Just a day after their long-awaited reunion appearance, fans of NSync finally got a taste of new music from the iconic boy band. On Tuesday, all five members of NSync – Justin Timberlake, JC Chasez, Lance Bass, Joey Fatone, and Chris Kirkpatrick – took to the stage together for the first time in a decade to present an award at the 2023 MTV Video Music Awards. However, the eagerly anticipated musical performance didn’t materialize, much to the chagrin of fans, as the group presented a Moonperson trophy to the overwhelmed Taylor Swift.
The disappointment was short-lived, as NSync fans got their wish on Wednesday night with the release of the trailer for “Trolls Band Together,” the latest installment in the popular animated franchise featuring Justin Timberlake’s voice and music. The trailer featured the song “Better Place,” marking the first new track featuring the original NSync lineup since 2001.
The full song is scheduled to be released on September 29 by RCA Records. “Trolls Band Together,” centered around the fictional reunion of the defunct Troll band BroZone with the tagline “We still got it!,” is set to hit theaters on November 17.
Justin Timberlake’s departure from NSync in 2004 marked a significant turning point for the band, as he embarked on a successful solo career, including hit albums and major movie roles. Nonetheless, hopes for an NSync reunion never fully faded over the past two decades.
The last time all five NSync members appeared together onstage was precisely a decade ago at the 2013 MTV Video Music Awards. They performed a brief medley of “Girlfriend” and “Bye Bye Bye” during Justin Timberlake’s Video Vanguard Award celebration, but the short-lived performance left fans wanting more.
In 2019, NSync’s Lance Bass, JC Chasez, Joey Fatone, and Chris Kirkpatrick made another surprise appearance during Ariana Grande’s Coachella festival headlining set, but Justin Timberlake did not join them. That same year, Bass expressed his enthusiasm for more NSync music, saying, “Look, you don’t have to ask me — I’m in! I would love to do more NSync music. … If there’s any time, it would be right now!”
Tuesday’s appearance at the 2023 VMAs raised expectations of a longer NSync performance, especially given reports of the group recording new music for “Trolls Band Together.” However, NSync did not perform at the awards show; they only presented the Best Pop Video award, which went to Taylor Swift for “Anti-Hero.”
During Swift’s ecstatic acceptance speech, she couldn’t help but ask the burning question on everyone’s minds: “Are you doing something? What’s going to happen now?” While she eagerly anticipated some big news, NSync left fans hanging with no major announcement.
