Published by Cel Manero from Global One Media Inc.
During his Coachella performance on Saturday, April 18, Justin Bieber showed a throwback clip of himself singing Cry Me a River by Justin Timberlake.
Two of pop music’s most well-known Justins recently showed appreciation for each other.
While headlining Coachella on Saturday, April 18, Justin Bieber surprised fans by playing an old clip of himself—before he was famous—performing Cry Me a River, originally by Justin Timberlake. He even joined in, singing along with the crowd.
Following the performance, Timberlake, 45, posted a nostalgic video showing a young, enthusiastic Bieber meeting him for the first time. The clip captures a short interaction between the two before they pose together for a photo. Also present in the room were Bieber’s former manager Scooter Braun and Timberlake’s wife, Jessica Biel.
In another post, Timberlake shared footage from Bieber’s Coachella rendition of “Cry Me a River.” During the performance, Bieber told the audience he grew up listening to Timberlake and other artists he admired, recalling the moment vividly. He also joked that the guitar in the old clip was slightly out of tune as he sang along with his younger self.
Timberlake accompanied his post with a supportive message, acknowledging Bieber’s journey and noting that success doesn’t always come easily. He expressed pride in Bieber and encouraged him to feel the same about himself, sending his support.
Although the two artists have yet to officially release a collaboration, DJ Khaled revealed back in 2021 that he had missed a FaceTime call from both stars. At the time, he shared that he was working on mixing their vocals for a track, though the song was never made public.
Bieber originally uploaded his “Cry Me a River” cover in 2008, long before his rise to fame.
During his second weekend set at Coachella, Bieber also brought out several surprise guests. Billie Eilish—a longtime fan—joined him on stage for “One Less Lonely Girl,” while SZA teamed up with him to perform “Snooze.”