Britney Spears Has Created 'Her Own Genre,' Dr. Luke Says

Since Britney Spears emerged on the scene nearly a decade and a half ago, she's run the gamut of pop music: from sugary bubble-gum to dirty, sexy dance tracks. In that respect, her longtime collaborator and Femme Fatale producer Dr. Luke says that the superstar has in many respects become bigger than pop. In fact, he says it's hard to confine her to just one genre.

"I feel like Britney kind of has her own genre: If you look at songs like 'Toxic' and 'Piece of Me' and 'Oops! ... I Did It Again,' they all were sort of influential and led the way," he told MTV News on Thursday (April 28) at the ASCAP Pop Music Awards.

So when the pair sat down to work on her latest release, Dr. Luke said her pop-music shape-shifting was very much on his mind. "She wanted to keep on with that and do stuff that was forward-thinking," he continued. "So we put some dubstep stuff in there, in bridges; snuck it in different places and I hope it ended up good. I hope you like it."

It seems every time Spears drops a new album, it's declared her comeback record. But Dr. Luke noted that Brit has really never gone anywhere. "Where'd she go? I don't know. I didn't know she ever disappeared, really," he said. "She's always been selling out concerts and records, so I don't know that she ever disappeared."

So what do Spears and Luke have up their sleeve now? "Not yet ... give me a second to breathe, come up for air!" he told us.

Plus, even with Femme Fatale already in stores, it seems like the pair are always finding ways to update the songs. Take, for example, the recent remix of "Till the World Ends," which features Ke$ha (the track's songwriter) and Nicki Minaj.

"Well, we already had Ke$ha on the song 'cause she co-wrote the song ... and she sounded really good on it," Dr. Luke explained. "And then Nicki got on the Femme Fatale Tour so we put Nicki on it and it just sounded amazing. She killed it."

Source: MTV

Britney Spears' “Femme Fatale” Is An Aural Assault

Britney Spears, the self-declared living legend, has done it again by (somehow) managing to live up to all the hype and speculation surrounding her seventh studio album Femme Fatale.

It would be too easy to say that this album is representative of today’s pop music scene (for better or worse), rather, it’s more than that. It’s not a concept album. There are no thinly veiled (read: made up) political themes as a means to drive listens. So what is it then?

Femme Fatale is a high-octane, slickly produced dance album comprised of at least 10 potential single-worthy tracks brimming with ridiculously infectious beats and gobs of sexual innuendo. It’s heavy on synthesizers, light on substance, and will straight up assault your eardrums.

By now, we’re all well versed in “Hold It Against Me,” the Dr. Luke/Max Martin production that dissolves into a jaw-dropping dubstep breakdown as well as the Ke$ha penned “Till The World Ends” that is so similar to her own single “Blow” that there are moments where we can’t tell the two songs apart. But that’s OK because the difference is while Ke$ha can write an earworm-worthy song, she doesn’t have the clout to make an impact the way Britney Spears does.

In total, Dr. Luke and Max Martin are responsible for seven of the album’s twelve tracks, but it’s the Bloodshy produced “How I Roll” that elevates Femme Fatale above the latest albums from Lady Gaga, Ke$ha, and Katy Perry, all pop divas in their own right who have cashed in on the Luke/Martin gravy train. The song is unlike anything you’ve heard in Billboard’s Top 100 full of pops, sputters, hand-claps and hollow, robotic Britney vocals. It’s irresistible to anyone with a heartbeat and it could easily have been a b-side from Body Talk, Robyn’s 2010 standout album.

Then there’s the mid-tempo break-up-turn-one-last-romp song,“Inside Out,” which at first listen might appear to be the odd man (uh…song) out on the beat-thumping Femme Fatale, but it’s not. The song is masterful in its own right thanks to Spears’ hazy delivery. Stans will even get a kick out of the little nod in the chorus to the song that started it all, “…Baby One More Time” when she purrs “You know what I want right now/Hit me one more time it’s so amazing…”

Point being – it’s time we all come to terms with the fact that Britney Spears is the real deal regardless of how present or involved she is in deciding her career’s direction (jury is still out there). We’re all guilty of dismissing her talent (yes,talent), chalking her success up to being a great marketing tool (maybe in the late ‘90s and early ‘00s), but the fact is it’s now over a decade since “…Baby One More Time” changed pop music and her latest effort, Femme Fatale, is more progressive than its nearest competitor by a longshot.

