skip to main |
skip to sidebar
Britney Spears is a dozen years into her career, and yet the kickoff of her Femme Fatale tour at the Power Balance Pavilion in Sacramento last night managed to propel her forward. She's wisely focusing on the present – she sang nine songs from her latest album Femme Fatale and snagged Nicki Minaj as her opening act – while offering possibly her flashiest, fastest moving, and most entertaining production yet.
Taking her entrance atop a moving platform in the first of many skimpy and sparkling Barbarella-esque outfits, Spears kicked off her performance with "Hold It Against Me." Flipping her massive blonde locks/weave/wig in what the Glee kids call "hairography," Spears shook what her hairdresser gave her while dancing hunks in policeman gear suggestively wielded truncheons around her. For "Up n’ Down," she and her female dancers reappeared in several cages made of poles, and were soon to be joined by the cops executing jungle gym acrobatics atop the cages. White satin fedoras and trench coats were donned for "3," and for "Piece of Me" she flew over the stage until the cops ripped off their shirts to reveal S&M bondage harnesses.
It was that kind of show, and the largely female audience sprinkled with some enthusiastic guys liked it that way: Throughout her set, the screaming from the fans rarely relented. Just about every number offered a different a visual theme more over-the-top than the one before it. "Big Fat Bass" featured giant speaker cabinets with woofers circled by flashing, color-changing lights. Spears took her entrance during "How I Roll" in a car that resembled a pink Mini Cooper. The hood folded into steps that allowed Spears to walk over and down the car – one of many agile moves Spears executed without twisting an ankle.
Her set was half over before she sang a track older than four years; this was "Boys (Remix)," followed by the sole slowie, "Don’t Let Me Be the Last to Know," which she sang on a swing. Here her mike was clearly turned on, and the results confirmed why Spears typically relies on prerecorded vocals. Her surprise cover of Madonna’s early single "Burning Up" lacked Madge’s authority, but it did feature Spears straddling a giant glittering guitar 10 or so feet high and twice as long. Her encore of "Toxic" featured a booming Dance Dance Revolution-styled remix with Japanese kimonos and dancing ninjas to match while "Till the World Ends" included Minaj rapping via video — an odd choice, since she was likely still backstage.
Britney Spears' Life in Photos: Her Rise, Fall and Comeback
Minaj’s own set lacked Spears’s budget or sharp choreography. Instead, the rapper tottered around on lime green platform shoes that threatened to tip her balance. Although she’s styled as a dance-pop diva, Minaj did little dancing — or singing, or even live rapping. Like Spears, much of her vocals were clearly prerecorded, which got a little too obvious during "Monster." Obviously she doesn’t have Kanye West with her, but throughout even her part in the song she sat nearly immobile, not bothering to hold a mike or move her lips.
Minaj clearly has stage presence, and the fact that fans cheered through abbreviated versions of her hits means that she’s doing something right by just showing up. But as a showcase for her considerable talents, her Thursday night performance lacked the commitment of her records. Surely the wild woman of "Did It On’em" can do better.
But really, the night belonged to Britney: She managed to prove that she's still progressing as a showgirl. Not only that, she's doing it better than even diehard defenders would’ve predicted. At 29, the pop star whose career seemed in danger of ending just a couple years ago has shown that she's back – hopefully this time to stay.Source: Rolling Stone
Britney's back!
Sources tell Us Weekly that Britney Spears is heading to Las Vegas this weekend to perform live at Sunday's 2011 Billboard Music Awards.
The 29-year-old pop star will take the stage two times.
Spears will do one performance -- potentially the opening number -- with Rihanna, 23. The duo will perform Rihanna's hit song "S&M."
Spears will also be performing for the first time ever with Nicki Minaj, 26. Spears and Minaj will partner up for a remix of Spears' hit "Till The World Ends."
Minaj first met Spears in April. Later that month, Spears confirmed on her website that Minaj would be joining her Femme Fatale tour this summer.
"I'm obviously honored to be out with Britney," Minaj told Us of the tour. "She's freakin' paved the way for so many things right now in pop culture. I'm excited to be on with her."
So what will Spears' return to the live television be like? "It's gonna be big," a source says. "People will definitely be talking about it the next day."
