Femme Fatale ‘s second single was penned by Ke$ha. By Jocelyn Vena Photo: Jive Britney Spears’ new single, “Till the World Ends,” sounds poised to be a club smash. The Ke$ha-written , Dr. Luke/Max Martin-produced track was posted by Perez Hilton on Thursday afternoon (March 3), after speculation earlier in the day that the song would hit radio next week. “Till the World Ends” is a swirling, “beat the beat” track, ready for late nights spent “dancing till the world ends” as she sings on the fast-paced party jam. “This kitten got your tongue tied in knots I see/ Spit it out ’cause I’m dying for company,” a confident Spears purrs. As the song slows for a moment — during a break before she moves her way to the chorus — she sings, “I can’t take it take it take no more/ Never felt like felt like this before/ Come on get me get me on the floor/ DJ, what you what you waiting for?” she teases. The beat chugs in the background as synths play with Spears’ sex-kitten delivery of lines like “Watch me move/ When I lose, when I lose it hard/ Get you off with a touch/ Dancing in the dark. “See the sunlight/ We ain’t stopping/ Keep on dancing till the world ends/ If you feel it/ Let it happen/ Keep on dancing till the world ends,” she sings as the song breaks down, fading out for a brief moment (revealing her signature breathiness), and then coming back in as she repeats those final lines again to close the song. Ke$ha recently dished about the track to Spin.com , noting that it is about the power of an artist performing a great gig. “That song is me imagining her and any female musician touring the world,” she said. “You know, when you go out, and you’re having an amazing, magical night and you don’t want to go to sleep and you want it to last until the world ends.” “Till the World Ends” is the second single from Femme Fatale , set to drop March 29. Its lead single, “Hold It Against Me,” was an equally club-friendly jam by Luke and Martin, who are overseeing production on the album. Give your review of “Till the World Ends” in the comments below! Related Artists Britney Spears Ke$ha
Here’s Britney Spears on the cover of V Magazine looking pretty damn good actually. I thought she was fat now? She doesn’t look fat at all, she looks she used to look, somebody must be pretty good at photoshop. I’m not digging the overly saturated colors though, I can’t see a damn thing. I know she’s topless under there somewhere, I just wish I could see it, although I see it pretty much every night in my dreams. I think I’m having a seizure.
Rob Margolies worked with embattled actor on indie comedy ‘She Wants Me,’ in which Sheen plays an outsize version of himself. By Eric Ditzian Charlie Sheen Photo: Michael Buckner/ Getty Images Last October, after being handed the script for “She Wants Me” by a friend and producer on the indie comedy, Charlie Sheen signed on to play a small role — an outsize version of himself also named Charlie Sheen. He shot his scenes over the course of a few days, and according to writer/director Rob Margolies, was “on time every day and really reliable and always in a good mood.” But speaking to MTV News on Wednesday from Los Angeles, where he’s in post-production on the movie, the filmmaker said that the Sheen he’s seen in countless recent TV interviews — talking about melting faces and armless children on “Good Morning America,” for example — bears little resemblance to the man who was nothing but professional on set. “Charlie wasn’t like that at all,” Margolies said. “He was completely in control and not on the defensive. No one ever felt uncomfortable. My personal opinion of him has not changed. I hope he gets the help he needs. I believe in him and wish him the best.” Back in the fall — shortly before Sheen’s life took a turn for the worse following a drug-and-porn-star-filled incident at the Plaza Hotel in New York — the actor was having so much fun on the set of “She Wants Me” that he asked Margolies to write another scene in which he could appear. But Margolies declined, telling MTV News additional screen time would have felt artificial and detracted from the original appearance. The film focuses on a couple — he an aspiring filmmaker, she a struggling actress — who move to Los Angeles. A friend of theirs, also an actress trying to make it big, lands a starring role in a Charlie Sheen film and claims she’s even dating him. The couple thinks she’s nuts, until the “Two and a Half Men” star actually shows up one day. His three scenes last about five minutes, according to Margolies. Though the extra scene Sheen requested never came to pass, the actor nonetheless agreed to help finance the production and was rewarded with an executive-producer credit. “He came onboard and gave us a last-minute sum of money to finish the movie in post,” said Margolies, adding that the overall budget was “well under half a million