Source: The Round Table

Britney Spears On Her New Album, Her Favorite Music and Working With Will.I.Am

Do your kids like the new record? What have they said about it?
Yes. They definitely dance to it but its kind of funny because they are still confused …. It’s like, ‘who is this Britney Spears singer in contrast to mommy?’

How has your involvement in the record-making process changed over the years?
I have always been heavily involved in every album I have ever made. I’m very stubborn when it comes to recording and will only record songs I love, which is why it takes me a long time to make an album. I have to feel connected before I record and the song has to spark something inside me. Very few songs do that. I guess it’s a good process because I love all of my music. I know there are a lot of artists that hate songs they recorded. I don’t feel that way.

What was your idea for the overall sound of this album?
I wanted to make a fresh-sounding album for the clubs or something that you play in your car when you’re going out at night that gets you excited but I wanted it to sound different from everything else out right now. I also wanted to experiment with all the different types of music I love which is why you hear a mixture of pop, hip-hop and dance throughout the album. I also really wanted to play with my voice and change up my sound here and there which was really fun.

You hear traces of some real cutting-edge dance music on the album – for instance, the dubstep break on “Hold It Against Me.” How do you find new sounds?
I listen to a lot of different music from all over the world and I guess I just gravitate towards what sounds fresh and what makes me want to move. I really didn’t want to record anything on this album that could be mistaken for anyone else out there. I think my first two singles, “Hold It Against Me” and “Till The World Ends,” sound completely different from anything else and I think when my fans hear the rest of Femme Fatale they’ll see how fresh every song is.

Do you still go out to clubs? What kind of dance music do you like?
I don’t go out that much anymore but when I do, I definitely like to go out and dance. I’m a big vibe person when it comes to music so a song really has to make me feel a certain way in order for me to fall in love with it. I love hard pounding dance songs with really beautiful melodies over them. Those are my favorites.

What kind of music do you listen to at home?
I love the Peas but I also love Deadmau5. I guess I’m all over the place. Lately I have been listening to Robyn and Adele non-stop but I also love to find new artists that very few people know about. It’s one of my favorite things to do because it’s like being part of a secret. Friends and people around me are always showing me new artists that they love and that’s how I learned about Sabi and ended up working with her on “(Drop Dead) Beautiful.” I have always wanted to feature a new artist on one of my albums and she is really cool.

What led to your collaboration with willi.am? What was it like working with him?
The Peas make incredibly catchy, fun pop/dance records and I LOVE will.i.am’s style. I have always wanted to do a song with him and would love to work with him more in the future. He is so interesting.

Dr. Luke has become a big-name producer in his own right since your last album – is it different working with him now?
Not really. We have known each other for a really long time. Most people don’t know this but we actually worked together when I was recording “Blackout.” He was incredible back then and he has only gotten better over the years.

Dr. Luke said last fall that “I want [the sound] to get harder in some ways, and maybe a little more deep into electronic — grimier.” Did you have that same agenda for the album? Do you feel like you accomplished that?
When we first sat down to talk about Femme Fatale I knew I wanted to make a dance album that was ahead of everything else out there but unique to me which is why I was so picky with the recording process. I only wanted songs that I immediately connected to. I also wanted to make sure that this album was completely different from Circus or anything else I had ever recorded. I love Circus but I wanted something darker and edgier. I also wanted to make an album and didn’t want to just record a bunch of songs and put them together. I think Femme Fatale is really connected from start to finish.

What is it about Max Martin that makes you so comfortable collaborating with him? How much bigger of a role did he take on this album than he did for “Circus”?Max played a huge role on this album and he has been there since the beginning so there is such a huge level of trust. He gets exactly what I am saying when I tell him what I want and don’t want musically. His melodies are incredible and he is always coming up with weird sounds, which I love. The whistle on “I Wanna Go” still gets me every time I hear it. Who would have thought of that? There is nobody I feel more comfortable collaborating with in the studio.

