Britney Jean Original Concept Appreciation Thread

[Britney2001]

NOTE: I originally made this thread on GagaDaily in April. I recently thought that since I want to be more active here too, it would be nice to post this here.

So a lot of us may know about this tweet:

 

 

Britney Spears began the recording sessions for Britney Jean in December of 2012, though unfortunately like with Femme Fatale and Circus (to a degree) she did not get the concept that she wanted. In May of 2013 will.i.am was made executive producer, changing everything. In this thread I will try my best to give a taste for what Britney herself wanted before her label stepped in.

Note: These were intended for Britney; just because she wasn't singing does not mean that they were not intended for her.

Here are some of the songs.:

"Spell"

"Ten Seconds"

"No Title" (Most likely not the actual title, but I am unsure. If it is not the actual title, then it is most likely called "Feeling so Low" or "Never Need to Tell You.)

"*******"

"Feel Me Up" (Since April I have become skeptical about whether this song was intended for Britney Jean or not.)

"Lips"

"Exhale" (I am about 90% sure this was for the original concept, but there is also a possibility that it may have not been. -- Since April, I have realized that this song could have a double meaning about both her relationship with Jason Trawick, and her conservatorship.)

"Old City of Mine"

This is a concept beat by Danja for the original concept (There is said to be another one on VK.**):

"Zombie" (Cover)

Spoiler

Now, here are some songs that made it on the album that may have at first been a part of the original concept.:
1. Alien (Probably.)

2. Perfume (Regarding will.i.am producing this song, it is not abnormal for artists that worked on other artists album, to in turn have that artists work on theirs. Considering that Sia usually only gives songs out to artists on her own accord, it is not unreasonable to assume that this would have been on Britney Jean in the way Britney wanted it. Not to mention, Britney has also stated that she likes this song.)

3. Tik Tik Boom (Not all of the vocals on this song are Britney's, and if the rumor about Britney angrily leaving studios is true, then she may have not wanted this song. That being said, many have said that this song still fits that "Blackout 2.0" vibe.)

4. Passenger (See what I said about Sia in "Perfume".)

5. Don't Cry (Has some sounds like the original concept, but also has will.i.am as a producer.) -- Since April, I am not really sure about this song anymore.

6. Brightest Morning Star (Maybe.) -- This song is up in the air for me now.

7. Hold on Tight (Possibly.) -- This song is up in the air for me now.

Now it is important to remember that few songs from the original concept have leaked, so this is most likely not a full list. It really is a shame that she did not get to go along with the original concept; it potentially could have been among my top albums from her. -- I should also mention that I genuinely think that this album could have been a Grammy front runner in its original form.

Discuss.

----

Some things:

*If anyone could provide me with info on the songs "Tell it like it is", the second Danja Concept beat, a concept beat titled "Diplo", and a song known as Never Lie, then that would be great.

[nthenwkiss]

que?

[PokemonSpears]

your rumors are incorrect, she loves will.i.am, that's why they worked together so many times

 

but I appreciate your interest for Britney Jean

also

 

[senammoises]

Britney likes Will.I.Am.

The fact is: she was busy with the vegas residency and did not have time to work on the album. So they fished it with Myah. 

[Mike.]

I firmly believe Britney recorded Zombie before Miley.

[PickleSpears]

Hmm this seems like a conspiracy theory that I just don't buy into. Albums change direction sometimes but BJ is what is. I also didn't think she started recording until 2013.

[PlayboyMommy]

14 hours ago, Britney2001 said:

"C.ocaine"

"Feel Me Up" (Since April I have become skeptical about whether this song was intended for Britney Jean or not.)

"Lips"

 

"Old City of Mine"

"Zombie" (Cover)

**If anyone could provide me with info on the songs "Tell it like it is", the second Danja Concept beat, a concept beat titled "Diplo", and a song known as Never Lie, then that would be great.

Those songs were never meant for Britney

Even though she did have plans to release a sequel to Blackout she only got to record about ten songs before the original concept was scrapped

We know for a fact she originally worked with Ammo, Bloodshy, Darkchild, Elijah Blake, Ester Dean, Hit-Boy, Jean Baptiste, Mike WiLL Made-It, Scoop DeVille and Woodkid for Blackout 2

These songs were also rumoured to have been intended for the album at one point

 

 

 

[Britney2001]

Thank you so much to everyone that replied! ❤

A few things:

23 hours ago, PokemonSpears said:

your rumors are incorrect, she loves will.i.am, that's why they worked together so many times

I am not convinced that Britney Spears liked will.i.am's production. With all of the work that she had done prior to BJ while she had control (In The Zone, Blackout, the few known Original Doll tracks, she would not have okayed the vocal production of his executive producer Anthony Preston. Big Fat Bass was not in line with the original concept for Femme Fatale, so she did not want that song. I can see her liking Scream & Shout and Perfume, but that's pretty much it. One of the producers involved with the original concept, Dev Hynes (Blood Orange), actually listed will.i.am as part of a group of people that he feared did not have Britney's best interests at heart.

