American pop star Justin Timberlake has made his first public stage appearance since revealing that he was diagnosed with Lyme Disease.
The singer performed alongside several other artistes at the Recording Academy Honours Presented by the Black Music Collective, during a special tribute celebrating music icon Pharrell Williams.
While speaking between songs, Timberlake paid glowing tribute to Pharrell, describing the producer’s influence on his life and career.
“Anybody who’s come in contact with or been in the same frequency with Pharrell Williams is changed forever,” Timberlake said, according to 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.”
Pharrell Williams was honoured at the ceremony with the Dr Dre Global Impact Award in recognition of his contributions to music and culture.
Timberlake had stepped away from live performances after wrapping up his Forget Tomorrow tour in July 2025. Not long after the tour ended, he disclosed that he had been diagnosed with 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 on Instagram at the time.
The former NSYNC member explained that the condition, a bacterial infection transmitted through tick bites, can be extremely challenging.
He described the illness as something that “can be relentlessly debilitating, both mentally and physically”.
Despite the diagnosis, Timberlake said he chose to continue performing, noting that the fulfillment he gets from his work outweighs the physical strain.
He explained that the “joy” his career brings him “far outweighs the fleeting stress my body was feeling”.
