Justin Timberlake has returned to the stage for the first time since announcing his Lyme Disease diagnosis.
The “SexyBack” artist performed along with a list of other performers for a special tribute to Pharrell Williams at the Recording Academy Honors Presented by the Black Music Collective Thursday night.
“Anybody who’s come in contact with or been in the same frequency with Pharrell Williams is changed forever,” Timberlake, 45, said between songs, per The Hollywood Reporter.
“He came into my life at a time when I was entering my own, and funny enough, he made me feel like I belonged. Your creativity is unparalleled, your energy is infectious…you changed my life. And I will forever be grateful,” Timberlake continued.
Williams was honored at the event with the Dr. Dre Global Impact Award on Thursday.
Timberlake stepped away from his live performances after he wrapped his Forget Tomorrow tour last July. Shortly after, he revealed doctors had diagnosed him Lyme Disease.
“I’ve been battling some health issues, and was diagnosed with Lyme disease -— which I don’t say so you feel bad for me –– but to shed some light on what I’ve been up against behind the scenes,” he said in a statement shared to his Instagram.
The former NSYNC member added that Lyme disease, which is a bacterial infection spread by ticks, “can be relentlessly debilitating, both mentally and physically.”
Being diagnosed helped the “shocked” Grammy winner understand “why [he] would be onstage and in a massive amount of nerve pain or, just feeling crazy fatigue or sickness.”
As a result, the “Mirrors” hitmaker was plagued with “a personal decision” — whether he would “stop touring” or “keep going and figure it out.”
He ultimately decided to keep performing, saying that the “joy” his work brings him “far outweighs the fleeting stress my body was feeling.”
He closed, saying he is “so glad [he] kept going” to prove his “mental tenacity” and share “special moments” with fans.
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