Justin Timberlake says he once cursed at Michael Jackson because he thought someone was impersonating the singer on the phone. He did not realize he was speaking to one of his musical idols.
The 45-year-old revisited the encounter with Jordan Rose on the November 5 episode of Complex’s Re-Rank.
The call concerned “Gone,” the ballad Timberlake co-wrote with Wade Robson and sang with *NSYNC on the group’s 2001 album, Celebrity.
Timberlake had previously discussed Jackson’s proposed collaboration on Oprah’s Master Class in 2014. As ABC News reported then, he credited the experience with helping him find the confidence to consider a solo career.
Timberlake Told the Caller to Lose His Number
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The call came from an unfamiliar number and opened with “Hi, Apple Head,” according to TMZ.
Timberlake recalled telling the person to “lose my number” and swearing during the exchange, according to HOLA’s account of the interview.
Jackson eventually made clear who was speaking. Timberlake realized what he had done and began apologizing.
Jackson Wanted a Duet Without the Rest of NSYNC
Timberlake had originally envisioned “Gone” as a song for Jackson. After being told it had been passed over, he brought it to an *NSYNC A&R meeting, and the group recorded it.
Jackson subsequently heard the finished version and contacted Timberlake about recording it himself. His proposal was for the two of them to sing it together, even though the song was already out.
Timberlake suggested including his bandmates, offering the possibility of a record credited to Jackson featuring *NSYNC or the group featuring Jackson. But Jackson wanted the collaboration to involve only Timberlake.
“I can’t turn my back on what I’ve already committed to with the fellas,” Timberlake recalled telling him.
He declined the proposal while expressing hope that they could work together on something else in the future. Their new version of “Gone” was never recorded.
Timberlake Later Appeared on a Posthumous Jackson Duet
Timberlake released his debut solo album, Justified, in 2002. More than a decade later, his voice appeared alongside Jackson’s on a different song.
In 2014, Timberlake featured on a duet version of “Love Never Felt So Good,” combining his performance with Jackson’s archival vocals. Jackson had died in June 2009.
The recording appeared on the deluxe edition of Xscape, which arrived in the United States on May 13, 2014, according to Epic Records. Timberlake also co-produced the duet with Timbaland and Jerome “JRoc” Harmon.