All 'N Sync fans have ever wanted was a reunion. Over 20 years after the band said "bye bye bye," fans finally got what they were waiting for ... and then some.
The boy band of the early aughts — which consists of Joey Fatone, Justin Timberlake, JC Chasez, Lance Bass and Chris Kirkpatrick — reunited for the first time since 2013 at the VMAs on Sept. 12, and soon after released their first song in over 20 years for "Trolls World Tour." Since then, they also went on the YouTube show “Hot Ones” and filmed videos for social media together. Now, fans are hoping for a tour.
In short? Millennials everywhere, Taylor Swift included, are freaking out.
Joey Fatone tells TODAY.com that the feeling of being back together is indescribable.
“It’s one of those things as if we have passed away and (came) back to life in some odd, weird way. And I don’t know how to explain it,” Fatone says. “Just to see the excitement, and it’s interesting to see the older generation showing the younger generation what we did.”
The reunion came, as Fatone shares while promoting his partnership with Heluva Good! Dip, after Timberlake reached out to the four members, asking to work on the song for the next "Trolls" movie, which he stars in and executive producers. The track coincides perfectly with the movie's boy band storyline.
But with all the excitement surrounding the quintet's reunion, Fatone says that doesn't necessarily mean the group is back together.
“It wasn’t even to say, ‘Hey, let’s get the group together. We’re gonna do stuff or let’s tour. Let’s do this.’ It literally was (Justin saying), ‘This is the idea. This is the song. I love for you guys to be a part of it. I don’t know what this means. I don’t know what this is gonna do, but I love for you (to be a part of it),’” he recalls, adding that it felt like a great opportunity.
Fans and fellow boy banders alike are feeling the excitement around the 'N Sync 2023 comeback.
"They’re so happy, they’re so proud. They’re like, ‘Get the heck out there and do it. We’ve been doing it, and I know that you guys have not. It’s only been a matter of time.’”
Joey Fatone on how other '90s boy bands responded
“Funny enough, they’re all supportive,” Fatone says. “I had a conversation with Nick Carter (from the Backstreet Boys), actually had a conversation with Nick Lachey (from 98 Degrees). Nick Lachey mostly was funny ... Every guy from every group was literally like, ‘Dude!’ They’re so happy, they’re so proud. They’re like, ‘Get the heck out there and do it. We’ve been doing it, and I know that you guys have not. It’s only been a matter of time.’”
Fatone adds that the follow-up question he gets from other boy band members is: Do you guys want to go on tour together?
“That’s the thing, we’ve never done anything. We haven’t gone out yet, as far as a group is concerned. So people are always like, ‘Oh, you’re gonna go with New Kids (on the Block)? You’re gonna go with Backstreet? You’re gonna do this?’” he says. “Hold on a second (laughs). Let it play out for a minute. Let it breathe. Literally, the song came out Friday.”
The hype has been so real that even rumors began circulating that ‘N Sync was going to be a part of a large boy band reunion at the Super Bowl halftime show before Usher was announced as the headliner.
Fatone says he has no idea where those rumors began.
“That came out of nowhere. Someone threw that out, I guess, and then ran with it too,” he says. “There was never an approach. No one ever said (anything) ... These things are just people coming out with stuff.”
If people want to manifest a major tour and comeback, Fatone is all for it. He shares that before “Better Place” came out, he didn’t know how it was going to be received by the public.
“It is a really good song, it really is. But you don’t, you never know what’s gonna happen. You don’t know what route it’s gonna go,” he says. “And the same thing for my life. It's been great because I’ve been able to do things with different companies and different people, still keep in touch with the guys. Now I’m doing the same thing, looping around with Heluva Good! Dips.”
While Fatone and the rest of 'N Sync isn't touring anytime soon, heis working with the food brand as it takes its "No Team Required" tailgate tour to four cities across the U.S.: Hoboken, Austin, Charleston and Raleigh.
At each stop, Heluva Good! will donate $25 for every person that attends (up to $5,000 per city) to the local food banks. People can also participate via online and learn more about donations. Fatone will be present on the Thursday, Oct. 5 location in New Jersey, where people will have the chance to win product for a whole year.
Fatone feels both "humbled" and "overwhelmed" by his new projects, including the ‘N Sync reunion.
“It’s very surreal, funny as well,” he reflects. “To have a song on the radio, now again, after that long, it’s weird.”
“It’s been a heluva good time so far to be out there doing something nice, to have something out there and the fans accept,” he says. “It’s very humbling, it’s very overwhelming. I think it really is because of how excited the fans are.”