The 2011 Billboard Music Awards air Sunday night at 8:00 p.m. on ABC.Source: US Weekly
"I feel like [Britney] has experienced life as an underdog, and I feel like my whole career I've been the underdog. I think that it just goes to show that when you are a strong woman, at the end of the day, it doesn’t matter. You bounce back from whatever. And I think she’s probably gone through 10 times whatever I’ve gone through. But the fact that she came back out with just so much fire inspires me, and it inspires young women and people all over the world. It just inspires you. A lot of my fans feel like they are the underdog and feel like they are the people who aren’t ever accepted for themselves, or who are laughed at or poked fun at forever. It just goes to show that once you keep at whatever it is you’re doing, people may not like you, people may not love you, but they will have to respect you at the end of the day. And that respect is all that matters."Source: Out Magazine
Spears' "Till the World Ends" blasts 11-3, besting its previous peak of No. 9, as the Hot 100's Digital Gainer following the release of its much-buzzed-about remix featuring Nicki Minaj and Ke$ha. "World" roars 12-3 on Digital Songs with 246,000 downloads sold (up 102%). The triple-threat remix accounted for 167,000, or 68%, of the title's sales in the April 25-May 1 tracking period.
"World" marks the second high-profile remix - both involving Spears - to spur a headline-grabbing chart move in three weeks. Rihanna's "S&M" ascended 2-1 two weeks ago following the release of its remix featuring Spears. All versions of "S&M" sold a combined 293,000 downloads that week, a gain comparable (up 108%) to that of "World" this week. Likewise similar to "World," the Spears-assisted remix of "S&M" accounted for 66% of the song's overall digital sales that frame.Source: Billboard
Can another diva-infused remix rush up the Billboard Hot 100 next week? That's what fans of Britney Spears are probably hoping.
On Monday (Apr. 25), Spears released the "Femme Fatale" remix of "Till the World Ends" (featuring Nicki Minaj and Ke$ha) to digital retailers -- just two weeks after the singer made headlines by guest-starring on the so-called "Rih-mix" of Rihanna's "S&M." The latter soared to No. 1 upon its release, giving RiRi her 10th No. 1 and Spears her fifth.
Now, the new remix of "Till the World Ends" could prompt a jump into the top five of the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart next week. We'll know for sure when news of the new Hot 100 is revealed on May 4.
Industry prognosticators suggest that all versions of "Till" (the original, the new "Femme" remix and its other assorted dance mixes) may sell around 210,000 or more by week's end on Sunday, May 1. That would secure its best sales frame yet, trumping the 158,000 it moved after its first full week on sale in March. Last week, the song shifted 122,000 downloads.
If the song earns as much radio airplay as it did this past week (around 72 million in audience), the song's combined point total could place it around Nos. 3-5 on the Hot 100 next week.
A No. 2 rank is conceivable -- as is of course, a long-shot chance at No. 1 -- but "Till the World Ends" faces stiff competition in the form of the current No. 1, Katy Perry's "E.T." (Not to mention the growing popularity of Adele's "Rolling in the Deep" and the Black Eyed Peas' "Just Can't Get Enough" -- which stand at Nos. 2 and 3, respectively, this week.)
If Spears' "Till the World Ends" reaches the top five, it will give her back-to-back studio albums with a pair of top five singles. Her 2008 "Circus" set spawned a No. 1 with "Womanizer" and a No. 3 hit with its title track. And her latest, "Femme Fatale," already saw its lead offering, "Hold It Against Me," debut at No. 1.
"Till the World Ends" has thus far peaked at No. 8 on the Hot 100. This week is declines 9-11, though with an overall gain in points.Source: Billboard
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
After rockin' the stage with Lil' Wayne for the "I'm Still Music" tour at Staples Center in Los Angeles last night, Nicki Minaj jet to host her after party at The Factory in West Hollywood.
Britney Spears decided to drop in on her Femme Fatale tourmate's shindig, and fans began hyperventilating to the point that bouncers needed to carry them out!
A source tells us, "[It] was complete pandemonium. Six people were carried out after hyperventilating. They literally fainted when Britney walked onto the stage where Nicki was hanging."
For those still conscious, their goal was to try and reach Britney.
"People were crowd surfing to get to the stage. Screams were so loud for Nicki and Brit you couldn't hear the music. Bouncers couldn't hold the crowd back."
Nicki showed up around 12:30 a.m. and hung out with her crew, taking a break from performing. Meanwhile, Britney showed up closer to 1 a.m. with boyfriend, Jason Trawick, but stayed for 30 minutes.