How would you characterize the studio relationship between Max and Dr. Luke?
They are two peas in a pod. It’s a total bromance.

Source: Rolling Stone

Dr. Luke Sues Bellamy Brothers

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

Britney Spears' songwriter just launched a legal counter-attack over her number 1 hit "Hold It Against Me" -- suing The Bellamy Brothers for publicly claiming the song is a rip-off.

In a federal lawsuit filed today, Lukasz "Dr. Luke" Gottwald says The Bellamy Brothers launched a "smear campaign" by claiming Brit's hit -- co-penned by Gottwald -- was just a knockoff of their 1979 song ... "If I Said You Had a Beautiful Body Would You Hold It Against Me?"

Gottwald also claims the Brothers' attack was "a publicity stunt aimed to increase their record sales ... and to combat their dwindling relevance." Ouch.

In addition to damages for defamation ... Gottwald wants a court order stating once and for all Britney's song has nothing to do with the BB's song.

The Bellamy Bros. rep didn't immediately return a call for comment.

Source: TMZ

Britney Spears 'Very Hands-On' For Femme Fatale, Rodney Jerkins Says

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

Britney Spears is a month away from the release of Femme Fatale, and nearly every day, she's teasing fans with samples of some of the songs on the album, including the latest, her song with will.i.am, "The Big Fat Bass." Now, longtime collaborator Rodney Jerkins is opening up about hitting the studio with Spears.

"Britney's always great to work with. I've worked with Britney for 12, 13 years now," he told MTV News. "It's always great to work with someone when you work with someone time and time again; it's always great, and it always gets better. And just to see her evolve as an artist, it's an amazing, amazing thing."

Jerkins worked with Spears in the past on "Overprotected (Darkchild Remix)" and "I Love Rock 'n' Roll" in the early 2000s, as well as her leaked version of Lady Gaga's "Telephone," when she was recording Circus.

This time around, he said Spears knows exactly what she wants musically on the album. "She was very hands-on. She had a lot of ideas for me," he said. "She's great. She gets it. She is a top-notch veteran pro at this now."

She might be getting some help from Jerkins, but Dr. Luke and Max Martin are executive-producing the album, and Jerkins had nothing but the best to say about the production team. "I never spoke to them, [but] those guys are just great, and the stuff that they've been doing is just really, really great stuff," he said. "I'm sure with their hands on it, it's great."

Spears herself has described the album as "moody, edgy pop with A LOT of energy," hinting that many of the songs will be uptempo, and Jerkins noted that the songs he's been writing for her have certainly fit that label. "I know the songs that I do are uptempo," he said. "The stuff I've done, I think, will kind of shock people. I got a chance to go out my box a little bit too. She's great. Britney's just awesome."

Source: MTV

''How I Roll' Snippet

''I I I Wanna Go'' Snippet

Bellamy Attorney Issues Legal Statement about Lyrics Dispute

Today, attorney Christopher E. Schmidt, legal representation to country music's the Bellamy Brothers, released the following statement in response to pending legal action against pop star Britney Spears:

The Bellamy Brothers have been artists, in the true sense of the word, with over 50 hit songs; more than 20 of those songs reaching the No. 1 position in the country charts over the past 35 years. The music business has given them the rare opportunity to enjoy making a living writing and playing music all over the world. Even though David and Howard are some of the nicest and most down to earth guys you will ever meet, they are also smart and experienced businessmen. So naturally, David asked me for my legal opinion of whether or not the Britney Spears recent single "Hold It Against Me" infringed on the copyright of their song "If I said You Had A Beautiful Body Would You Hold It Against Me" that David wrote in 1979.

In my opinion, it is not necessarily the similarity of the titles that is of legal concern. This would be more of a trademark issue. Rather, the issue is whether or not the exact lyrics "would you hold it against me" are used in the same way in the hook of the song. It becomes somewhat uncanny if you simply double the beat of the Bellamy Brothers’ song and match it up with Britney's version. Literally thousands of fans for both artists have also taken notice. They are scratching their heads questioning whether or not Britney’s song "lifted" part of the song previously written by David Bellamy. But for me, the scale tips substantially in knowing that Dr. Luke not only co-produced Britney's song with Max Martin, but that Dr. Luke also co-wrote the song with Max Martin and others.

