Mirrors (Justin Timberlake song)
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"Mirrors" is a song recorded by American singer-songwriter
Justin Timberlake Justin Randall Timberlake (born January 31, 1981) is an American singer, songwriter, and actor. He is one of the world's best-selling music artists, with sales of over 88 million records. Timberlake is the recipient of numerous awards and ac ...
for his third
studio album An album is a collection of audio recordings issued on compact disc (CD), vinyl, audio tape, or another medium such as digital distribution. Albums of recorded sound were developed in the early 20th century as individual 78 rpm records c ...
, ''
The 20/20 Experience ''The 20/20 Experience'' is the third studio album by American singer-songwriter Justin Timberlake. It was released on March 15, 2013, by RCA Records, as the follow-up to his second studio album ''FutureSex/LoveSounds'' (2006). It is considered th ...
'' (2013). First conceived in 2009, the track was inspired by his relationship with
Jessica Biel Jessica Claire Timberlake (née Biel ; born March 3, 1982) is an American actress and model. She has received various accolades, including a Young Artist Award, and nominations for a Primetime Emmy Award and two Golden Globe Awards. Biel b ...
and the marriage of his grandparents. It is an eight-minute-long mid-tempo
progressive soul Progressive soul (often shortened to prog-soul; also called black prog, black rock, and progressive R&B) is a type of African-American music that uses a progressive approach, particularly in the context of the soul and funk genres. It developed ...
and R&B
ballad A ballad is a form of verse, often a narrative set to music. Ballads derive from the medieval French ''chanson balladée'' or '' ballade'', which were originally "dance songs". Ballads were particularly characteristic of the popular poetry and ...
. Timberlake wrote and produced the song with Timothy "Timbaland" Mosley and Jerome "J-Roc" Harmon, with additional writing from
James Fauntleroy James Edward Fauntleroy II (born May 16, 1984) is an American singer, songwriter, and record producer from Inglewood, California. He is best known for writing credits on tracks by high-profile artists such as Travis Scott, Frank Ocean, Kendrick ...
. The accompanying music video, directed by
Floria Sigismondi Floria Sigismondi (, born 1965) is an Italian-Canadian film director, screenwriter, music video director, artist, and photographer. She is best known for writing and directing ''The Runaways'', for directing music videos for performers includin ...
, was released in March 2013 and depicts a tale of two lovers through several decades. "Mirrors" was issued as the second single from ''The 20/20 Experience'' on February 11, 2013. It went on to top the Australian Urban, Bulgarian, European, Lebanese, Polish, South African and United Kingdom singles charts, being Timberlake's fourth number-one single in the UK. It peaked at number two on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100 and topped the
Mainstream Top 40 Pop Airplay (also called Mainstream Top 40, Pop Songs, and Top 40/ CHR) is a 40-song music chart published weekly by ''Billboard'' Magazine that ranks the most popular songs of pop music being played on a panel of Top 40 radio stations in the U ...
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 The Grammy Awards (stylized as GRAMMY), or simply known as the Grammys, are awards presented by the Recording Academy of the United States to recognize "outstanding" achievements in the music industry. They are regarded by many as the most pr ...
nomination for
Best Pop Solo Performance The Grammy Award for Best Pop Solo Performance is an award presented at the Grammy Awards, a ceremony that was established in 1958 and originally called the Gramophone Awards. According to the 54th Grammy Awards description guides, the Best Pop S ...
. Its music video won two
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, including Video of the Year. As of 2018, the song has sold over 3.9 million downloads in the US. Timberlake performed "Mirrors" on television shows including ''
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'' and the
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as part of a medley number. It was included on Legends of the Summer Tour and
The 20/20 Experience World Tour The 20/20 Experience World Tour was the fifth concert tour by American singer-songwriter Justin Timberlake. It was launched in support of his third and fourth studio albums, '' The 20/20 Experience'' (2013) and '' The 20/20 Experience – 2 of 2 ...
setlist A set list, or setlist, is typically a handwritten or printed document created as an ordered list of songs, jokes, stories and other elements an artist intends to present during a specific performance. A setlist can be made of nearly any materi ...
s. The American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers (ASCAP) recognized it as one of the most performed songs of 2014 and 2015.


