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In a new Instagram post, Britney Spears addresses Framing Britney Spears, the buzzy documentary about her time in the spotlight, saying she “didn’t watch” the New York Times doc but that she was “embarrassed by the light they put me in.”
This is the first time Spears has directly addressed the doc, which debuted last month on FX and Hulu and brought negative attention to the conservatorship she’s been under since she was involuntarily committed to the hospital more than a decade ago.
“I didn’t watch the documentary but from what I did see of it I was embarrassed by the light they put me in,” Spears wrote Tuesday (March 30) on Instagram. “I cried for two weeks and well …. I still cry sometimes !!!! I do what I can in my own spirituality with myself to try and keep my own joy … love … and happiness !!!! Every day dancing brings me joy !!! I’m not here to be perfect … perfect is boring … I’m here to pass on kindness !!!!”
Her new message was posted alongside a video of Spears dancing to Aerosmith’s 1994 hit “Crazy.” “My life has always been very speculated … watched … and judged really my whole life !!! For my sanity I need to dance to [Aerosmith frontman Steven Tyler] every night of my life to feel wild and human and alive !!!”
Also in her caption, Spears opened up about how damaging it can be to live your life in the spotlight. “I have been exposed my whole life performing in front of people !!! It takes a lot of strength to TRUST the universe with your real vulnerability cause I’ve always been so judged… insulted… and embarrassed by the media… and I still am till this day!!!!” she wrote alongside three thumbs-down emojis. “As the world keeps on turning and life goes on we still remain so fragile and sensitive as people !!!”
Watch Spears’ full Instagram video here and stream Framing Britney Spears here on Hulu.
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Justin Bieber spoke to the controversial addition of the “MLK Interlude” in his latest album Justice, which debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 this week.
While announcing his sixth studio album in late February, the pop superstar made his intentions clear about why he wanted to deliver Justice and how he was playing “a small part” in discussing what justice looks like, especially in the year following the killings of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor and many more Black Americans that fueled nationwide protests and conversations about systemic racism.
“I know that I cannot simply solve injustice by making music, but I do know that if we all do our part by using our gifts to serve this planet, and each other, that we are that much closer to being united,” he wrote on his socials. “This is me doing a small part. My part. I want to continue the conversation of what justice looks like so we can continue to heal.”
Justice continued Bieber’s successful streak when he secured his eighth No. 1 LP and “Peaches,” featuring Daniel Caesar and Giveon, debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100, making him the first solo male artist to debut at the top of both charts simultaneously.
Kristal Terrell, one of the co-founders of Bieber Nation, the first JB-dedicated club on Clubhouse, asked Bieber himself in his first-ever Clubhouse room on Tuesday (March 30) about how he believed music could continue to play a role in social advocacy. But the 27-year-old singer took a minute to reflect on the part of the album that speaks volumes to what Bieber believes to be a profound example of someone who would die for what they stand for — but it was also a part of the album he discovered online that music critics didn’t understand how it fit.
“Being Canadian,… they didn’t teach us about Black history. It was just not a part of our education system,” he told the nearly 8,000 people in the Clubhouse room. “I think for me, coming from Canada and being uneducated and making insensitive jokes when I was a kid and being insensitive and being honestly just a part of the problem because I just didn’t know better. For me to have this platform to just share this raw moment of Martin Luther King in a time where he knew he was going to die for what he was standing up for.”
Bieber paraphrased the first line of the nearly 2-minute audio clip from Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s “But If Not” sermon that he gave at the Ebenezer Baptist Church in Atlanta, Georgia in November 1967: “I say to you this morning, that if you have never found something so dear and so precious to you that you will die for it, then you aren’t fit to live.” But for the singer, he said he was willing to endure “as much hate by putting that on the album” for the bigger purpose it serves in speaking to what justice looks like.
He later rejected the common critique that he was attempting to be a “white savior” trying to solve injustices simply by making Justice, but that the purpose of including MLKJ’s sermon in his album was to “amplify” the late civil rights leader’s “incredibly, touching speech.” MLKJ’s words also open the entire album, with the first five seconds of “2 Much” pulling fuzzy audio of him reciting “Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere” from his infamous April 1963 “Letter from Birmingham Jail.” Other music critics also ridiculed his decision to place the “MLK Interlude” directly before his Dominic Fike-assisted “Die For You,” a love song to his wife Hailey Bieber, but the singer clarifies that he’s in no way trying to compare MLKJ’s willingness to die for justice everywhere to his own willingness to die for his significant other.
“I want to keep growing and learning about just all social injustices and what it looks like for me to be better, what it looks like for my friends to be better. And I know I have a long way to go. I love that when people are listening to my album, these conversations are coming up and they’re like, ‘Well, how is he going from Martin Luther King into a love song?’” he said. “I’m not trying to make a connection between me and Martin Luther King. That’s why I never try to talk about social injustice or I didn’t want to be the one to talk about it because I just have so much more learning to do. But I have this man who was ready to die and what he believed to be true. If I’m not willing to face some sort of ridicule or judgment of people wondering my motives or whatever that is, for me, it was a no brainer.”
