Justin Timberlake is facing an uphill battle, but it will take more than that to bring him down. The pop star dropped his latest single and music video, “Selfish,” from his upcoming sixth studio album, “Everything I Thought It Was,” on Thursday morning.
However, the spotlight shifted when Britney Spears fans orchestrated a creative protest. They coordinated mass downloads and streams of her obscure 2011 song, sidelining Timberlake’s comeback single. Adding insult to injury, Timberlake failed to secure the top spot, with Spears’ single claiming No. 1 on US iTunes, leaving Timberlake in the 3rd position on Friday.
This collective fanbase move comes after Spears revealed intimate details of their past romance in her recent memoir, “The Woman In Me.” She disclosed a painful abortion at Timberlake’s insistence and accused him of cheating on her. This is not all as Timberlake reportedly penned the breakup song “Cry Me a River,” depicting Spears as the unfaithful party. Interestingly, despite the heavy backlash, the NSYNC member appears unfazed.
SELFISH – OUT NOWhttps://t.co/qzNJnAvJvr pic.twitter.com/RS5cEFSC5Y
— Justin Timberlake (@jtimberlake) January 25, 2024
Justin Timberlake is ‘excited and in a celebratory mood’
According to Page Six, insiders close to the ‘Cry Me A River’ hitmaker claim that he’s not allowing the recent setbacks to disrupt him. “He’s very happy to be performing again and working on new music. He’s all about having a good time right now,” shared a source.
Timberlake is reportedly healthy and completely focused on his new project. “He’s feeling reinvigorated and is doing what he loves, making the music he loves to create. He’s never felt better,” another source told the outlet. “He’s healthy, rehearsing, and getting in shape. He’s excited and in a celebratory mood,” asserted a second source.
The singer is keeping himself busy by going on a promotional run for the project, making stops in New York for “The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon” and hosting “Saturday Night Live.” As Timberlake approaches his 43rd birthday on January 31, he is set to mark the occasion with a sold-out performance at Irving Plaza. Additionally, he has announced “The Forget About Tomorrow” world tour, commencing in Vancouver, BC, on April 29.
Britney Spears praised Timberlake’s new music
On the flip side, Spears is extending her support for Timberlake’s new music, all the while offering another apology to those she may have “offended” with her memoir. In a recent Instagram post, the singer shared a clip of Timberlake and Jimmy Fallon’s “Classroom Instruments” segment from The Tonight Show.
In the post, she wrote,“I wanna apologize for some of the things I wrote about in my book. If I offended any of the people I genuinely care about I am deeply sorry. I also wanted to say I am in love with Justin Timberlake’s new song ‘Selfish.’ It is soo good and how come every time I see Justin and Jimmy together I laugh so hard ??? Ps ‘Sanctified’ is wow too.”
Britney Spears shares message on Instagram and praises Justin Timberlake’s new song:
“I wanna apologize for some of the things I wrote about in my book. If I offended any of the people I genuinely care about I am deeply sorry… I also wanted to say I am in love with Justin… pic.twitter.com/NmPcRd4XUC
— Pop Base (@PopBase) January 29, 2024