My days of fangirling were gone. Or at least I thought so. A, now, 35 year old mother of two firmly tethered to the realities of this world, I didn’t have time to pursue the unattainable world of pop music. But then, as if transported back to the 90s, five men – much less fresh but still oozing all the charisma of a best-selling boy band – reunited for a few minutes on stage and I was reduced to a whimpering teen. In case you’re not aware – Nsync appeared earlier in the week on the VMAs to give out the award for Best Pop Video. Taylor, the unsurprising recipient gushed over the band as if she was their No.1 fan not realising I, in fact, was.

Rumours of the record-breaking band reforming for a reunion tour have been pollinating across social media but I’ve tried to remain level-headed. While I could realistically see four members re-joining (including arguably the finest vocalist of the lot now lending his talents to cat food commercials), it’s hard to imagine Justin Timberlake taking a hiatus from his highly successful solo career to dig up the past.

These sorts of reunions are now highly common with bands regularly coming out of retirement and regrouping to relive their glory days and presumably to make some extra cash. The Backstreet Boys, Westlife and The Spice Girls to name a few. It’s easy to understand why a once-so-successful band would get back together. I’d imagine their new lives never quite lived up to their expectations with the exception of a few members. The chance to be relevant again without all the groundwork must be attractive. Fans equally relish these reunions even if taken with a pinch of cynicism.

Ticket sales speak for themselves. Take BUSTED for example – set to reunite for a second time in the fall accompanied by fellow pop trio Hanson. Concerts sold out and the band were forced to add new dates. Irish fans demanded they make their way across the sea to grace their stages. They happily complied.

Whether Nsync will perform live again is debatable at this stage. So far, all we have is the news of a new Nsync song featuring in the latest Trolls movie. Their group appearance at the VMAs has certainly propelled the hope of a live tour into the realms of possibility and a recent video posted to Nsync’s social media, where they cutely dub that scene from friends (Do you know something? I might know something), leads us to believe something is definitely brewing.

For me – without even an ounce of shame – an Nsync reunion tour brings a giddy sense of excitement us 30-somethings don’t always get to experience. As an 11-year-old, Nsync were my first foray into music. With their unrivalled harmonies and dance routines, Nsync appealed to me in a way that their Irish counterparts could never match. From the moment I set eyes on them, I was in a trance until they disbanded in 2001. I still can’t bear to let go of the memorabilia: the board game gathers dust in my attic, their singles, shoe-boxed to never be played again, a handbag that reads “Mrs Timberlake” buried among the rubble of my childhood. I think, if I squint hard enough, I can still remember all of their birthdays.

The year was 1999 and, to me, Nsync offered all the allure of US culture. As someone from rural Ireland, they were almost other-wordly. Alongside Britney Spears and Buffy the Vampire Slayer, they’d form a mighty trio that would heavily influence my taste and style for those formative years of my life. My musical tastes have undoubtedly evolved since then, with genres such as folk taking the fore, but what Nsync represents to me is a space and time that feels unmistakably warm and fuzzy.

This, I suppose, is where these legacy acts get us. Right in the feels. The longing for nostalgia that comes from music of our childhood is very real. Research has found that in times of uncertainty and increased exposure to negativity, we tend to indulge in greater levels of nostalgia. Given some of the world’s recent events, it’s no wonder we’re all flocking to see our favourite bands – in a quest to escape to a simpler time.

Where Nsync might stand apart from some of those other groups we see re-join, is an effortless camaraderie that exists between its members. They have all separately maintained over the years that they remain the best of friends. They have shown up for each other on various occasions since their split and it’s clear there was never any bad blood. What saw the band split was not some disagreement or even a wane in public interest but Timberlake’s own personal quest for musical expression and autonomy. In fact, Nsync were at their peak when they decided to call it quits, their previous album hitting the top of the US charts and becoming the second-best debut week sales at the time since they began monitoring record retailers in 1991.

Music is fleeting much like those who exist within the industry. They will inevitably experience “creative differences”, break up, and get back together. That is the new normal. And most of us are probably glad of it. The one time heartache caused by a break up probably won’t exist anymore as we know there’s a good chance they’ll kiss and make up. Since I said “Bye, Bye, Bye” to Nsync over 20 years ago, I never thought a reunion was ever possible but here I am, in a frenzy over the release of a new song. For the 11-year-old buried in me, who never got to see the band live, I will continue to hold my breath for a tour announcement.