Bieber’s security Lauren Walters later commented that as a Black man, he found it “very admirable” that the global sensation chose to bring awareness to “something that’s been going on in America for decades, centuries.” Walters also noted that adding the “MLK Interlude” was very important to him and his friends and family, especially because of the album’s charitable donations to The King Center as well as other organizations “that embody what justice looks like in action,” which he announced on Twitter mid-March shortly before releasing Justice. MLKJ’s daughter Bernice King eventually thanked Bieber for his support.
“For you to be the No. 1 pop star in the world to talk about these issues, it’s important,” Walters added.
Top songwriters including Emily Warren, Justin Tranter and Ross Golan are taking a stand against what they view as unfair practices in the music industry where artists and executives who did not write on a song take credits on it anyway.
On Tuesday (March 30), a group of songwriters calling itself The Pact released an open letter to the music industry asking fellow songwriters to agree to no longer give songwriter and/or publishing credit to anyone who did not “contribute to the composition without a reasonably equivalent/meaningful exchange for all the writers on the song.”
Within two hours of the letter going live, songwriters including Warren — who sources say spearheaded the effort — Tranter, Golan, Victoria Monet, Tayla Parx, Joel Little and many others signed. Collectively, those songwriters have worked with artists including Dua Lipa, Ariana Grande, Taylor Swift and more. (“Emily is the one that has really fucking led the charge here so this moment can actually happen,” Tranter tells Billboard.)
The Pact is a newly formed organization, which debuted over the weekend posting as @_the_pact on Instagram declaring it was “time to make some changes” for the betterment of songwriters.
This effort arrives when songwriters — and their catalogs — are under a brighter spotlight than ever. Investment companies like Merck Mercuriadis’ Hipgnosis are spending billions to acquire publishing catalogs (resulting in a quick payday for songwriters). And last August, the Copyright Royalty Board’s proposed 44% increase for publisher and songwriter streaming royalty rates was vacated by an appeals court — a victory for DSPs including Spotify, Amazon, Pandora and YouTube.
“We are simply asking that we give credit where credit is due and only take credit where credit is earned,” U.K. songwriter Plested, who has worked with Lewis Capaldi and Little Mix, posted to Instagram after signing The Pact’s open letter.
Read the full letter below:
To whom it may concern:
The beauty of the music industry is that it operates at its best as an ecosystem. Behind most songs, there is a story of collaboration. By the time of release, a song has been touched not just by the artist, but by songwriters, producers, mixers, engineers, record labels, publishers, managers and more.
Over the last few years, there has been a growing number of artists that are demanding publishing on songs they did not write. These artists will go on to collect revenue from touring, merchandise, brand partnerships, and many other revenue streams, while the songwriters have only their publishing revenue as a means of income. This demand for publishing is often able to happen because the artist and/or their representation abuse leverage, use bully tactics and threats, and prey upon writers who may choose to give up some of their assets rather than lose the opportunity completely. Over time, this practice of artists taking publishing has become normalized; and until now, there has been no real unity within the songwriting community to fight back.
That is why we have decided to join together, in support of each other, and make a change. What we are saying is this:
This body of songwriters will not give publishing or songwriting credit to anyone who did not create or change the lyric or melody or otherwise contribute to the composition without a reasonably equivalent/meaningful exchange for all the writers on the song.
To be clear – this action is being taken for two main purposes. First and foremost, we hope that this action will protect the future “us”, the next generation of songwriters – those who believe they have no leverage and no choice but to give up something that is rightly theirs. The second purpose is to shift the rhetoric and perspective surrounding the role of a songwriter. As songwriters, we are fully aware of the importance of the artist who goes on to perform and promote the songs we write, the role of the producer who takes the song to the finish line, and the role of the label that finances the project and plans for strategy and promotion. In light of that, we are not suggesting we dip into those revenue streams, we are not asking for something we don’t deserve. We are simply asking for that respect in return. We are simply asking that the ecosystem stay in balance; we are simply asking that we not be put in positions where we are forced to give up all we have in exchange for nothing; we are simply asking that we give credit where credit is due and only take credit where credit is earned.
If we take the song out of the music industry, there is no music industry. As of today, we will no longer accept being treated like we are at the bottom of the totem pole, or be bullied into thinking that we should be making sacrifices to sit at the table. We are all in this together, and we all need each other for this wheel to keep turning. So let’s start acting like it.
Sincerely,
The Pact
In a new interview with Apple Music, Miranda Lambert told the stories behind some of her biggest hits, including the 2012 Hot Country Songs No. 1 “Over You,” which she co-wrote with her then-husband Blake Shelton.
As it turns out, the song’s poignant lyrics were all about the automobile-accident death of Shelton’s older brother Richie in 1990 when he was just 24 years old. Lambert recalled talking about Richie’s death with Shelton and thinking: “I would never try to write your story because I didn’t live it, but maybe I could help because I’m an outside perspective, but I feel your pain talking to me right now.”