Production and writing

"Mirrors" was written and produced by Justin Timberlake, Timothy "Timbaland" Mosley and Jerome "J-Roc" Harmon, with additional writing from
James Fauntleroy James Edward Fauntleroy II (born May 16, 1984) is an American singer, songwriter, and record producer from Inglewood, California. He is best known for writing credits on tracks by high-profile artists such as Travis Scott, Frank Ocean, Kendrick ...
. During an interview with '' Billboard'' magazine, Harmon recalled how the song was conceived in 2009, during the recording sessions for Timbaland's third studio album ''
Shock Value II ''Shock Value II'' is the third studio album by American record producer Timbaland. It serves as the sequel to ''Shock Value''. Initially slated for a 2008 release, the project was pushed into 2009 and tentatively confirmed for November 23, 2009 ...
'' (2009), "He's imberlakelike, 'I'm gonna save this one, and this is gonna go on my album.' We never knew when he was going to put it out – we were like, 'Aw man, you're in movies now!' We could have waited another 10, 15 years. But then he surprised us last year and said he was ready, and he brought Mirrors'over to the project as well." Although the final version of "Mirrors" is eight minutes long, Harmon stated that the more R&B oriented second half (in contrast with the
rock Rock most often refers to: * Rock (geology), a naturally occurring solid aggregate of minerals or mineraloids * Rock music, a genre of popular music Rock or Rocks may also refer to: Places United Kingdom * Rock, Caerphilly, a location in Wales ...
-influenced first half) was made years later and independent of the original track, "We segued each piece to go into another song, so if you were to break it up, that second part of 'Mirrors' is like a song by itself. Once we got all the songs that imberlakeknew he wanted on this album, then that's when we began to tie everything together, and the second part just fell in order." "Mirrors" was engineered by Chris Godbey, with assistance from Alejandro Baima. Timberlake arranged and produced his vocals, which were recorded at Larabee Studios in
North Hollywood, California North Hollywood is a neighborhood of Los Angeles, California, located in the San Fernando Valley. The neighborhood contains the NoHo Arts District, the El Portal Theatre, several art galleries, and the Academy of TV Arts and Sciences. The North ...
. The song was mixed by Jimmy Douglass, Godbey and Timberlake at Larabee Studios. Harmon provided keyboards for the song, while Elliot Ives played the
guitar The guitar is a fretted musical instrument that typically has six strings. It is usually held flat against the player's body and played by strumming or plucking the strings with the dominant hand, while simultaneously pressing selected strin ...
. The strings in the song were played by
Benjamin Wright Benjamin Wright (October 10, 1770 – August 24, 1842) was an American civil engineer who was chief engineer of the Erie Canal and the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal. In 1969, the American Society of Civil Engineers declared him the "Father of America ...
and The Benjamin Wright Orchestra. In his book ''
Hindsight Hindsight bias, also known as the knew-it-all-along phenomenon or creeping determinism, is the common tendency for people to perceive past events as having been more predictable than they actually were. People often believe that after an event ha ...
'' (2018) Timberlake elaborated about writing the song for his wife
Jessica Biel Jessica Claire Timberlake (née Biel ; born March 3, 1982) is an American actress and model. She has received various accolades, including a Young Artist Award, and nominations for a Primetime Emmy Award and two Golden Globe Awards. Biel b ...
, "We were living together at the time. We weren't engaged yet. In fact, it was years before I proposed... The video became a dedication to my grandparents. I learned about long-lasting love from them. I know that’s what I have with my wife... She changed me. She changed my life. All of that is in "Mirrors." Not the details. But the way it felt to have my life be touched by her..."


