Pop Culture

Romero: Recording artists make comebacks in 2013 with albums, tours, performamces

When the power went out in the Mercedes-Benz Superdome during Super Bowl XVII, there was only one obvious explanation. Beyoncé’s — and the rest of Destiny’s Child’s — pure, unbridled fierceness forced a power surge.

This Sunday, the diva will be presenting at the Grammy Awards. Will the lights of the Staples Center be safe? I doubt anyone would actually care, we’re all just glad to have Beyoncé back and in fabulous action.

Following her mind-blowing halftime show, Beyoncé announced the Mrs. Carter World Tour. It will be the new mom’s first tour since 2009’s I Am… Tour.

2013 seems like the perfect year for a comeback, or celebrities are realizing that life without their music is really boring.

Beyoncé isn’t the only superstar from our childhood showing up at the Grammys this weekend. Justin Timberlake, of a little band called *NSync, will also take the stage Sunday night. Timberlake debuted his new song “Suit and Tie” in January.



JT’s newest album in six years, “The 20/20 Experience,” will be released next month on March 19. In true pop star fashion, and just like Beyoncé, Timberlake will release a documentary about the album.

An even less expected comeback from days gone by also sprouted up this week. Angsty favorite Fall Out Boy has reunited, releasing the song “My Songs Know What You Did In The Day [Light Em Up],” which features rapper 2 Chainz, and promising a new album.

“Save Rock and Roll” will be released May 7 following a hiatus of more than three years.

Basically, everyone you listened to about seven years ago will be huge this year.

Which is honestly pretty exciting. Having Beyoncé, Justin Timberlake and Fall Out Boy back is a welcomed blast from the past. In a semester filled with internship searches, job paranoia and the g-word — graduation — being thrown around, remembering the classics is quite comforting.

I can’t be the only one filled with a weird sense of calm and happiness when “Crazy In Love” comes on. Everyone still sings along with the likes of “Cry Me A River,” or dare I say, “Bye, Bye, Bye.”

And no one wants to admit it, but if you’re having a bad day and FOB managed to stay on your iTunes, “Sugar, We’re Goin Down” might play if you’re home alone.

The people making waves in music lately are comfort food for the soul. And it proves that, in a time where everything is changing, you’ll always come back home.

And who’s better to prove that then the musicians who got us through our formative years? Beyoncé has clearly only gotten better since then. The actress-singer seems more fulfilled and happy since her last tour. Motherhood even looks great on her.

Timberlake has gotten married and made a great name for himself in the acting community with “The Social Network” and “Friends With Benefits.” Fall Out Boy tried their side projects, like Pete Wentz’s Black Cards and Patrick Stump’s attempt at a solo career.

Clearly, you can try to branch out, but you’ll always come back to your roots.

Ariana Romero is a junior magazine journalism and political science major. Her column appears weekly. She can be reached at [email protected] or followed on Twitter at @ArianaRomero017.





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