Khloé Kardashian Odom also attended the event, but went solo.Source: E! Online
LOS ANGELES, CA (April 12, 2011) - Pop music trendsetter Britney Spears, who has continually captivated crowds around the world with her live music events, today confirms special guest Nicki Minaj will join the Femme Fatale touring event of the summer. The all female line-up includes Jessie and the Toy Boys and Nervo on every tour stop. Spears has prepared an extraordinary show in support of the North American tour that begins on June 17th in Sacramento at the Power Balance Pavilion. Tickets for select markets go on sale beginning April 30th at Ticketmaster.com and LiveNation.com.
"This is the Femme Fatale tour and I'm thrilled to have the hot Nicki Minaj join me and Jessie and the Toy Boys and Nervo will get everyone on the dance floor," said Spears. "Can't wait to take the Femme Fatales on the road."
Spears continues to influence a generation of pop music fans with the release of her highly acclaimed, seventh studio album, Femme Fatale, which debuted at #1 on the Billboard Album charts, marking her 6th #1 album, and continuing her reign as one of the top-selling artists of the past decade. Spears has sold more than 67 million albums worldwide since her debut in 1999 and has generated more than 24 Top 40 Hits on the Billboard Mainstream Top 40 chart.
"Till The World Ends" is the recently released second single from Spears' new pop epic Femme Fatale and the follow up to the smash debut single, "Hold It Against Me," which has sold more than a million copies. "Hold It Against Me" also debuted at number one on both the Hot 100 Singles and Hot Digital Songs Chart, it currently ranks #1 on the digital singles charts in 20 markets globally and is the # 1 video on MTV and VH1 in the U.S.
Citi® cardmembers will also have access to presale tickets through Citi's Private Pass® Program. For complete presale details visit www.citiprivatepass.com.
Spears catalog of hit albums includes: ...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).
For dates, venues and sale dates please click here!Source: BritneySpears.com
It's official. TMZ has learned ... Nicki Minaj will be Britney Spears' opening act for her upcoming concert tour.
Sources involved in the negotiation tell TMZ ... the deal was signed several days ago, and Britney is elated. Everyone involved in the concert is relieved Enrique Iglasias' ego couldn't handle opening for Britney and feel Nicki will be infinitely better.
Minaj, who is on tour with Lil Wayne until the end of the month, currently has two singles on the Billboard Top 100 -- "Moment 4 Life" and "Did It On'em"
Everyone connected with the concert series thinks Nicki will create even more heat for the tour, which kicks off on June 17 in Sacramento, CA.
TMZ broke the story Nicki and Britney were in serious negotiations.
Right after we posted that story, the comments and emails were almost unanimous that Nicki is an infinitely better choice than Enrique.Source: TMZ
Britney Spears is set to premiere her new Ray Kay-directed video for “Till The World Ends” on Wednesday (April 6).
JustJared.com can exclusively reveal that the shoot went so well, there will actually be TWO videos. The director’s cut will have more of an apocalyptic storyline while the choreography cut will have the unabridged version of Britney’s dance moves.
“Till The World Ends” is the second single off of the 29-year-old pop princess’ latest album, Femme Fatale. It was co-written by Ke$ha and produced by Dr. Luke, Max Martin, and Billboard.
FYI: Just Jared has also heard from reliable sources that rap impresario Nicki Minaj will be joining Britney on her upcoming Femme Fatale tour over the summer.Source: Just Jared
TMZ has learned Britney Spears has lasered in on Nicki Minaj as her opening act for the upcoming concert tour ... and lawyers for the two are in "serious talks."
We're told it's looking very good that Nicki and Britney will reach an agreement in the next day or so.
Nikki would take the place of Enrique Iglesias -- who bailed at the last minute because his ego could not take opening for Britney.
Nicki is currently on tour with Lil Wayne -- those concerts end on April 28. Britney's tour begins June 17 in Sacramento.Source: TMZ
Blog
designed by Zaid
Britney Spears is a dozen years into her career, and yet the kickoff of her Femme Fatale tour at the Power Balance Pavilion in Sacramento last night managed to propel her forward. She's wisely focusing on the present – she sang nine songs from her latest album Femme Fatale and snagged Nicki Minaj as her opening act – while offering possibly her flashiest, fastest moving, and most entertaining production yet. 