Composition and lyrical interpretation

"Mirrors" is a mid-tempo
progressive soul Progressive soul (often shortened to prog-soul; also called black prog, black rock, and progressive R&B) is a type of African-American music that uses a progressive approach, particularly in the context of the soul and funk genres. It developed ...
and R&B
ballad A ballad is a form of verse, often a narrative set to music. Ballads derive from the medieval French ''chanson balladée'' or '' ballade'', which were originally "dance songs". Ballads were particularly characteristic of the popular poetry and ...
with an approximate length of eight minutes and five seconds. It is composed in the key of E major, set in
common time The time signature (also known as meter signature, metre signature, or measure signature) is a notational convention used in Western musical notation to specify how many beats (pulses) are contained in each measure (bar), and which note val ...
and has a moderately slow
groove Groove or Grooves may refer to: Music * Groove (music) * Groove (drumming) * The Groove (band), an Australian rock/pop band of the 1960s * The Groove (Sirius XM), a US radio station * Groove 101.7FM, a former Perth, Australia, radio station ...
of 77 beats per minute. Timberlake's vocals span from the low note of E3 to the high note of C5. The original mix has an
instrumentation Instrumentation a collective term for measuring instruments that are used for indicating, measuring and recording physical quantities. The term has its origins in the art and science of scientific instrument-making. Instrumentation can refer to ...
of
emo Emo is a rock music genre characterized by emotional, often confessional lyrics. It emerged as a style of and hardcore punk from the Washington D.C. hardcore punk scene, where it was known as emotional hardcore or emocore and pioneered b ...
power ballad A sentimental ballad is an emotional style of music that often deals with romance (love), romantic and intimate relationships, and to a lesser extent, loneliness, death, war, drug abuse, politics and religion, usually in a poignant but solemn m ...
guitar strobes, hand-claps, orchestral flares, electro blips and chipmunk synth chirps accompanied with "vocoder-squawk
backing vocals A backing vocalist is a singer who provides vocal harmony with the lead vocalist or other backing vocalists. A backing vocalist may also sing alone as a lead-in to the main vocalist's entry or to sing a counter-melody. Backing vocalists are ...
", and the orchestra has a noticeable much-lower volume than the percussion and electric guitars. Brad Stern of
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wrote that it is hugely catchy and contains melodies that have arena-size. '' Pastes Lauren Martin described it as "
Coldplay Coldplay are a British rock band formed in London in 1997. They consist of vocalist and pianist Chris Martin, guitarist Jonny Buckland, bassist Guy Berryman, drummer Will Champion and creative director Phil Harvey. They met at University ...
-does-R&B", while according to Raible, "Mirrors" is a sad answer to
Natalie Imbruglia Natalie Jane Imbruglia ( , ; born 4 February 1975) is an Australian singer and actress. In the early 1990s, she played Beth Brennan in the Australian soap opera ''Neighbours''. Three years after leaving the programme, she began a singing caree ...
's 1997 single " Torn". Mikael Wood of ''
Los Angeles Times The ''Los Angeles Times'' (abbreviated as ''LA Times'') is a daily newspaper that started publishing in Los Angeles in 1881. Based in the LA-adjacent suburb of El Segundo since 2018, it is the sixth-largest newspaper by circulation in the U ...
'' described it as a cross between Timberlake's 2002 single " Cry Me a River" and "
November Rain "November Rain" is a song by the American hard rock band Guns N' Roses. Written by the band's lead vocalist Axl Rose, it was released as a single in 1992 from their third studio album, ''Use Your Illusion I'' (1991). "November Rain" peaked a ...
" by Guns N' Roses.
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's Melinda Newman wrote that the melody features layer upon layer of the singer's vocals stacked upon each other. Dolan described Timberlake's singing on the song as "replete with laidback soulfulness, mountain-climbing croon, and falsetto butter." 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." The conclusion can be seen in the opening lyrics:
Aren't you somethin' to admire?
Cause your shine is somethin' like a mirror
And I can't help but notice
You reflect in this heart of mine.
"Mirrors" is a "new-age wedding reception song". Lyrically, in the song, Timberlake sings to a lover about "coming to the realization" that she is his "other half". The singer references "taking a break from the relationship": "It was easy coming back to you/ Once I figured it out, you were right here all along," he sings on the chorus. "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." ''Vibes 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." In the full-length version, a robot voice repeats the phrase "you are the love of my life" over 35 times.


Release

On February 11, 2013, "Mirrors" was digitally released worldwide as the second single from his album, ''The 20/20 Experience''. Timberlake had announced the release on his
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account the previous day. 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. On March 1, it was released in Germany as a
CD single A CD single (sometimes abbreviated to CDS) is a music single in the form of a compact disc. The standard in the Red Book for the term ''CD single'' is an 8 cm (3-inch) CD (or Mini CD). It now refers to any single recorded onto a CD of any si ...
, which it also contained the
lead single A lead single (also known as a debut single) is the first single to be released from a studio album by an artist or a band, usually before the album itself is released and also occasionally on the same day of the album's release date. Release s ...
from the album, " Suit & Tie". A radio edit of the single, was released for digital download on March 13 in France, Spain and the United States. On April 16, it was solicited to contemporary hit and
rhythmic Rhythmic may refer to: * Related to rhythm * Rhythmic contemporary, a radio format * Rhythmic adult contemporary, a radio format * Rhythmic gymnastics, a form of gymnastics * Rhythmic (chart) The Rhythmic chart (also called Rhythmic Airplay, and ...
radio stations in the United States. Additionally, "Mirrors" was sent to
adult contemporary radio Adult contemporary music (AC) is a form of radio-played popular music, ranging from 1960s vocal and 1970s soft rock music to predominantly ballad-heavy music of the present day, with varying degrees of easy listening, pop, soul, R&B, quiet s ...
on April 22 and to
urban contemporary Urban contemporary music, also known as urban music, hip hop, urban pop, or just simply urban, is a music radio format. The term was coined by New York radio DJ Frankie Crocker in the early to mid-1970s as a synonym for Black music. Urban conte ...
radio on May 14.


