Britney Reveals "Criminal" As The Next Single
Britney Spears may have been looking back on her impressive career during a Jo Calderone-helmed tribute at Sunday night's VMAs, but there's still so much for fans to look forward to. The singer has a lot up her sleeve after taking home the Moonman for Best Pop Video for her "Till the World Ends" clip and the Michael Jackson Video Vanguard Award -- and she revealed all to MTV News.
There's been some hot debate about what the singer's next Femme Fatale single is going to be, and finally her loyal fans are getting the confirmation they've been waiting for.
"I don't if I'm at liberty to tell," she teased MTV News backstage at the VMAs. "But I will anyways: It's 'Criminal.' "
The slow jam should make for some interesting visual fodder, and Spears told us she knows what the video will look like, but she's going to keep everyone waiting a little longer. "Actually the song, when I first heard it, it's really different and it's not anything I've heard like this before. So I really wanted to deliver this song. I was thinking of a really cool concept for the video just to make it interesting," she said, teasing, "You'll have to see."
She's also set to hit the road again when the Femme Fatale Tour heads to Europe. She'll be joined by Joe Jonas for select dates.
Source: MTV News
29 August 2011
Britney Spears Calls VMA Tribute 'An Honor'
Britney Spears played it humble during her Video Music Awards tribute -- using her time onstage to shine the spotlight on her fellow performer, Beyoncé -- not an easy feat to accomplish in between nabbing the Michael Jackson Video Vanguard Award and getting kissed by Lady Gaga's male alter ego Jo Calderone.
When MTV News caught up with Spears minutes after stepping offstage, she stayed humble, calling the tribute "an honor" and once again deflecting the spotlight.
"It was really crazy. I had no idea what to expect," Spears said. "The kids were amazing and so entertaining, and it was a really fun night. It was really cool. I was like, 'Wow, that's really sweet!'
"I loved the little girl in the 'Slave' outfit," she continued. "She was just so tiny and she delivered and she had such a great performance. ... They were all so great, and you could tell they worked really hard."
And Spears didn't stop there either. For an artist who's won more than her fare share of VMAs in her career, she was blown away by Sunday night's Best Pop Video triumph. "Every year ... just to come here is such an honor, you never get used to it," she smiled. "But tonight means so much to me." In a night full of high-water moments, it was her tribute smooch from Gaga -- er, Calderone -- that she gushed about backstage. Especially because she said the kiss was totally unplanned.
"She was in full character!" Spears said. "We just got onstage and we just kind of felt it out; we didn't know what was going on, so it was interesting!"
Source: MTV News
29 August 2011
Britney Spears Wins Best Pop Video VMA
The end of the world isn't such a bad thing - not if you're dancing while it's going on, and certainly not if you're Britney Spears. The record-breaking artist can officially mark Armageddon not with an X but with a big fat V, as Spears became both the proud owner of the Best Pop Video award and the first big winner at the 2011 MTV Video Music Awards on Sunday night (August 28) for "Till the World Ends."
Spears now boasts a grand total of five VMA victories so far with her win for the second single off of her seventh studio album, Femme Fatale. She was up against a fierce group of contenders including Adele's "Rolling in the Deep" and Katy Perry's "Last Friday Night (T.G.I.F.)" in the highly competitive Pop Video category.
Spears, visibly surprised by the win, took to the stage with a brief but heartfelt speech to thank those closest to her. "First I'd like to thank God for blessing me so much," Britney called out to the enthusiastic Nokia Theatre crowd. She went on to thank her children Jayden and Sean - "Mommy loves you so much, babies" - before going on to thank her management team, fans and boyfriend Jason Trawick.
Accepting the award from Nicki Minaj seemed especially appropriate as the two are touring together on Spears' Femme Fatale outing. "She's a great artist in every way," Britney told MTV News of Nicki's skills last month. But the Pop Video award isn't Britney's only crowning VMA achievement this Sunday: She'll also be the recipient of the Video Vanguard award later on in the evening. Not a bad way to kick off the big night.
Source: MTV News
28 August 2011
Britney Spears' Iconic VMA History
It's hard to believe there was ever a Video Music Awards without Britney Spears. Her iconic performances and eye-popping getups make her a perfect match for the outsized and outrageous VMA stage.