dollars.” They wrapped principal photography last year, shot some pickups in January and hope to put the finishing touches on the film by May with an eye toward selling the flick to a studio. Margolies himself hasn’t been in touch with Sheen in recent weeks, but one of his producing partners has reached out to the embattled star. “They’re close friends, and he’s concerned for him,” he said. While Margolies didn’t offer a hypothesis for what might be ailing Sheen at the moment, he did say he understands why he appears to be so erratic in recent interviews. “He seemed like he was on the defensive in the interviews,” the filmmaker said. “I think he’s just caught off-guard and scared. It’s a result of him feeling like he’s being judged. Most people who are being judged act up. It’s a defense mechanism. I don’t think that’s in direct relation to who he is at all.” For breaking news, celebrity columns, humor and more — updated around the clock — visit MTVMoviesBlog.com . Related Photos The Highs And Lows Of Charlie Sheen
‘The bitch is back and better than ever!’ the pop singer jokingly declares in her new V magazine cover story. By Jocelyn Vena Britney Spears Photo: V Magazine Britney Spears’ spread in V magazine finally hit newsstands on Thursday (March 3). In the cover story, in which Spears opens up about her forthcoming album, Femme Fatale , the star also chats about what qualities define that mysterious type of woman. She says, “[A femme fatale is] a woman who is sexy and strong, dangerous and mysterious, cool and confident.” As displayed in a number of song teases and even first single “Hold It Against Me,” Femme Fatale certainly has an emphasis on club bangers. And Spears reveals in the V chat which tune off the album she’s most looking forward to having fans hear. “I really love ‘On the Rocks’ because it sounds so different from anything I have ever heard,” she explains. “It’s so cool and quirky.” The decision to make a dance record mostly came from Spears, who admits that she prefers to make tunes that will get fans out on the floor. “I like music that makes you move and connects with your soul. I like to feel inspired right away when I listen to new music,” she says. “I always have songs being sent to me from new artists and producers from all over the world, which is really cool. From there I just follow my heart.” Spears certainly has a strong message for her fans, and perhaps even for the critics who may wonder if the star still has what it takes to compete in an overpopulated pop universe. Her message for them: “That the bitch is back and better than ever!” She continues, “I love making new music for my fans, I love performing for my fans, and most importantly, I love my fans. I am so lucky to have their support. They drive me.” Also in the issue, Spears talks about the media scrutiny she’s endured in recent years, as well as discussing her life now as both a pop star and a mom to her two young sons. “I’m past all of that. I try to block it all out and not pay attention to anything they write about me in the magazines or online. I’m done with that,” she explains. “I think it’s easier to let people in when you’re younger, but when I became a mother I wanted more privacy for myself and my children. A life away from my life.” Spears insists that she has no plans to fade into obscurity anytime soon, while admitting that she would focus on motherhood if she had never become a pop star. “I’d be a full-time mom, which would be cool. I’d miss my fans and all of the love the most, but I definitely would not miss having my picture taken everywhere I go,” she says. :I wouldn’t miss showering in arenas either. So gross!” So how would she like to be remembered in the future? “[I hope my legacy is] two amazing boys and a lot of music that hopefully brings a lot of people a lot of happiness,” she explains. What do you think about Britney’s comments to V magazine? Tell us in the comments. Related Videos MTV First: Britney Spears’ ‘Hold It Against Me’ Premiere Related Photos Britney Spears In V Magazine Related Artists Britney Spears
Artwork for the single from Femme Fatale, expected out sometime next week, shows up online. By Jocelyn Vena Britney Spears Photo: Jeremy Cowart/ WireImage Slowly but surely, fans are getting a taste of what Britney Spears’ March 29 album release, Femme Fatale, will sound like. On Wednesday, Spears slowed things down with the tease for her track “Criminal” and psyched fans up with the news that she worked with Travis Barker on the album. Fans are speculating that the next single released will be the Ke$ha-penned track, “Till the World Ends.” Art for the single’s cover, in which Spears appears sitting on a couch in a sweater and heels, was posted at Deezer.com . The single will reportedly drop sometime next week, according to a tweet sent out by Tampa radio station 93.3 FM. “Hearing