Critical reception

The song received positive reviews from music critics. Jenna Hally Rubenstein of
MTV Buzzworthy MTV (Originally an initialism of Music Television) is an American cable channel that launched on August 1, 1981. Based in New York City, it serves as the flagship property of the MTV Entertainment Group, part of Paramount Media Networks, a di ...
commented in a positive review, "Unlike "Suit & Tie"'s sultry and retro vibes, the selfie-taker's new jam reminds us a bit more of Justin's ''
FutureSex/LoveSounds ''FutureSex/LoveSounds'' is the second studio album by American singer-songwriter Justin Timberlake, released on September 8, 2006 by Jive Records and Zomba Group of Companies, Zomba. Following a three-year writing hiatus, Timberlake conceived ...
'' days with layered synths and ridiculously club-ready pop production courtesy of JT's main man Timbaland." Scott Shetler of ''Popcrush'' gave the single four stars out of five, writing: "The song relies on Timbaland’s familiar handclap-style beats and layers of synths and vocals, which instantly embed their way into your brain ... over a bed of gentle piano twinkling and a distorted Timbaland vocal loop, JT delivers some falsetto crooning and a heavy dose of “oohs” and “aahs.”" Another favorable review came from Digital Spy's Robert Copsey, who wrote: "Despite musical shifts in the intervening 11 years and the absence of a cheating girlfriend,
he single He or HE may refer to: Language * He (pronoun), an English pronoun * He (kana), the romanization of the Japanese kana へ * He (letter), the fifth letter of many Semitic alphabets * He (Cyrillic), a letter of the Cyrillic script called ''He'' ...
still manages to sound remarkably fresh. "It's like you're my mirror/ My mirror staring back at me," he tells his lover over head-nodding Timbaland beatboxing and grandiose strings, before spilling his guts about how he should never have left them in the first place." Emily Exton from VH1 called it "grand and ambitious... It’s an interesting character study and an even more interesting ride, completely changing up the rhythm and arrangement after five minutes," while
Idolator An idolator is a practitioner of idolatry. Idolater or Idolator may also refer to: Books *''Os Idólatras'', 1968 Portuguese novel by Maria Judite de Carvalho Music * Idolator (website), an American music blog * ''Idolator'' (album), third album ...
staff said, "An eight-minute song doesn’t always materialize into something awesome, but here it actually worked." However, Marc Hogan of ''
Spin Magazine ''Spin'' (stylized in all caps) is an American music magazine founded in 1985 by publisher Bob Guccione, Jr. Now owned by Next Management Partners, the magazine is an online publication since it stopped issuing a print edition in 2012. Histor ...
'' provided a mixed review, stating "And how does the former
'N Sync NSYNC (, ; also stylized as *NSYNC or 'N Sync) was an American boy band formed by Chris Kirkpatrick in Orlando, Florida, in 1995 and launched in Germany by BMG Ariola Munich. Their self-titled debut album was successfully released to Europea ...
singer choose to crown his return to pop prominence but with a pickup line even
MxPx MxPx () is an American pop punk band from Bremerton, Washington, founded in 1992 as Magnified Plaid. As of 2016, current members include Mike Herrera on lead vocals and bass guitar, Yuri Ruley on drums and percussion, Tom Wisniewski on lead gu ...
wouldn't touch? Backed with music that's a cross between luxe
Bruno Mars Peter Gene Hernandez (born October 8, 1985), known professionally as Bruno Mars, is an American singer, songwriter, and record producer. He is known for his stage performances, retro showmanship, and for performing in a wide range of musical ...
'80s-grenade balladry and those human beatbox hiccups that, in all honesty, were starting to be played out even when Timberlake tapped
Timbaland Timothy Zachery Mosley (born March 10, 1972), known professionally as Timbaland, is an American record producer, rapper, singer, songwriter, and record executive. He has received widespread acclaim for his innovative production work and distinc ...
to use them, brilliantly, on ''
FutureSex/LoveSounds ''FutureSex/LoveSounds'' is the second studio album by American singer-songwriter Justin Timberlake, released on September 8, 2006 by Jive Records and Zomba Group of Companies, Zomba. Following a three-year writing hiatus, Timberlake conceived ...
''?" ''
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s Charley Rogulewski wrote that the singer renders the song more like a pop performer than a R&B, and puts a "wider space between him and the likes of
Robin Thicke Robin Alan Thicke (born March 10, 1977) is an American singer, songwriter and record producer. He is best known for his 2013 hit single " Blurred Lines", which is one of the best-selling singles of all time. At the 56th Annual Grammy Awards, h ...
. This man is making a serious comeback." Andy Kellman of
Allmusic AllMusic (previously known as All Music Guide and AMG) is an American online music database. It catalogs more than three million album entries and 30 million tracks, as well as information on musicians and bands. Initiated in 1991, the databa ...
unfavorably described the song as "less an epic than a drawn-out midtempo pop ballad" and "not one of imberlake'smore remarkable singles." In a monthly mix review published in ''
Sound on Sound ''Sound on Sound'' is an independently owned monthly music technology magazine published by SOS Publications Group, based in Cambridge, United Kingdom. The magazine includes product tests of electronic musical performance and recording devices, ...
'', 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. At the end of the year, ''
Rolling Stone ''Rolling Stone'' is an American monthly magazine that focuses on music, politics, and popular culture. It was founded in San Francisco, California, in 1967 by Jann Wenner, and the music critic Ralph J. Gleason. It was first known for its ...
'' listed "Mirrors" at number 7 on its list of 100 Best Songs of 2013 and '' Billboard'' editors placed it at number 10 on its 20 Best Songs of 2013.


