Justin Timberlake breaks his silence after DWI arrest in The Hamptons

Justin Timberlake broke his silence as he publicly addressed his DWI arrest that occurred earlier this week at The Hamptons.

The Mirrors hitmaker, 43 – who ‘was freaking out and stayed up all night’ while in custody – briefly opened up to his fans inside the United Center Stadium in Chicago on Friday as he resumed his Forget Tomorrow World Tour.

The singer was arrested on Tuesday after he enjoyed a night out with friends at the American Hotel in Sag Harbor – but he has since claimed he only had one drink during the course of the night.

‘It’s been a tough week,’ Timberlake told the crowd, per Page Six. ‘I know I’m hard to love sometimes but you keep loving me right back.’

He further sent love to his fans that were in attendance, stating that they have all faced, ‘ups-and-downs and lefts-and-rights.’

Friday’s concert in Chicago was the performer’s first since the DWI incident in The Hamptons. 

He is later set to return to New York for a two-night stop at Madison Square Garden on June 25 and June 26. 

Justin will also make stops in additional cities such as Boston, Baltimore and Cleveland before commencing international dates in late July. The tour is slated to end on December 20 in Kansas City shortly before Christmas. 

After the arrest, a source recently told People in an article published on Friday that the singer was ‘freaking out’ while in custody – as it is also claimed he is struggling with the end of his ‘golden boy image.’

‘He was freaking out and stayed up all night when he was in custody. He’s insisting he only had one drink and it wasn’t some wild night out.’

DailyMail.com has reached out to representatives for Timberlake and has yet to hear back.

Justin has maintained that he only had one drink on the night of the incident. According to his arrest report he told the officer – who did not recognize him – after being pulled over: ‘I had one martini and I followed my friends home.’

This comes as the pop star is reportedly struggling with the end of his ‘golden boy image’ and feelings that his career is not where he hoped it would be at this point. 

Following his arrest for allegedly driving while intoxicated in Sag Harbor earlier this week, sources say singer has been having trouble with the lackluster album sales of his sixth record, Everything I Thought It Was, released in March.

‘The album didn’t do too well, and I don’t see Justin getting big acting roles right now,’ an insider told Page Six. ‘I just think Justin has a bad reputation in Hollywood as a bit of a jerk and a pain in the a**.’

The industry source added: ‘He’s got a bit of an ego.’

The father-of-two, who has won more than 10 Grammys since rising to fame as one of the lead vocalists for the boyband NSYNC, has endured a tough year as an artist.

His latest single, Everything I Thought It Was, marked his first solo release not to hit the number one spot on the charts since his track, Justified, was released in 2002.

Additionally, the sales for his The Forget Tomorrow World Tour have been described as ‘lackluster.’

‘His golden boy image is definitely depleted,’ the Hollywood insider said of the musician, who is one of the most influential entertainers of the 21st century.

The source acknowledged that ‘there have been rumors around Justin’s behavior for a long time’ and ‘maybe the bubble was about to burst and this was the pin that pricked the bubble.’

‘In today’s world you have to be really dumb to drink and drive,’ the industry insider continued. ‘Justin is showing off a side that I don’t think a lot of people knew about.’

Timberlake and his wife, Jessica Biel, rented a house in Sag Harbor for the summer, ‘like they did last year,’ according to Page Six.

Timberlake’s arrest came amid a short break in touring, following his June 15 performance in Miami and before two shows in Chicago on June 21 and 22. 

Justin was arrested in the tony Hamptons village of Sag Harbor in New York. Police reportedly detected a strong stench of alcohol after pulling him over.

He refused to take a breathalyzer test at the scene, so his driving privileges have been suspended in the state of New York.

Although Justin was arraigned on the DWI charge, as well as other traffic violations, he has so far remained tight-lipped about his arrest, despite having to spend a night in jail.

He was also cited for allegedly running a stop sign and for failure to stay in his lane. Timberlake, who was released on bail, has his next court date scheduled for July 26.

Afterwards, fans of his ex-girlfriend Britney Spears have been extremely vocal about the arrest on social media. 

A separate source told Entertainment Tonight on Thursday that Justin is ‘feeling remorseful, ashamed, and humiliated’ and also ‘accountable’ after the incident. 

‘This situation has taken a toll on him, but he is trying to view it as a way that he can reset himself. He does his best to set a positive example for himself, [Jessica Biel], his family and the public, and will continue to try to learn and grow.’

The insider added, ‘He is taking this seriously and recognizes how it can impact his family dynamic as a husband and father, and his fans too.’ 

In regards to Timberlake and Biel, the source expressed that the pair, ‘are very grateful that no one was hurt and that everyone is okay and safe.’

‘Jess is definitely feeling disappointed, but she is by Justin’s side. She acknowledges that Justin, and all of us, are all human and make mistakes.’