from Jive Records that we’ll have a new @BritneySpears single to play next week!” Ke$ha recently dished about the track to Spin.com , noting that the song is about the power of an artist performing a great gig. “That song is me imagining her and any female musician touring the world,” she says. “You know, when you go out, and you’re having an amazing, magical night and you don’t want to go to sleep and you want it to last until the world ends.” Spears’ longtime manager Larry Rudolph recently told MTV News that he’s super-excited about the next single off Femme Fatale . “I don’t think I’ve been this excited about releasing a Britney single in many, many years,” he said. “It’s that good. That’s all I’m gonna say about it at the moment. I haven’t heard a final mix of it, but I should get it in the next day or two. So far, what I’ve heard is just extraordinary. It really is amazing. Her fans will be very happy with it. I’m trying hard to get it out before the album comes out.” For those keeping count, it’s not the first time Ke$ha and Spears have worked together. Ke$ha appeared on the Circus song “Lace and Leather.” “I just did backgrounds for her ’cause I was so broke. I needed to pay my rent,” she shared back in 2009. “I got a few bucks. No, [I didn’t meet her]. I just did backups for her.” Related Videos MTV First: Britney Spears’ ‘Hold It Against Me’ Premiere Related Photos Britney Spears’ ‘Hold It Against Me’ Pop-Culture References Related Artists Britney Spears Ke$ha
After Rodney Jerkins discusses ‘out-of-the-box’ track, a rep for Barker confirms collabo to MTV News. By James Montgomery Britney Spears Photo: Courtesy of Zomba Records In a recent interview with MTV News, producer Rodney Jerkins said that, on her upcoming Femme Fatale album, Britney Spears got “hands-on,” supplying him with “a lot of ideas” and helping shape the energetic sound of the project. “She’s great. She gets it,” Jerkins said. “She is a top-notch veteran pro at this now.” So it should probably come as no surprise that, somewhere along the line, Blink-182 drummer Travis Barker came to be involved in recording the album — because, while we’re not sure if bringing him onboard was Britney’s idea, he is most certainly the kind who can bring the energy. And, as Jerkins said in a recent sit-down with Headline News’ “Showbiz Tonight,” the experience of working with Spears and Barker was a new one for everyone involved. “I’m really excited. … I did two songs on her album, and one of the songs I did, I brought in Travis Barker, and it’s got this rock feel which is out of the box, out of my norm, and I think it’s out of her norm as well,” Jerkins said. “We had a great time making this record.” Jerkins didn’t elaborate on much else about the Barker song or Britney’s album, saying only that the project is “classic Britney spears, uptempo heavy, of course. It’s new and different.” A spokesperson for Barker confirmed to MTV News that the collaboration happened “about a month ago” but, much like Jerkins, wouldn’t reveal any additional details of the song. Spears’ Femme Fatale is due March 29. What do you think of Britney Spears’ new music? Let us know in the comments! Related Photos Britney Spears’ ‘Hold It Against Me’ Pop-Culture References Related Artists Britney Spears Travis Barker
Singer’s arrest tops year of troubles for Grammy winner. By Gil Kaufman Christina Aguilera Photo: Jason Merritt/ Getty Images The pattern has, unfortunately, become fairly predictable at this point. A young star experiences stratospheric early success, lives a high-flying lifestyle and engages in over-the-top rebellious behavior and then begins to spin out of control after experiencing some personal and professional disappointments. The latest victim is former Grammy winner Christina Aguilera, whose annus horribilis reached its peak on Tuesday morning when she and her boyfriend both ended up behind bars . A year ago, Aguilera was on the cusp of a return to the spotlight after nearly three years away, during which she celebrated the birth of her son and recorded a new album, Bionic, which was tagged as her futuristic stab at retaking her pop-diva mantle. “There’s no other way of looking at the last year in her career other than to say it’s been trying,” said Keith Caulfield, the associate director of charts for Billboard magazine. “A lot of artists have tough times and go through all sorts of drama. Mariah Carey had her ‘TRL’ moment when ‘Glitter’ bombed and ‘Loverboy’ didn’t do what she wanted, but she came back with ‘We Belong Together,’ and was better than ever. Everyone was writing [Aguilera] off because that’s what we like to do — beat people while they’re down.” Although authorities have said she won’t be prosecuted, Aguilera was arrested on a misdemeanor charge of public intoxication on Tuesday morning after her boyfriend Matthew Rutler was pulled over on