Justin Timberlake might have caught himself in hot water after Britney Spears‘ memoir, The Woman in Me, but he is still performing his greatest hits. The singer performed in Las Vegas Wednesday night, and he had a message for the crowd before singing his controversial song “Cry Me a River.”

The 42-year-old artist performed for the opening of the Fontainebleau in Sin City. According to DailyMail, he told the crowd, “No disrespect,‘ he said, before singing Cry Me A River. His wife, Jessica Biel, was also in attendance.

Timberlake shared how proud he was on Thursday, walking down a hallway in the hotel with Biel, carrying her heels. “I could never walk a mile in her shoes but, you know it’s been a good night when I’m carrying the heels home,” he wrote in the caption.

The significance of Cry Me a River

Cry Me a River has been linked to Britney since its release in 2002. It was featured on his debut solo album, justified, and was widely suspected to be about the breakup. His music video featured an actress who looked just like the “Lucky” singer, with lyrics alluding to cheating.

The drama surrounding their breakup became a tabloid sensation, contributing to the intense media scrutiny of Britney’s personal life during that time.

It was rehashed with the memoir. “I felt there was no way at the time to tell my side of the story,” she wrote. “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,” the singer continued.

Although the “Sexy Back” singer has not addressed the memoir, he did apologize to Spears back in February 2021 after a New York Times documentary touched on their relationship. “I understand that I fell short in these moments and in many others... I specifically want to apologize to Britney Spears and Janet Jackson both individually, because I care for and respect these women and I know I failed,” he wrote on social media.