Sure, details are limited on what the Jonas Åkerlund-directed video for Britney Spears' "Hold It Against Me" is going to look like, but when Brit's choreographer, Brian Friedman, sat down with MTV News, he teased some scintillating details about the video.
"I didn't necessarily have pressure with this — it was more excitement," he said of working with the pop diva again. "I haven't been with Britney in five years on a project, so it was excitement to be back with her. It was excitement to get her dancing really hard again 'cause she's had a couple of years where she's been dancing different styles of dance and it hasn't been me.
"It's not necessarily that she hasn't been dancing, it hasn't been what I get from her, and what I seem to get from her is this tigress quality," he continued. "And she prowls. She really dominates when she does my choreography, and that's what I wanted to get back. Excited yes, scared no."
Shot over two days last weekend, the video shows Spears in a look she tweeted from the set. The preview pic, a lo-res photo, shows Spears from the shoulders up, standing with her back to the camera and her face turned toward it. The singer is in a red outfit, surrounded by a wreath of microphones.
While Friedman danced around any specific details about the clip, he did share that the video will have 10 male dancers. He also told us his favorite part: "I love nudity," he teased.
"I can tell you that Britney is wearing a couple of hats in this video — not literal hats, but she's playing roles in this video. That is what I can give you," he explained. "In every role, she is dancing. She is going to be dancing throughout the whole video. Like I said: Dance is the focal point of this video."
He also teased a bit about the costumes: "She's taking fashion risks. Things we've never seen her wear before she's wearing in this video, and I think it's just very sexy and it's a little bit playful," he added. "She's going to be doing something in this video that we've never seen her do. I'm not gonna tell you what that is but she's going to be sweating and she's going to be getting bruised and battered."
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Britney Spears recently came under fire when American country duo The Bellamy Brothers accused her of copying a line from one of their songs for her chart topper “Hold It Against Me”, and now it looks like Lady GaGa is about to end up in the same boat, but this time, the offence is much more severe than just one vague pick-up line.
Earlier today GaGa unveiled the official lyrics and production credits for her new single “Born this Way”, listing herself as the sole songwriter. The gay rights anthem contained lines like “No matter gay, straight or bi / lesbian, transgendered life…” and “I’m beautiful in my own way / ‘Cause God makes no mistakes / I’m the right track, baby / I was born this way.”
Unfortunately, it doesn’t look like GaGa’s “Born this Way” was her bright idea at all.
A strikingly similar song titled “I was Born this Way” was released back in 1975 by Motown artist Valentino, and is regarded as the first ever ‘coming out’ song. It was then re-recorded and released by Carl Bean, becoming a disco hit. Over the years it’s popped up again over the place, making an appearance on Pet Shop Boys album and being featured in the popular independent film Not Another Gay Teen Movie.
Check out some of the lyrics to “I was Born this Way” below, and then take a listen to Carl Bean and Valentino’s individual versions of the hit and see what you think.
I’m happy, I’m carefree and I’m gay
I was born this way
You call me strange ’cause you don’t understand
God’s role for me in life’s overall plan
I’ve learned to hold my head up high
Not in scorn nor disgrace
Doin’ my thing individually
Entwined with this human race
Now I won’t judge you – don’t you judge me
We’re all the way nature meant us to be
This doesn’t seem like some vague coincidence — the song is almost identical in both concept and lyrics to the “Born this Way” that Lady GaGa tweeted out today.
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Janet Jackson is getting ready to kick-off her “Number Ones: Up Close and Personal Tour” and it’s only appropriate that she’s become the #1 hottest-selling ticket of the year.
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Apparently lots of fans want to get “Up Close and Personal” with Miss Janet (though when she’s performing in 10,000-seat venues, I have to wonder how up close and personal you could possibly get). Jackson has just had to add a third date in Los Angeles.
Tickets to the original April 14th date at Gibson Amphitheatre sold out in less than 10 minutes. A newly added date on April 15th sold out quickly as well. An additional date on Saturday, April 16th has been added as well.
This comes on the heels of Janet already having to add additional dates in Chicago, Toronto, New York, Washington, D.C., and San Francisco after those tickets sold out, with multiple nights already sold out across the country.
Her website sold out 96% of presale tickets in the first day of on-sales, while her date at the Santa Barbara Bowl in Santa Barbara now ranks as one of the fastest sold out shows in the 25-year history that the Santa Barbara Bowl has been open.
It was probably smart of Janet to have her fans vote for the cities where she’s performing. In celebration of her 35 #1 hits, the fans chose the 35 cities in which Janet would be performing, which has also included overseas dates in Singapore, Hong Kong, and Manila. In turn, Jackson will dedicate a song to the fans in each of the cities.
Janet is promising to perform all 35 of her #1 hits, including “If,” “Miss You Much,” “Go Deep,” “Feedback,” and more when she hits the stage later this year. “These concerts will be different from anything I have ever done. I will be as up close and personal as possible," Jackson said about the upcoming tour.
"These concerts are not about special effects,” she continued. “This is a love affair between me and those of you who have supported me and my work for all these years. I'll be singing and dancing from my heart. The music will all be songs that you've made number ones for me. Let's go!” Go on, Miss Janet.
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Lee Greenwood, Lonestar and Amy Grant are joining forces with the Beach Boys and other celebrities to help celebrate what would have been former President Ronald Reagan's 100th birthday.
The Ronald Reagan Presidential Foundation is hosting a four-day event early next month that will include the Concert for America – A Tribute to Ronald Reagan. The all-star show will take place in the Reagan Library in Simi Valley, Calif. February 5, with live entertainment by the 'God Bless the USA' singer, Lonestar, the Jonas Brothers and more, plus special appearances by actor and former U.S. Senator Fred Thompson and NBA Hall of Famer Jerry West. Former Presidents George H.W. Bush and George W. Bush will add video tributes. Actor Gary Sinise and former Reagan Chief of Staff James Baker are expected to speak.
Amy Grant is set to perform at the official 100th birthday celebration on the 40th President's actual birthday, February 6. The event, which will include a ribbon cutting ceremony of the recently renovated Reagan Museum, a 21-gun cannon salute and an official wreath laying ceremony with former first lady Nancy Reagan, will begin on February 4, wrapping up with the renovation opening of the Ronald Reagan Museum on February 7.
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