Chart performance

In the US, "Mirrors" debuted at number 24 on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100 chart and sold 163,000 copies in its first week. In its third week the song fell to number 97, however it rebound to 77 in its fourth week on the chart. In its sixth week on the chart, the song reached number 13 and for the issue dated June 15, 2013, "Mirrors" reached its peak on the chart at number two, held from the top spot by
Macklemore and Ryan Lewis Macklemore & Ryan Lewis are an American hip hop duo from Seattle, Washington, formed in 2008 by Macklemore, a rapper,Trust, Gary (2013)Macklemore & Ryan Lewis' 'Can't Hold Us' Makes Hot 100 History, '' Billboard'', May 8, 2013. Retrieved Januar ...
' "
Can't Hold Us "Can't Hold Us" is a song written and performed by American hip hop duo Macklemore & Ryan Lewis featuring American singer Ray Dalton, originally released on August 16, 2011 as the second single from the duo's debut studio album '' The Heist'' ...
". For the week of June 1, 2013, the single topped the US
Mainstream Top 40 Pop Airplay (also called Mainstream Top 40, Pop Songs, and Top 40/ CHR) is a 40-song music chart published weekly by ''Billboard'' Magazine that ranks the most popular songs of pop music being played on a panel of Top 40 radio stations in the U ...
chart and tied Timberlake for most number-ones with singer
Bruno Mars Peter Gene Hernandez (born October 8, 1985), known professionally as Bruno Mars, is an American singer, songwriter, and record producer. He is known for his stage performances, retro showmanship, and for performing in a wide range of musical ...
; each of them has six. The song topped the chart for three consecutive weeks. "Mirrors" also topped the
Adult Pop Songs The Adult Pop Airplay (formerly known as Adult Pop Songs and Adult Top 40) chart is published weekly by ''Billboard'' magazine and ranks "the most popular adult top 40 as based on radio airplay detections measured by Nielsen Broadcast Data Systems ...
chart and reached number eight on the
Adult Contemporary Adult contemporary music (AC) is a form of radio-played popular music, ranging from 1960s vocal and 1970s soft rock music to predominantly ballad-heavy music of the present day, with varying degrees of easy listening, pop, soul, R&B, quie ...
chart. Additionally, it spent seven weeks atop Radio Songs. "Mirrors" became the third song to top the Mainstream Top 40,
Rhythmic Rhythmic may refer to: * Related to rhythm * Rhythmic contemporary, a radio format * Rhythmic adult contemporary, a radio format * Rhythmic gymnastics, a form of gymnastics * Rhythmic (chart) The Rhythmic chart (also called Rhythmic Airplay, and ...
and Adult Pop Songs airplay charts, tying the record held by Mariah Carey & Boyz II Men's "
One Sweet Day "One Sweet Day" is a song recorded by American singer-songwriter Mariah Carey and vocal group Boyz II Men. The song was released on as the second single from Carey's fifth studio album, ''Daydream'' (1995) by Columbia Records. The artists ...
" (1995–1996) and
Ricky Martin Enrique Martín Morales (born December 24, 1971), known professionally as Ricky Martin, is a Puerto Rican singer, songwriter, and actor. He is known for his musical versatility, with his Ricky Martin albums discography, discography spanning ...
's "
Livin' La Vida Loca "Livin' la Vida Loca" () is a song recorded by Puerto Rican singer Ricky Martin for his fifth studio album and English-language debut, ''Ricky Martin'' (1999). The song was written by Draco Rosa and Desmond Child, while the production was handl ...
" (1999). It was certified double platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA). As of 2018, the song has accumulated 5.9 million units in the US, combining sales (3.9 million downloads sold) and equivalent streams. On the Canadian Hot 100, the single reached a peak of number four. "Mirrors" was certified double platinum by Music Canada, selling over 160,000 digital copies in the country. "Mirrors" debuted at number 28 on the
UK Singles Chart The UK Singles Chart (currently titled Official Singles Chart, with the upper section more commonly known as the Official UK Top 40) is compiled by the Official Charts Company (OCC), on behalf of the British record industry, listing the top-s ...
on February 23, 2013 and reached number one on March 3, 2013. It became Timberlake's second solo single to top the chart and fourth song overall. The single topped the chart for three consecutive weeks. It also reached number on the
Scottish Singles Chart The Scottish Albums Chart is a chart compiled by the Official Charts Company (OCC) which is based on how physical and digital sales towards the UK Albums Chart fare in Scotland. The official singles chart for Scotland, the Scottish Singles Chart, ...
and number two on the Irish Singles Chart. "Mirrors" peaked number two on the
German Singles Chart The GfK Entertainment charts are the official music charts in Germany and are gathered and published by GfK Entertainment (formerly Media Control and Media Control GfK International), a subsidiary of GfK, on behalf of Bundesverband Musikindust ...
and was certified platinum by
Bundesverband Musikindustrie The Bundesverband Musikindustrie (English: Federal Music Industry Association), or simply BVMI, represents the music industry in Germany. The association represents the interests of nearly 280 labels and music industry related enterprises, which ...
(BMVI) for selling over 300,000 digital copies in the country. The single debuted and peaked at number four on the
Danish Singles Chart Hitlisten, also known as Tracklisten, is a Danish top 40 record chart that is updated every Thursday midnight on the website hitlisten.nu. The weekly Danish singles chart Track Top-40 combines the 40 best-selling tracks from legal music downloads ...
; it stayed on the position for two weeks.
IFPI Denmark IFPI Danmark is the Danish branch of the International Federation of the Phonographic Industry (IFPI) and is the official charts provider and recording sales certification body for Denmark. Certification Gold and platinum awards were first awarde ...
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. The song debuted on the
Norwegian Singles Chart VG-lista is a Norwegian record chart A record chart, in the music industry, also called a music chart, is a ranking of recorded music according to certain criteria during a given period. Many different criteria are used in worldwide chart ...
at number 18. In its fourth week, it reach a peak of number seven and stayed on the position for two consecutive weeks. The single debuted on the Australian Singles Chart at number 26 on March 24, 2013. After eight weeks on the chart, it reached its peak of number 10 on May 12, 2013. It also reached number one on the Australian Urban Singles Chart. "Mirrors" was certified double platinum by the
Australian Recording Industry Association The Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA) is a trade association representing the Australian recording industry which was established in the 1970s by six major record companies, EMI, Festival, CBS, RCA, WEA and Universal replacing ...
(ARIA) for selling over 140,000 copies in the country. In New Zealand, the song debuted at number 23 on March 4, 2013. After five weeks on the chart, on April 1, 2013, "Mirrors" reached its peak of number seven on the chart and stayed on the position the next week. Recording Industry Association of New Zealand (RIANZ) certified it platinum for selling over 15,000 copies in the country. In 2013, "Mirrors" was ranked as the sixth-most popular song of the year on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100.


