For months, Justin Timberlake has been under fire ever since his 'lazy' The Forget Tomorrow World Tour trended online. Now, the 44-year-old pop icon reveals the hidden truth behind his recent struggles: a battle with Lyme disease, which may have had something to do with his on-stage issues.
What's Up with Justin Timberlake's 'Lazy Tour' Trend?
The trend first sprouted when Justin made his live performance in Dublin on June 28th, where he sang the first few words to Can't Stop the Feeling, his most iconic song from the animated Trolls movie.
The song reminded fans how the character he voiced, Branch, rediscovered his passion for singing, only for Justin to ironically leave the rest of the show up to the fans.
As soon as Justin sang, "I got this..." he left the microphone on center-stage, hyping the audience to sing the entire song as he lurked the stage, with the next lyric being, "'Cause I got that..."
This brought fans to post their satirical take on the viral video, with most of them emulating the energy Justin gave them that night. From POV: When singers become too lazy to actually sing at their own concerts, to When you pay for a concert but get a mute singer, the fans piled on the entire incident.
Other fans refused to encourage the trend and defended Justin, most of whom said the Grammy-winning hitmaker may be going through medical and personal struggles behind the scenes.
All jokes and defense aside, though, the singer made the decision to finally disclose what was going on behind closed doors, declaring that he is indeed going through a 'debilitating' health battle that he kept from fans.
What Happened to Justin Timberlake, Really? Lyme Disease Diagnosis Explained
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Justin Timberlake has recently been diagnosed with Lyme Disease, an infection caught from tick bites, which causes muscle pain, brain fog, swollen joints, and fatigue, which could last for a few weeks. In rare cases, for years. It is also worth mentioning that the bacterial infection is rarely fatal, according to the FDA.
"This has been the most fun, emotional, gratifying, physically demanding, and at times, grueling experience," Justin wrote on his Instagram post, "I have been doing this for 30+ years (which feels crazy to say) — and have given all that I have to this. I could not have done it without my family, friends, The TN Kids, and all of YOUR support."
Justin continued to admit that while he usually keeps things to himself, he knew he had to address the tour: "Among other things, I've been battling some health issues, and was diagnosed with Lyme disease — which I don't say so you feel bad for me — but to shed some light on what I've been up against behind the scenes."
Instead of dwelling on the diagnosis, he hoped to spread the joy and hope that he managed to face this despite the struggle. "I was faced with a personal decision. Stop touring? Or keep going and figure it out. I decided the joy that performing brings me far outweighs the fleeting stress my body was feeling. I'm so glad I kept going."
Timberlake's candidness ultimately reframes past criticisms, inviting fans to gain a deeper understanding of what the artist has been through.
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