Britney's 2007 VMAs performance

[PolySpears]

There are a lot of rumors and stories regarding Britney Spears' now iconic performance at the 2007 VMAs which promoted her upcoming album 'Blackout' and mainly its lead single 'Gimme More',... for example:

• She sabotaged her own performance
• She was hungover/partied a lot the night before
• The costume was the wrong one (Is it though, *rehearsal shows it might not have been*)
• Wasn't willing to do it
• She locked herself up

What do you think? ⤵ + Poll

I personally think all the rumors are just heavily exaggerated versions of the true story and also Perez Hilton and Sarah Silverman - they really didn't help 

Edited October 6, 2023 by Polyspear

[DollyParton]

Hope her book will tell.. 

[rik]

It was fine. It’s iconic because it’s infamous and was done at a time that there was a mass media train against her. The body shaming was also unnecessary from the media and fans alike. I don’t think she was drugged out as suggested by outlets, but it was certainly not as sharp as her previous performances up until then. I also feel like Britney usually had a gimmick or show stopping performance that made each of her performances stand out  up until that point.  In this case the gimmick was her. Whether intentional or not, it’s the performance  people remember when thinking about the 2007 VMAs. 

[Nina Dobrev]

i think about the only thing i did that night when i watched it live was wish that girl wellness and happiness.  i personally dont find it to be anything jawdropping and i dont look at it as iconic... but it is infamous for a reason.   i may not have known what she was going through, im too much of an empathetic person and it doesnt take a rocket scientist to see she was kinda not in the best mental health state... and that's all i saw in the media for the entirety of 2007-8.
looking back, she had alot of courage to do what she did... but im sure thinking about it, they threatened her in some way.   still **** seething at the jokes that ***** made about her kids when britney left the stage 

but i certainly hope she talks about it in the book 

[NachoCheese]

You forgot about the 'broken heel' conspiracy 

[Fab britney]

I remember watching it as it aired excited and not thinking she’s unwell or looked bad I just thought it was her 1st incredibly simple performance. It gave me the im here, I’m doing this, nothing serious but here’s the song kinda vibe. In hindsight u see she looked unsure of herself. 
 

if I could change it I’d give her the rehearsal hair, and changed the dance break at the end to the original version and have her do a quick pole dance. I’d also swap the bottoms out for a mini skirt like the house of blues tour. Maybe sparkly black or pink. It’s more her signature. 

[rednaldeirf]

For better or for worse- she was all anyone talked about after that show. So I think it was mission accomplished. 

[PolySpears]

18 minutes ago, rednaldeirf said:

For better or for worse- she was all anyone talked about after that show. So I think it was mission accomplished. 

I guess... she is pretty much the only person who comes up when it's 2007 VMAs...

[On_Mah_Raydah]

The rehearsal was exaxtly the same choreo, outfit, energy.

So stop with the theories what could have been; except the hair I think it was planned this way

[PolySpears]

23 hours ago, Polyspear said:

There are a lot of rumors and stories regarding Britney Spears' now iconic performance at the 2007 VMAs which promoted her upcoming album 'Blackout' and mainly its lead single 'Gimme More',... for example:

• She sabotaged her own performance
• She was hungover
• The costume was the wrong one (Is it though, *rehearsal shows it might not have been*)
• Wasn't willing to do it

What do you think? + Poll ⤵

I personally think all the rumors are partially true and maybe she was simply at the wrong place at the wrong time... there are stories that she locked herself up in her room refusing to come out and perform and was somewhat hungover from partying for too long. 

To be very honest, I kinda like the performance

[dancewithme]

The two ponytail rehearsals were epic. I chose to live in my bubble and pretend one of those is the actual performance. 

Now seriously, the performance was not great, her hair looked bad, the camera angles they chose were very unflattering and she looked out of it. But 16 years later this is the only moment everyone still remembers from that night. So it's another classic Britney moment

[BritneyManiaES]

I hope she tells something about this performance in her book. Wasn't suppoused to be a magic trick or something with Criss Angel?

[PolySpears]

33 minutes ago, BritneyManiaES said:

I hope she tells something about this performance in her book. Wasn't suppoused to be a magic trick or something with Criss Angel?

Yea, but something happened and that plan was cancelled... she was also supposed to turn into birds or something... guess we'll never know (unless she reveals more in her book)

Edited October 6, 2023 by PolySpears

[rebellion_is_the_way]

I’ve voted but then I changed my mind. 
 

We’re literally living in the past. It’s sad..

[Cheshire-B]

It's a very special performance given the time and context. I think she did great and I personnaly love to watch it because I love the song and the performance itself is good imo ! 

[Fita]

If we think back to some of 2010s performances like Till The World Ends at Good Morning America compared to the one from 2007... It wasn't so bad. Britney seems more motivated and natural in the 2007 VMAs performance than in those from Femme Fatale (ugh). 

[balticbitch]

7 hours ago, BritneyManiaES said:

I hope she tells something about this performance in her book. Wasn't suppoused to be a magic trick or something with Criss Angel?

I also remember some kind of mirrors were plant to be involved for optical illusions 

[troubleforyou]

The most tragic thing about this performance is that she was only 26 years old.

No girl that age should have been pushed to perform in such a young and vulnerable state. How can an 26 year old look so lost and then be subjected to such vilification on a global media scale. Instead, she was swarmed with vultures once again. While this time the leeches weren’t her family, they were still parading a girl around the media circuit who should have been in a beach house somewhere nursing her infant children. 

[Fab britney]

14 minutes ago, troubleforyou said:

The most tragic thing about this performance is that she was only 26 years old.

No girl that age should have been pushed to perform in such a young and vulnerable state. How can an 26 year old look so lost and then be subjected to such vilification on a global media scale. Instead, she was swarmed with vultures once again. While this time the leeches weren’t her family, they were still parading a girl around the media circuit who should have been in a beach house somewhere nursing her infant children. 

25

[Fab britney]

2 hours ago, Fita said:

If we think back to some of 2010s performances like Till The World Ends at Good Morning America compared to the one from 2007... It wasn't so bad. Britney seems more motivated and natural in the 2007 VMAs performance than in those from Femme Fatale (ugh). 

Wellll during ff she was probs on heavy meds, I agree gimme more is more entertaining but the till the world ends promo performance has their moments