Justin Timberlake speaks out at first concert after DWI arrest: 'It's been a tough week'

"I know sometimes I’m hard to love, but you keep on loving me and I love you right back," the singer said.

Justin Timberlake is breaking his silence at his first concert since his DWI arrest.

The “Selfish” singer, 43, appeared to address his run-in with the law while talking to the crowd at his United Center concert in Chicago on Friday. 

“We’ve been together through ups and downs, lefts and rights,” Timberlake said in video footage from the event posted on social media. “It’s been a tough week, but you’re here and I’m here, and nothing can change this moment right now.”

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Justin Timberlake performs onstage during his The Forget Tomorrow world tour at Rogers Arena on April 29, 2024 in Vancouver, British Columbia.
Justin Timberlake.

Kevin Mazur/Getty

The 10-time Grammy winner bowed down to the crowd as they showed their support by cheering for him for an extended period of time. Then, he added, “I know sometimes I’m hard to love, but you keep on loving me and I love you right back. Thank you so much!”

Timberlake was pulled over and arrested on June 18 on charges of driving while intoxicated or impaired. The “Strawberry Bubblegum” singer was reportedly driving to a friend’s house from the American Bar in Sag Harbor, on the Eastern tip of Long Island in New York, when local law enforcement stopped him. 

"A traffic stop was initiated by a Police Officer from the Sag Harbor Village Police Department and upon investigation it was determined that Mr. Timberlake was operating his vehicle in an intoxicated condition,” a press release from the Sag Harbor Police Department confirmed. "Mr. Timberlake was placed under arrest, processed, and held overnight for morning arraignment. Mr. Timberlake was arraigned at the Sag Harbor Village Justice Court on June 18, 2024, at 9:30 AM where he was released on his own recognizance."

Justin Timberlake's mug shot
Justin Timberlake's mug shot.

Sag Harbor Police Department

Timberlake, who is currently on his Forget Tomorrow world tour, is scheduled to return to court on June 26.

His attorney, Ed Burke Jr., said in a statement that he will vigorously defend the singer, adding, “I will have a lot to say at the appropriate time, but am currently awaiting full discovery from the District Attorney’s office.”

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