Following the news of Prince's death yesterday,  Justin Timberlake posted a touching message on Instagram about what Prince meant to him.

Prince was the artist Justin idolized since he was four; the man with whom he had "some of my greatest, funniest (yes, he was hilarious), and most prolific encounters and conversations about music"; the icon who is "somewhere within every song I've ever written."

instagramView full post on Instagram

Justin's full post:

It was Raspberry Beret. I was 4 years old. Yes, 4. I remember that I instantly loved it. "Mommy, who is that singing?" Seems weird but it's true.
More than a "once in a lifetime" artist... Just a ONCE IN FOREVER ARTIST. I'm still in shock as I write this and I feel this overwhelming grief. But, we should all turn away from that and HONOR this musician that changed all of our lives, our perspectives, our feeling, our whole being. From another planet? Probably. Royalty, for sure. Us worthy..? Laughable.

They say don't meet your idols... That they let you down. But, some of my greatest, funniest(yes, he was hilarious), and most prolific encounters and conversations about music came from the moments that I spent with him. It would be silly to say that he has inspired our music... It's beyond that. He's somewhere within every song I've ever written.
I am sad, but I will smile when I think of every second that I had the fortune of being in his company. We have lost our greatest living musician. But his music will never die.
Prince, NOTHING COMPARES...

#RIPPrince

This article was written by Alyssa Bailey and first appeared on ELLE.COM

From: ELLE US