suspicion of driving under the influence. It was the latest hiccup in a year of difficulties for Aguilera, which began with the flop of her 2010 Bionic album, which has sold only 250,000 copies in the U.S. to date. That was followed by a hastily canceled U.S. tour , the failure of her big-screen debut in “Burlesque” and the announcement of her separation and pending divorce from husband Jordan Bratman. Those incidents were followed by her infamous flubbing of the lyrics at February’s Super Bowl and a stumble on the Grammys stage a week later, amid tabloid reports that her partying had gotten out of hand. Billboard ‘s Caulfield said he didn’t think Aguilera’s troubles are comparable to the very public difficulties suffered by Britney Spears several years ago or even Lindsay Lohan’s string of trips to jail and rehab, but that the pileup of Christina’s career and personal setbacks may have been amplified by the speed at which information and photos are disseminated on the Net these days. “Because of the coverage and the way things happen so quickly on the Internet, there’s no room for an, ‘Oh, I screwed up the lyrics or I stumbled.’ The problem is that everything she’s done over the past year was on a significant magnitude: her first starring role, the Super Bowl!” Had all the other previous incidents not happened, Caulfield said people may not have even noticed Aguilera’s stumble at the Grammys, a trip that Caulfield himself, who was at the show, said he didn’t even detect. “I can’t imagine how difficult it is to be Aguilera now: you have a kid, you’re separating from your husband, the album you waited four years to put out no one bought, it’s got to be tough.” PR expert and star of the Kim Kardashian-produced E! show “The Spin Crowd,” Jonathan Cheban said some of Aguilera’s problems may stem from her public image. “She has an incredible voice … she’s won Grammys … but it’s a different story than Britney,” Cheban said of the comparison to Spears and other stars like Lohan and Robert Downey Jr. who’ve had public spirals. “Christina’s definitely had a bad year, but there have been so many stories over the years about how unfriendly she is and how she doesn’t treat the people around her right, that I think people are more eager to take her down. Nobody is rooting for her because over the years she’s not been one to root for anyone else.” Before things went south for her, Cheban said it was hard to knock Aguilera off her pedestal because she was producing hit albums, winning Grammys and being asked to appear in movies such as Martin Scorsese’s 2008 Rolling Stones documentary, “Shine a Light.” But once things started to fall apart, he said, the knives came out. “There were no breaks, really,” he noted. “From the album tanking, the movie tanking, the divorce … she did a weird 360 in her life and went into hiding, and when you hide too much these days, people don’t like that. If you’re not out there, people will come after you and not in a positive way.” So, is it bad luck or bad karma? “Look at [Lady] Gaga,” Cheban continued. “If she’s trying to compete with [Gaga], then she should have praised her. Gaga is a woman of the people and everyone loves her and she’s fun and she’s out there and honest.” Caulfield said another problem is that while Aguilera was away, a new crop of younger, hotter models (Gaga, Katy Perry, Ke$ha) rose up to take her place and when Bionic failed, she purposely took herself out of the spotlight and seemed to amplify the career stall-out. “Pick a diva, they’ve all had their issues and failures — Madonna, Whitney Houston, Mariah,” he said. “We love a comeback story, though, and, of course, whatever her next thing is, hopefully it will work and people will love her again.” What do you think of Christina’s latest personal and professional woes? Share your thought in the comments. Related Photos The Evolution Of: Christina Aguilera Related Artists Christina Aguilera
After Rodney Jerkins discusses ‘out-of-the-box’ track, a rep for Barker confirms collabo to MTV News. By James Montgomery Britney Spears Photo: Courtesy of Zomba Records In a recent interview with MTV News, producer Rodney Jerkins said that, on her upcoming Femme Fatale album, Britney Spears got “hands-on,” supplying him with “a lot of ideas” and helping shape the energetic sound of the project. “She’s great. She gets it,” Jerkins said. “She is a top-notch veteran pro at this now.” So it should probably come as no surprise that, somewhere along the line, Blink-182 drummer Travis Barker came to be involved in recording the album — because, while we’re not sure if bringing him onboard was Britney’s idea, he is most certainly the kind who can bring the energy. And, as Jerkins said in a recent sit-down with Headline News’ “Showbiz Tonight,” the experience of working with Spears and Barker was a new one for everyone involved. “I’m