Justin Timberlake, New Kids on the Block, Tate McRae, Khalid & More Raise Awareness For Mental Health by Performing at Audacy’s We Can Survive Concert

Audacy brought their sold-out We Can Survive concert back to New Jersey on Saturday (September 28), and it once again showed that the power of music can unite and strengthen people.

Thousands of pop music fans flocked to the Prudential Center in Newark to see some of this year’s biggest names in music, as Justin Timberlake, New Kids on the Block, Tate McRae, Khalid, Benson Boone and Isabel LaRosa were set to perform both their most iconic and chart-topping songs.

Rain in the forecast didn’t stop fans from packing the venue’s Championship Plaza for a pre-show featuring a performance from Haven Madison. The 18-year-old, who was a finalist on season 21 of American Idol, made sure her storytelling lyrics and infectious beats were are the forefront of a moment that she says was so “special” that she “felt encouraged and empowered” after leaving the stage.

“My performance was so special. Those audiences are kind of give or take — you never know what you’re really going to get — but the whole front row was just girls singing along to every word, [even the] unreleased stuff,” Haven tells Celeb Secrets host Juliet Schroder backstage after her pre-show performance. “It was so special. I felt so encouraged and empowered and getting to speak into those people was so fun.”

With the big show starting exactly at 7:05pm, Isabel LaRosa kicked things off with performances of her viral songs “favorite,” “i’m yours,” “older” and her latest smash “Pretty Boy.” Coming off her first-headlining tour in the United States, LaRosa’s stint at We Can Survive marked the first arena show of her career.

“I am definitely very nervous but I am so excited. This is my first time playing an arena,” LaRosa shared with Celeb Secrets moments before her performance. “When I was soundchecking, I was like, ‘woah, that’s a lot of seats.'”

Fans were quite literally flipping out when Benson Boone hit the stage, as he brought both the hits — and the backflips –during his 30-minute set. All eyes were then on Khalid, who officially returned to music for the first time in three years with the release of his album Sincere. 

When speaking with Celeb Secrets backstage about the process behind creating the new project, the 26-year-old reveals, “It awesome and it took me a long time. I’m glad it took me a long time because I learned so many lessons throughout the process.”

Teasing that his performance was bound to “bring the vibes” thanks to fun, nostalgia and of course smiles, Khalid definitely delivered with live renditions of songs like “Young Dumb & Broke,” “Location,” “East Side,” “Talk,” “Better” and “Silence.”

Fresh off her massive headlining tour this summer, Tate McRae showed the Prudential Center she’s the future of pop music thanks to her insane dance moves while performing songs like “exes,” “you broke me first,” “uh oh” and her new track “It’s ok I’m ok.” Donning a matching camo set, the 21-year-old’s fierce and energetic We Can Survive appearance marked one of her last stateside shows of the year, as she heads overseas to continue dominating the world with her music.

The excitement didn’t stop there, as New Kids on the Block had all of the Blockheads jumping up and down during their show-stopping performance. Giving fans a taste of their recent tour — as well as their newly-announced Las Vegas residency in 2025 — band members Jonathan and Jordan Knight, Joey McIntyre, Donnie Wahlberg, and Danny Wood commanded the stage from the moment they appeared with their 1988 iconic smash “You’ve Got It (The Right Stuff)” until they had to say goodbye with “Hangin’ Tough.”

Always putting their Blockheads at the forefront of their live show, NKOTB made sure to thank the packed crowd for their support over the last four decades of their career while on stage. They even made their way throughout the venue to get even closer to their biggest supporters by singing an extended version of their song “Tonight.”

The night closed out with Justin Timberlake giving the fans a taste of what really goes down on his iconic world tour, as he had an arena of all ages on their feet while he performed the most iconic songs of his career. Singing songs like “SexyBack,” “Cry Me A River,” “Suit & Tie” and “Selfish,” the 43-year-old brought his signature dance moves to the stage before wrapping with his coming-of-age smash “Mirrors.”

Audacy’s We Can Survive supports the company’s mental health initiative, I’m Listening, which delivers engaging conversations to listeners nationwide and encourages those dealing with mental health issues to understand they are not alone. The event connects people through music and supports the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention’s (AFSP) mission of delivering life-saving education, loss support, advocacy efforts, and community-based programs. 

“I have really bad anxiety and I’ve made it public, but I think [in terms of] balancing it… you sometimes have to take time for yourself. I think today, in this fast paced society, people don’t take enough time for self care,” NKOTB band member Jonathan Knight tells Celeb Secrets of how he balances being in a band while prioritizing mental health.

“It’s like, you want to go, go, go sometimes, and for us, we do have a fast-paced life. It’s sometimes difficult to find that balance, but it’s very important — like Jonathan said — to definitely practice self care. Maybe that means not overworking or overdoing anything and just kind of living life in moderation,” brother and band member Jordan Knight adds.

“We’ve also had the luxury of having each other for 40 years to lean on, and a lot of times people who are struggling don’t. We’ve even had times where we don’t admit one of us is struggling,” band member Donnie Wahlberg continues. “We’re blessed to have the support system, but at the same time, we also know not everyone does. Sometimes that doesn’t always matter, but it’s still important to somehow find that strength to reach out and ask for help or talk about what’s going on.”

Want more from Audacy’s We Can Survive? Click through the playlist below for interviews with celebs from the red carpet: