"Mirrors" is a song by American singer Justin Timberlake from his third studio album The 20/20 Experience (2013). It was released as the second single from the album on February 11, 2013, by RCA Records. It was written and produced by Timberlake, Timbaland, and J-Roc, with additional writing from James Fauntleroy. First conceived in 2009, "Mirrors" was inspired by his relationship with Jessica Biel and his grandparents' marriage. It is an eight-minute-long mid-tempo pop, progressive soul and R&Bballad. The accompanying music video, directed by Floria Sigismondi, was released in March 2013 and depicts a tale of two lovers through several decades.
"Mirrors" topped the Australian Urban, Bulgarian, European, Lebanese, Polish, South African, and United Kingdom singles charts, being Timberlake's fourth number-one single in the UK. The song peaked at number two on the Billboard Hot 100 and topped the Mainstream Top 40 in the United States. "Mirrors" was ranked at number six on the Year-End Hot 100 chart. The song was met with positive reviews by critics upon release and received a Grammy Award nomination for Best Pop Solo Performance. Its music video won two MTV Video Music Awards, including Video of the Year. As of 2018, the song has sold over 3.9 million downloads in the US.
In September 2006, Timberlake released his second album, FutureSex/LoveSounds, which was critically and commercially acclaimed and spawned six singles, including the worldwide hits "SexyBack", "My Love", and "What Goes Around... Comes Around".[1] After wrapping up a worldwide concert tour to support the album in 2007, Timberlake took a break from his music career to focus on acting.[2][3] In addition, Timberlake worked behind-the-scenes with his record label Tennman Records (founded in 2007) and his production team The Y's (founded in 2008). He also provided guest vocals on several singles by other artists, such as "4 Minutes" by Madonna and "Carry Out" by Timbaland.[3] In 2010, Timberlake's manager, Johnny Wright, began conversations with the singer about working on new music. The two had general decisions about ways to release new music, because according to Wright, "a lot of the physical record sellers were gone, by the time we've got music again we need to think about different ways to deliver it".[4]
Wright proposed a promotion based on an application or releasing a new song every month. Timberlake, however, was not interested in returning to music; instead, he continued to focus on his film career. Around the "late part of May, first week in June" 2012, Timberlake invited Wright to dinner and revealed that he had spent the last couple of nights in the studio with Timbaland working on new material. Wright was shocked at the revelation, telling Billboard magazine that he "wasn't prepared for that." The two immediately began marketing plans for how the album should be promoted and when it should be released. Ultimately, they agreed "to do this in a shorter period of time, so let's put the single out and [release the album] seven or eight weeks after that—make it a short window, and because we have such a short window, we have to make a big impact."[4]
In August 2012, producer Jim Beanz reported that Timberlake had started work on his new music project. However, at that time, shortly after the announcement, Timberlake's publicist revealed that there were no current plans for a new Timberlake album, affirming instead that Timberlake was working with Timbaland on songs for his upcoming project Shock Value III.[3] Although originally planned for release in October 2012, its date was postponed because of the singer's wedding to actress Jessica Biel. Wright stated that although the project involved artists who are primarily Timberlake's friends, it was tough to keep it a secret, so they used codenames.[4] "Mirrors" was later included as the ninth track on his third album, The 20/20 Experience, released on March 15, 2013.[5]
Writing and inspiration
During an interview with Billboard magazine, Harmon recalled that the song was conceived in 2009 during the recording sessions for Timbaland's third album, Shock Value II (2009). Timberlake decided to save the song for his own album, and its release timing was uncertain at the time. Harmon noted that they could have waited many years before Timberlake released it. Eventually, Timberlake brought "Mirrors" to the project when he was ready. Although the final version of "Mirrors" is eight minutes long, the R&B-oriented second half was created years later and independently of the original track. Harmon explained that the two parts were connected to flow like a single song, but the second half could function as a separate track. Once Timberlake finalized the songs for the album, the second half of "Mirrors" was incorporated into the album's overall structure.[6]
In his autobiography Hindsight (2018), Timberlake described writing the song for his then-future wife, Jessica Biel. At the time, they were living together but not yet engaged. The music video for the song became a dedication to his grandparents, from whom he learned about "long-lasting love". Timberlake stated that the song reflects the impact Biel had on his life rather than specific details of their relationship.[7]
A 29-second sample of "Mirrors". It features emopower ballad guitar strobes, hand-claps, orchestral flares, electro blips, chipmunk synth chirps accompanied with "vocoder-squawk backing vocals".
