(CNN) – Justin Timberlake is trying to get it right.
In a statement posted to his Instagram account on Friday, the singer apologized to Britney Spears and Janet Jackson for “mistakes” that he said contributed to “a system that condones misogyny and racism.”
“I’ve seen the posts, tags, comments, and concerns and I want to respond,” wrote Justin Timberlake. “I regret the moments in my life when my actions contributed to the problem, that I spoke out of turn or did not stand up for the right.”
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Timberlake did not provide specific examples of the actions he regrets in his statement, but his comments come at a time of renewed conversation on social media about Timberlake’s role at two separate tabloid periods in his career with Spears. And Jackson.
Spears, who is in the midst of a high-profile legal battle over her custody, found many supporters after the airing of ‘Framing Britney Spears’, a documentary about the singer’s career and the often embarrassing criticism she faced in the media. The part of Timberlake that seems to contribute to that, and ultimately the effect the coverage may have had on his mental health, is addressed in the documentary.
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Jackson, meanwhile, has been a major topic of conversation around the Super Bowl in recent years, most reminiscent of the unfair anger directed at the superstar after the controversial halftime show “costume flaw”. (In the incident, you’ll recall, Justin Timberlake tore off Jackson’s bodice, exposing her right breast.) This year, his followers used #JanetJacksonAppreciationDay to show their love, and Jackson acknowledged the move with some retweets on Twitter. .
“I specifically want to apologize to Britney Spears and Janet Jackson, both individually, because I care about and respect these women and I know I’ve failed,” Timberlake said. “I also feel compelled to respond, in part because everyone involved deserves better and, more importantly, because this is a bigger conversation that I want to be with all my heart and grow in.”
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