Blackout 33 1/3 AMA (ask me anything) with author Natasha Lasky

[IconicShow]

Any tea on Who can she trust? Would love to hear the song! 
 

Sounds like that track would be amazing given what’s been going on the last 13 years!

[Jordan Miller]

48 minutes ago, Ghoulia said:

But the point of this thread is to pose questions for the book's author, not just give your opinion! 

 

@NatashaL Thank you for doing this AMA!  I ordered a copy and am eagerly awaiting its arrival.  My apologies if this is discussed in the book - my questions are more about your approach to writing it. 

1 - What inspired you to write this book? I know it's part of a series, but you personally - how did you get involved with the project?

2 - What was the best part of the writing experience?  (Like, did you get to correspond with Britney or the other artists involved?)

3 - There aren't very many female artists on the list of albums covered by this book series.  It's so interesting that Britney was included. Is that discussed in the book?  (the cultural significance of Britney as a female solo artist)?

4 - What is the biggest unanswered question you still have after writing this book?

 

Thank you!!

 

Love these!

[MoodRing3]

Is this Book already released? 

I just wanted to order it and it says Jan23?! 

[PokemonSpears]

11 hours ago, Joshyworld said:

In my OPINION — Blackout is overrated, dated af and sounds like the offspring of what Justin Timberlake, Paris Hilton and Nelly Furtado were doing in 2006. The only timeless tracks are the singles and that’s about it considering that over half of the album sounds rushed and/or one-dimensional. Freakshow, Get Back and Perfect Lover are cute, but other than that — too many disposable tracks! And it’s not that it’s a bad album but a lot of it is almost unlistenable in 2022. Oops!… I Did It Again, Britney and In the Zone are MILES better but it isn’t politically correct to say so, at least not yet.  Also, so many demos/unreleased tracks that had potential to make Blackout a near-to-perfect pop album were cut. Kiss You All Over, Let Go, Untitled Lullaby, Sugarfall, All That She Wants, Dramatic and many others. Blackout deserved to be raw and vulnerable but instead, we got nothing but a lot of meaningless s**-pop with overprocessed vocals and robotic productions. And unless you listen to the likes of Charli XCX, Slayyyter and Kim Petras, no one is citing the album as an influence.

 @PokemonSpears is that you? 

 

I agree is overrated, yet the songs you call cute are exactly what I consider the worst of the album. To me songs like Ooh Ooh Baby, Hot As Ice, Heaven on Earth are more interesting and catchy, and more Britney-ish. 

I also think that many of the rejects would've given the album a different, better (in my opinion) direction, but I also understand that projects change course when they take so long to develop, and we don't know what were Britney's reasons to make that change. 

 

So my question would be precisely that, was there a particular reason or a particular moment when Britney or the producers or the label or someone made that conscious decision to shift the direction the album was taking, or was it a decision that was taken until the very end when they picked the final tracklist? 

[MoodRing3]

7 minutes ago, PokemonSpears said:

 @PokemonSpears is that you? 

 

I agree is overrated, yet the songs you call cute are exactly what I consider the worst of the album. To me songs like Ooh Ooh Baby, Hot As Ice, Heaven on Earth are more interesting and catchy, and more Britney-ish. 

I also think that many of the rejects would've given the album a different, better (in my opinion) direction, but I also understand that projects change course when they take so long to develop, and we don't know what were Britney's reasons to make that change. 

 

So my question would be precisely that, was there a particular reason or a particular moment when Britney or the producers or the label or someone made that conscious decision to shift the direction the album was taking, or was it a decision that was taken until the very end when they picked the final tracklist? 

I disagree! „Blackout“ is perfect exactly the way it is. I consider „Freakshow“ and „Perfect Lover“ as really important and strong tracks for the album. 

[Lizardface]

12 hours ago, Joshyworld said:

In my OPINION — Blackout is overrated, dated af and sounds like the offspring of what Justin Timberlake, Paris Hilton and Nelly Furtado were doing in 2006. The only timeless tracks are the singles and that’s about it considering that over half of the album sounds rushed and/or one-dimensional. Freakshow, Get Back and Perfect Lover are cute, but other than that — too many disposable tracks! And it’s not that it’s a bad album but a lot of it is almost unlistenable in 2022. Oops!… I Did It Again, Britney and In the Zone are MILES better but it isn’t politically correct to say so, at least not yet.  Also, so many demos/unreleased tracks that had potential to make Blackout a near-to-perfect pop album were cut. Kiss You All Over, Let Go, Untitled Lullaby, Sugarfall, All That She Wants, Dramatic and many others. Blackout deserved to be raw and vulnerable but instead, we got nothing but a lot of meaningless s**-pop with overprocessed vocals and robotic productions. And unless you listen to the likes of Charli XCX, Slayyyter and Kim Petras, no one is citing the album as an influence.

Do you ever post an opinion that’s not complete and utter trash? Such a sassy dramatic gay 

[PinkBarbie]

What were Britney's thoughts on Original Doll?