HitFix's Melinda Newman wrote that the melody features layer upon layer of the singer's vocals stacked upon each other.[20] Dolan described Timberlake's singing on the song as "replete with laidback soulfulness, mountain-climbing croon, and falsetto butter."[15] Jason Lipshutz of Billboard stated that aside from the presence of Timbaland's "fantastically cluttered production", the difference between "Mirrors" and "Cry Me a River" is clear: "10 years ago, Timberlake was broken, and now he is whole."[21]
"Mirrors" is a "new-age wedding reception song".[22] Lyrically, in the song, Timberlake sings to a lover about "coming to the realization" that she is his "other half".[23] The singer references "taking a break from the relationship": "It was easy coming back here to you/ Once I figured it out, you were right here all along," he sings on the chorus.[23] "It's like you're my mirror, my mirror staring back at me/ I couldn't get any bigger/ With anyone else beside of me."[24]Vibe's Charley Rogulewski wrote that the strength of the song is in Timberlake's Neo blue-eyed soul delivery of the "catchy" lyrics, "I don't want to lose you now. I'm looking right at the other half of me."[25] In the full-length version, Timberlake sings the phrase "you are the love of my life" over 35 times.[26]
Release
On February 11, 2013, "Mirrors" was digitally released worldwide as the second single from his album, The 20/20 Experience.[27] Timberlake had announced the release on his Twitter account the previous day.[28] It was available to buy as either as a stand-alone track or as an "instant-gratification download" when a customer pre-ordered the album.[29] On March 1, it was released in Germany as a CD single, which it also contained the lead single from the album, "Suit & Tie".[30] A radio edit of the single, was released for digital download on March 13 in France,[31] Spain[32] and the United States.[33] On April 16, it was solicited to contemporary hit[34] and rhythmic radio stations in the United States.[35] Additionally, "Mirrors" was sent to adult contemporary radio on April 22[36] and to urban contemporary radio on May 14.[37]
Critical reception
The song received positive reviews from music critics. Jenna Hally Rubenstein of MTV Buzzworthy observed that, unlike the sultry and retro style of "Suit & Tie", the track is reminiscent of Timberlake's sound from FutureSex/LoveSounds (2006), featuring layered synths and club-ready pop production by Timbaland.[38] Robert Copsey of Digital Spy commented that despite musical changes over the preceding eleven years, the single sounds fresh, pairing reflective lyrics with a head-nodding Timbaland beat and grandiose strings.[39] Emily Exton of VH1 described the song as grand and ambitious, highlighting its unusual character study and rhythm changes after the five-minute mark.[40]
Idolator staff noted that while eight-minute songs do not always succeed, "Mirrors" works effectively in its extended form.[41] Marc Hogan of Spin offered a mixed perspective, criticizing the track's pickup-line lyrics and suggesting that some of Timbaland's beatbox-style production, though previously successful on FutureSex/LoveSounds, felt overused.[42] Charley Rogulewski of Vibe wrote that Timberlake presents the song more as a pop performer than as an R&B artist, creating distance between himself and contemporaries such as Robin Thicke and signaling a serious comeback.[25] Andy Kellman of AllMusic provided a less favorable assessment, describing the track as a drawn-out mid-tempo pop ballad and one of Timberlake's less remarkable singles.[43] In a monthly mix review published in Sound on Sound, Mike Senior was not positive towards the track, feeling that the live strings used in the track were wasted, and sounded too low of volume compared to the other instruments.[16] At the end of the year, Rolling Stone listed "Mirrors" at number 7 on its list of 100 Best Songs of 2013[44] and Billboard editors placed it at number 10 on its 20 Best Songs of 2013.[45]
Commercial performance
In the US, "Mirrors" debuted at number 24 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart and sold 163,000 copies in its first week.[46] In its third week, the song fell to number 97; it rebounded to 77 in its fourth week on the chart.[47] In its sixth week on the chart, the song reached number 13, and on the week of June 15, 2013, "Mirrors" reached its peak on the chart at number two, held from the top spot by Macklemore and Ryan Lewis' "Can't Hold Us".[48] For the week of June 1, the single topped the US Mainstream Top 40 chart and tied Timberlake for most number-ones with singer Bruno Mars; each of them has six.[49] The song topped the chart for three consecutive weeks.[48] "Mirrors" also topped the Adult Pop Songs chart[50] and reached number three on the Adult Contemporary chart.[51]
Additionally, it spent seven weeks atop Radio Songs.[52] "Mirrors" became the third song to top the Mainstream Top 40, Rhythmic, and Adult Pop Songs airplay charts, tying the record held by Mariah Carey & Boyz II Men's "One Sweet Day" (1995–1996) and Ricky Martin's "Livin' La Vida Loca" (1999).[53] It was certified double platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA).[54] In 2013, "Mirrors" was ranked as the sixth-most popular song of the year on the Billboard Hot 100.[55] As of 2018, the song has accumulated 5.9 million units in the US, combining sales (3.9 million downloads sold) and equivalent streams.[56][57] On the Canadian Hot 100, the single reached a peak of number four.[58] "Mirrors" was certified double platinum by Music Canada, selling over 160,000 digital copies in the country.