“Over You” went on to win song of the year at both the CMA Awards and the ACM Awards and, more importantly, brought some catharsis to Shelton and his family. “It was really a special moment and I’m so glad we shared that song and that it helped his family heal, to have that together,” Lambert said.
The couple went on to divorce in 2015, but not before they had collaborated on 13 songs — from co-writing to background vocals to duets. Below, take a look at the former couple’s musical history.
SONGS THEY CO-WROTE
Miranda Lambert’s “Me and Your Cigarettes”
Lambert co-wrote this one with then-boyfriend Shelton and fellow country singer (and Pistol Annies bandmate) Ashley Monroe for her 2009 album Revolution.
Miranda Lambert’s “Love Song”
Lambert and Shelton co-wrote “Love Song,” another Revolution album cut, with Lady A’s Dave Haywood and Charles Kelley, who also sings background vocals.
Miranda Lambert’s “Sin for a Sin”
Shelton was clearly a big force on Revolution, as the sole co-writer alongside Lambert on one last deep cut.
Miranda Lambert’s “Over You”
Here’s the onetime couple’s blockbuster ballad, which went top 40 on the Billboard Hot 100 and topped the Hot Country Songs chart. While the song tells Shelton’s story, Lambert told The Tennessean, “Blake said he couldn’t record it for himself or sing it onstage every night, but he would be honored for me to.”
Pistol Annies’ “Family Feud”
Shelton is the only songwriter on Pistol Annies’ 2011 debut album Hell on Heels outside the Annies themselves — Lambert, Monroe and Angaleena Presley — joining the female country trio to co-write this album track.
SONGS THEY SANG BACKGROUND ON
Miranda Lambert’s “Maintain the Pain”
One last Revolution contribution for Shelton, who sang background vocals for the driving finale of “Maintain the Pain.”
Blake Shelton’s “Home”
Lambert appropriately sings background on Shelton’s Michael Bublé cover, considering he’s likely singing the homesick lyrics to his then-girlfriend. Shelton earned his fourth No. 1 on the Hot Country Songs chart with the cover, which was included on a reissue of his 2007 album BS.
DUETS & FEATURES
Miranda Lambert’s “Better in the Long Run” with Blake Shelton
The pair’s vocals are a perfect match trading verses and in the classic-country chorus of “Better in the Long Run,” from Lambert’s 2011 album Four the Record.
Blake Shelton’s “Bare Skin Rug,” feat. Miranda Lambert
Shelton’s 2008 album Startin’ Fires wraps with this cheeky campfire duet, which the duo also co-wrote.
Blake Shelton’s “Red River Blue” with Miranda Lambert
Another album closer for the pair, who duetted on the title track from Shelton’s 2011 project — his very first No. 1 on the Billboard 200.
Blake Shelton’s “Jingle Bell Rock,” feat. Miranda Lambert
Shelton kicked off his 2012 holiday album Cheers, It’s Christmas with this cover of the Bobby Helms classic, sweetly harmonizing with his then-wife for the festive tune and peaking at No. 37 on Hot Country Songs.
Blake Shelton’s “Blue Christmas,” feat. Pistol Annies
Another yuletide song, this time enlisting Lambert’s girl group for a feature on the Elvis Presley standard.
Blake Shelton’s “Boys ‘Round Here,” feat. Pistol Annies & Friends
Look no further than the music video for this Country Airplay chart-topper: This song, from Shelton’s 2013 Based on a True Story…, is a boot-stomping porch party, and Lambert and her Pistol Annies gal pals are there with their red Solo cups in hand. Their heavenly harmonies break up what could be a boys-only song.
Latin artists have had a strong presence on late-night television recently, but that hasn’t always been the case.
Back in 2014, Juanes made history as the first-ever Spanish-language artist to perform on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, and in 2015, he was the first Latin artist on The Late Show With Stephen Colbert.
The Colombian artist was then followed by artists such as Romeo Santos, who performed on Jimmy Kimmel Live! in 2017; Bad Bunny, who made his late-night TV debut on Fallon in 2018; and Daddy Yankee, who was the first Latin act to perform on The Late Late Show With James Corden in 2019.
Between 2018 and 2020, the demand has grown, with artists such as J Balvin, Nicky Jam, Maluma, Lunay, Natanael Cano, Anitta and Karol G, to name a few, taking the TV stage.
In 2021, more and more Latin artists have performed on late-night shows. Below, check out our updating list:
March 25: Karol G performs “El Barco” on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon
March 23: Sebastian Yatra and Guaynaa performs “Chica Ideal” on The Late Show With Stephen Colbert
March 19: Chesca feat. De La Ghetto & Offset perform “Como Tu (Dirty)” on Jimmy Kimmel Live!
March 18: Camilo performs “Ropa Cara” on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon
March 9: Daddy Yankee performs “Problema” on Jimmy Kimmel Live!
March 4: Nicky Jam & Romeo Santos perform “Fan De Tus Fotos” on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon
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