Britney Spears’ long-time friend and makeup artist Julianna confirms Justin Timberlake cheated on Britney first! ☕️

“She had her questions about who he was with because stuff would be out in the press … I think the way he handled it was wrong.”

Confirmation yet again... Timberflake took to long to say sorry to Britney

Britney Spears is back in the music scene — this time as a free woman, finally.

Just hours after the track allegedly leaked online, Spears’ “Hold Me Closer” duet with Elton John hit streaming services on Friday (Aug. 19). The song, which is a fresh take on John’s 1972 classic “Tiny Dancer” produced by Grammy winner Andrew Watt, features the pop princess and the “Rocketman” himself singing the opening verse of John’s 1992 hit, “The One” over a club-ready beat, before diving into the chorus of 1971’s “Tiny Dancer.”

“Since most say they are honored TO KNOW ME SO WELL and only want happiness for me … you can bet your bottom dollar that THIS collaboration will heighten my year by joining your brilliant hands of play,” Spears wrote on Instagram ahead of the song’s release. “Thank you for your generosity and just thinking of me to join you on such a brilliant song !!! How cool is it to be a background voice ON YOUR song !!! Sir Elton I did it thanks to your genius, creative, and legendary mind !!! I am so grateful !!! I just keep on giving don’t I ??? Can I get an AWWWWE ???”

“Hold Me Closer” is Spears’ first new music since her 2016 studio album Glory, which also included deluxe tracks “Mood Ring,” “Swimming in the Stars” and the Backstreet Boys-assisted “Matches” that were released in 2020. Most notably, the collaboration will mark Spears’ official return to music since the end of her 13-year conservatorship.

“Tiny Dancer,” originally included as part of John’s 1971 album Madman Across the Water, was released as a single in 1972 and peaked at No. 41 on the Billboard Hot 100. In 2000, the song was famously featured in a sing-along bus scene in Cameron Crowe’s film Almost Famous.

Source https://www.billboard.com/music/pop/britney-spears-elton-john-hold-me-closer-2-1235128575/

Listen to Spears and John’s “Hold Me Closer” below.

 https://youtu.be/8hLtlzkoGPk

BY CHRISTIAN ALLAIRE

After her 13-year-long conservatorship was formally ended in November last year, the princess of pop Britney Spears is back with new music today—and she’s enlisted none other than fellow pop icon Elton John to do it with her. Together, the two stars have released “Hold Me Closer”—a contemporary take on John’s 1971 song, “Tiny Dancer.”

It’s Spears’s first musical project since regaining her freedom, and given her most recent new material was found on her 2016 album Glory, it’s safe to say her fans (the Britney Army, which this writer is a longtime and devoted member of) are pumped. First, a glorious wedding to husband Sam Asghari—now new music, too? America’s southern sweetheart is thriving, y’all!

So enough talking about it: I’m here to react to the new song in real-time. Join me and have a listen, won’t you? Below, find 13 thoughts I had while listening to Britney Spears and Elton John’s “Hold Me Closer.”

1. “Saw you dancing, out the ocean.” This is how Britney and Elton open the song—and it’s precisely how I wish to be listening to this brand new tune. By the water, with a cocktail in hand.

2. The song has a steady, smooth disco beat; the type you could dance slowly to all night long without ever getting tired of it. I just need a dance floor and some bellbottoms!

3. Britney and Elton are singing together at the same time—a true duet. Their voices, surprisingly, jive very well together, despite their stylistic differences.

4. I love that Britney’s using her lower register in the bridge. Her true voice! There have been rumors that the pop star has been forced by her label to sing in a high-pitched baby voice for years; It’s refreshing to see her return to her lower range, which was more prominent in her earlier work.

5. The hook is definitely a modern take on Elton’s original 1971 chorus, “Hold me closer, tiny dancer.” It’s probably no coincidence that it reminds me of the groovier take on “Cold Heart” that John and Dua Lipa recently did.

6. Elton’s sounding real good here, too. The man’s been in show business for six decades and, somehow, the passage of time doesn’t seem to affect those signature pipes.

7. There’s something about Britney’s voice and a dance track that just go extremely well together—like red wine and a basket of bread. She does things with her vocal tone that all the other pop girlies simply can’t. That’s why she’s the true princess of pop.

8. I will say: This song is pretty sweet and innocent for the pure-sexpot Britney, who once raunchily sang, “Yeah, your body looks so sick, I think I caught the flu.”

9. Her voice is also giving me serious Glory vibes here—her 2016 album, which had a more sophisticated sound. Digging this new leveled-up vibe for her.

10. Given this is Britney’s first post-conservatorship release, all I can think about while listening to this duo is how pissed Madonna must be that Elton got Britney on a track first. (Elton and Madonna have an infamous feud.) But c’mon now—there are enough music idols to go around.

11. How genius would it be if the music video was shot in Britney’s signature Instagram video style? I demand to see her do a fashion show, or twirl, to this beat.

12. Now that Britney’s partnering with icons like Elton John, I’m taking a moment to think about who else she could release a song with. Cher? Mariah? Her close friend, Selena Gomez? The opportunities are endless. True Britney fans also know that the pop star creates magic whenever she works with producer Danja (who did Blackout, her best album by far). Get Danja on the line!

13. As the soft piano outro plays, I find myself hoping this is one of many new tracks to come from Miss Spears. I think we can also all agree that we only want her to do things on her own terms, her own timing, and her own pure will, but I have a feeling she has more things up her sleeve. It’s Britney, bitch!

SOURCE: VOGUE.COM