Marsha Ambrosius Says She's the True Voice Behind the Haunting Ending of "Cry Me A River"

The millennials who grew up with guardians who listened to the "grown-folks" music stations know exactly who Marsha Ambrosius is.

As one half of the former duo known as Floetry, we were introduced to her thanks to the popularity of their song, "Say Yes." The song is slow and sensual, including some suggestive moaning at the end that felt incredibly uncomfortable listening to in front of your parent or older guardian.

Now, we're old enough to appreciate the artistry behind the song itself.

Unfortunately, interpersonal issues led to the demise of Floetry as a duo, but that did not hinder Marsha Ambrosius. Marsha is a singer and songwriter who hails from Liverpool in the U.K.

Marsha began pursuing a solo career in her debut solo album, Late Nights and Early Mornings, and shortly after Floetry disbanded. The duo reunited briefly in 2015 but decided to disband officially. Marsha, however, never stopped and has since shared that she is the iconic voice at the end of "Cry Me A River."

When Justin Timberlake decided to step out of N*Sync as a solo artist, his album Justified was an immediate hit. The song "Cry Me A River" is a haunting song that was written about the demise of Justin's relationship with Britney Spears.

At the end of the song, the person we all assumed was Justin softly sings, "Cry me, cry me..." In 2020, Marsha tweeted a clip of her singing along to the song while recording the song credits on her computer screen, showing her name credited in the album notes.

During Marsha's appearance on The Terrell Show in September 2024, she divulged the truth about "Cry Me A River" while being interviewed and sang through the portions of the song she sang. Many were surprised by the truth, but those of us who knew that Justin did not have the range to sing like that on his own felt vindicated.

Let's face it: JC Chasez deserved the career that Justin Timberlake was freely given, and Marsha deserves her flowers for providing the best vocals in "Cry Me A River."

Marsha has had a hand in a lot of popular albums and song titles, and that's not all. She also released a new album produced by Dr. Dre titled Casablanco.

AP News said, "The 11-track project is a sonically-opulent collage, masterfully fusing jazz and hip-hop – a compound only the Dr. could mix."

Marsha is a musician; for her, it isn't about pumping out the next big hit; she uses music to tell a story that has intention, an art form that is slowly dying thanks to those running the industry.