Britneys Back and she knows five ways to mend a broken heart.
Things you cant help noticing about Britney Spears when you first meet her .. She smells of peaches. Her skin is tanned all over in an enticing shade of toffee. She chews emerald green gum. Her nails are shockingly bitten. When shes excited she talks so fast and high that you have to imagine what you have missed. When shes calm her voice sounds like a slow deep river on a hot night in Louisiana. She says the word freakin a lot. If she isnt dragging a Marlboro light, shell be sucking on an iced café latté, and if shes listening to music she prefers it be played at a level thats louder than bombs.
Turn that up, she yells from behind the screen wheres she getting her make-up done. Seconds later the sound of electro clash DJ monster hell is blasting out of the three foot high amps in this New York studio where Britney is about to be photographed for ELLE. Its so loud that everyone else has to communicate by lip-reading or mime. Hey, the girl knows what she likes. If its not something she can sing along to, it has to be something she can pump her body to. With her tan-set to gleaming and several feet of mermaid like extensions attached to her neat blonde bob she was sporting when she arrived, she skips across the studio in a caramel-towelling robe, one arm waving in the air. And you realise that Britney Spears is the first and last person you will ever see skipping to DJ Hell.
Until last year it seemed that everything in Britneys world was a hop, skip and a jumps worth of fun. The three hit albums, the sugary, sexy, silly singles, the dress up videos, the money and the mansions, the all-singing all-dancing love story with EX-*NSYNC star Justin Timberlake. But then because real life likes to show you theres no escaping its evil grasp even when youre in a cute pop music bubble. Real life hit Britney a few cruel right hooks. Her mum and dad split up, her debut movie crossroads,
kinda bombed, the audience in Mexico definitely booed , Kylie said she was highly unprofessional (although thats probably not so high on Britneys list of blows) and the Britney and Justin rom-com finally came to an end. Many, many bummers
So Britney said enough is enough, folks, Time out. Im off home for a bit of R&R, and instead of responding with a good on you girl you deserve it! the crowd shouted loser! How mean. Youre supposed to take a break, shell say later when we are sitting on a leather couch and shes tearing through a nail or two. Its normal. My mistake was announcing I was taking a break. That made it an issue. I thought in my naïve mind that when Id stopped working that Id be a normal person again, but no she smiles ruefully, I was still famous!
Even worse she was about to be famously betrayed. Last autumn, six months after they had broken up, Justin Timberlake had released his debut album and decided to trade tabloid tales of life with Britney Spears for pop mega superstardom. Old trouser snake spilled the beans and even made a video starring a cheating Britney look-alike to drive his point home. Freakin Horrible! You know what I mean? says Britney screwing up her face. It was hard for me that he was so exploitative. Every interview he did he was talking about us in such an open way and I just felt, is nothing sacred anymore? it was weird. It was disappointing. Heartbreak happens even to 21-year old pop princesses of the world. But Britney spears got over it heres how.
1. FEEL THE PAIN THEN LET IT GOIll always have feelings for Justin. OK not feelings for him, she says quickly (having just foreseen the embarrassing headline BRITNEY: I STILL LOVE TROUSER SNAKE) but hell always have a special place in my heart. He was my first love after all. Shes
sorry things didnt work out, but at the same time she deliriously happy thats shes not MRS J to the T. I think I got way to serious, way too young she says. Its very healthy to not be in that relationship now. There are some people, especially where Im from, and they marry really early. Ill call up a friend and say, Hey! Whats going on? Youre pregnant? What? Already? But thats where I come from and thats the mindset Ive had all my life! yknow?
At that Freakin horrible time she tended to ignore the advice she was given. I dont think anyone can give you advice when youve got a broken heart, she says Im very stubborn. If someone says, I think you should do this and this, Im like OK but thats not how I feel right now. I think therapists are cool but say what you want to hear. I think you should deal with things yourself. So thats what I did.
Plus there are good things that come out of a painful break-up. Like you can sing better. It makes you a better artist, honey, she says touching my knee, I know that for a fact. Me going through what I went through she stops. Oh I bet that sound so stupid. There are a lot of people worse of than me. ME! What I went I through she repeats like the worst kind of Drama Queen and shakes her head. But because of what happened, when I went in the studio to make my new album, I sang better. Its because youre feeling. Its all-real. Its you. The week Elles in NYC taking these pictures, Justin has been splashed all over the papers having a fun date at the bowling alley with Cameron Diaz. Just what you want to see your ex doing right? But Britney doesnt seem bothered. I ask her if she ever thinks she and J will ever get back together. Ive said goodbye. Seriously, she nods You can love someone so much, but then there are times when too much has been said. You can forgive but you cant forget.
2. GO DANCE WITH NEW BOYS
So here she is, single and just finding out how much fun it can be. I used to be so into having a boyfriend and being a one-man girl, but being single you do what you want to do. There are no phone calls. At first it was weird, but I dont know if I could be in a relationship right now. And its more exciting when you dont have a boyfriend. The other night she went dancing with her friend Melissa to a club called Suede, where MTV where hosting a party. I was dancing and one of my old friends came up and started really dancing with me, she says eyes wide. I was like oh my god Im going to have a boyfriend! you get so excited about the stupidest things. Oh my go he touched my back! So whos the guy? I ask. She aint telling. Shes learned from experience. Cmon I went to a premiere with Colin Farrell and it was on the cover of freakin US Weekly! Anyway shes not really after a relationship. I read in some magazine that I said [adopting a hokey down home accent], Im, just a girl who wants somebody to love me. I never said that, thats so cheesy. That piece was all about guys being too scared to approach her, but tell that to the man with the dancing hands. And anyway Britney spears can manoeuvre her way around a shy guy. I think if some guy thinks youre cute he might be intimidated and not come up. She says But I know when I meet people if I like them, and I hit it off with them then Ill start flirting. Then she backtracks. Actually Im a really bad flirt. I just tell her Ive seen her steaming up the camera and there is no way that is true. Noooo, really, she insists I get shy, its weird because I think people think because of what I do Im like Da-Na but at heart Im very shy. When Im in front of the camera I know what to do, but I get in a room stuck with four guys, and Im like the shyest girl in there.
