Justin Timberlake has admitted it’s been “a tough week” after being charged with driving while intoxicated.
Addressing fans at a concert in Chicago on Friday night, the singer also thanked them for their continued support.
The 43-year-old pop star was arrested in New York on Tuesday for running a stop sign and failing to stay on the right side of the road.
His lawyer stated that he looks forward to “vigorously defending” the singer.
In his first performance since the incident, Timberlake told the crowd: “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,” he added.
He also reminded fans that they have all experienced “ups and downs and lefts and rights.”
The arrest took place in Sag Harbor in the Hamptons, a popular summer destination for celebrities on Long Island.
When officers stopped him, Timberlake’s eyes were “bloodshot and glassy,” and there was a “strong odor of an alcoholic beverage emanating from his breath,” according to a charging document.
The document also noted that his speech was slowed, and he performed poorly on the officers’ sobriety tests.
Additionally, he refused a breathalyzer test.
“I had one martini and I followed my friends home,” Timberlake allegedly told the officer who stopped him, according to the BBC’s US partner CBS News.
He was released without bail after being formally charged and is scheduled to appear virtually in court on July 26, according to the Suffolk County District Attorney’s Office.
Timberlake has previously spoken openly about seeking help for excessive drinking.
On Wednesday, his lawyer Edward Burke Jr. told PA Media news agency, “I look forward to vigorously defending Mr. Timberlake on these allegations.”
He added, “I will have a lot to say at the appropriate time but am currently awaiting full discovery from the District Attorney’s office.”
Timberlake has been touring the US to promote his sixth album, *Everything I Thought It Was*, and is set to launch the international leg next month, starting with a two-night run in Poland.
His scheduled court date coincides with the start of his world tour at the Tauron Arena in Krakow.
In the state of New York, penalties for driving while intoxicated include up to a year in jail, a $1,000 (£786) fine, and the suspension of a driver’s license for at least six months.
Timberlake was scheduled to perform two shows in Chicago this weekend, followed by a show at New York’s Madison Square Garden next Tuesday.
A former member of the popular 90s boy band NSYNC, Timberlake is an actor, songwriter, and one of the best-selling music artists in the world.
The 10-time Grammy winner is also known for his roles in the films *The Social Network* and *Friends with Benefits*.
Timberlake is married to actor Jessica Biel, with whom he shares two children.