Justin up close, handsome beyond belief so gracious and giving.
It was an intimate event and he performed five songs! I may not get them up tonight but I'll try for a few pics.
A bunch of us got to really talk to him about his album and he was so passionate about it. We could be seeing a single in just a few weeks. He said the first two are going to be more R&B, with some hip-hop and he may be performing them at the June BUrnlounge event.
More to come....
The Video thread:
p201.ezboard.com/fessenti...=267.topic
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I thought I was at least inoculated. I had seen Justin only once before, performing on stage at Vassar from my balcony seat. Even from that distance his magnetism and presence shone light a beacon causing the others sharing the stage with him to fade into the background.
But nothing could prepare me for meeting him in person and close-up.
The man is simply stunning and as many people have commented, much more handsome in person. It’s almost as if the life force radiating from him eludes being captured on film. His complexion is the smoothest shade of creamy toffee and his features seemed almost chiseled in their perfection. Sometimes, Justin’s skin can seem a bit bleached out by lights but meeting him in person there is no mistaking his multi-ethnic heritage. He also seems less skinny in person and is probably the only person alive that the camera takes 10 lbs. off instead of on. He is beautiful.
When we got in there was a bit of a mix-up regarding our table, but I’ll let another tell that tale because she was in her take charge, awesomely evil best. Naturally everyone was clustering around him like moths to a flame, but I held back until it was my turn, going over in my mind what I was going to say and then …babbling like a love struck schoolgirl about seeing him before in Vassar. I do remember that I said I was from Essential Justin and he gave me an amazed look and said he was really glad to finally meet one of us. He mentioned how grateful he was that we do what we do and in particular, he mentioned the neat layout and our video work. I told him that we had been getting a lot of new hits recently which we usually do during AI time and if it was true that he was hosting the rewind show. He said he was involved but didn’t confirm the hosting part so I guess it’s a ‘we’ll see’ thing. I assured him we did what we do out of our admiration of his talent and our love for him. Then I took my pounding heart and queasy stomach back to my table.
The rest of the evening is well-documented by film and photos. It was a wonderful performance, intimate yet loose, off-the-cuff yet always a pro. Justin singing, Justin dancing, Justin signing autographs, Justin kissing and hugging his fans, Justin lighting up the night…it was truly a magical evening that I’ll never forget.
I also got to talk to Sal and teased him for filming in November in Philly instead of its glorious springtime. But I guess a gangster movie should be depressing even the weather! He profusely thanked us for our work and I got my second big hug of the night. Meeting Justin’s parents was also a treat. She was warm and gracious and like all his family, really appreciative of the hard work we fans do in keeping up with and spreading the word of what Justin is doing. I also got a hug from Jerry. Wow..three hugs from three different men in one night. That hasn’t happened for awhile!
At the end of the night, Justin came up to our group all teasing and fun. He shared the plane story with us and called us the ‘naughty, naughty House girls’ and since the second best way to a man’s heart is through his stomach, we gave him some Peanut Butter Chocolate TastyKakes from the stash JUSTINFAN had brought for Shelley. He talked about filming the Kimmel segment and what a blast it was. Naturally, there were more pictures, hugs and fun.
But then…Justin started to share the details of his new CD, and he opened his heart and his dreams to us. He was so inspired by Al Jareau at the AI Finale ( I pointed out to him that the review in the Philly Inquirer compared him to AJ) and is inspired by Robbie Williams in that he wants an R&B, jazzy feel to part of the album but that the first two singles will be more fast-paced Soul and “sprinkle of hip-hop”, more “out there” (note to self: check out RW's work). All we could do was stand in quiet awe while this beautiful being bared his soul to us. I know I speak for each and every one of the ladies there that we vowed in our hearts to do whatever we can to help this man.
I love him.