[DignifiedLove]

4 minutes ago, Lizardface said:

Do you ever post an opinion that’s not complete and utter trash? Such a sassy dramatic gay 

The utter irony of this comment when it’s mostly sassy dramatic powerbottom gays that like and listen to Blackout. Read the room for once in your life.

[Lizardface]

20 minutes ago, PokemonSpears said:

 @PokemonSpears is that you? 

 

I agree is overrated, yet the songs you call cute are exactly what I consider the worst of the album. To me songs like Ooh Ooh Baby, Hot As Ice, Heaven on Earth are more interesting and catchy, and more Britney-ish. 

I also think that many of the rejects would've given the album a different, better (in my opinion) direction, but I also understand that projects change course when they take so long to develop, and we don't know what were Britney's reasons to make that change. 

 

So my question would be precisely that, was there a particular reason or a particular moment when Britney or the producers or the label or someone made that conscious decision to shift the direction the album was taking, or was it a decision that was taken until the very end when they picked the final tracklist? 

Wth does overrated mean?!? What a loosely used word

[Lizardface]

11 hours ago, Joshyworld said:

Be nice. Don’t derail the thread. It’s solely my opinion which we are all allowed to have. I just hope to live for the day where albums like Oops, Britney and ITZ will get the recognition that Blackout has and continues to receives.

You mean, you wish your very personal and subjective opinion was the only one that mattered. Entitled.

[blackingouthenegativity]

What was Britney's role as executive producer of Blackout?

Were you able to talk to anyone involved in the photoshoot and art direction of Blackout? It's one of her best photoshoots and such a different vibe/look from all of her other albums. 

[AmandaLick]

What are the most interesting and special things you wrote in this read? What really made you passionate about writing this, what does it mean to you and in what way did the writing fulfil you? 

 

[blackingouthenegativity]

8 minutes ago, Joshyworld said:

The utter irony of this comment when it’s mostly sassy dramatic powerbottom gays that like and listen to Blackout. Read the room for once in your life.

Blackout made me a proud power bottom and if I get on top you would lose your mind 

[DignifiedLove]

14 minutes ago, Lizardface said:

All your comments are aggressive and overly sassy. Also, why are you bottom-shaming? Very judgy gay, look in the mirror for once in your life. You aren’t cute, your personality sucks, your hearing sucks, the way you talk sucks, your life sucks and your face/body sucks. You suck!

The irony when you were the one making preconceived notions and shaming me by making labels. You look in the mirror, user Lizard face. But from the sounds of it, you‘re ugly and likely a miserable gay who seems to project their insecurities on others. I rebuke you. Everything about you screams “sassy dramatic gay”. Newsflash: Not everyone has to have the same opinion as you. You’re pushing 40. Grow up. You could have simply ignored my opinion or disagreed with my reasons why but instead you let your emotions get to you and got all defensive by pulling a bunch of nonsensical lies out of your ***. If you’re aggressive towards me, best believe I’ll fight back. 

[PokemonSpears]

14 minutes ago, Lizardface said:

Wth does overrated mean?!? What a loosely used word

[NatashaL]

11 hours ago, Bigno said:

Hi there, Natasha. Thanks for your time and generosity. How do the alleged Original Doll album and Blackout interweave, if at all? Was there any song that was supposed to be in the OD and was possibly used or served as inspiration for Blackout? Is there any connection, continuation or is it a total break from one sound, vision to the other?

Hi!!! This is a great question and one i was super interested in while writing the book. While from my research it seems that the songs on OD had been shelved entirely, Bloodshy and Avant (who wrote Mona Lisa w/ Brit) worked on a ton of Blackout. They saw how Britney was being treated in the media, and experienced it firsthand themselves (running away from the paparazzi with her in hamburg). They wanted to write songs that felt more grounded in Britney's perspective and experience -- like when they wrote "Sweet Dreams My LA Ex" for Britney to respond to "Cry Me A River."  When developing "Piece of Me," they talk about wanting Britney to have an idgaf kiss-off song that reframes things from her perspective much like OD. So I think the vision -- at least from B+A's involvement was definitely there. 

[DignifiedLove]

11 minutes ago, Lizardface said:

You mean, you wish your very personal and subjective opinion was the only one that mattered. Entitled.

Stop derailing this thread. It’s an opinion. You’re also entitled to yours.

[Lizardface]

Just now, Joshyworld said:

That’s not true. Stop.

It’s very very very true. This thread is about asking questions, not your extremely harsh opinion about one of the greatest albums of all time, nobody asked!!!!!!!

[Lizardface]

3 minutes ago, PokemonSpears said:

So, if you don’t like something, it’s overrated? Got it….

[Ghoulia]

I just love the chapter titles:

Table of Contents

Acknowledgments
Introduction
1. A Sicko Producer's Dream
2. Bimbos of the Apocalypse
3. Just Real *****es in a Fake-*** World
Coda

__________________________________________________

 

MOAR questions

1. What was the creative process for writing this?

2. What was the hardest part of writing this book?

3. Are you doing any other promo for the book? I'd love to see an interview if you give one.