The untold story of how Britney wrote "Everytime" with her background singer

[Arwen]

Our conversation at the time was focused on the untold story of how "Everytime" was written and the dramatic falling out the two had after Artani said Spears' team seemed intent on cutting Artani's name from the legacy of the song.

During that phone call, and again when we spoke last week, Artani expressed a variety of emotions that come up when she thinks back to how her intense friendship with Spears abruptly stopped.

"I mean, was I hurt? Yeah, I was a young girl," she said. "That was my first experience of my friend essentially trying to bully me out of getting credit for a song we sat next to each other and wrote with our hearts when we were sobbing over men."

She added: "It's one of the most significant experiences of my life, unfortunately."

https://news.yahoo.com/amphtml/untold-story-britney-spears-wrote-140000177.html

 

This is sad. Never heard this before.

[itsxrichiexbish]

Wow... 

[G-unit]

That is sad.  I wonder what she said to her that was threatening.  It’s so out of character for Britney to not want to give someone credit for song-writing…especially considering she isn’t an artist who absolutely HAS to write all of her own music and, up until that time, she hadn’t written much of her own music.  I’m curious about that conversation or why they wouldn’t want to credit this woman.  Maybe because the song was a response to CMAR and they thought it would look more personal if Britney was the sole writer?

[mmseventy]

Just now, G-unit said:

That is sad.  I wonder what she said to her that was threatening.  It’s so out of character for Britney to not want to give someone credit for song-writing…especially considering she isn’t an artist who absolutely HAS to write all of her own music and, up until that time, she hadn’t written much of her own music.  I’m curious about that conversation or why they wouldn’t want to credit this woman.  Maybe because the song was a response to CMAR and they thought it would look more personal if Britney was the sole writer?

I was thinking the same thing about the CMAR response. It was made a pretty big deal at the time that the song was Britney’s apology. But I don’t think anyone would’ve really batted an eye if there was a co-writer; people would’ve assumed she helped with arrangement or something…. But yeah I could see this pressure coming from her team who was probably so invested in making Brit look “good” after the Justin drama. The marketing machine at work and this girl found herself in the way of it.

I think Britney did write at least some of the music for the song though… I remember this video where Brit is playing part of an original song for an interviewer on the piano and stylistically it sounds a lot like the piano in Everytime. Different notes but similar with minor chords and arpeggios etc. Someone might remember this better. But I’m not sure when the video is from; it’s pre-ITZ but maybe Everytime was already written at the time. 

[rik]

26 minutes ago, mmseventy said:

I was thinking the same thing about the CMAR response. It was made a pretty big deal at the time that the song was Britney’s apology. But I don’t think anyone would’ve really batted an eye if there was a co-writer; people would’ve assumed she helped with arrangement or something…. But yeah I could see this pressure coming from her team who was probably so invested in making Brit look “good” after the Justin drama. The marketing machine at work and this girl found herself in the way of it.

I think Britney did write at least some of the music for the song though… I remember this video where Brit is playing part of an original song for an interviewer on the piano and stylistically it sounds a lot like the piano in Everytime. Different notes but similar with minor chords and arpeggios etc. Someone might remember this better. But I’m not sure when the video is from; it’s pre-ITZ but maybe Everytime was already written at the time. 

Here you are!

I think that the writing process was of course organic and I know during this time, what you could cal the stages era in between self titled and ITZ, she was very lonely. It makes sense to me that Britney would offer for her to open up for her and befriend her. I don’t know what she means by “bullied” her out of the writing credits because she’s still listed. I think however it was the song that Britney had led the songwriting for which he had not really seen previously before for a single. That’s why it was marketed as this big genius moment. I do believe Britney should’ve been a little more upfront about songwriters but you can tell she composed it herself 

[RedBloodedWoman]

Some of this is old news, they also started a song in tribute to Juno Lou called “Shine” ‘together’ that was never finished

“There was a song…she basically started writing something for Jamie-Lynn, and we called it ‘Shine.’ It never came out, we never finished it…she was obviously very close to [Jamie-Lynn]. That song never came into fruition for some reason. I don’t even think we finished it, to be honest.”

 

[RedBloodedWoman]

I don’t really believe this. I’m 99% sure her contributions were very minuscule (a few words/lines MAYBE), Britney has never been one to give a **** about writing credits. (she’s co-written/re-arranged multiple tracks & didn’t take any credit for them -a’la the bridge on “Everybody”) For Britney to say “you didn’t write this” blatantly says ALOT. I wouldn’t be surprised if she was just in the room when Brit was brainstorming the song... One of my friends who worked with B around the same time “Everytime” was written told me she sung & played the song for her on the piano way before it ever came out. It’s pretty obvious Britney composed it herself, this girl still ended up getting credit so what’s the point in even telling this story? She seems like a scorned ex-friend who’s big mad she got dropped & couldn’t travel the world anymore on Brit’s dime/couldn’t be an opening act during the Onyx Hotel Tour. Also, the fact that she “spoke up” 2 years ago knowing damn well Britney couldn’t speak freely says alot too...what a weirdo.

 

Edit: Yeah she’s crazy, LA is full of so many money making opportunities.. indirectly blaming Britney for her financial problems when she still got royalties from the track & continuing to cry about it in the car the royalties paid for is SO creepy! 

"I used to cry when it would come on the radio because I couldn't handle it," Artani said. "I was just so upset by it."

Artani said she was "broke" at the time, living in Los Angeles with her boyfriend and a cat in a small apartment.

"I had no money at all, and then I got my first publishing check for it," Artani said. "I literally had no car, and I was on Sunset Boulevard just crying. My parents just said, 'Get over it and get yourself a car.'"