Music video

The music video was directed by
Floria Sigismondi Floria Sigismondi (, born 1965) is an Italian-Canadian film director, screenwriter, music video director, artist, and photographer. She is best known for writing and directing ''The Runaways'', for directing music videos for performers includin ...
and saw its world premiere as the highlight of an hour-long special on
The CW ''The'' () is a grammatical Article (grammar), article in English language, English, denoting persons or things already mentioned, under discussion, implied or otherwise presumed familiar to listeners, readers, or speakers. It is the definite ...
in celebration of ''
The 20/20 Experience ''The 20/20 Experience'' is the third studio album by American singer-songwriter Justin Timberlake. It was released on March 15, 2013, by RCA Records, as the follow-up to his second studio album ''FutureSex/LoveSounds'' (2006). It is considered th ...
s release. Timberlake dedicated the music video to his maternal grandparents William and Sadie Bomar, who were married for 63 years until William's death in 2012. 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 A funhouse or fun house is an amusement facility found on amusement park and funfair midways and is where patrons encounter and interact with various devices designed to surprise, challenge, and amuse them. Unlike thrill rides or dark rides, f ...
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 A funhouse or fun house is an amusement facility found on amusement park and funfair midways and is where patrons encounter and interact with various devices designed to surprise, challenge, and amuse them. Unlike thrill rides or dark rides, f ...
. 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 and 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 move 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 teenaged 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."
Timberlake's grandmother Sadie Bomar told Italian weekly '' Grazia'' that "Justin didn't tell me he was doing it aking 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." Timberlake took home the award for Video of the Year at the
2013 MTV Video Music Awards The 2013 MTV Video Music Awards were held on August 25, 2013, at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York. Marking the 30th installment of the award show, they were the first to be held in New York City not to use a venue within the borough of M ...
. 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 ''The Hollywood Reporter'' (''THR'') is an American digital and print magazine which focuses on the Hollywood film, television, and entertainment industries. It was founded in 1930 as a daily trade paper, and in 2010 switched to a weekly larg ...
'' and '' Spin''. Maura Johnston from ''Spin'' wrote: The music video on YouTube has received more than a billion views as of February 2022.