This isn't the first time Max Martin and Dr. Luke have been accused of copyright infringement.

Dr. Luke was sued in 2007 for copyright infringement along with Avril Lavigne and her record label for “lifting” portions of Avril's hit song "Girlfriend." The suit subsequently settled in 2008. There is also a current Katy Perry song that features Snoop Dogg called "California Gurls" produced and co-written by Dr. Luke and Max Martin (among other writers, including Katy Perry) where The Beach Boys' record label has filed a diminutive claim against the writers and publishers of the song for credit and royalties. Dr. Luke was party to yet another copyright infringement suit in 2008 for the song "Feels Like Tonight" by Daughtry. Although this is not conclusive evidence that Dr. Luke intentionally lifted a phrase from a Bellamy Brothers song, it certainly shows a possible pattern and warrants a more serious look into the matter.

As a transactional attorney primarily focusing on managing my clients' careers and protecting their intellectual property, I had a duty to bring in the heavyweights to help us further evaluate the situation. I put a call in to Daniel Moskowitz who is a friend and colleague with the Nashville law firm King & Ballow. Daniel had mentioned to me before that one of the partners in the litigation section of his firm, Richard Busch, had won a multi-million dollar suit against Universal/Aftermath Records for Eminem. Richard also received a jury award of over four million dollars for his clients against Bad Boy Records. Most importantly, I recalled Daniel telling me that Richard recently established new precedence regarding copyright infringement in the United States Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit when the court affirmed a ruling that copyright infringement may occur by the copying of a single common word such as "Dog," if the alleged infringer uses that word in the new composition in the same way as it was used in the original musical composition.

This past week, the Bellamy Brothers and I met with Richard Busch to engage his services and handle this matter appropriately. Richard has submitted the two songs to a renowned musicologist for evaluation and expert opinion. From here, it is just a matter of trying to work things out amicably with everyone involved.

Source: Bellamy Brothers' Official Site

Brit's legal team is gonna eat them for breakfast.

''Inside Out'' Snippet

Britney's Twitter Interview

Q: Where is Britney Spears doing the Q&A from?

A: I'm at my house in Calabassas

Q: If your boys wanted to be in the industry would you support them?

A: Yes. I would support anything they had a love for.

Q: What's your opinion on global warming? JK, but seriously, Lady GaGa?

A: Does anyone think global warming is a good thing? I love Lady Gaga. I think she's a really interesting artist.

Q: Are you finally going to come to South America on your next tour? By that we mean Brazil!

A: I'm thinking about tour right now and I would to visit a lot of places I didnt get to go to on my last tour....Especially BRAZIL!!!

Q: How would you describe ''Femme Fatale''? Did you write any tracks for it?

A: I would describe it as moody, edgy pop with A LOT of energy.I co-wrote a couple of songs. I think its some of the best work I have ever done

Q: What is your favourite movie?

A: I LOVE Ferris Bueller's Day Off

Q: Any plans for Valentines day?

A: No Valentines day plans yet

Q: What's your favourite Starbucks drink?

A: I love their Strawberry Frapuchino

Q: Can we expect any ballad's on ''Femme Fatale''?

A: There are a few mid tempos that could be considered ballads.

Q: Britney Spears vs. Brittany S. Pearce - who would win in a dance-off?

A: She's a great dancer, it'd be fun to find out.

Q: Will you, yourself, give an answer about the Grammy's?

A: I won't be there and was never planning on going.

Q: What is one thing you have yet to achieve?

A: I've always wanted to do trapeze. LOL. And run with the lions...

Q: Will you do Meet&Greets with the fans this era?

A: Yes, I will. It'd be a pleasure to meet you

Q: How would you describe Bfans in 5 words?

A: Loyal, Passionate, Amazing, Loving, Beyond!

Q: What do you think about Perez Hilton?

A: Perez Hilton is a real firecracker! His site is a guilty pleasure

Q: Will there be any duets on ''Femme Fatale''?

