Justin Timberlake just wrapped his Forget Tomorrow World Tour, but behind the scenes, he was facing a major health challenge. On July 31, just a day after the tour’s finale, the “Sexy Back” hitmaker took to Instagram to reveal he has been quietly battling Lyme disease throughout the shows.
In his post, Timberlake shared photos from the tour and opened up about the struggle, saying, “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.” He admitted the illness left him dealing with nerve pain, fatigue, and sickness while on stage, but he chose to push through because of his love for performing.
Lyme disease, caused by tick bites, can bring harsh symptoms like rashes, stiffness, and long-term pain. Justin Timberlake now joins stars like Avril Lavigne and Justin Bieber, who have also spoken about their struggles with the condition. Despite everything, his tour, which began in April 2024, grossed $73.2 million across 41 shows. Despite the success, the singer caused online controversy after videos from his performances in Romania were posted. In the clips, Justin can be seen having low energy and having the audience sing most of the songs for him. However, now that his medical condition has been revealed, fans can make more sense of the controversial performances.