Live performances

"Mirrors" was performed on ''
The Ellen DeGeneres Show ''The Ellen DeGeneres Show'' (often shortened to ''Ellen'' or ''The Ellen Show'') is an American daytime television variety comedy talk show that was created and hosted by its namesake Ellen DeGeneres. Debuting on September 8, 2003, it was pro ...
'' and ''
Saturday Night Live ''Saturday Night Live'' (often abbreviated to ''SNL'') is an American late-night live television sketch comedy and variety show created by Lorne Michaels and developed by Dick Ebersol that airs on NBC and Peacock. Michaels currently serves ...
''. On February 20, 2013, he performed the song at the
2013 Brit Awards Brit Awards 2013 was held on 20 February 2013. This was the 33rd edition of the British Phonographic Industry's annual Brit Awards. The awards ceremony was held at The O2 Arena in London, and was presented for the third time in three years by J ...
. On August 25, 2013, he performed "Mirrors" in a medley with other of his songs at the
2013 MTV Video Music Awards The 2013 MTV Video Music Awards were held on August 25, 2013, at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York. Marking the 30th installment of the award show, they were the first to be held in New York City not to use a venue within the borough of M ...
. After the performance he accepted the
Michael Jackson Video Vanguard Award The Michael Jackson Video Vanguard Award, also known as the Video Vanguard Award or the Lifetime Achievement Award, is a merit given to recording artists and music video directors at the MTV Video Music Awards (VMAs), a ceremony that was establis ...
at the ceremony. The song was featured on Justin and Jay-Z's co-headlining Legends of the Summer Tour (2013) and
The 20/20 Experience World Tour The 20/20 Experience World Tour was the fifth concert tour by American singer-songwriter Justin Timberlake. It was launched in support of his third and fourth studio albums, '' The 20/20 Experience'' (2013) and '' The 20/20 Experience – 2 of 2 ...
(2013/15). Timberlake made a guest appearance on
Taylor Swift Taylor Alison Swift (born December 13, 1989) is an American singer-songwriter. Her discography spans multiple genres, and her vivid songwriting—often inspired by her personal life—has received critical praise and wide media coverage. Bor ...
's 1989 Tour and they performed "Mirrors" together on August 26, 2015.


