Justin Timberlake performed at a Grammys event honoring Pharrell, with some reports indicating it was a surprise music tribute. The event, which was part of the Recording Academy Honors and the Black Music Collective, also featured appearances by Brandy, Kirk Franklin, and Pharrell himself, who used the occasion to call for empathy from US leaders. The performance marked a return to the stage for Justin Timberlake, with one outlet noting it was his first since a Lyme disease diagnosis.