really excited. … I did two songs on her album, and one of the songs I did, I brought in Travis Barker, and it’s got this rock feel which is out of the box, out of my norm, and I think it’s out of her norm as well,” Jerkins said. “We had a great time making this record.” Jerkins didn’t elaborate on much else about the Barker song or Britney’s album, saying only that the project is “classic Britney spears, uptempo heavy, of course. It’s new and different.” A spokesperson for Barker confirmed to MTV News that the collaboration happened “about a month ago” but, much like Jerkins, wouldn’t reveal any additional details of the song. Spears’ Femme Fatale is due March 29. What do you think of Britney Spears’ new music? Let us know in the comments! Related Photos Britney Spears’ ‘Hold It Against Me’ Pop-Culture References Related Artists Britney Spears Travis Barker
‘I think it’s the best album I have ever made,’ Spears tells V magazine. By Jocelyn Vena Britney Spears Photo: Kevin Winter/ Getty Images Britney Spears’ issue of V magazine is set to officially drop on Thursday, but a sneak peek of the issue, which features the singer donning couture in photos shot by Mario Testino, found its way online in advance. In the interview with the magazine, Spears opens up about her new album, her love of dance music and her rise to fame. “I don’t think I thought about ‘fame’ when I was a child,” she told the fashion mag. “I knew I wanted to perform and I knew I wanted to be on stage, but I don’t think I ever thought about fame or what comes with being famous.” When asked if she was destined to be famous, she jokes, “If not, then God definitely has a strange sense of humor.” The singer admits that she has a certain mantra when it comes to dealing with both the good and the bad that come with being a celebrity. “I have learned to always stay true to myself and never let what other people say about me change who I am,” she explained. “It’s a really important lesson that took me a long time to learn.” Spears is also staying true to her musical roots on her new album, which drops March 29, which she says embraces who she is in her life now. “I think Femme Fatale speaks for itself,” she said. “I worked really hard on it and spent almost two years recording it. I think it’s the best album I have ever made. There’s nothing to say. I’ll let the music speak for itself. … It’s definitely my edgiest and most mature sound yet. “It’s a little bit of both [an evolution and a revolution],” she continued. “There are songs on this album that don’t sound like anything else and are completely revolutionary, but I also believe this album expresses where I am today as a woman and is an evolution of who I am.” Related Videos Reactions To Britney’s ‘Hold It Against Me’ Related Photos Britney Spears’ ‘Hold It Against Me’ Pop-Culture References Related Artists Britney Spears
‘I think it’s the best album I have ever made,’ Spears tells V magazine. By Jocelyn Vena Britney Spears Photo: Kevin Winter/ Getty Images Britney Spears’ issue of V magazine is set to officially drop on Thursday, but a sneak peek of the issue, which features the singer donning couture in photos shot by Mario Testino, found its way online in advance. In the interview with the magazine, Spears opens up about her new album, her love of dance music and her rise to fame. “I don’t think I thought about ‘fame’ when I was a child,” she told the fashion mag. “I knew I wanted to perform and I knew I wanted to be on stage, but I don’t think I ever thought about fame or what comes with being famous.” When asked if she was destined to be famous, she jokes, “If not, then God definitely has a strange sense of humor.” The singer admits that she has a certain mantra when it comes to dealing with both the good and the bad that come with being a celebrity. “I have learned to always stay true to myself and never let what other people say about me change who I am,” she explained. “It’s a really important lesson that took me a long time to learn.” Spears is also staying true to her musical roots on her new album, which drops March 29, which she says embraces who she is in her life now. “I think Femme Fatale speaks for itself,” she said. “I worked really hard on it and spent almost two years recording it. I think it’s the best album I have ever made. There’s nothing to say. I’ll let the music speak for itself. … It’s definitely my edgiest and most mature sound yet. “It’s a little bit of both [an evolution and a revolution],” she continued. “There are songs on this album that don’t sound like anything else and are completely revolutionary, but I also believe this album expresses where I am today as a woman and is an evolution of who I am.” Related Videos Reactions To Britney’s ‘Hold It Against Me’ Related Photos Britney Spears’ ‘Hold It Against Me’ Pop-Culture References Related Artists Britney Spears
