The singer reveals that his 2006 hit What Goes Around… Comes Around was inspired by a friend’s relationship breakdown, not his split from Britney Spears.

Justin Timberlake has finally addressed long-running speculation that his hit song What Goes Around… Comes Around was inspired by his highly publicised break-up with Britney Spears.

The 45-year-old singer released the track in 2006, prompting fans to believe it was about his 2002 separation from Spears. However, Timberlake has now revealed that the song was actually based on a friend’s personal relationship experience.

Speaking on Complex’s Re-Rank YouTube series, Timberlake said he wanted to clear up the rumour that had followed the song for years.

“Maybe I should dispel a rumour at this point, which has gone around forever, which is like, it’s not a personal story from mine,” he explained.

The SexyBack singer revealed that he sought his friend’s permission before turning the experience into a song.

According to Timberlake, his friend was going through a break-up and shared details of what had happened. When Timberlake asked whether he could write about the experience, his friend encouraged him with the words: “Torch that b****. What goes around comes around.”

Timberlake recalled that he immediately recognised the potential of the idea and went on to write the song in “damn near 20 minutes”.

The track, accompanied by a music video lasting around 10 minutes, became one of his most successful releases.

Justin Timberlake and Britney Spears’ relationship history

Timberlake and Spears first met as children while appearing on The All-New Mickey Mouse Club. They began dating in 1999 before their relationship ended in 2002.

Their separation remained a subject of public discussion, particularly following the release of Timberlake’s Cry Me a River music video, which featured a woman resembling Spears.

In her 2023 memoir, The Woman in Me, Spears criticised the video, saying it portrayed her as a “harlot” who had broken the heart of America’s golden boy. She also made several personal allegations about their relationship.

However, in 2024, Spears publicly apologised to Timberlake for some of the things she had written in her memoir.

She also praised his music, expressing admiration for his songs Selfish and Sanctified.

Timberlake’s latest comments have now offered a different explanation for one of the songs most closely associated with his past relationship with Spears.