A: You'll just have to wait and see.

Q: When can we expect performances and overall promotion to begin?

A: I'm doing a lot of promo. There will be some major announcements in the next few days.

Q: We know you LOVE LOVE candles. What is your absolute favorite scent? I need to know this brand new information!!!

A: I LOVE vanilla candles.

Q: What do you think about Chris Golfer?

A: I love the show and I think he is hilarious. Love his outfits.

Q: What do feel that the biggest misconception of you is?

A: I'm really just a boring homebody who loves staying home with my kids and thats where i'm the happiest.

Q: Would you like to do another movie?

A: Yes. I love to act and would love to be in a Todd Philips or Judd Apatow movie.

Q: What do you think the comparison they make between you and Madonna?

A: It's so flattering! I really LOVE Madonna and she has been a huge inspiration for me.

Q: How do you feel about working with Dr. Luke?

A: I have a lot of history with Max Martin and Dr. Luke so its always fun to collaborate with them. They make such incredible music.

Q: We're nearing the release of ''Femme Fatale'' so how are you feeling?

A: I'm so excited and I can't wait for you guys to hear it. I think its some of the best work I have ever done!

Ke$ha: Britney Spears Collaboration! Exclusive!

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

Last week, Just Jared had the pleasure of stopping by the L.A. studio of super producers Lukasz “Dr. Luke” Gottwald and Max Martin, who are executive producing Britney Spears‘ upcoming album, Femme Fatale.

Our heart was dancing as we heard more than half a dozen demos produced by Luke, Max, and their frequent collaborators Ammo and Benny Blanco.

Our favorite song was, not surprisingly, a dance song pop phenom Ke$ha wrote for Britney called “Till the World Ends.”

It’s one irresistibly catchy tune that, if it makes the album, will be an instant smash. In fact, we still have the tune stuck in our head - and we can’t get it out. It’s “TiK ToK” all over again!

Source: Just Jared

Let's all stay calm and co...oh f*ck it. I swear to God if one Miss Autotune's tracks makes it onto the album I will punch a B*tch while rocking out with my c*ck out.

And, off topic, Kesha please take a bath. You even make me itch just by looking at your glittery face.

Don't hold this rant against me. I've been sick for nearly a month, in a bed for nearly a month and I'm pretty sure I've gained 10 pounts from emotional eating so yeah, I'm grumpy.

Exclusive: Britney Spears' Producer Dr. Luke Reveals 'Femme Fatale' Details

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

Britney Spears announced today that her new album, due March 15, is titled Femme Fatale – but the superstar singer and her Los Angeles producers are still choosing songs and determining the final direction of the overall sound. "It's not done," Dr. Luke, co-producing the album with longtime Britney collaborator Max Martin and Montreal dance-pop songwriter Billboard, tells Rolling Stone. "We're in the middle of it right now. It's a little bit fluid right now. I can't even say at this stage what songs for sure are making it and what songs aren't. We're working with a lot of producers and overseeing it with her A&R and record label and management and trying to make something cohesive."

The album, of course, will contain "Hold It Against Me," co-written by Dr. Luke, Martin and Bonnie McKee, the hot songwriter who penned Katy Perry's "California Gurls" and Taio Cruz' "Dynamite." Spears' new single made its debut on the pop charts in mid-January at Number One, before dropping to Number Six last week.

Originally, Dr. Luke and Martin, the Swedish songwriter behind some of Spears' biggest hits, including "…Baby One More Time," planned to give the song to Katy Perry. "We might have played it for her, but it definitely wasn't a Katy Perry record," Dr. Luke says by phone from Conway Recording Studio in Los Angeles. "We had it for a while. I wanted to make sure it didn't sound like everything else I've done. I brought it into Billboard, and he just killed it. It can be hard in the verse, and the bridge is super, super hard, but the chorus is super-pop. You can play that chorus acoustically on a guitar and it's still going to sound great."

Top 40 radio stations continue to spin "Hold It Against Me" in regular rotation. "It feels like a really obvious, easy-to-listen-to first single," says John Ivey, program director for KIIS in LA, which played the song once an hour the first day it came out. "You hear all those little parts that are so Britney – 'here's the video-breakdown-dance part of the song.' That's what my listeners love about her."

