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Stray Kids paid tribute to a legendary boyband during their high-energy performance for the American Music Awards 50th Anniversary Special on Sunday (October 6).
The popular K-pop group honored *NSYNC on stage, kicking off their set by channeling the group's hit song "Bye Bye Bye" from their album No Strings Attached, complete with marionette strings, as the group pulled off the iconic dance moves like they were being controlled by a puppeteer. After different members of the group showed off their killer moves, they lit up the stage with their own track "Chk Chk Boom," from their 2024 EP Ate.
The *NSYNC tribute came full circle at the end of the performance as Stray Kids, joined by over a dozen extra dancers wearing jerseys, once again nailed the choreography during a ultra-cool mashup of both songs to wrap up their time on stage.
Fans were loving the unexpected mashup, taking to social media to share their excitement for the tribute. "Stray Kids did not come to play," one X (formerly Twitter) user wrote, while another said "they ate this uppppp" and another expressed how "beyond proud" they are to be a Stray Kids fan.
Stray Kids even seemingly had the approval of at least one member of *NSYNC, as Lance Bass, along with the Backstreet Boys' AJ McLean, introduced the group to the stage alongside a video paying tribute to other boybands throughout the years.
The AMA's 50th Anniversary Special also included a stunning tribute to Whitney Houston by Hudson, Gladys Knight returning to the AMA stage 50 years after her first performance, and a rendition of one of Mariah Carey's biggest hits as she prepares to celebrate a special anniversary, among other performances.