Britney Spears’ new single has been called many things since the audio was released last week.
Britney Spears’ new single has been called many things since the audio was released last week. ‘Work B**tch’ is ‘heroic’, ‘inspiring’, has ‘changed the world’… and that’s just coming from BuzzFeed! The first cut from the ‘Baby One More Time’ singer’s eighth studio album (yes, eighth! – all of which have been released within my tumultuous 21-year existence) is nothing short of a stomper.
A bona fide hit
Thankfully the song sounds nothing like RuPaul’s ‘Supermodel (You Better Work)’, the song it was speculated to have sampled. Instead, the EDM-inspired dance track combines defining, original synths with fierce lyrics to create this new generation Britney.
It’s undoubtedly had the seal of approval from executive producer, will.i.am, who was drafted in following their worldwide mega-hit ‘Scream and Shout’. Like their collaboration, Britney talks her way through most of the track (because she can) with some lines in her obviously-fake-but-it-works British accent.
Her singing ability is never called into question, however, with a strong pre-chorus and verse- 2:50 into the song- when the beat slows right down and the bass creeps up. From then till the end, the song comes into its own and reaches a sparkling climax.
The speed of the track and inevitability of energetic choreography will no doubt lead cynics to question her ability to pull off a live performance of it. But if Beyoncé can lip-sync the US national anthem at the presidential inauguration whilst standing still, then surely we can forgive Britney for the occasional mime!
Ooh La Las Vegas
The song itself is a far cry from her last effort, family-friendly ‘Ooh La La’, which was used in the Smurfs 2 soundtrack. Making music for her kids is no longer on the agenda as the use of her now-trademark expletive demonstrates. I mean, you know a song is bad-ass when it uses the B-word, right? Sadly, the less exciting radio edit is unlikely to induce the same inspirational effect as the uncensored cut.
With lyrics like ‘You want a hot body/ You want a Bugatti?/ You want a Maserati?/ You better work b**tch!’, it’s clear that Britney is not short of motivation in her bid for world domination. A blacked-out theme adopted on her social media sites was a countdown to a much-teased ‘big announcement’ which was revealed earlier this week to be her two-year Las Vegas residency commencing this December.
The accompanying single artwork already places Britney in the role as flamboyant showgirl with a plunging leotard and overly-feathered shoulders. We’re sure to expect this style from the video and the rest of her upcoming album as Britney proves to the world her capability of running her own show.
Reigning Princess of Pop
Arguably the best thing to come from Britney’s latest comeback is a gif created on Buzzfeed shortly after the song was leaked a day earlier than planned. It shows Britney from the ‘Scream and Shout’ video grinning whilst holding, instead of inflamed disco balls, copies of Katy Perry’s ‘Roar’ and Lady Gaga’s ‘Applause’. Her release easily trounces their unispired efforts and puts her firmly at the top of the overcrowded list of female solo artists re-emerging this year.
Perfect for the gym, the housework, studying… and anything that requires motivation and willpower, Britney has provided us with a stimulant more powerful than Red Bull. It will certainly be the soundtrack to my final year of University as I knuckle down to get the marks.
So what are you waiting for? Go get to work b**ch!
‘Work B**tch’ is scheduled for release in the UK on November 4th.
