Back in the early 1990s, Britney Spears and Justin Timberlake were both part of The All New Mickey Mouse Club. This program proved to be immensely influential in the talent it produced, introducing young American audiences to many future mega stars of the music and acting worlds. As well as Spears and Timberlake, it brought through Christina Aguilera, Ryan Gosling, Keri Russell and JC Chasez.
In 1993, there was a spectacular performance from pre-teens Spears and Timberlake. They duetted on the song “I Feel For You”, which was written by Prince and released on his 1979 had been originally released by Prince on his 1979 self-titled album. Considering the huge success Spears and Timberlake went on to have, it would be expected to see their talent at this early age. But even so, it’s astonishing to see quite how brilliant their performance is.
In a performance that showcases their dancing skills and singing range, it’s amazing to consider that Timberlake and Spears were 12 and 11 respectively when it took place. It demonstrates how far back their friendship goes. As they began their early careers, Spears as a solo artist, and Timberlake in NSYNC, they famously dated. Unfortunately, this ended painfully for both of them. Timberlake’s song “Cry Me a River” hinted that Spears had cheated on him.
The two young stars continued to put brilliant performances in as part of their time on The All New Mickey Mouse Club. Other videos show them taking the viewers back to their hometowns: Spears to Kentwood, Louisiana, and Timberlake to Memphis, Tennessee. In another video of the pair duetting, which has been viewed over 4.5 million times on YouTube, the pair sing “I’ll Take You There”, originally released by The Staple Singers in 1972.
With this brilliant raw talent, it’s no surprise that both singers went on to have such amazing success. Spears has sold over 150 million records. Her first two albums – …Baby One More Time (1999) and Oops!… I Did It Again (2000) – are two of the biggest-selling albums ever. Timberlake has also been massively successful, both with NSYNC and as a solo artist. He has won countless accolades, including three Brits and ten Grammy Awards.