I needed freedom to really express myself. That’s really what Justified is about.

Timberlake frames his debut solo album, *Justified* (2002), as an act of artistic self-definition. The emphasis on “freedom” suggests a break from constraints—whether commercial expectations, a pre-existing pop persona, or the collaborative limits of a group setting—and positions the album as a deliberate statement of individuality. By tying the project’s purpose to self-expression, he casts *Justified* not merely as a career move but as a personal necessity: the music becomes evidence that his voice, style, and ambitions extend beyond what audiences previously associated with him. The quote also implies that authenticity, in his view, requires autonomy.