Justin Timberlake Fights for Love on ‘TKO’
'The 20/20 Experience: 2 of 2' doesn't have the hype its preceding project had because it doesn't come with the excitement of Justin Timberlake's return to music or a hit of 'Suit & Tie' proportions. 'Take Back the Night' peaked at just No. 29 on the Billboard charts, far lower than 'Suit & Tie''s No. 3 peak.
Timberlake tried to increase anticipation with his new song, 'TKO,' the second single off his forthcoming LP. The track refrains from the throwback celebratory vibes of 'Suit & Tie' and the boy bandish 'Mirrors' and instead goes for a more club-ready approach. Timbaland handles the snappy production.
The premise of the song is pretty simple. Timberlake is struggling in a relationship, so he inserts a parade of boxing references to describe the situation. "I'm out for the count / Yeah, girl you knock me out / With a TKO," he sings. His battle is more of an emotional one, while Timbaland's "she kill me with that coochie coo" has a more sexual implication.
Like 'Suit & Tie,' 'Mirrors' and pretty much every Timberlake solo release this year, 'TKO' is a two-parter. It's not as expansive as those two singles though. Timbaland strips the beat and transforms it with a beat boxing element to bring the track to a close.
Listen to Justin Timberlake's 'TKO'