I’m bringing sexy back / Them other boys don’t know how to act.
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From an article talking about male pop star’s sometimes uncomfortable, embarrassed feelings about their physical beauty.
Plenty of male pop stars through the ages have flaunted their own appeal. But it’s been nearly two decades since Prince posed naked on the cover of Lovesexy (perhaps that coinage helped inspire SexyBack), and the taboo against male preening is stronger than ever. For example, Sexy Love, a hit by the R&B singer Ne-Yo, conforms to the current status quo: unlike Mr. Timberlake, Ne-Yo goes out of his way to let listeners know he’s describing a woman (“I’m so addicted to how she’s the sweetest drug”), not himself.
Mr. Timberlake isn’t the new Prince, not by a long shot. Unlike Prince, Mr. Timberlake hasn’t made a career of acting as his own object of desire. And there’s no particular reason to think that on his forthcoming album, FutureSex/LoveSounds, due Sept. 12, he will continue the fight on behalf of “sexy” boys everywhere. …
The Return of Justin Timberlake: He’s a Pretty Face, and Proud of It