Justin Timberlake is mourning the death of his backup singer Nicole Hurst

Justin said he would “miss [Nicole] dearly”, and praised her as a “constant source of joy and positivity”.

He wrote: “My heart is so heavy. We lost a beautiful soul this week.

Nicole lit up every room she walked into. On and off the stage she was a constant source of joy and positivity.

“Some things feel so unfair and we will never understand why they happen. What I do know is that we were blessed to laugh with her, to travel with her, and to experience her infectious smile and love for a life filled with music. Nicole, it’s not enough to say that I am going to miss you dearly. Thank you for your light. I will do my best to carry that with me. I love you, my sister. Forever family and forever a TN Kid. (sic)”

Nicole’s cause of death is not yet known.

Back in 2013 she was diagnosed with Stage 2 triple positive breast cancer at the age of 31 and the cancer escalated to Stage 3, however she revealed in 2015 her cancer was in remission.

Meanwhile, Justin previously said he wants to raise his two children – Silas, six, and Phineas, 12 months – to “love and respect” everyone.

He wrote on social media: "Boys grow up to be fathers. I think about that a lot these days.

"We try to teach our son to love and to respect everyone - we teach him that all people are all created equal, and that no one should be treated differently because of the color of their skin.

"We teach him this because one day, he will go on to teach his kids the same. It's a cycle.

"And right now, as we all work to undo generations of discrimination that have plagued our system and our communities across this country...

"I'm reminded today that the first lessons start at home. I'm grateful for both of my dads and my mother for teaching me those lessons from the beginning. And for listening to me when I had something to say that they hadn't learned. (sic)"