of "Tearin' Up My Heart" with the original music video choreo.

While some fans were bummed Timberlake couldn't make it, others were fine with his absence. It gave JC Chasez the chance to shine as the solo frontman for once.

And let's be real, Chasez has deserved some shine for a hell of a long time.

I'm just sayin'... homeboy deserves more than what time has given him.

I'm also just sayin' that if the only way I'm going to see an *NSYNC concert again before I die means JC, Joey, Lance, and Chris have to tour without Justin... then so be it. Give me an *NSYNC reunion tour, or give me death!!