And when "Everytime" came on the radio inside her recently purchased Hyundai Sonata, Artani said she cried all over again.

[Louis-j]

3 minutes ago, RedBloodedWoman said:

I don’t really believe this. Her contributions were 99% very minuscule (a few words/lines MAYBE), but Britney has never been one to give a **** about writing credits- considering she’s co-written/re-arranged multiple tracks & didn’t take credit for it a’la the bridge on “Everybody”. For Britney to say “you didn’t write this” blatantly says alot. I wouldn’t be surprised if she was just in the room when Brit was brainstorming the song... One of my friends who worked with Britney around the same time “Everytime” was written told me Brit sung & played the song for her on the piano way before it ever came out. It’s pretty obvious Britney composed it herself, this girl still ended up getting credit so what’s the point in even telling this story? She seems like a scorned ex-friend who’s big mad she got dropped/didn’t get to be an opening act during the Onyx Hotel Tour. The fact that she “spoke up” 2 years ago knowing damn well Britney couldn’t speak freely says alot as well, what a weirdo.

Might as well come from her shady team. 

[itsxrichiexbish]

Very interesting points guys. I guess we'll never truly know the full truth. I hope going forward Britney is more hands on with her music. I know this song meant a lot to Britney. Butttt with that being said..this girl didn't sound good... The ama performance of "I'm not a girl" was amazing ... The backup singers tho were not  omggggg 🤣🤣🤣

[PokemonSpears]

I think the only news is the part about the writing credits, she had never mentioned any of this when talking about writing the song

Also, is this pic new?

[Isla]

You know for years I wrongly assumed Britney solely wrote this song and it was only in the last few years that I realised she co-wrote the song with Annet. All writing credits I've found for the song have Annet listed as a co-writer.

I don't want to believe Britney herself would remove Annet from the credits, that doesn't seem like something she would do. Remember Britney herself has often not taken credit for other things she has written.

It does sound like maybe someone in Britney's management/team/someone at Jive may have 'manipulated' her into removing Annet's credit so it can appear Britney wrote the entire thing herself and to make it more 'personal'.

Edited October 9, 2021 by Isla

[zxcvb]

3 hours ago, mmseventy said:

I think Britney did write at least some of the music for the song though… I remember this video where Brit is playing part of an original song for an interviewer on the piano and stylistically it sounds a lot like the piano in Everytime. Different notes but similar with minor chords and arpeggios etc. Someone might remember this better. But I’m not sure when the video is from; it’s pre-ITZ but maybe Everytime was already written at the time. 

I think this is the clip you're referring to:

(1:50)

 

1 hour ago, RedBloodedWoman said:

I don’t really believe this. I’m 99% sure her contributions were very minuscule (a few words/lines MAYBE), Britney has never been one to give a **** about writing credits. (she’s co-written/re-arranged multiple tracks & didn’t take any credit for them -a’la the bridge on “Everybody”) For Britney to say “you didn’t write this” blatantly says ALOT. I wouldn’t be surprised if she was just in the room when Brit was brainstorming the song... One of my friends who worked with B around the same time “Everytime” was written told me she sung & played the song for her on the piano way before it ever came out. It’s pretty obvious Britney composed it herself, this girl still ended up getting credit so what’s the point in even telling this story? She seems like a scorned ex-friend who’s big mad she got dropped & couldn’t travel the world anymore on Brit’s dime/couldn’t be an opening act during the Onyx Hotel Tour. Also, the fact that she “spoke up” 2 years ago knowing damn well Britney couldn’t speak freely says alot too...what a weirdo.

Edit: Yeah she’s crazy, LA is full of so many money making opportunities.. indirectly blaming Britney for her financial problems when she still got royalties from the track & continuing to cry about it in the car the royalties paid for is SO creepy! 

"

Agreed.

Britney Spears composed 'Everytime' on the piano on her own folks. PERIOD.

There is zero evidence Annet Artarni can write one or more melody on a musical instrument on her own, unlike Britney Spears.

Moreover, the only other noteworthy song that Annet Artarni "wrote", the K-Pop hit Nothing Lasts Forever", she couldn't even write on her own, so we have no idea what she contributed. 

The burden of proof is still on Annet Artarni.

[mmseventy]

3 minutes ago, zxcvb said:

I think this is the clip you're referring to:

(1:50)

That’s the one, thank you! 

[THE BAJAN VIBE]

I could see all of this thing happening since they were desperated to save the money machine and the BRITNEY brand since JT was starting his solo career, destroying her image. The world was watching and ready to destroy the girl, not the boy who was using his ex. 

[Stefani]

They made pop music history together.

[pancake]

I can see this happening cause britney has been easily manipulated before

she believed larry who just came back in her life about filing for divorce first etc etc

yelled at that girl who was in the same show as jamie lynn or something

idk this girl has writing credits for the song and i dont feel shes lying

britney can make mistakes too

[Soso]

The article is so bad written, I had to read it multiple times. Why is this woman talking about this to the press if she knows how important is the song to Britney?  
Sit down and take the L. 

[IconicShow]

The untold story of how Britney Spears wrote 'Everytime' with her backup singer - and their dramatic fallout behind the scenes

 

https://news.yahoo.com/untold-story-britney-spears-wrote-140000177.html
 

 

[Marcanthony]

Damn it's a long asch article

[Psammead]

"Write a word, get a third".

That's a long story that dwells on the space between whether she'll get a credit or not, and the point where she did get the credit without really pursuing it. So what's her problem? What else has she written?

She cries and cries. She cried when she heard the song on the radio, she cried when she got the royalty check, she cried when she heard the song on the radio of the car she bought with her royalty check. And in between she manages to slam Britney passive-aggressively for not giving her the credit.