17 hours ago, senammoises said:

Britney likes Will.I.Am.

The fact is: she was busy with the vegas residency and did not have time to work on the album. So they fished it with Myah. 

Do you know when rehearsals started?

Britney Spears recorded songs for Original Doll on tour, and she also conceived Blackout during a very difficult time in her life. Multiple celebrities have also worked on music during times in their lives where they were very busy with other projects too.

My point: I don't think that the residency is the thing that caused the album to finished with Myah Marie. Something else was at play. The fact that Britney is barely even singing on the duet with her sister most likely points at something of a cash-grab being involved.

10 hours ago, PickleSpears said:

Hmm this seems like a conspiracy theory that I just don't buy into. Albums change direction sometimes but BJ is what is. I also didn't think she started recording until 2013.

True, but the main sound concept did definitely change. Multiple sources point towards Britney having started work on the project in late 2012. She also tweeted herself that the album was "definitely going to be more hip-hop this time around". May 2013 is (more or less) considered to at least be around the time in which the concept changed.

10 hours ago, PlayboiMommy said:

Those songs were never meant for Britney

Even though she did have plans to release a sequel to Blackout she only got to record about ten songs before the original concept was scrapped

We know for a fact she originally worked with Ammo, Bloodshy, Darkchild, Elijah Blake, Ester Dean, Hit-Boy, Jean Baptiste, Mike WiLL Made-It, Scoop DeVille and Woodkid for Blackout 2

These songs were also rumoured to have been intended for the album at one point

 

 

 

After doing some research, I can (mostly) confirm that both C.ocaine and Old City of Mine were submitted for Britney Jean. However, both of the songs (well, as far as I know at least C.ocaine), were turned down by Britney's team. I absolutely agree with you on all of the intended producers for the original concept. Ina Wroldsen has made it clear that she did not really do any work for Britney Jean. This includes both Legion and Father's Eyes; I am not sure if any other songs were considered. I have not heard about whether or not Home was intended, but I have heard about You. (IIRC, isn't that song produced by Bloodshy and Avant?)

[lilhennythings]

God a Dev Hynes X Britney Album would be ******* EVERYTHING

[PokemonSpears]

2 hours ago, Britney2001 said:

I am not convinced that Britney Spears liked will.i.am's production. With all of the work that she had done prior to BJ while she had control (In The Zone, Blackout, the few known Original Doll tracks, she would not have okayed the vocal production of his executive producer Anthony Preston. Big Fat Bass was not in line with the original concept for Femme Fatale, so she did not want that song. I can see her liking Scream & Shout and Perfume, but that's pretty much it. One of the producers involved with the original concept, Dev Hynes (Blood Orange), actually listed will.i.am as part of a group of people that he feared did not have Britney's best interests at heart.

we don't know why was the material scrapped, if there was any but since the very beginning it was denied by Britney's camp that Darkchild or the other producers were working for the new album, even before will.i.am was confirmed as executive producer

Hit Boy was the one that stated in early 2013 that they were like experimenting in the studio with Britney, but nothing really formal was confirmed. They probably recorded some stuff and that's where her statements of the album being more hip hop came from.

 

You say that she didn't like Big Fat Bass just because it wasn't in line with the album, but that's just your assumption. She seemed pretty happy with it while she was dancing to it in the studio as we saw in Femme Fatale, and was included on the tour as well as the promo performances when the album came out. Besides, Criminal isn't in line either and she named it one of her favorite songs of the album.

 

The rumor about leaving upset doesn't make any sense, and tbh it's the first time I ever hear about it. When will.i.am was confirmed executive producer in May, they hadn't even started recording the album yet, he confirmed that they were hitting the studio in a few days (it was an interview for Billboard). We saw Britney hitting the studio many times throughout the year after that date. We have much more proof of Britney liking will.i.am than the opposite. Not only she herself has spoken very nicely about him in interviews, but we saw them together in I am the Femme Fatale, the X Factor, the BJ listening party and the preview with Ryan Seacrest, and she seemed pretty comfortable around him in all those times. Ben Mor even talked about Britney and will in the set of Scream & Shout video having this almost fraternal relationship.

I don't think there's any mystery besides will.i.am taking control over the album's direction. He and Larry confirmed he was working as this sort of filter between the songs submitted and her, allegedly, because she didn't want hundreds of songs sent to her, I mean, this was Larry speaking on Britney's behalf, but doesn't sound that farfetched. will.i.am himself declared "When people start bringing us stuff, I can say 'Actually we can't have this song. Yes, we want dance songs but that's a little too dark.' I want it to fit with the emotions. I'm really excited about that and honored that she trusts me. I don't want to let her down." So probably many of  these songs didn't even make it to Britney.