Britney herself told us that her bombshell kiss with Madonna in 2003 is her favorite VMA moment. "My greatest experience -- probably being with Madonna," she told MTV News. "The kiss was amazing. ... Being onstage with someone of that caliber is just iconic."
But Spears certainly has a long list to choose from. And with that track record, it's no surprise that this year's VMAs will pay tribute to Britney. Let's dive into the highlights of her decade-plus history with the show:
1999:
For her first-ever appearance, Spears not only went dress shopping with MTV News correspondent Serena Altschul, but also declared herself a VMA pop princess, taking the stage alongside 'NSYNC to perform her breakout hit " ... Baby One More Time." Still the epitome of a teen-pop sensation, Spears performed with a school backdrop, a callback to her video for the track.
2000:
Spears upped the sexy ante when she literally did a striptease at the show. She cooed her way through the Rolling Stones' "Satisfaction" and then -- boom -- it happened: She ripped off her tux to display a nude two-piece getup and shimmied her way through "Oops ... I Did It Again."
2001:
Just one year later, not only did the singer give Jamie Foxx a dance lesson to Chuck Berry's "You Never Can Tell," but she also hung out with Rolling Stones frontman Mick Jagger on the red carpet, who appeared not to know who she was. "Am I a Britney fan?" Jagger pondered. "Of course I am. And she did one of our songs, didn't she? She did it very well."
But that was all kid's stuff until Spears took the stage at the Metropolitan Opera House in 2001 for her sultry and very memorable performance of "I'm a Slave 4 U." Draping herself in a white python and slithering around a steamy garden setting -- surrounded by dancers in zebra and tiger outfits -- Spears created one of the most striking visuals in the 27-year history of the show.
2002:
Brit donned a dominatrix outfit and presented idol Michael Jackson with a birthday cake and referred to him as the "artist of the millennium." Michael may have misunderstood and thought that she meant he was receiving some new Artist of the Millennium award and gave an acceptance speech.
2003:
Here it is: Britney's favorite. She, along with queen Madonna and peer Christina Aguilera, opened the show with striking dance moves and star power. But things really heated up during a wedding-themed performance of Madge's "Like a Virgin," when Madonna leaned in for a quick smooch with Christina Aguilera and then an even-steamier kiss with Spears. Everyone was surprised by it -- including Justin Timberlake. She later told CNN, "I didn't know it was going to be that long and everything. ... I've never kissed a woman before."
Apparently, the three-way kiss struck a major chord with music fans around the world, who just voted it the most outrageous moment in the show's long history.
2006:
Spears appeared on the show in a way fans had never seen her before: pregnant. The mommy-to-be (Jayden James was on the way) pre-taped a segment alongside then-hubby Kevin Federline to present the award for Best R&B Video.
2008:
Spears took home her first Moonman -- actually, she took home three, for Video of the Year, Best Female Video and Best Pop Video, all for "Piece of Me." She also displayed her funny bone in a video that opened the show, making us all laugh alongside Jonah Hill. "I just want to dedicate this to all my amazing fans out there for all their support," she said when she took the stage to accept one of her many Moonmen that night.
2009:
The show landed back in New York City, and Spears was up for seven awards. She took home the prize for Best Pop Video for her Joseph Kahn-directed clip for "Womanizer."
2011:
After taking a break in 2010, we come to this Sunday, where a Spears tribute is set to take place and the singer is up for two Moonmen, including Best Pop Video and Best Choreography. Will she add any more hardware to her collection? You'll have to wait and find out. But we are betting on one more memorable moment to add to her stellar VMA history.
The 28th annual MTV Video Music Awards will air live Sunday from Los Angeles at 9 p.m. ET/PT
Source: MTV News
25 August 2011
Britney To Get Tribute At MTV VMAs
A tribute to Britney Spears will be a part of this year's MTV Video Music Awards.
"Britney will be at the show and we'll be paying tribute to her," VMA executive producer Amy Doyle told Billboard.com, confirming speculation that has grown since a Spears promo for the show began airing.
"She was having an incredible year and she is so beloved by the MTV audience that we started to think what could we do that would be a different experience (from years past)," said Doyle, the executive vice president of Music and Talent for MTV. "Obviously everything from her choreography to her fashion to her videos will be (covered). We said 'let's challenge ourselves to do something unique'."