Cover versions

In May 2013,
Boyce Avenue Boyce Avenue is an American cover band formed in Sarasota, Florida, by brothers Alejandro Luis Manzano, Daniel Enrique Manzano, and Fabian Rafael Manzano. The brothers attended Pine View School in Osprey, Florida. The band is named after a co ...
released with
Fifth Harmony Fifth Harmony, often shortened to 5H, was an American girl group based in Miami, composed of Ally Brooke, Normani, Dinah Jane, Lauren Jauregui, and previously Camila Cabello until her departure from the group in December 2016. The group sig ...
their version of the song. ''
The Huffington Post ''HuffPost'' (formerly ''The Huffington Post'' until 2017 and sometimes abbreviated ''HuffPo'') is an American progressive news website, with localized and international editions. The site offers news, satire, blogs, and original content, and ...
'' noted that the duet "makes for the perfect blend of harmonies -- and a convincing love story told through lyrics." The cover was nominated for a YouTube Music Award. In the same month, Issues frontman
Tyler Carter Derek Tyler Carter (born December 30, 1991) is an American musician, singer, songwriter and record producer from Gainesville, Georgia. He is most notable for being the former vocalist and founding member of American metalcore band Issues. Car ...
released a cover of Mirrors, while replacing the second verse with his own. In April 2013,
Paradise Fears Paradise Fears is an American alternative rock band from Vermillion, South Dakota. The band has been touring and releasing music independently since 2011. Their 2013 album, ''Battle Scars'', peaked at #2 on the iTunes Alternative chart. History ...
covered this song, with lead vocalist Sam Miller adding his own personal flare to it. In June 2013,
Cimorelli Cimorelli is an American singing group from El Dorado Hills, California consisting of 5 sisters: Christina, Katherine, Lisa, Amy, and Lauren. They first gained popularity on YouTube singing cover music and were subsequently signed to Universal ...
released their version of the song along with
Big Time Rush ''Big Time Rush'' is an American musical sitcom television series created by Scott Fellows that originally aired on Nickelodeon from November 28, 2009, to July 25, 2013 and is currently available in Paramount+. It focuses on the Hollywood misa ...
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." In September 2013, Ellie Goulding also sang it in the Live Lounge. ''
Entertainment Weekly ''Entertainment Weekly'' (sometimes abbreviated as ''EW'') is an American digital-only entertainment magazine based in New York City, published by Dotdash Meredith, that covers film, television, music, Broadway theatre, books, and popular cu ...
'' wrote that she had added "some piano and a more soulful edge" and that "her vocal riffs give the tune a whole new flavor". Mike Wass of
Idolator An idolator is a practitioner of idolatry. Idolater or Idolator may also refer to: Books *''Os Idólatras'', 1968 Portuguese novel by Maria Judite de Carvalho Music * Idolator (website), an American music blog * ''Idolator'' (album), third album ...
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." In August 2015, country singer
Hunter Hayes Hunter Easton Hayes (born September 9, 1991) is an American multi-genre singer, songwriter, record producer, and multi-instrumentalist. He is proficient at more than 30 instruments. Hayes released his self-titled debut album in 2011. It reache ...
performed a bluegrass version of the song at Nashville's famed Blackbird studio for YouTube channel CountryNow. Stephen L. Betts from ''
Rolling Stone ''Rolling Stone'' is an American monthly magazine that focuses on music, politics, and popular culture. It was founded in San Francisco, California, in 1967 by Jann Wenner, and the music critic Ralph J. Gleason. It was first known for its ...
'' gave it a positive review, writing "his performance focuses on a passionately delivered vocal laced with touches of R&B in his voice." Canadian country group
Hunter Brothers Hunter Brothers is a Canadian country music group from Shaunavon, Saskatchewan composed of brothers Luke, J.J., Ty, Brock and Dusty Hunter. They signed with Open Road Recordings and released their debut single, "El Dorado", in February 2016. It ...
recorded a cover of the song that was included on their debut studio album, ''Getaway'', in March 2017.


Track listings

*;CD single #"Mirrors" — 8:05 #" Suit & Tie" (Radio Edit) featuring Jay Z — 4:29 *;Digital download #"Mirrors" — 8:05 *;Digital download (Radio Edit) #"Mirrors" (Radio Edit) — 4:37 *;2013 Brit Awards #"Mirrors" (Live from the BRITs) — 5:12


Credits and personnel

Credits adapted from the liner notes of ''The 20/20 Experience''. ;Locations *Vocals recorded and mixed at Larrabee Studios,
North Hollywood North Hollywood is a neighborhood of Los Angeles, California, located in the San Fernando Valley. The neighborhood contains the NoHo Arts District, the El Portal Theatre, several art galleries, and the Academy of TV Arts and Sciences. The North ...
, California ;Personnel *Timothy "Timbaland" Mosley – producer, songwriter *Justin Timberlake – Mixer, producer, songwriter, vocal producer, vocal arranger, guitar *Jerome "J-Roc" Harmon – keyboards, producer, songwriter *James Fauntleroy – songwriter *Chris Godbey – engineer, mixer *Jimmy Douglass – mixer *Alejandro Baima – assistant engineer *Elliot Ives – guitar *Benjamin Wright and The Benjamin Wright Orchestra – strings


Awards and nominations


Charts


Weekly charts


Year-end charts


Certifications


Release history


See also

*
List of best-selling singles This is a compendium of the best-selling music singles. The criterion for inclusion is to sell at least ten million copies worldwide. The singles listed here were cited by reliable sources from various media, such as digital journalism, new ...
* List of UK Singles Chart number ones of the 2010s


References


External links

* {{Authority control 2010s ballads 2013 singles 2013 songs Pop ballads Justin Timberlake songs Songs written by Timbaland Songs written by Justin Timberlake Songs written by Jerome "J-Roc" Harmon Songs written by James Fauntleroy Song recordings produced by Timbaland Song recordings produced by Justin Timberlake Song recordings produced by Jerome "J-Roc" Harmon Number-one singles in Israel Number-one singles in Poland UK Singles Chart number-one singles Music videos directed by Floria Sigismondi MTV Video of the Year Award Torch songs Contemporary R&B ballads RCA Records singles