Timberlake on 'Cry Me A River': I Won't Stop Singing



by NOUMAN RASOOL

Timberlake on 'Cry Me A River': I Won't Stop Singing
Timberlake on 'Cry Me A River': I Won't Stop Singing © Patrick Smith/GettyImages

Amid anticipation surrounding Britney Spears' forthcoming memoir, "The Woman in Me", Justin Timberlake remains unshaken, continuing to passionately belt out his 2002 chart-topping track, "Cry Me A River", that candidly recounts his split with the pop icon.

This unabashed performance was recently witnessed at Dave Chappelle's star-studded birthday celebration in August. Here, Timberlake, not one to mince words, addressed the gathering prior to his act, asserting, "They said not to do this song anymore.

F*** that!" It's evident that Timberlake remains undeterred by any potential backlash or the memoir's anticipated divulgence of intimate relationship details.

Spears-Timberlake: Raw Revelations

"Cry Me A River" doesn't shy away from its narrative, taking listeners through allegations of infidelity, reflecting the rollercoaster that was the Spears-Timberlake romance.

The evocative lyrics, notably, "You don't have to say, what you did / I already know, I found out from him," delve deep into the duo's romantic dissolution. Spears, speaking on the track and its visually poignant video, shared her astonishment from back then, articulating, "I believe I was utterly shocked.

Never did I anticipate such a move. It truly caught me off-guard." Britney's soon-to-be-released memoir promises a firsthand glimpse into her side of the story, particularly during this whirlwind phase. In excerpts, she touches upon the video's portrayal wherein "a doppelganger of mine deceives him, leading him to mournfully saunter through rain." Spears poignantly elucidates how this media portrayal painted her as a "temptress who shattered the heart of America's darling," when, behind closed doors, she was mending her own heart away from the limelight in Louisiana.

All while Timberlake seemed to be relishing his time in the heart of Hollywood. With the memoir's release on the horizon, the industry and fans alike wait with bated breath for Spears' narrative. However, Timberlake's decision to continue with "Cry Me A River" signals that he remains unapologetically committed to his artistic choices.