International
"Mirrors" debuted at number 28 on the UK Singles Chart on February 23, and reached number one on March 3. It became Timberlake's second solo single to top the chart and fourth song overall.[59] The single topped the chart for three consecutive weeks.[60] It also topped the Scottish Singles Chart[61] and reached number two on the Irish Singles Chart.[62] "Mirrors" peaked number two on the German Singles Chart[63] and was certified platinum by Bundesverband Musikindustrie (BMVI) for selling over 300,000 digital copies in the country. The single debuted and peaked at number four on the Danish Singles Chart; it stayed in the position for two weeks.[64]IFPI Denmark certified the song platinum for selling over 30,000 copies. In Switzerland, "Mirrors" peaked at number five on the Swiss Singles Chart and stayed on its peak for four weeks.[65] The song debuted on the Norwegian Singles Chart at number 18. In its fourth week, it reached a peak of number seven and stayed in the position for two consecutive weeks.[66]
The single debuted on the Australian Singles Chart at number 26 on March 24, After eight weeks on the chart, it reached its peak of number ten on May 12.[67] It also reached number one on the Australian Urban Singles Chart.[68] "Mirrors" was certified double platinum by the Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA) for selling over 140,000 copies in the country. In New Zealand, the song debuted at number 23 on March 4. After five weeks on the chart, on April 1, "Mirrors" reached its peak of number seven on the chart and stayed in that position the next week.[69] The Recording Industry Association of New Zealand (RIANZ) certified it platinum for selling over 15,000 copies in the country.
Music video
Timberlake catching his grandparents' wedding ring, before embarking on a "lengthy, and quite wrought" dance sequence. An MTV News writer thought the scene was a reference to the time his grandfather's failing health prevented him from attending Timberlake's wedding.
The music video was directed by Floria Sigismondi[71] and saw its world premiere as the highlight of an hour-long special on The CW in celebration of The 20/20 Experience's release.[72] Timberlake dedicated the music video to his maternal grandparents William and Sadie Bomar, who were married for 63 years until William died in 2012.[72] The video is choreographed by Noemie Lafrance.
It features montages of three separate time periods of a couple's life, from their initial introduction and whimsically falling in love on a funhouse date (portrayed by actors Ariane Rinehart and Keenan Cochrane), to the difficult start of their marriage with a pregnancy (portrayed by Chloe Brooks and James Kacey), to when they have grown old together and the old lady (Judith Roberts) packing up her recently deceased husband's belonging whilst reflecting on their life together.
At the beginning, the elderly woman looks back on her teen years in the 1950s when she meets her husband in a bar and goes on a date to a funhouse. Then, in the 1960s, she cries with black mascara all over her face as she is pregnant and they are unmarried. Meanwhile, the elderly woman, who sees the events of her teen years interspersed with scenes of her and her husband dancing for the last time before they move out, walks into a mysterious room where an old man is seen staring at the real-life woman in her white wedding dress next to two mannequin people while rain pours down on the glass. This is probably symbolizing that he always viewed his wife as beautiful as the day they married. She moves through the video while the old man and the elderly woman walk through separate ways through the video and through the mirrors symbolizing his death and her moving on.
