Britney Spears is back in the studio

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

Rebounding from what seemed like an endless spiral of personal crises and public meltdowns, tabloid queen Britney Spears is back in the studio and at work on a "brand-new album," according to a joint statement released by the pop icon's manager, Larry Rudolph, and her label, Jive Records.

"Britney Spears is spending her summer in the recording studio," the statement, released Tuesday, says. "She's working with a team of top-notch producers and songwriters. And we're very excited about what she's achieved so far."

No release date for her sixth studio album has been set, and none of her collaborators is named in the statement. But producers JR Rotem, Sean Garrett, Guy Sigsworth, Nate "Danja" Hills, Bloodshy & Avantand Rodney "Darkchild" Jerkins have independently revealed that they are contributing to the project.

"Stuff we did so far is really dance-y, really up-tempo," Jerkins told Rap-Up TV last month.

"Real aggressive and catchy. Very, very, very hook-friendly."

With the intention of resurrecting her career, the multi-platinum-selling mother of two released "Blackout" last fall, which opened at No. 2 on the national album chart and was ranked among Rolling Stone magazine's Top 50 albums of 2007. Recorded during the time Spears, 26, was pregnant with her second son, Jayden James, and separating from Kevin Federline, the CD featured collaborations with producer-performers including Pharrell Williams and T-Pain.

But "Blackout's" commercial reception was ultimately overshadowed by Spears' erratic behavior that year, which included shaving her head in a Sherman Oaks beauty salon, attacking a paparazzo's car with an umbrella, checking into and out of rehab, blowing off custody hearings and turning in a disastrous performance of the album's lead single, "Gimme More," at the 2007 MTV Video Music Awards.

Further presaging Spears' return to center stage, the "pop wreck" has kept busy by making appearances in others' videos. Last month, she appeared at a shoot for the bump-and-grind pop quintet the Pussycat Dolls' single "When I Grow Up." And earlier this month, Madonna's spokeswoman Liz Rosenberg confirmed that Spears was set to film a "short movie" that would be part of the Material Girl's Sweet and Sticky tour, kicking off in Berlin next month.

Source: Los Angeles Times

Britney Spears To Film Video For Madonna's Sticky & Sweet Tour

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

Madonna personally requested Spears' participation, one source says.

Five years after they famously locked lips at the 2003 MTV Video Music Awards, Madonna and Britney Spears are set to work together again. This time, however, their hook-up will be long-distance.

According to People magazine, Spears is slated to film a video piece soon that will be included as part of the stage show for Madonna's upcoming Sticky & Sweet Tour. "Britney is going to film something for Madonna's show in the next week or so," said Madonna's longtime spokesperson, Liz Rosenberg, according to the magazine. Details on what the clip will include, however, were scarce, as Rosenberg declined to comment on what role Spears will play in the production or where she will be filming. "I don't know. It's a secret," she said

She did, however, deny published reports that Spears is in New York to film the video and that she's already shot the bit. This would be the second high-profile cameo for Spears in the past month. She shot some footage for the Pussycat Dolls' "When I Grow Up" video last month, but her part was left on the cutting-room floor at the last minute.

An unnamed source told USMagazine.com that "Madonna specifically asked to work with Britney again." The singers have not shared a stage since the infamous VMA kiss, but Madonna did speak out in Spears' defense earlier this year when the singer was going through some hard personal times.

At the time, Madonna also said she was digging Spears' Blackout album, which she listened to while working out.

Spears' manager, Larry Rudolph, confirmed to "Access Hollywood" that the video tribute would be taking place but quashed rumors that Spears would actually be touring with or performing live with Madonna. The Sticky & Sweet Tour kicks off in the U.S. on October 4 in East Rutherford, New Jersey.

Source: MTV