3. DITCH YOGA START FIGHTING
Although Britney was supposed to have six months off last year, in the end she could only cope with four weeks of lounging around the house. I could sit at home and thumb my nails, she says and all my friends have their lives back home. They go to school. She did have a little fun though - remember when the tabloids were trying to convince us she was an alcoholic because shed had a few beers. Im not a drinker but in those four weeks I did go out a lot. And it got rilly, rilly old. She laughs.
Still doing that normal stuff was important. Youve that gotta have that time for yourself. She says, getting serious. There are times when I have to check myself and Im like Britney! Go outside, look at the stars! Go freakin take a walk down the park. You have to do it for your wellbeing. Im a Baptist I grew up going to church, but I think you can have spiritual experiences without going to church.
Once Britney had been spotted with a book on Zen, some gossipmongers were practically pronouncing her the next Dalai Lama, but in truth Britney didnt quite get the whole meditation thing. I tried that but I wasnt very good at it. Even Yoga. I tried that but Im a very hyperactive person Im like Can we leave now? I couldnt just sit there and go ommmmmmmmmmmmmmmm, its not me.
She likes something a little fiercer I love to box she says enthusiastically. I cant even work out by myself anymore because I have all this aggression. So I go and box and I bring my girlfriend Felicia with me and we get off on each other [guys, I dont think she means it like that]. Shell say something and Ill hit her then shell hit me back. Its like a competitive thing. Hit me, baby? I suggest hilariously.
Oh god! she says not laughing at all!
4. FIND YOUR INNER VIXEN
After her four weeks off Britney was itching to get back to work on her fourth and new album. I was going through so much I wanted to write again, and no before you ask she hasnt written a response to Justins cry me a river. Id never do that, she says, shaking her head Some people write about exactly what theyre going through at the time, but I needed really light stuff to make me feel good. Im sure the world doesnt want to hear my personal baggage, anyway.
Erm they really do! I remind her
No but I think thats so self serving. Anyway on the album there are up-tempo songs that get you in the mood because I love to dance. But for the most part its a vibe album.
What she means by Vibe is all-out, grown up sexy. Working with everyone from Moby to Cathy Dennis to P.Diddy. Britneys gone and created one hot little collection of jungle beats and sexy raps, heavy breaths and wittily suggestive lyrics. I dont want to be a tease/will you do my zip up please? is a classic from the track touch of my hand. The record company claims that the song breathe on me is Britneys own Ray of light, but clearly its her Erotica. Even now I can sense the collective parental horror as little girls over the world whisper along to the lines, Monogamys the way to go/just put your lips together and blow. Shucks, isnt it great to have Britney back?
5. MOVE TO NEW YORK CITY, BABY Britney recorded her album in New York having swapped her Hollywood mansion for a downtown apartment. I love LA but theres something about the New York energy. Its so creative she says, gazing out of the window to the blocks uptown. When Im a
ready to work and I have my feet on the ground, New Yorks the place. I love the people and everyone has a story when you look at them when youre driving down the street.
The new chez Britney is a girlie affair. In fact its the most girlie apartment youve ever seen in your life She has white chairs for a start. And I have a piano and a beautiful couch. And I like the fact thats its not so big For some reason I forget Im talking to one of the richest 21 year olds in the world and ask, like a fool if its just one bedroom. She looks a little embarrassed when she says, Actually its four. But yknow Im used to living in a huge house in LA. Now I like my home to be a bit more quaint.
To find out how quaint you just need to find out the story of her new bed. Its a four-poster, naturally. But the person I bought it from said it belonged to the English royal family 40 years ago, she explains (can we get Antiques Roadshow*to check this out? A Britney special?). Her mum didnt want her to get it because she thought it was too high to sleep in. According to Britney she yelled Britney youre not getting that Freakin bed!
But there was an authority more powerful than Lynne Spears at work. One of my psychics said that in another lifetime it used to be my bed. And they said that it belonged to a princess! she shrieks. She could be totally wrong but its a nice thought right? Anyway she said the princess used to travel with the bed and they used to piece it together and ship it on boats to wherever she was. Isnt that cool? And whats so weird, she says, near exhausted by her unstoppable enthusiasm, is that my Grandmother is British! How do you respond to that? I dont know. But God bless Britneys bed. And all who sail in it.
Britneys new album is out on 28 October.
BRITNEYS WICKED VICES!ON BITING HER NAILSAm I a worrier? Look at my nails! Do you think Im a worrier? Im horrible! Its so bad. I think I get it from my mom shes a huge worrier to.
ON SMOKINGI want to give up I really do. But when Im recording, I go into the studio and everyones smoking. Its like a zone you go in. But Im hoping that when I go on tour I wont smoke anymore. With all the dancing I wont be able to.
ON, LIKE, EPSOM SALTSOh my god, Im so into having a long bath in Epsom salts. Thats like my meditation. Tonight Im going to get a massage and take a bath in Epsom salts. You see, Im quite a boring person, man!
ON HER LOVE AFFAIR WITH BLONDEI was having a huge brain fart when I did the dark hair. My hairdresser persuaded me. And at was first it was cool but then I went on vacation and my girlfriend got her hair highlighted and I was like man I gotta go back, I wanna be blonde again!
