**Pardon the abundance of Justin Timberlake/Michael Jackson posts as of late…this is quite the week for them…and I feel it is only natural I share my excitement. #fangirllife**
Master Class Highlights…
Justin Timberlake’s advice on hard work, dedication and
becoming a “master” at your craft…
*Just say “Amen”
*Defeat isn’t failure
*It won’t be easy
*Give it a shot
*Remember this moment
*Step out on your own
*It’s about the song
*Sexyback
*Make ’em laugh
*Finish what you start
*Love
*Always be a beginner
Key Quotes that stuck with me
“I learned what success and defeat meant and that they really didn’t matter.”
[on his experience on losing “Star Search” as a child.]
“The most valuable piece of advice I ever got was from my mother, she said to me, I want you to know that you have a gift. None of us know where it came from, but you have a gift. And that gift is going to make your life more challenging in a way, because it’s going to test your character. She said, you know just because you have this thing that you do really well, that’s instinctive and natural to you, it doesn’t mean that you are better than anyone else. And to the point your gonna have to work harder to realize that.”
“We didn’t know anything about anything, but we knew we could sing together.”
[on the formation and great success of *NSYNC at such a young age.]
“I remember looking at JC and saying “Remember this moment, because there’s a very good chance that nothing like this will ever happen again.””
[on shutting down Times Square while appearing on TRL for the release of
*NSYNC’s “No Strings Attached.”]
“I was 19 going on 20, and I really felt like it was time for me to figure out who I was as an artist…to find my own voice. I would wake up every morning feeling more and more of an urge to step out on my own, to try my own hand as a musician.”
“It’s one of the best/worst things that I have ever done…it was bittersweet…it was hard to say goodbye to that era. But I felt it changing. I felt music changing and I felt myself changing.”
[on his decision to go solo.]
***I’m really happy that there was a decent segment on *NSYNC, I feel like I’ve been uncertain on the details of his departure for so many years, I’m glad we finally got some answers.***
“I like being a beginner. I like looking at everyone and saying, I have no idea how to do this…let’s figure it out.”
“To be a master at something it takes a long time, at a high level and for me the way to do that is to always be a beginner.”
“Continue to do the thing maybe you think you cannot do, because you find out what you’re made of, you find out what material you’re made of.”
“Just because you get married, doesn’t mean you stop dating…that’s what keeps it exciting for me, I think.”
“I had to convince people that it was my song, people didn’t even think it was me, they thought it was a joke.” [On Sexyback’s release.]
***I have to admit I was one of those people. When I first heard it, I thought there was something wrong with the track. I kind of hated it, and I remember being so upset because I was such a fan and I was so in love with Justified. “Sexyback” was like nothing I had ever heard, and I didn’t get it, but then it just grows on you. And I guess that was kind of the point. Hence, why it became (and still is) one of the most iconic Pop songs. No matter how many years go by, when that song starts playing at his concerts, people just lose their minds. It just gets in your veins, and I think he knew that. Trust your instincts people, trust them.***
“People kept telling me, “This will never work,” but I just kept saying “Just put the song out.””
[On choosing Sexyback as his first single off his sophomore album.]
“I knew that I was going to make a living off of the one thing everyone told me not to do.”
[On becoming a musician.]
“Loving what you do is extremely valuable.”
“If you’re not moving forward within it, your doing yourself a disservice.”
“You’re not meant to do what’s easy, you’re meant to challenge yourself.”
The Michael Jackson Stor(ies)
“I think I pulled every “Thriller” move out that I could.”
[on auditioning for the Mickey Mouse Club.]
Justin Timberlake drops a major song bomb on us *NSYNC fans as he admits the mega *NSYNC hit “Gone” was originally written for Michael.
Justin had thought the song had not been heard. But then got a call from the King himself asking for a duet, instead.
At that point *NSYNC had already cut the record as a part of their third studio album. Justin inquired about doing an *NSYNC ft. Michael Jackson, or Michael Jackson ft. *NSYNC track.
“He was very absolute about the fact that he wanted it to be a duet between him and I.”
“I can’t…and… I’m literally punching myself…”
*****HaHaHaHa damn that must have been rough, it’s the freakin’ KING calling you asking for a duet on a track YOU wrote for HIM…damn I gotta say after all the shit I give him for always snubbing *NSYNC, I have to say that I was very proud of him for honoring them and keeping “Gone” an *NSYNC track…although if there is a MJ/JT “Gone” duet out there that can possibly resurface in the near future, I will need to be picked up off the floor. HOWEVER, I honestly can’t imagine that song being sung any other way. *NSYNC fan at heart, always.*****
Fast Forward to the year 2014…
“Love Never Felt So Good”– Michael Jackson & Justin Timberlake…guess you both got your duet! (and so did the rest of the world…we’ve been waiting on such magic!)
“I think it’s the first idea that I ever got about doing something on my own. Because it was the first time I ever really felt the confidence to do it. I knew that the music that I was interested in and writing at the time was different than what we and previously done, and it felt like a real departure. I never told anybody that Michael Story.”
***I was kind of slapped in the face by this story, it was kind of bizarre to me. I was just like hold up wait, is this real, did you just make that up? It made me all kinds of happy, yet sad. In a nutshell I guess we can all blame Michael Jackson for the demise of *NSYNC. hahahhahahaha lmaoooo ;)***
***P.S. Cool side-note***
*Justified’s hit “Rocky Your Body” was originally written for Michael Jackson by The Neptunes, but when he passed on the track, it later became Timberlake’s 2003 hit single.*
Justin explains that growing up in Memphis, Tennessee they didn’t have concerts make their way to them often, and if they did he didn’t get to go because his family was on a budget.
“I never saw Michael Jackson perform live until I was on stage with him. I only saw videos of it…it wasn’t Michael Jackson, it was Michael Jackson’s songs. We had the radio. [I grew up admiring] the movies, tv shows, songs…the thing that was being made.”
His relationship with his mom is so beautiful, I can’t even tell you how many times he mentioned her throughout that interview.
Justin first got his courage to sing in Church and the relaxed pressure free platform it created. Singing helped him to learn more about who he was as a person. Justin also goes on to explain how he never really felt like he ever fit one mold; with various interests in all walks of music, movies, and comedy Justin gives 115% to everything he does. And makes it look easy. Something he says is even harder to do, “to make it look easy is the hardest part.” In this documentary Justin gives key advice to becoming your own driving motivation and how to follow your dreams. Justin also explains how we should always be beginners, continue to learn our craft, try new things within our craft, and be thankful. That no matter what it is you do, things are going to be received in different ways, it shouldn’t change your ambitions or why you’re there, or why you were apart of the project in the first place. You’re not responsible for how other people receive whatever art you put out. Between the baby Justin flashbacks on Star Search and The Mickey Mouse Club , and all the old *NSYNC footage, and his savvy yet adorable story telling of his experiences with his musical heroes, I swear your heart is bound to melt. It was a joy to watch Justin in such a candid interview. There’s a good story about his performing with the Stones, that you really should tune in for!
Justin Timberlake is slowly becoming a master at his craft, but has a lot more in him. And we will be singing his songs and watching his success for years to come. I swear the way my parents recall Michael Jackson, The Jackson 5, and Elvis to me, I can safely say I cannot wait to school my future kids on the greatest of “my time;” Justin Timberlake.
Catch Oprah’s Master Class On Demand
or HERE
**I do not take any credit for any images.**
-<3-
Michelle Leigh Writes 