While Spice Girls and Backstreet Boys fans have been able to see their favorite groups reunite for major tours, ‘NSync devotees have not been so lucky. However, former member Joey Fatone can promise that a comeback tour of some caliber isn’t out of the realm of possibility — even without Justin Timberlake.
“You know, we haven’t had a conversation about anything yet, at the moment. So, never say never, or yes or no,” the “Bye Bye Bye” crooner, 42, told Us Weekly exclusively at the Critics’ Choice Real TV Awards on Sunday, June 2. “I know a lot of people since we did the Coachella thing [with Ariana Grande in April], people are like, ‘What are we doing?’ So it’s one of those things to find out, do we want to do something or do we not? So we haven’t had that conversation yet. Hopefully soon, at some point.”
‘NSync rose to popularity in the late ‘90s/early ‘00s with singles such as “This I Promise You” and “It’s Gonna Be Me” before going on hiatus in 2002. After the group disbanded, Timberlake, 38, went on to launch a wildly successful solo career.
Timberlake, Fatone, Lance Bass, JC Chasez and Chris Kirkpatrick famously reunited at the 2013 MTV Video Music Awards for the “Rock Your Body” crooner’s Michael Jackson Video Vanguard Award performance. All five members were also present to see the group receive a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. However, Timberlake was not present for ‘NSync’s last reunion performance during Ariana Grande’s Coachella set in April.
Timberlake was unable to attend ‘NSync’s Coachella reunion because he was wrapping up his Man of the Woods tour. While he was absent from the group’s Arichella performance, Timberlake posted a picture of his former bandmates and Grande on Instagram with the caption: “You guys killed it last night.”
While it’s uncertain whether Timberlake would be interested in touring alongside his former bandmates, Fatone revealed to Us on Sunday that this would not necessarily prevent them from performing without him.
“We have to have the conversation, even without Justin. The whole thing about it is it’s really awkward. It’s not awkward, but it’s weird,” the Fat One’s owner noted to Us. “People will be like, ‘If Justin doesn’t do it, the group’s not gonna do it.’ That wasn’t even the case. That’s not even the conversation. Everyone’s heads are in different times and different places in our lives.”
Fatone also revealed that the group does remain in contact and they “do have a group chat.”
Bass, 40, spoke with Us at the 29th annual Environmental Media Awards in May about the possibility of ‘NSync touring without Timberlake. “We have not discussed it [yet],” he shared with Us. “You know, it’s something that we probably will be talking about this year.”
With reporting by Lindsay Hoffman