Justin Timberlake steals the Super Bowl halftime show
Singer paid spectacular tribute to Prince and posed for mid-show selfie with lucky teen

The Philadelphia Eagles might have beat the odds to notch up their first-ever Super Bowl victory last night - but the real stars of the show were Justin Timberlake, Prince and a 13-year-old boy.
The 37-year-old singer’s halftime show set got millions of TV viewers talking - and unlike his last Super Bowl appearance, it was for all the right reasons. His 2004 performance with Janet Jackson went down in pop-culture history after the latter’s “wardrobe malfunction”.
This time around, Timberlake wowed 66,000 spectators at Minneapolis’ US Bank Stadium and millions watching at home with a spectacular light show in tribute to their hometown hero, Prince.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Timberlake performed Prince’s I Would Die 4 U, accompanied by a projection of the legendary artist, who died in April 2016.
“An overhead shot showed the arena was covered in purple lighting that morphed into Prince's trademark symbol in a touching tribute,” says Rolling Stone.
But while JT thrilled fans with a medley of old school hits, including Cry Me A River, Rock Your Body and SexyBack, his 12-minute set was almost upstaged by a teenager.
A 13-year-old Massachusetts schoolboy, identified as Ryan, was beamed into millions of homes standing inches from Timberlake but apparently transfixed by his phone.
The moment quickly went viral, as Twitter users speculated what was keeping the teenager so preoccupied:
However, Ryan told ABC News that he had been experiencing technical difficulties. “At first I tried to get a selfie with him, and my phone died, and then it turned back on,” he said.
Ryan eventually succeeded, bagging a once-in-a-lifetime snap of himself alongside Timberlake:
“Everyone in my row was telling me I was all over Twitter and stuff and my phone exploded,” he said. “I've probably gotten like 45-50 calls in like the last 20 minutes.”
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
-
Following the Tea Horse Road in China
The Week Recommends This network of roads and trails served as vital trading routes
By The Week UK Published
-
Crossword: March 30, 2025
The Week's daily crossword
By The Week Staff Published
-
Sudoku hard: March 30, 2025
The Week's daily hard sudoku puzzle
By The Week Staff Published
-
Eagles trounce Chiefs in Super Bowl LIX
speed read The Philadelphia Eagles beat the Kansas City Chiefs 40-22
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Super Bowl LVII: Chiefs beat Eagles 38-35
Speed Read
By Catherine Garcia Published
-
Super Bowl LVII prepares for kickoff in Arizona
Speed Read
By Justin Klawans Published
-
Chiefs, Eagles make it to Super Bowl LVII
Speed Read
By Peter Weber Published
-
Who's going to win Super Bowl LVII?
Speed Read The arguments for and against both teams
By Brigid Kennedy Published
-
Rihanna to headline 2023 Super Bowl Halftime Show
Speed Read
By Catherine Garcia Published
-
NFL Super Bowl LVI: preview, predictions and London screenings
feature The Los Angeles Rams face the Cincinnati Bengals at SoFi Stadium
By Mike Starling, The Week UK Last updated
-
Videos: Kansas City Chiefs celebrate Super Bowl LIV victory
In Depth Patrick Mahomes leads Chiefs to a superb comeback win against the 49ers
By The Week Staff Published