Justin Timblerlake UAE announcement

JTUAE is the hashtag that singlehandedly left Justin Timberlake’s UAE fans in a frenzy on January 7, starting rumours that the 20/20 singer will be returning to the country for a concert.

In a teaser video posted by regional youth publication UthMag.com, a crumpled paper unravelled to reveal what looks like Timberlake’s silhouette alongside the hashtag #JTUAE and a date: January 9, 2014.

Speculation arose that Timberlake might be performing a surprise concert on that date — which would mark nearly seven years since his last show in the country — but tabloid! confirmed that it will instead be the date of an announcement.

“All I can say is that it will all be revealed on Thursday at 8am,” said PR representative Sahar Farooq over the phone to tabloid! Farooq, who had taken to her Twitter to say she had gotten the “best call of the year so far” on Tuesday, confirmed that the announcement will be linked to Justin Timberlake.

The cryptic teaser #JTUAE isn’t the first of its kind this year.

In December, two weeks before an official announcement was made that legendary UK rockers Rolling Stones would perform in Abu Dhabi on February 21, 2014, the band teased their fans with Arabic tweets telling them to “expect surprises”. They increased hype through a YouTube video showing an old-fashioned TV displaying the band’s logo, the signature Stones tongue, and background sounds of a concert. The video ended with the hashtag #GETWHATYOUWANTUAE.

Timberlake’s previous concert in the UAE took place in the capital city in 2007 and received rave reviews.

He spoke to tabloid! in 2010 when he was in Dubai to promote a Givenchy women’s perfume, sharing that he considered his onstage persona a character — even if it’s an understated rather than a showy one.

“I think a lot of artists do that. My favourite ones do, like Prince,” he said. “He could really be living that [persona]. But if you have to ask yourself that question, it means he’s doing his job. And I think that people ask themselves that question about me.”

2013 saw a triumphant musical comeback for Timberlake with the release of his third studio album The 20/20 Experience (part one of two), which bagged the title of best-selling album of the year. The record, featuring chart-toppers such as Suit & Tie and Mirrors, had come after Timberlake’s eight year absence from the music scene, during which he’d refrained from putting out any new material and focused on his acting career.

Following the news that 20/20 outsold releases by Eminem, Beyonce, Drake, Imagine Dragons, Bruno Mars and many more, Timberlake took to Twitter on January 1 to share his thoughts on the successful year he had.

“Well... 2013 was MAD REAL. Thank you to all of you for making it one for the books! Wishing all of you a happy and healthy 2014,” he wrote, signing off the sentiment with his now-infamous initials.