Britney Spears, the sweetest girl who ever emerged from McComb, Mississippi, is once again on a mission to make us dance. This spring, the greatest pop star of our generation returns with Femme Fatale, a suite of hits destined for good times, late nights, and heavy clubland rotation. Filled with brazen, sexual lyrics against an aggressive, Euro-style beat, the album’s first single, “Hold It Against Me,” shot to number one in nineteen countries within hours of its release in January. The fans, it seems, have been waiting. At age 29, Spears has achieved a level of fame and notoriety that might make continued success an easy prospect. Yet she remains anything but asleep at the wheel. Fatale finds Spears in control of her image and her sound, building on a decade-strong brand of feel-good pop. If we love Spears (and we undoubtedly do), it’s because she’s a constant reminder of the fun and freedom we’ve enjoyed, and a harbinger of sunny days ahead. She is good times preserved in amber. We don’t ever want her to change. She’s perfect just the way she is.
V As a child, what did you imagine fame would be like?
BRITNEY SPEARS I don’t think I thought about “fame” when I was a child. I knew I wanted to perform and I knew I wanted to be on stage but I don’t think I ever thought about fame or what comes with being famous.
V Do you think you were destined to become a star?
BS If not, then God definitely has a strange sense of humor.
V Do you follow astrology?
BS A little. I like to believe there is a little magic in the world, but I also believe we choose our own path.
V When did you first realize you were famous?
BS Am I famous?
V Define a femme fatale.
BS A woman who is sexy and strong, dangerous and mysterious, cool and confident.
V If your Circus album represented a comeback, what does Femme Fatale represent?
BS I think Femme Fatale speaks for itself. I worked really hard on it and spent almost two years recording it. I think it’s the best album I have ever made. There’s nothing to say. I’ll let the music speak for me.
V What direction are you taking with the sound?
BS I wanted to make a fierce dance record where each song makes you want to get up and move your body in a different way. That’s what I want from the music I listen to. This record is for the clubs, or something you play before you go out at night. It’s definitely my edgiest and most mature sound yet.
V Would you consider this new album a revolution or an evolution?
BS It’s a little of both. There are songs on this album that don’t sound like anything else and are completely revolutionary, but I also believe that this album expresses where I am today as a woman and is an evolution of who I am.
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V As a child, what did you imagine fame would be like?
BRITNEY SPEARS I don’t think I thought about “fame” when I was a child. I knew I wanted to perform and I knew I wanted to be on stage but I don’t think I ever thought about fame or what comes with being famous.
V Do you think you were destined to become a star?
BS If not, then God definitely has a strange sense of humor.
V Do you follow astrology?
BS A little. I like to believe there is a little magic in the world, but I also believe we choose our own path.
V When did you first realize you were famous?
BS Am I famous?
V Define a femme fatale.
BS A woman who is sexy and strong, dangerous and mysterious, cool and confident.
BS I think Femme Fatale speaks for itself. I worked really hard on it and spent almost two years recording it. I think it’s the best album I have ever made. There’s nothing to say. I’ll let the music speak for me.
V What direction are you taking with the sound?
BS I wanted to make a fierce dance record where each song makes you want to get up and move your body in a different way. That’s what I want from the music I listen to. This record is for the clubs, or something you play before you go out at night. It’s definitely my edgiest and most mature sound yet.
V Would you consider this new album a revolution or an evolution?
BS It’s a little of both. There are songs on this album that don’t sound like anything else and are completely revolutionary, but I also believe that this album expresses where I am today as a woman and is an evolution of who I am.