Britney Spears never thought she would record music again. Then Elton John messaged her.

Listen to this story being read by Isabella Ross, here. 

Britney Spears' voice and singing ability has been one of the most oft-discussed aspects of her stardom. For years, people claimed she was a popstar whose talents had been "manufactured".

It's true that her 13-year conservatorship left her life and pop career in the hands of entertainment execs and her "controlling" father.

But her voice and talent has always been hers. 

In her testimony to a court hearing on her conservatorship in June 2021, Britney detailed how she had no autonomy over her career. She recounted what she described as years of trauma under the "abusive" arrangement and at the hands of the people in charge, namely her father. Britney even alleged that she was punished and put on lithium for rejecting new choreography during her Las Vegas residency, and was also made to perform while sick and often forced to lip sync.

"I never had a say in my schedule. They always told me I had to do this," Britney said. "I've worked since I was 17 years old. I deserve to have a life. I've worked my whole life. I deserve to have a two to three-year break and just, you know, do what I want to do."

When the conservatorship ended, Britney said her experience had left her scared of the music industry, with no intention of picking up her career. 

"Not doing my music anymore is a way of saying 'f**k you'," she wrote on Instagram, saying she didn't think she would ever return to music.

But a message from Elton John this year changed everything. And it gave Britney the confidence to return six years after her last album.

This weekend, Elton and Britney released a new song together 'Hold Me Closer', which has already reached the top of the charts across the world.

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A post shared by Elton John (@eltonjohn)

It's a duet mash-up of Elton's 1971 hit 'Tiny Dancer', along with his 1992 song 'The One' and a bit of 1976's 'Don't Go Breaking My Heart'. It's not the first mash-up dance remix from Elton, who last year released 'Cold Heart' with Dua Lipa and PNAU, which was a raging success.

When Elton and producer Andrew Watt created the new 'Tiny Dancer' remix, it was Elton's husband David Furnish who suggested Britney would be the perfect duet partner.

"He said it would be wonderful for Britney Spears to do it. I said that's a pretty amazing idea. She hadn't done anything for so long. I'd been following what's been happening to her for a long time," Elton said to The Guardian this week.

"You forget she was the biggest star in the whole world at that time. And to see what happened to her makes me so angry. What happened to her shouldn't have happened to anybody."

Elton and Britney first connected back in 2013 at his Aids foundation Oscars viewing party, and the pair also had respective Las Vegas residencies at the same time. Britney often said Elton John was among her favourite artists.

Fast forward to this year when Britney recorded 'Hold Me Closer' with producer Andrew Watt in Los Angeles, Watt said she was an absolute pro.

"The song meant so much to her, and you can hear it in her vocal performance. She's singing her ass off. She was so prepared. She had spent time with the record and knew how she wanted to do it," Watt said.

And given Britney is "an expert in music to make you dance" Watt was delighted to see her take control and have fun with the creative process.

Of course, Britney was still incredibly nervous for the song to be heard by the world. 

Watch the Britney Vs Spears Official Trailer. Story continues below.

As Elton said in his interview: "She's been away so long - there's a lot of fear there because she's been betrayed so many times and she hasn't really been in the public eye officially for so long. 

"We've been holding her hand through the whole process, reassuring her that everything's gonna be alright. It will give her so much more confidence than she's got already and she will realise that people actually love her and care for her and want her to be happy."

Interestingly, at the same time that the song was released this week, Britney decided to deactivate her Instagram in a bid to take care of herself.

She went to Twitter to share her reasoning behind the decision.

"I'm learning every day is a clean slate to try and be a better person and do what makes me happy... yes I choose happiness today. I tell myself every day to let go of the hurt bitterness and try to forgive myself and others to what may have been hurtful," she wrote.

Britney, 40, said she wants "to be fearless like when [she] was younger and not be so scared" all the time.

"I pray there actually is truth to the Holy Spirit and I hope that spirit is with my children as well," referencing her sons, Sean Preston and Jayden James. 

"Yes... I choose happiness and joy today."

Elton also said that given his own struggles in the limelight, he has always tried to help fellow celebrities in their darkest moments.

Britney and Elton at his Aids Foundation’s ball in 2013. Image: Getty. "It's hard when you're young. Britney was broken. I was broken when I got sober. I was in a terrible place. I've been through that broken feeling and it's horrible. And luckily enough, I've been sober for 32 years and it's the happiest I've ever been. Now I've got the experience to be able to advise people and help them because I don't want to see any artists in a dark place," he said.

"I'm Uncle Elton. They can phone me."

The reaction to Hold Me Closer has been monumental.

"Hello Sir Elton John we are like No. 1 in 40 countries," Spears said in an Instagram video posted to Elton's page. "Holy sh*t! I'm in the tub right now and I'm about to go have the best day ever and I hope you're well."

Okie dokie … my first song in 6 years 🎶 !!!! It’s pretty damn cool that I’m singing with one of
the most classic men of our time … @eltonofficial 🚀!!!! I’m kinda overwhelmed… it’s a big deal to me !!! I’m meditating more 🧘🏼‍♀️ and learning my space is valuable and precious !!!

— Britney Spears 🌹🚀 (@britneyspears) August 25, 2022

"My first song in six years. I'm kind of overwhelmed... it's a big deal to me!" she said on Twitter.

In response Elton wrote on Instagram: "She truly is an icon, one of the all-time great pop stars and I love her dearly."

As he said to The Guardian, rehabilitation and a second chance after trauma is something he hopes sets Britney up for the future.

"I'm just crossing my fingers that this will restore her confidence in herself to get back into the studio, make more records, and realise that she is bloody good."

Feature Image: Getty/Mamamia.

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