An American pop rocker in Paris
By Kendis Gibson
CNN Headline News
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Justin Timberlake
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(CNN) -- It's hard to believe that with several number ones on his resume, and millions of albums sold worldwide, Justin Timberlake has never rocked Paris.
The city of lights and fashion capital of the world is, in many ways, the entertainment capital of Europe. So how is it that one of the biggest young entertainers of today, whose glitzy life has been tabloid fodder in French gossip and fashion mags, has never performed there?
It just was never on his schedule according to Timberlake. For one thing, his group NSYNC was never big in France, and his solo work is only now beginning to hit it big.
So imagine the excitement and overall vibe in the city as the anticipation was building.
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Metro stops around the city were plastered for months with posters announcing his impending arrival. Although it was hard for non-French speakers to understand what the radio stations were saying exactly, the occasional mentions of "Justin Timberlake" were more than enough indication.
His stop at a McDonalds on the Champs Elysees prior to his concert made many of the country's respected journals, including Le Figaro. And M6 music, similar to MTV, featured a daylong Justin Timberlake video marathon. Who knew he had so many songs to his name?
The show took place the Saturday after Thanksgiving at Paris Bercy, the concert arena on the southern edge of the city. By the time Timberlake hit the stage (following a less than mediocre performance by the Black Eyed Peas) there was a lot to live up to, and the audience expected a lot.
He opened with the one song that's been a huge hit in Paris, "Rock Your Body." The security guards and barriers were tested to their limits trying to keep back the general admission crowd. His partial lip-syncing rendition of the song had the entire arena rocking.
He followed up with a couple of songs from his CD that perhaps only die-hard Timberlake fans would know. But the boy-bander's dance moves, and exciting control of the stage kept most of the fans on their feet. Just enough for his return to more familiar fare, such as "Girlfriend," and "Gone," from his old NSYNC days.
It was only after these performances that Timberlake made his first costume change, into a different pair of sneakers and sweat gear. The young man from Memphis, Tennessee, told a screaming audience, "Merci Beaucoup." It doesn't seem to matter to this crowd that it may be the only bit of French he knows.
Throughout his performance fans were dancing and singing; important considering Timberlake's performance calls for a lot of audience participation. For everything from singing the hook in, "Senorita," to the chorus in "I'm Lovin' It," the crowd was loudly responsive, even if it wasn't clear what the heck they were saying.
Timberlake only did one night in Paris, but judging from the buildup, the excitement in the arena, and performance, this will not be the last this American is heard in Paris.
