Justin Timberlake might tell you himself that he feels he was born to be a superstar. From a very young age, Timberlake has been a mainstay in the entertainment industry, growing into arguably the biggest pop star of his generation. And while it may seem like his success came quickly, JT would be the first person to insist that his fame and fortune did not happen overnight. His star has risen due to a rare mix of talent, intelligence, hard work and sheer force of will. Now entering his late 20s, JT has spent nearly half his life in show business.

His career really took off when he landed a role on the Mickey Mouse Club. Joined by future teen queens Britney Spears and Christina Aguilera – not to mention future fellow *NSYNC member JC Chasez – Timberlake began a journey that would broadcast him into the homes of millions of children around the world. This would be only the beginning of his meteoric rise to the top.

As he moved on from the Mickey Mouse Club, Timberlake found himself as the centerpiece for the teen pop sensation *NYSYNC. Much like their contemporaries, the Backstreet Boys, *NSYNC crafted a blend of club dance music and teen innocence with pop sensibilities to sell millions upon millions of records world wide. On the strength of records like No Strings Attached (which featured the hits “Bye Bye Bye” and “This I Promise You”) and Celebrity, *NSYNC would become a global phenomenon.

For many teen pop stars, this would be the end of the story. However, Timberlake broke the mold by going solo. Justified – his first solo record – was an instant hit, with the Britney Spears-jab “Cry Me a River” standing as the crown jewel of his debut. The record would go on to win two Grammys, and by then, Timberlake was everywhere, from Super Bowl halftime shows to Saturday Night Live.

By now a solo star in his own right, JT went back to the studio to work on his sophomore effort. The record, FutureSex/LoveSounds showcased the artist’s maturation and his full embrace of the more urban flavor of R&B and club music. No longer a teenybopper, this record featured production by big hip-hop names the likes of Timbaland and Rick Rubin. This new record is indicative of the new direction Justin Timberlake’s singing career is likely to take… that is, if his fledgling acting career doesn’t take off first.