Penny for My Thoughts? - Final Part

So, how do I feel about Britney? It’s complicated. Don’t get me wrong, I love the girl. I find her to be a refreshing breath of air amongst all the Hollywood phonies and she has something. It’s nearly impossible to pinpoint exactly but there is something about her that just adds up and keeps everyone intrigued. Everything matches when it comes to her. She doesn’t have the best voice, she’s not the best dancer there is nor is she this perfect being that’s nice to everyone. However, add that all up and it clicks. By being flawed she’s flawless.

That being said, I obviously have my own thoughts about the current situation. Problem is that it changes. The human part of me can fully understand Britney’s need for protection or her insecurities these days. At the tender age of 29 she has been through an emotional roller coaster that almost includes more downs than ups. She probably described it best herself in ‘’For The Record’’ when she said, and I’m paraphrasing here, that she’s seen the most beautiful part of the world and at the same time the most cruelest. That’s probably the truest thing she’s ever said. On the one hand you have this powerhouse of an entertainer who never fails to get a hit song or fill an arena and on the other hand you have a very fragile and battered woman of 29.

An inevitable part of growing up is change. Our views of who Britney is are based on interviews and performances that stem from 2004 and even earlier. It’s natural that she has changed and everything that comes with that. However, in this also lies the other side of me that at times just can’t stop shaking his head at what Britney or her team is doing.

My main problem is the secrecy. I feel that people or more specifically her fans would understand her situation better if they knew what was going on. I get that Britney feels the need for privacy and I fully support her in that. However, you cannot expect public support and fans to keep buying albums when the performer is only functioning at 40% of her ability and without explanation. It needs to be said, on some sort of big scale, that she’s changed, her career is no longer her #1 priority and that while she loves what she does she has found a balance that works for her and that this is it.

That seems to be missing. Britney herself isn’t really helping the situation by on the one hand saying she’s guarded and wants privacy and on the other hand says she’s back and better than ever.

When you say that fans expect you to actually be better than ever and top your 2001 VMA performance, for instance. While this is my main problem I also see issues with the promo that’s being planned.

If it’s true that Britney herself doesn’t want to or isn’t capable to do massive promo then you’ll have to plan what you are doing very carefully. Unfortunately that’s where I see a lot of misses. One performance at the Grammy’s would have brought massive awareness to Britney and her new album. She could have rehearsed for it for weeks and then rocked the house. After that, one GMA performance would have been enough to keep buzz going on its own.

Now it’s looking more and more likely that she’s just started rehearsing for the performance and that it’ll be her only performance. Yes, she’s Britney Spears and can sell a certain amount based on her name but that won’t last forever. Every once in a while she needs to remind people why she’s considered the Queen of Pop. She’s already lasted 7 extra years on her legacy and fan base. Those alone won’t last her another 7 years.

Like I said, eventually it comes down to honesty. If there was a certain degree of interaction people would be understanding and that’s what’s missing now. One can only hope there is some televised interview in the planning which would clear some things up. Otherwise, the Britney train will, at some point, run out of steam.

I would like to end this by saying that when it comes to her music, Britney’s never disappointed me. Yes, there are things that I find questionable, such as the inclusion of Will.I.Am on ‘’Femme Fatale’’ or the duet with an unknown rapper, but overall I love where this era’s going musically and realize that it’s nearly impossible to like an entire album completely. Heck, I dislike at least one song on all her previous albums.

I also love the music video for ‘’Hold It Against Me’’ and its symbolism. In my opinion it is her 2nd best music video. Overall, I’m loving the quality of this era such as the video, the songs and the photo shoots.

However, the quantity and the timing are subject to improvement. In my opinion that is.

BTW, I'm expecting a penny from each of you.