'I work hard so I can play hard'

Justin Timberlake walked into a room full of reporters, photographers and his closest fans, under the auspice of a press-pass, simply dressed in a blue shirt, grey vest and his signature brown cap.

Struck by the formalities of a press conference, as soon as he sat down Justin said, "Wow, this is very formal. This is not my usual stage."

For the first time in the UAE, JT is in Abu Dhabi to conclude his 20-month-long tour of his FutureSex/LoveShow tour.

"Because this is my last stop for a while and this is very special for me, it's going to be a little different," Justin said.

New stage

Tonight on the terrace of the Emirates Palace, Justin will perform a concert - which sold out in one hour - in front of 13,500 fans. The fact that this is his last stop of the tour, where he has performed in front of sold-out audiences in 60 cities, will make Justin spice it up a little more.

"We are putting a show on specifically for Abu Dhabi. There is going to be a new stage and set list," said the pop sensation.

Asked about how he likes Abu Dhabi and when he hopes to come back, Justin instantly responded, "I am not leaving. I wish that were true. It's a really an amazing culture. I got to watch the sunset last night and that was just incredible. I love it really. So I bought some land," Justin wowed the audience in laughter.

Charm and fame

Coming across as someone who is very aware of his charm, skill and fame, Justin danced around it skillfully to come across as a regular guy with a job to do. "I consider this as my day-to-day job. I work hard so I can play hard," he said.

While he is not ruling out bigger roles on the silver screen or more collaborations with other musicians, Justin's priority after tonight will be Christmas shopping for his family and enjoying the holiday season.

While performing in Auckland, New Zealand, Justin was given a lap-dance on stage by one of his performers as a part of the song. Whether that will happen tonight at the show in Abu Dhabi remains to be seen. An attempt by Gulf News to ask if his show will be more culturally sensitive was turned down due to time constraints.

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