Source: Billboard.com
15 August 2011
MTV Video Music Awards Promo
On Thursday (August 11), Britney Spears took over MTV when her Video Music Awards promo made its debut and MTV News was there when she filmed it.
The 30-second promo interlaces Spears' latest hit "I Wanna Go" with her own "Slave 4 U," Janet Jackson's "Rhythm Nation" and Madonna's "Everybody" as dancers dressed in Brit's most-famous outfits crowd around her. There's also a nod to Michael Jackson, with a poster on the wall that says "Billy Jean," in reference to MJ's hit "Billie Jean," and a dancer who mimics the late King of Pop's iconic moves. At the end of the promo, Spears stands in front of a wall that cryptically reads "A Tribute to Britney Spears" before the date of the VMAs - 8.28 - flashes on the screen.
Spears, whose "Till the World Ends" is nominated for Best Pop Video and Best Choreography, filmed the promo last month in Miami, and MTV News was on the set for a behind-the-scenes look.
"The general concept of what we are going for is basically called 'The Muse Factory,' " director Jahai Brightly explained. "It's where all your favorite artists that are going to be at the Video Music Awards this year meet and explore their influences and inspirations."
The promo pulls from Spears' own musical influences from over the years, which is portrayed through the set design, wardrobe and, of course, through Brit herself.
In the promo, Spears pays homage to Madonna, Michael and Janet, whom she calls "the people I've grown up listening to and totally inspire [me]."
The promo doesn't just show the pop star's own musical icons; it also reminds us of what a musical force Spears is as well. "We are going to be exploring her past styles," Brightly said of Spears' classic looks. "In particular, past six styles that represent each of her albums, with the seventh one being the current incarnation."
Spears, whose outfit was designed to represent her current style, is dressed in a custom-made studded leather jacket, a shredded black T-shirt and her signature cutoff jean shorts. The promo begins with Spears paying homage to her latest album, Femme Fatale.
"I did the opening segment, where I'm at the mirror and I'm representing how many albums I've done, which is number seven," Spears said.
Spears then begins her journey down memory lane, where she is surrounded by dancers dressed up in some of her signature video looks, such as the flight-attendant costume in "Toxic" and her infamous red catsuit in "Oops! ... I Did It Again."
"I'm walking down a hallway and I'm seeing memorabilia of all my performances that I've done in the past," Spears said. "All my dancers are dressed up in my old outfits, which it's really cool."
Vote here: Best Pop Video | Best Choreography
Source: MTV News
12 August 2011
"I Wanna Go" Enters Billboard Top 10
Britney Spears scores her third top 10, "I Wanna Go," from her album "Femme Fatale," marking her first-ever set to produce a trio of Hot 100 top 10s.
At No. 9, Spears' "I Wanna Go" enters the top 10 from No. 11. The cut concurrently reaches the top tier on Radio Songs (13-9; 76 million, up 22%) and rises 9-7 on Digital Songs (116,000, down by less than 1,000 downloads). With the song's Hot 100 advance, Spears has tallied three top 10s from her seventh studio album, "Femme Fatale." Lead single "Hold It Against Me" debuted at No. 1 the week of Jan. 29, and "Til the World Ends" reached No. 3 in May.
Spears had twice previously banked as many as two Hot 100 top 10s from an album. The title cut from "...Baby One More Time" spent two weeks at No. 1 and "(You Drive Me) Crazy" reached No. 10 in 1999. Spears repeated the feat with the first two singles from "Circus"; "Womanizer" topped the Oct. 25, 2008, Hot 100 and the title song rose to No. 3 that December.
"I Wanna Go" is Spears' 12th Hot 100 top 10 and fifth in-a-row. Her streak began with "3" in 2009 (from "The Singles Collection") and, along with the first three singles from "Femme," includes Rihanna's "S&M," on which Spears guested; the song ruled the April 30 Hot 100.
Dating to Spears' first week in the Hot 100's top 10 (Dec. 12, 1998), she trails only Rihanna (18) and Beyonce (14) for most top 10s among women.
Source: Billboard.com
03 August 2011