At the beginning of November, N.E.R.D. made their highly anticipated return to the charts along with Rihanna for their track “Lemon.” The sizzling new track featured Pharrell’s rapid fire delivery of slick and socially conscious rhymes, along with Rihanna thankfully taking on more than just a hook, instead singing full verses on the new single.
Not only did N.E.R.D. cement their return with their first single in seven years, which doubles as the lead track from their upcoming fifth studio album No_One Ever Really Dies, the trio also dropped a must-see music video.
Rihanna’s only appearance is in the beginning of the clip, where she sits on a bed in a dark room and shaves the head of dancer Mette Towley. Sans hair, Towley then delivers an incredible dance performance through an empty flea market, showing off choreography that she displays again in an ad for Beats By Dre headphones, with “Lemon” playing in the background. N.E.R.D. don’t make an appearance in either video, but we’re sure they were off to the side somewhere dancing. Song is a jam.
Now it looks like Towley’s moves are inspiring a viral dance challenge, at least with Pharrell and his longtime friend and collaborator, Justin Timberlake.
The pair were recently hanging out with Towley, and Timberlake thought he would try to battle the professional dancer and match her famous moves from “Lemon.” So close, but yet, so far.
Pharrell posted a video of the dance off, using the hashtag #LemonDanceChallenge, which has already been used by a number of fans to show off their own take on Mette’s choreography.
The moves are likely way too complicated to make “Lemon” the next “Black Beatles,” but it is pretty fun to watch JT get schooled by another dancer.
