Justin Timberlake took home the Innovator Award at the iHeartRadio Music Awards in Los Angeles, California, on Sunday night, and his speech has left us feeling truly inspired.
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Taking to the stage, the “Take Back The Night” hit maker opened up about how in his youth he was always called “different” or “weird,” but that’s actually a beautiful thing.
“Growing up, in school no one ever called me anything close to an innovator. They called me different, they called me weird, they called me a couple of others words I can’t say on TV, but thankfully my mother taught me that being different was a good thing, that being different meant that you could actually make a difference,” he said.
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Timberlake continued by thanking his mom who was “probably home right now watching” as well as everyone who has helped him with his musical career, including his wife, Jessica Biel.
“You can’t have innovation without creation,” he explained. “I want to thank my best friend, my favorite collaborator, my wife Jessica at home.”
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It was a long speech, but an incredibly beautiful one, and Timberlake went on to share the source of some of his own inspirations, one being a speech that the late Apple founder Steve Jobs made at a college commencement. And lastly, he addressed all the young people who feel as though they may be “weird or different.
“So, if you’re a young person like I used to be, and you’re at home and you’re being called weird or different, I’m here to tell you your critics do not count. Their words will fade. You won’t,” Timberlake said.
It was an award that was well deserved, and a powerful speech that will touch many.
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