During the final chorus, one of the books the teenage couple left on the floor of the funhouse falls back into the elderly woman's hand as she closes the book. The old woman is then seen with a ring, which is revealed in flashbacks to be her wedding ring, after she married her husband after pregnancy. Her husband looks on, and they move through separate areas before the end of the video, where the old man and woman walk through three versions of mirrors. The elderly woman drops the ring, showing she is ready to move on after her husband's death. This transitions into Timberlake catching it, symbolizing that he is carrying on their legacy. He then sings "you are the love of my life" while dancing through and around the funhouse mirrors. Eventually, he is joined by two female dancers in blue wigs. Justin and one of the other dancers eventually mirror each other's movements through glass at the end of the video.
Reception
MTV News' James Montgomery reviewed the video, saying, "It's a clip that packs an emotional wallop, a downright beautiful examination of the ebbs and flows of love and the true connection that continues once our time here is over. That's a rare thing indeed, and so is this video ... it is understated and elegant and really truly touching."[70]
Timberlake's grandmother, Sadie Bomar, told Italian weekly Grazia that "Justin didn't tell me he was doing it [making the video], it was a surprise. He said, "You have to see this video, just you sit down and watch it". I was moved by it, it brings tears to my eyes. It's a lovely tribute to us."[73] Timberlake took home the award for Video of the Year at the 2013 MTV Video Music Awards. The video also won the award for Best Editing. It was named one of the 10 best music videos of the year by The Hollywood Reporter[74] and Spin.[75]Maura Johnston from Spin wrote, "The love scenes between the elder version of the couple are particularly touching; when it's eventually revealed that they've been happening only in the woman's mind, they become heartbreaking. Plus, there's some fine JT dance moves: Wearing a long coat, silver-tipped shoes, and a severe side part, he shows off his footwork in a hall of mirrors, creating an illusion of endless Justins."[75]
In May 2013, Boyce Avenue released a version of the song with Fifth Harmony. The Huffington Post noted that the duet "makes for the perfect blend of harmonies – and a convincing love story told through lyrics."[80] The cover was nominated for a YouTube Music Award. In the same month, Issues frontman Tyler Carter released a cover of Mirrors, while replacing the second verse with his own.[81] In April 2013, Paradise Fears covered this song, with lead vocalist Sam Miller adding his own personal flair to it.[citation needed]
In June 2013, Cimorelli released their version of the song along with Big Time Rush member James Maslow. Amy Sciarretto of Pop Crush noted that the track "gets a boost from an added masculine element. Maslow's presence adds a whole other layer of harmony, too."[82] In September 2013, Ellie Goulding also sang it in the Live Lounge. Entertainment Weekly wrote that she had added "some piano and a more soulful edge" and that "her vocal riffs give the tune a whole new flavor".[83] Mike Wass of Idolator felt it was not a "bad" performance, but that "her high-pitched vocal is just a little too cutesy for a song that demands a certain amount of soul."[84]
In August 2015, country singer Hunter Hayes performed a bluegrass version of the song at Nashville's famed Blackbird Studio for YouTube channel CountryNow. Stephen L. Betts from Rolling Stone gave it a positive review, writing "his performance focuses on a passionately delivered vocal laced with touches of R&B in his voice."[85] Canadian country group Hunter Brothers recorded a cover of the song that was included on their debut album, Getaway, in March 2017.[86] Indie groove band Goose performed a cover of the song at Goosemas X, in December 2023.[87]
* Sales figures based on certification alone. ^ Shipments figures based on certification alone. ‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone. † Streaming-only figures based on certification alone.
↑Cinquemani, Sal; Henderson, Eric (March 15, 2020). "All 25 Justin Timberlake Singles Ranked". Slant. Archived from the original on August 31, 2025. Retrieved August 16, 2025. From its stacked vocal layers to its multi-handclapped beat and orchestral swells, every element of this prog-pop power ballad is exaggerated to superlative effect.
12Milles, Billy (January 31, 2021). "The Ultimate Ranking of Justin Timberlake's Top 10 Hits". E! News. Archived from the original on August 19, 2025. Retrieved August 16, 2025. Peaking at No. 2, this was the most successful release off The 20/20 Experience. And it's not hard to see why. The progressive pop-R&B track is romantic as hell.
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