Although her 2008 album Circus sold fewer than 2 million copies, not a huge number given Spears' history of blockbuster sales, retailers have high hopes for the March release. "[Circus] ended up doing well, but we were a little cautious about it — a little tense comeback issues were going to be relevant," says Mark Hudson, music buyer for Trans World Entertainment, who predicts the new album could sell 500,000 copies in its first week. "But this time around, her stock is higher."

Dr. Luke also noted that he and Martin, the executive producers, plan on working on several songs directly in addition to "Hold It Against Me." He also confirmed Bloodshy (who co-produced Spears' classic "Toxic") and Benny Blanco (who worked on Ke$ha's "Tik Tok" and Perry's "California Gurls") were among several big names who would make production appearances.

So far, Spears has dropped by the LA studio two or three times to lay down her vocals. "Britney's really fast," Dr. Luke says. "She gets it done."

Source: Rolling Stone

They better hurry up because if this album gets delayed there's gonna be a lot of mentally insane Britney fans...

Britney Spears Returning to 'Edgy' Sound on New Album

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

While Britney Spears's new single, "Hold It Against Me," may have provided an upbeat preview of her new album, what will the rest of the work sound like?

"It's way more edgy than the last album," songwriter Claude Kelly, who composed several tracks for the as-yet-untitled album, tells PEOPLE at a New York NARAS reception. He adds that Spears, 29, is returning to the grittier sounds of 2007's Blackout. "[It's] more in the vein of the album before," he says.

Though Kelly admits he's not completely sure what the "final product is going to be," he does say, "the last album [2008's Circus] was more clean pop. [Its purpose] was to reintroduce Britney to the world as the pop princess."

As the first single also indicates, Spears, who Tweeted from her "Hold It Against Me" video shoot this weekend, has new tunes are definitely club-worthy.

"She's always ready," Kelly says. "Dr. Luke and Max Martin are running the show, and it's all about the beats. It has a heavier bass line and it's much harder, more urgent, more club. She's ready again!"

Source: People

Adam Tweets Up a Storm

@TheDoctorLuke britney's 2nd single gonna be fire!!!!!! watch out!!!!!

@TheDoctorLuke Never thought you and #MaxMartin would beat HIAM but I think the impossible has been achieved. Get ready world.....

@TheDoctorLuke PS- Whats the 9th word in the song?

FYI- HIAM is available for purchase in the UK tomorrow (1/17/11)

OK, OK its 4:13 AM in the UK. I get it, I get it. It's barely 1/17. We're busy working on the HIAM video over here. Cut us some slack....

HIAM Video details coming tomorrow....

Source: Adam Leber

Jive's Official HIAM Press Release

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

For Immediate Release:

January 7, 2011

Britney Spears Set To Release New Single “Hold It Against Me” On Tuesday, January 11th. Song Will Debut Simultaneously At Radio And On The U.S. iTunes Store At Midnight (EST) On January 11th

New York, NY- Britney Spears’ new highly anticipated song “Hold It Against Me” will premiere simultaneously on radio stations and be available immediately in the U.S. exclusively on the iTunes store, Tuesday, January 11th at 12AM EST.

“Hold It Against Me” is produced by Britney’s long-time collaborators Max Martin and Dr. Luke and is the official lead single from her forthcoming album. The as-yet-untitled seventh studio album is slated for release in March, 2011 on Jive Records.

Fans will have the opportunity to purchase the song exclusively on the iTunes store until 1/18.

During her 12-year career, Britney has had five albums debut in the No. 1 position on Billboard ’s Top 200 Albums chart and she’s had 24 Top 40 hits on Billboard’s Mainstream Top 40 chart. Globally, Britney Spears is one of the top-selling artists of the past decade, dominating charts with her albums, selling an astonishing 67 million albums worldwide. Her previous albums include: …Baby One More Time (1999); Oops!… I Did It Again (2000); Britney (2001); In The Zone (2003); Blackout (2007); Circus (2008); and The Singles Collection (2009).

Source: Jive Records