The Super Bowl, an extravagant musical spectacle with some sort of American football game sandwiched around either side of it, is happening on Sunday US time, with Justin Timberlake performing the half-time show.
It was rumoured that he might bust out the other members of N*Sync for a brief boy band reunion, or even invite Janet Jackson along to atone for the wardrobe malfunction he caused in 2004, but it seems he has something wilder planned: an appearance by a holographic Prince.
Prince passed away in April of 2016, but gossip mongers TMZ claim that a ‘source’, who was present for the taping of Justin Timberlake’s dress rehearsal, spotted a hologram version of the music legend at some point during the performance.
It would make sense for the event to pay tribute to Prince, given that this year’s Super Bowl showdown between the New England Patriots and the Philadelphia Eagles is being held in Minneapolis, in the singer’s home state of Minnesota.
It’s still just a rumour, however, so we’ll have to wait until tomorrow, local time, to see if someone’s just pulling TMZ’s leg or if the purple one will actually make an appearance.
Prince provided the half-time entertainment at the Super Bowl in Miami in 2007, dazzling the crowd with originals like ‘Purple Rain‘ and ‘Let’s Go Crazy‘ as well as a surprise cover of Foo Fighters‘ ‘Best Of You.’
Justin Timberlake made an infamous appearance in 2004, when he showed up to perform his hit ‘Rock Your Body‘ alongside Janet Jackson, and pulled off a part of her costume at the end of the song, to reveal part of her breast, adorned with a nipple shield.
America’s Parents Television Council wrote him a scolding letter prior to this year’s performance, asking him not to pull any similar stunts, and saying:
“The fallout of your performance during Super Bowl XXXVIII has left an indelible mark. You really threw us – and millions of parents who were watching with their kids. The now-infamous wardrobe malfunction was the biggest news story for weeks, even at a time when the nation had launched into war in Iraq. We ask you to keep the halftime show friendly and safe for the children watching, and who may be hoping to emulate you one day.”
Timberlake’s only comment on the matter has been to say that “[without] giving too much away we are doing a few things with this halftime show that they have never quite done before.”
