After a six-year hiatus, Britney Spears made her musical comeback on Friday with the release of “Hold Me Closer,” her collaboration with Elton John.
The song, which is an EDM reimagining of John’s 1971 hit “Tiny Dancer,” marks Spears’ first new release since last November’s court victory that freed her from the 13-year conservatorship that controlled her career and life. personal life.
Last year, Spears revealed she walked away from music and performing after conservatorship “killed my dreams”. His latest album, “Glory”, was released in 2016.
Before the release of “Hold Me Closer”,
Spears tweeted that she learns “every day is a clean slate to try to be a better person and do what makes me happy”.
She added that she wanted to be “fearless like when I was younger”.
John said he was inspired to team up with Spears by her husband, David Furnish, adding he thought their duet would give him a much-needed boost of confidence after such a “traumatic time”.
“I’m so excited to be able to do it with her because if it’s a big hit, and I think it can be, it will give her so much more confidence than she already has and she’ll surrender. realize that people really love her and take care of her and want her to be happy,” he said in an interview with The Guardian newspaper.
A quick scan of social media and it seems fans are thrilled with the joint release.
“Such a cool and beautiful song, you guys are an amazing team! We’ve missed you so much Brit, you can’t imagine how happy it makes me to hear you sing again,” one fan wrote on Twitter.
Another said, “Welcome!!!! Hold me closer, it’s really fantastic! You look so good!”
Among music critics, however, opinion was more divided.
Giving the song a four-star rating, Michael Cragg of The Guardian noted that Spears “adds some playful ‘yes’, improvisations that sound like genuine squeals of joy rather than the robotic maneuvers of someone being transported from the studio. to the waiting car.”
He adds that “Spears seems to be hinting at the possibility of rediscovering that for herself in music. Even if it is a one-time event – and who can blame her if she does not want to return to pop full time – it feels like enough.”
According to Vogue’s Christian Allaire, “There’s something about Britney’s voice and a dance track that go so well together, like red wine and a basket of bread. She does things with her vocal tone that all the others pop girls just can’t do it.” . That’s why she’s the real princess of pop.”
Writing in the British Times, however, critic Will Hodgkinson was not so enthusiastic. While saying “Britney Spears’ return should be welcomed with open arms,” he described “Hold Me Closer” as a “bloodless remix” that “leaves no space for Spears to shine while killing the magic. of the original”.
