If you’re a Britney Spears fan and have been patiently waiting for her to come back with new material, then you might be in for some disappointment. Last week, the pop singer returned with a brand new album, ‘Glory,’ but it seems like she’s not done growing yet. Spears has recruited her’most adorable boy’ from the film adaptation of Nicholas Sparks’ bestselling novel, ‘The Choice.’
The singer has yet to release any promotional material for her latest project, and she’s only shared a few snippets of exciting news about it. So what do we know about her upcoming album?
Spears Returns To The Stage
It’s been a minute since we’ve heard from Britney. The singer hasn’t released a single new song since 2011’s ‘Fashion,’ which also happened to be her last album. Back in September 2017, Spears made her return to the stage at the American Music Awards, where she performed a 40-minute set. She covered everything from the old classics to tracks from her newest album, including a sexy rendition of the song, ‘Someday.’
Spears didn’t stop there though. She also performed at the Coachella festival in April and, most recently, at the Glorious Britain exhibition at the London Victoria and Albert Museum. It seems like she’s trying to make up for lost time, and she’s started with the biggest names in music. The first single, ‘Gimme All Your Love,’ was promoted with a lyric video featuring Beyoncé and Jay-Z. It was released on November 2, and the song was made available for purchase on all streaming platforms the same day.
The song is an oldie but a classic, and it’s been covered by numerous artists. Most notably, Spears’ younger sister, Jada, included it on her 2006 effort, ‘Jada’s Top 20.’ Whether you love her or hate her, there’s no question that Jada has risen to the top as an incredibly talented vocalist. We can expect to hear more from her in the coming months. It’s also important to note that, earlier this year, Jada performed at an event commemorating the 50th anniversary of the Newport Folk Festival. She covered Nina Simone’s ‘Feeling Good’ and closed out the night with a powerful rendition of ‘Gimme All Your Love.’
The Making Of ‘Glory’
We know that the album was heavily inspired by Spears’ own childhood. The 23-year-old has talked about how she spent a lot of time as a kid watching the older women in her family cook, clean, and look after her. This is most notably brought up in the album’s lyrics, where she calls several of the songs “the recipes that mama, me, and grandma taught me.”
It’s not just the songs that draw inspiration from her childhood though. While working on her new album, Spears grew a love for painting. As a result, she has incorporated these new talents into the album’s artwork. The cover was designed by Spears herself and depicts a scene from the Sistine Chapel, where she was inspired to paint after watching Michael Buble’s beautiful wife, Carole, dress a model for a fashion shoot. The artwork on the album’s gatefold, as well as the inner sleeve, is stunning and represents a newfound artistic talent for the singer.
A Mature Take On Teenage Beauty
‘Glory’ is a beautiful album. It’s been years since Spears has put out an album containing both adults and teens, and it seems like this is just what she’s needed. While most of the album’s songs feature lyrics that are suitable for adults, there are also plenty of tracks that young listeners will enjoy. For example, the album’s second track, ‘Kill_Me_Kinda,’ which was co-written and produced by J Balvin, is a banger, boasting an almost Caribbean vibe. The song’s lyric “Hey baby, I’m a rich man” will no doubt resonate with many a young audience, while the hook (in English and Spanish) is an invitation to join the party: “Lets get wild, don’t be scared / Come on and dance with me.”
For those who grew up watching Disney movies, there’s also the song, ‘Pretty Woman,’ which she recorded with Justin Timberlake. The song is an ode to the iconic character Julia Roberts played in the classic film, ‘Pretty Woman.’ Julia Roberts has previously said that she hopes the song encourages people to “just be themselves.” It’s safe to assume that the 54-year-old actress has had some influence over Britney’s musical direction. ‘Pretty Woman’ is a bouncy, bluesy track with a catchy hook which will fit perfectly on the set of a coming-of-age film.
The Music Video Premiere
Just a couple of days ago, Spears premiered the music video for ‘Gimme All Your Love’ on YouTube. The singer looked incredible, as usual, wearing a variety of stunning outfits. The video shows her going through various stages of a day – from waking up in the morning to checking out her reflections in the mirror – before falling asleep in front of a fireplace. She has said that the video was inspired by her love of both reading and painting, which is fitting since the song’s lyrics are filled with references to books and food. The singer has also said that reading diverse books as a child helped her see herself in different ways, which is reflected in the video’s different shots of Spears.
The video’s other songs, including ‘Shake It,’ ‘Break Free,’ and ‘I Love You, I Love You,’ are also beautiful. It would be a crime to not talk about them on this platform because, to be honest, the video for ‘I Love You, I Love You’ is one of the most genuine and intimate music videos we have ever seen. It shows Spears and her co-star, Tristan Kewley, going through various stages of a romantic day, from drinking tea together to making love in front of a roaring fire. It’s safe to say that this was one of the most emotional videos of the year, and it perfectly encapsulates the mature tone of ‘Glory.’ Although many of its songs are concerned with the travails of love, the video makes it clear that this is not a fluffy, girl-came-lately pop album. These are songs for adults.
This article was originally published on November 13, 2018. It has since been updated