Justin Timberlake recently made his highly anticipated comeback appearance on “Saturday Night Live,” performing his new single, “Selfish,” from his upcoming album, “Everything I Thought It Was.” Despite receiving mostly positive reviews, it seems that Timberlake’s ex-girlfriend, Britney Spears, has outshined him on the charts. Spears’ 2011 song, also titled “Selfish,” reached the number one position on iTunes, leaving Timberlake trailing behind. This unfortunate turn of events has only added to the long-standing feud between the former couple.
Timberlake’s return to Studio 8H marked his first appearance on “Saturday Night Live” in a decade. The performance of “Selfish” was met with excitement and anticipation. Fellow entertainer and close friend, Jimmy Fallon, introduced Timberlake to the stage, adding to the hype surrounding his comeback. However, the reception on the charts did not match the enthusiasm of his fans.
In a twist of fate, Spears’ fans propelled her lesser-known track, “Selfish,” from the deluxe edition of her album “Femme Fatale,” to the number one position on iTunes. This surge in popularity occurred shortly after Timberlake’s release. Although both songs have now fallen a few spots, Spears continues to surpass Timberlake in terms of chart performance. This unexpected success has left Timberlake’s fans and industry insiders questioning his comeback strategy.
The tension between Timberlake and Spears dates back to their highly publicized breakup in 2002. Timberlake released the hit single “Cry Me a River,” in which he accused Spears of infidelity. The music video even featured a look-alike portraying Spears. This event marked the beginning of a long-standing feud between the two artists. Last year, Spears further fueled the fire with the release of her memoir, “The Woman in Me,” in which she detailed their tumultuous three-year relationship. In the book, she claimed to have undergone an abortion because Timberlake was not ready to become a father at the time. She also accused Timberlake of appropriating Black culture, citing his adoption of a “blaccent” when he first met R&B singer Ginuwine. These revelations only intensified the ill feelings between the former couple.
Following Spears’ allegations, social media users were quick to comment on Timberlake’s recent performance of “Sanctified” on “Saturday Night Live.” The performance featured rapper and singer Tobe Nwigwe and a black church congregation. Some criticized Timberlake for what they perceived as cultural appropriation, with one person tweeting, “#JustinTimberlake showing up on #SNL with a whole Black Church congregation… the only thing missing was his cornrows and Ginuwine.” Another user expressed their disappointment, saying, “So this has-been thinks he’s going to put out a song called ‘Sanctified’ using mostly Black people in the band/background singers and rapper, create the setting as a small town Black church to prop his no-singing azz up. Go back into retirement.” This backlash reflects the lingering resentment towards Timberlake within certain communities.
“Everything I Thought It Was” is Timberlake’s first album since 2018’s “Man of the Woods.” The release of his new album has been described as the beginning of an ambitious era for the Grammy-winning artist, with plans for a concert tour in the works. Despite this vision, the underperformance of “Selfish” raises doubts about the reception and success of Timberlake’s comeback. It remains to be seen whether he can regain his standing in the music industry.
Since their breakup, both Timberlake and Spears have moved on in their personal lives. Timberlake married actress Jessica Biel in 2012, and they have two sons together. Spears shares two sons with her ex-husband Kevin Federline. Last year, her third marriage to Sam Asghari ended in divorce after just over a year. These personal milestones highlight the divergent paths that both artists have taken since their highly publicized relationship.
Justin Timberlake’s comeback on “Saturday Night Live” fell short compared to the unexpected success of Britney Spears’ song of the same name. Despite his highly anticipated return and positive reviews, Spears continues to outshine Timberlake in terms of chart performance. The tension and resentment stemming from their past relationship have only added fuel to the fire. Timberlake’s comeback album, “Everything I Thought It Was,” now faces the challenge of creating a lasting impact in the music industry. Only time will tell if he can overcome this setback and regain his previous level of success.
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