Bieber Pays Tribute to Timberlake at Coachella

Justin Bieber paid tribute to his musical idol Justin Timberlake during his headlining performance at the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival in Indio, California, on Saturday, April 18, 2026. The 32-year-old singer played a vintage video of himself as a child covering Timberlake's 2002 hit "Cry Me a River" and sang along with the crowd, marking a nostalgic highlight of his Weekend 2 set.

Bieber introduced the moment by reflecting on his early influences. "I grew up listening to Justin Timberlake and so many other beautiful talents, but I remember this like it was yesterday," he told the audience, as the clip from his 2008 YouTube cover played on the jumbotron. He added a lighthearted note about his younger self: "Guitar was out of tune." The performance revived memories of Bieber's pre-fame days, when he first gained attention online as a teenager.

In response, Timberlake, 45, shared a heartfelt Instagram post on Monday, April 20. He uploaded a rarely seen throwback video from one of their earliest meetings, showing a prepubescent Bieber chatting with Timberlake at what appeared to be the singer's home. Timberlake's then-girlfriend, now-wife Jessica Biel, captured the...