VOGUE: 13 Thoughts I Had Listening to Britney Spears and Elton John’s “Hold Me Closer”

[Headed Peckerhead]

1. “Oh, babyyyyy.” This is how Britney opens the song—a perfect nod to her first smash hit, “Baby One More Time.”

2. The song has a steady, smooth disco beat; the type you could dance slowly to all night long without ever getting tired of it. I just need a dance floor and some bellbottoms!

3. Britney and Elton are singing together at the same time—a true duet. Their voices, surprisingly, jive very well together, despite their stylistic differences.

4. I love that Britney’s using her lower register in the bridge. Her true voice! There have been rumors that the pop star has been forced by her label to sing in a high-pitched baby voice for years; It’s refreshing to see her return to her lower range, which was more prominent in her earlier work.

5. The hook is definitely a modern take on Elton’s original 1971 chorus, “Hold me closer, tiny dancer.” It’s probably no coincidence that it reminds me of the groovier take on “Cold Heart” that John and Dua Lipa recently did.

6. Elton’s sounding real good here, too. The man’s been in show business for six decades and, somehow, the passage of time doesn’t seem to affect those signature pipes.

7. There’s something about Britney’s voice and a dance track that just go extremely well together—like red wine and a basket of bread. She does things with her vocal tone that all the other pop girlies simply can’t. That’s why she’s the true princess of pop.

8. I will say: This song is pretty sweet and innocent for the pure-***pot Britney, who once raunchily sang, “Yeah, your body looks so sick, I think I caught the flu.”

9. Her voice is also giving me serious Glory vibes here—her 2016 album, which had a more sophisticated sound. Digging this new leveled-up vibe for her.

10. Given this is Britney’s first post-conservatorship release, all I can think about while listening to this duo is how pissed Madonna must be that Elton got Britney on a track first. (Elton and Madonna have an infamous feud.) But c’mon now—there are enough music idols to go around.

11. How genius would it be if the music video was shot in Britney’s signature Instagram video style? I demand to see her do a fashion show, or twirl, to this beat.

12. Now that Britney’s partnering with icons like Elton John, I’m taking a moment to think about who else she could release a song with. Cher? Mariah? Her close friend, Selena Gomez? The opportunities are endless. True Britney fans also know that the pop star creates magic whenever she works with producer Danja (who did Blackout, her best album by far). Get Danja on the line!

13. As the soft piano outro plays, I find myself hoping this is one of many new tracks to come from Miss Spears. I think we can also all agree that we only want her to do things on her own terms, her own timing, and her own pure will, but I have a feeling she has more things up her sleeve. It’s Britney, *****!

🔴VOGUE

[RedCarpet]

7 minutes ago, Headed Peckerhead said:

1. “Oh, babyyyyy.” This is how Britney opens the song—a perfect nod to her first smash hit, “Baby One More Time.”

so Vogue wrote review about the demo version 

[Z-dawg]

Brilliant! 🌹🚀🙌🏻😎

[KrisJ]

It sucks they took out her ad-libs. All the reviews so far are PRAISING them! 

[joe sp]

Love it!

"True Britney fans also know that the pop star creates magic whenever she works with producer Danja (who did Blackout, her best album by far). Get Danja on the line!" 

[Louis-j]

Also based on the first version of the song. 

[Matou]

10. Given this is Britney’s first post-conservatorship release, all I can think about while listening to this duo is how pissed Madonna must be that Elton got Britney on a track first. (Elton and Madonna have an infamous feud.) But c’mon now—there are enough music idols to go around.

I didn't know this

12. Now that Britney’s partnering with icons like Elton John, I’m taking a moment to think about who else she could release a song with. Cher? Mariah? Her close friend, Selena Gomez?

I'm here for Cher & Mariah ! Legends with legends

[Bboy1988]

Love it!

[britbritluv]

SO much positive press, loving it

[J45x]

Is interesting most of this press review are review the demo and not the actual song. I wonder if they were sent the demo and then decided to give it some last minute changes. 

[Almost Mystical]

Wonder if Britney made the changes after she read exhale? 

[Greg Sargent]

Glad they mention what we all here know. Britney’s voice is just magic for pop music. It’s up there with Rihanna, Michael Jackson, and Janet, at least for me, in terms of voices that just make any song 10x better instantly.

[rik]

1 hour ago, Headed Peckerhead said:

12. Now that Britney’s partnering with icons like Elton John, I’m taking a moment to think about who else she could release a song with. Cher? Mariah? Her close friend, Selena Gomez?

Who wrote this omfg

[kevin.]

weird how everyone talks about the demo, she doesn't open the song anymore 

[Freudian]

they changed the first one lol

[zone]

6 hours ago, britbritluv said:

SO much positive press, loving it

 

[Busybee]

6 hours ago, Headed Peckerhead said:

1. “Oh, babyyyyy.” This is how Britney opens the song—a perfect nod to her first smash hit, “Baby One More Time.”

[icybaby]

3. Britney and Elton are singing together at the same time—a true duet. Their voices, surprisingly, jive very well together, despite their stylistic differences.

This! I am quiet surprised the way their voices blended. It is truly masterpiece. I wish Britney had her song with Eltohn too. I think that would be really cool. I like the piano ending. 

[Prince Ali]

6 hours ago, Matou said:

10. Given this is Britney’s first post-conservatorship release, all I can think about while listening to this duo is how pissed Madonna must be that Elton got Britney on a track first. (Elton and Madonna have an infamous feud.) But c’mon now—there are enough music idols to go around.

I didn't know this

 

yeah, I remember when they were both nominated to Golden Globes and she won it.. he was so bitter during her acceptance speech

Madonna, Elton John Feud: Spat Following "Masterpiece" Singer's Golden Globes Win - YouTube