Justin Timberlake revisited the echoes of his past in a performance at the Fontainebleau in Las Vegas, hinting at the controversy surrounding his relationship with pop icon Britney Spears. The 42-year-old NSYNC member, who had a high-profile romance with Spears from 1998 to 2002, began his performance with a cautionary note before delivering his 2002 hit, Cry Me a River, which was widely speculated to be inspired by their tumultuous breakup.
According to Page Six , Timberlake addressed the audience with a prelude to his performance on Wednesday night, declaring, “No disrespect.” The song, which appeared on Timberlake’s solo album Justified , became a focal point in Spears’ recent memoir, The Woman in Me , in which she revealed her side of the story. The Toxic singer admitted to infidelity during their relationship in the book, revealing an incident with choreographer Wade Robson.
“We were out one night and we went to a Spanish bar. We danced and danced. I made out with him that night,” Spears wrote in her memoir. The controversy surrounding Cry Me a River extends beyond its lyrical content. The music video for the hit fueled speculation by featuring a woman with blond hair who resembled Spears, reinforcing the public’s fascination with their high-profile breakup.
In her memoir, Spears reflected on the song’s impact, stating that it portrayed her as a “harlot who’d broken the heart of America’s golden boy.” The lack of an opportunity to present her point of view at the time left her feeling powerless in the face of Timberlake’s narrative, per The New York Post .
“I felt there was no way at the time to tell my side of the story,” she said. “I couldn’t explain, because I knew no one would take my side once Justin had convinced the world of his version. I don’t think Justin realized the power he had in shaming me. I don’t think he understands to this day.” Spears also revealed that Timberlake cheated on her several times with “another celebrity,” the identity of whom she did not reveal.
Spears’ memoir also revealed a deeply personal aspect of their relationship, which was an abortion in 2000. Timberlake, according to Spears, “wasn’t happy about the pregnancy” and said they “were way too young” to have a baby. “I’m sure people will hate me for this, but I agreed not to have the baby. I don’t know if that was the right decision. If it had been left up to me alone, I never would have done it. And yet Justin was so sure that he didn’t want to be a father.”
Justin Timberlake is such a phony, claiming “no disrespect” before singing Cry Me A River but just this past August he was saying “fuck that” when told to stop performing it. He just does not wanna fan the flames with the public, but he’s NOT apologetic. pic.twitter.com/ky9OE52t0T
— Lou M. Taylor Belongs In Jail (@lootmtaylor) December 15, 2023
Timberlake, who had remained silent in the aftermath of Spears’ revelations, appeared to respond to the controversy with his Las Vegas performance. Timberlake fled to Mexico with his wife, Jessica Biel, and their two sons last month as a result of the backlash. Despite criticism and the partial disablement of his Instagram comments, Timberlake is gradually re-entering the spotlight.