It happened and it was awesome! ’NSync (minus Justin Timberlake) reunited for Ariana Grande’s 2019 Coachella performance on Sunday, April 14.
Joey Fatone, Lance Bass, Chris Kirkpatrick and JC Chasez joined Grande onstage to perform their hit “Tearing Up My Heart,” complete with choreography. “I’ve been preparing my whole f–king life for this,” the singer told fans. She was also joined by Nicki Minaj, Diddy and Mase during her set.
A source confirmed to Us Weekly that the “Thank U, Next” singer, 25, was going to bring out the ’90s boyband during her set at the music festival in Indio, California, and Chasez teased the appearance earlier on Sunday.
“Mic check, mic check one… two… is this thing on?!?” he tweeted.
…… sure is 🖤 https://t.co/fhN2ixRwFX
— Ariana Grande (@ArianaGrande) April 14, 2019
“…… sure is,” Grande replied with a black heart emoji.
Speculation began that the “Bye, Bye, Bye” singers were going to join Grande after she posted a couple of ’NSync-related videos on her Instagram earlier this week. In one of the clips she was seen as a child being held by her mom, Joan Grande, in the audience at the group’s July 1999 concert in Sunrise, Florida.
She followed it up with a video of herself doing the choreography from ’NSync’s 1997 hit “Tearing’ Up My Heart.”
Tune in now https://t.co/kRjOZ0KCue @coachella @ArianaGrande pic.twitter.com/fc1tOLyayb
— *NSYNC (@NSYNC) April 15, 2019
“The best medicine,” she captioned the clip. “90s baby.”
Grande’s manager, Scooter Braun, also teased fans over #Arichella and the possible collaboration, tweeting on Wednesday, April 10, “Coachella you have no idea what’s coming!!!!” He also retweeted Grande’s exchange with Chasez.
It’s not the first reunion for ’NSync since they broke up in 2002 after seven hit-filled years. The group got together in April 2018 when they received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
They also memorably reunited for the 2013 MTV Video Music Awards, where they performed a medley of their biggest hits in honor of Timberlake winning the Video Vanguard/Michael Jackson award that year.
While Timberlake was absent on Sunday night, he had a good reason — the singer wrapped his Man of the Woods tour on Saturday, April 13.