Britney's Agenda For 2009 Includes Touring — And Some Controversy

The following italicized article is from www.mtv.com:

It's Pop Week here at MTV News, and that means we're catching up with and getting to know everyone who's going to make a splash in pop music and culture over the next 12 months. Whether they're just arriving on the scene or are already the name on everyone's lips, these are the artists we expect big things from in 2009.

This year marks the 10th anniversary of the release of ... Baby One More Time, and to celebrate, Britney Spears is keeping busy in 2009. She's heading out on the road this spring and will soon release the third single from her successful comeback album Circus, "If U Seek Amy."

When Spears hits the road in March, she'll be bringing along the Pussycat Dolls, who recently revealed to MTV News that they are very excited by the chance to tour with the pop star.

"Get your tickets," Ashley Roberts told MTV News when we caught up with the Dolls on the set of their new video for "Bottle Pop." "We are actually going to be teaching the 'Bottle Pop' dance on tour, so check it out."

The girls, who will also be hitting the road with Lady Gaga this spring, admit that "this is a big touring year for us. In the States we are going to be with our girl Britney on tour," Nicole Scherzinger said. "We are going to be joining the circus, so come hop along with us — then after that we're just going to be taking over the world, Pussycat Dolls-style, so please come out and help us do that."

Perhaps they can learn a thing or two about taking over the world from Britney, who has some experience in that area.

The tour isn't the first collaboration between the PCD and Spears. "Britney actually wore one of our little lingerie pieces on her Circus album," Roberts said. Kimberly Wyatt added, "Britney wears it well, and it's always been fun to work with her. We've done a couple shows with her and she's always down to be a Pussycat Doll, and now we will be joining her on her tour."

Of course, it wouldn't be a new year for Spears if there wasn't some controversy behind the scenes. Spears is set to release "If U Seek Amy," and the song's chorus — if you say it fast enough — spells out a profanity. This may cause some issues when it comes to radio airplay. But Spears, who faced controversy when she released her first single, " ... Baby One More Time," a decade ago, isn't a stranger to this sort of thing.

"It's a potential issue for every station," KIIS-FM Los Angeles program director John Ivey told MTV News of the single. "I'm certain that I would run it by my legal department first. My first job is to protect [the station's] license. ... It's better to be safe than sorry."

Asked if he would edit the song, Ivey added he probably wouldn't because he felt the phrase was included in the song to provoke, so an alteration would change its intention. "[Spears' label Jive] might also be just floating it out there to see if they can stir things up a bit."

Stirring things up, even all these years later, is something Spears knows a thing or two about.

Source: MTV