You know that feeling when a song you’ve heard a thousand times suddenly hits differently? That’s basically what happened when the world first heard the true color justin timberlake rendition. Honestly, we all knew the Cyndi Lauper original. It’s a 1980s powerhouse. It’s iconic. But when Justin Timberlake teamed up with Anna Kendrick for the Trolls soundtrack, something weirdly magical happened. It wasn't just a "movie song." It became a moment where JT stripped away the high-production gloss of "SexyBack" and "Can't Stop the Feeling!" to show something actually raw.
Most people think of Trolls as just a bunch of neon-colored, fuzzy-haired creatures dancing to upbeat pop. And yeah, it is that. But the true color justin timberlake duet is the emotional anchor of the whole thing.
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The Story Behind the True Color Justin Timberlake Version
Back in May 2016, the world got a sneak peek of this cover long before the movie even hit theaters. Timberlake and Kendrick were at the Cannes Film Festival. They walked onto a stage, Justin picked up an acoustic guitar, and they introduced themselves as "Anna and Garfunkel." It was a joke, but the performance that followed was anything but.
They sang it live, stripped back, and acoustic. No auto-tune. No heavy bass. Just two voices.
People were actually moved to tears. You've got to remember that at this point, Justin hadn't released new music since The 20/20 Experience in 2013. This was our first real look at his "new" musical direction as the executive music producer for the Trolls franchise. He didn't just sing on the track; he produced it. He worked with Elliott Ives on the guitars and Peter Lee Johnson on the violin to create a soundscape that felt more like a lullaby than a chart-topping pop hit.
The studio version, which dropped on September 16, 2016, kept that somber, sweet energy. It wasn't trying to out-sing Cyndi Lauper. Instead, it felt like a quiet conversation between two friends. In the film, this is the moment where the Trolls lose their color—literally—and are at their lowest point. The song brings the color back. It's high-stakes stuff for a kid's movie.
Why This Cover Actually Worked
Usually, when pop stars cover 80s classics for animated films, it feels forced. It feels like a corporate "cash-in." But true color justin timberlake felt different for a few specific reasons:
- The Vocal Dynamics: Kendrick’s theater-trained voice is bright and clear, while Timberlake uses his breathy, lower register. It’s a contrast that works better than it should.
- The Production: Timberlake avoided the temptation to "Timberlake-ify" it with beatboxing or funky synth. He kept it organic.
- The Context: In 2016, the world felt a bit chaotic. A song about seeing someone's "true colors" and loving them for it resonated way beyond the target audience of five-year-olds.
Breaking Down the Production Credits
If you look at the liner notes (yeah, some of us still do that), you see how much control Timberlake had over this. He’s listed as a producer alongside The Outfit. Chris Godbey, his long-time collaborator, handled the mixing and recording.
It’s interesting because Timberlake was basically wearing two hats. He was the "Pop Star" providing the vocals, but he was also the "A&R/Producer" making sure the song fit the narrative of a DreamWorks film. He told The Hollywood Reporter that he always wanted to bring the worlds of film and music together, and this track was the bridge.
Is it Better Than the Original?
Look, nobody is going to say anything is "better" than Cyndi Lauper. Her 1986 version is a masterpiece of emotional delivery. However, the true color justin timberlake version serves a different purpose. Lauper’s version is an anthem. Timberlake and Kendrick’s version is a hug.
It’s softer.
It’s more vulnerable.
It’s the version you play when you’re actually trying to calm someone down, rather than the one you belt out at karaoke after three drinks.
The Cultural Impact and Charts
Even though it was a soundtrack song, it held its own. The Trolls soundtrack eventually went 2× Platinum in the US. The song itself was certified Platinum in Brazil and Gold in the UK. It showed that JT could still command an audience without needing a "Mirrors" level production.
It also paved the way for the sequels. We saw Trolls World Tour and Trolls Band Together (which finally gave us that 'NSYNC reunion we were all dying for), but neither of those films quite captured the same lightning-in-a-bottle moment as the first "True Colors" cover.
Why You Should Revisit It Now
If you haven't listened to the true color justin timberlake track lately, do yourself a favor and put on some good headphones. Ignore the trolls on the screen for a second and just listen to the arrangement. The way the violin creeps in during the second verse? That’s top-tier production.
It’s a reminder that beneath the dancing and the fame, Timberlake is a genuinely gifted musician who knows how to handle a ballad. In a career filled with high-energy dance tracks, this remains one of his most "human" moments.
How to Get the Most Out of the Track
If you want to dive deeper into this specific era of JT's music, start by watching the Cannes 2016 live performance on YouTube. It's the most "authentic" version of the song. After that, listen to the "Film Version" versus the "Soundtrack Version." There are subtle differences in the mix, especially in how the vocals sit against the acoustic guitar.
You can also compare it to the other covers on that soundtrack—like "The Sound of Silence"—to see how Timberlake curated a specific "folk-pop" vibe for the movie's more emotional beats. It’s a masterclass in how to use nostalgia to build a modern brand.
To really appreciate the craft, try learning the guitar chords yourself; it’s a standard G-C-D progression but the fingerpicking style JT uses in the live version is what gives it that "True Color" soul.
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Next Steps for the Listener:
- Watch the Cannes 2016 acoustic performance to hear the song without any studio polish.
- Add the Film Version of the track to your "Chill" or "Acoustic" playlist on Spotify for a better listening flow.
- Compare the vocal layering in this song to his later work on Man of the Woods to see how this project influenced his "earthier" sound.