She showed interest about Alien and Passenger, she talked about some of the songs during the BJ promo interviews, including Chillin' With You. Y'all are so quick to believe any rumors by all these people whoever they are, but when Sia says Britney came up with the concept of Brightest Morning Star, or when Myah Marie herself confirmed Britney and the other guy co-wrote the second part of Body Ache, then no one believes.

[Anticonformity]

29 minutes ago, PokemonSpears said:

Y'all are so quick to believe any rumors by all these people whoever they are, but when Sia says Britney came up with the concept of Brightest Morning Star, or when Myah Marie herself confirmed Britney and the other guy co-wrote the second part of Body Ache, then no one believes.

CO-SIGNED


 

[Britney2001]

15 hours ago, PokemonSpears said:

we don't know why was the material scrapped, if there was any but since the very beginning it was denied by Britney's camp that Darkchild or the other producers were working for the new album, even before will.i.am was confirmed as executive producer

Hit Boy was the one that stated in early 2013 that they were like experimenting in the studio with Britney, but nothing really formal was confirmed. They probably recorded some stuff and that's where her statements of the album being more hip hop came from.

Dr Luke did the same thing in 2011 with Femme Fatale when the producers Britney was working with came forward. The same thing happened with Original Doll in 2005 too.

15 hours ago, PokemonSpears said:

You say that she didn't like Big Fat Bass just because it wasn't in line with the album, but that's just your assumption. She seemed pretty happy with it while she was dancing to it in the studio as we saw in Femme Fatale, and was included on the tour as well as the promo performances when the album came out. Besides, Criminal isn't in line either and she named it one of her favorite songs of the album.

Criminal is mid-tempo, which is what Britney wanted.

15 hours ago, PokemonSpears said:

The rumor about leaving upset doesn't make any sense, and tbh it's the first time I ever hear about it. When will.i.am was confirmed executive producer in May, they hadn't even started recording the album yet, he confirmed that they were hitting the studio in a few days (it was an interview for Billboard). We saw Britney hitting the studio many times throughout the year after that date. We have much more proof of Britney liking will.i.am than the opposite. Not only she herself has spoken very nicely about him in interviews, but we saw them together in I am the Femme Fatale, the X Factor, the BJ listening party and the preview with Ryan Seacrest, and she seemed pretty comfortable around him in all those times. Ben Mor even talked about Britney and will in the set of Scream & Shout video having this almost fraternal relationship.

That is why I stated I wasn't sure, and asked for a confirmation.

15 hours ago, PokemonSpears said:

I don't think there's any mystery besides will.i.am taking control over the album's direction. He and Larry confirmed he was working as this sort of filter between the songs submitted and her, allegedly, because she didn't want hundreds of songs sent to her, I mean, this was Larry speaking on Britney's behalf, but doesn't sound that farfetched. will.i.am himself declared "When people start bringing us stuff, I can say 'Actually we can't have this song. Yes, we want dance songs but that's a little too dark.' I want it to fit with the emotions. I'm really excited about that and honored that she trusts me. I don't want to let her down." So probably many of  these songs didn't even make it to Britney.

Correct, I did mention that in my reply. I have learned since that several songs did not make it to Britney.

15 hours ago, PokemonSpears said:

She showed interest about Alien and Passenger, she talked about some of the songs during the BJ promo interviews, including Chillin' With You. Y'all are so quick to believe any rumors by all these people whoever they are, but when Sia says Britney came up with the concept of Brightest Morning Star, or when Myah Marie herself confirmed Britney and the other guy co-wrote the second part of Body Ache, then no one believes.

 

15 hours ago, Anticonformity said:

CO-SIGNED

I am not denying that she wrote any of those songs, I do believe that she did. I made it fully clear that she wanted to work with Sia. She may have liked Body Ache initially, but the same could also be said for Cinderella. Writing a song =/= liking it in the end.

[Spicechinodiva]

This album shouldn't have happened,  she wasn't focused, but a contract is a contract and this was the final album under her 8 album deal, which I don't believe that, what label would invest 8 album's in the first contract 4 is usually the first offer, six is typically a renewal deal given that the first round was actually a success. 

Do they even make album deals anymore..

 

That's actually a great topic for a discussion.  I think artist's are more given singles deal in contracts. 

[jokobish]

I’m pretty sure Hit Boy was supposed to be a big part of the album. Britney herself said she wanted it to be more urban / hip hop . Wiz Khalifa did a feature for her too that never came out.. idk why the direction changed