HOLLYWOOD—It has been said by Britney Spears herself that she will never return to the music industry. There were rumors she was planning a return to the studio in the beginning of the year. The pop star said most of the news was trash, that she wanted to make it clear that she was not returning to the studio. Spears says she only wrote music for fun and also revealed that she had written more than 20 songs for other people over the past two years.
“I’m a ghostwriter and I honestly enjoy it that way!” wrote the singer, known for such hits including “Baby One More Time,” “Oops!… I Did it Again” and “Toxic.” Back in August 2022, Spears released her first new music since being released from a conservatorship that controlled almost every aspect of her life.
A duet with Sir Elton John, “Hold Me Closer” marked Spears’ return to music after a six-year hiatus. Fans have been clamoring for her return to music and although she has hinted before that she is wary of returning to the industry, this is the first time she has unequivocally ruled it out. She also published her memoir last year, “The Woman in Me,” which detailed life living under a conservatorship and revealed she had had a medical abortion while dating Justin Timberlake. The artist wrote at the time, “Pushing forward in my music career is not my focus at the moment. It’s time for me not to be someone who other people want; it’s time to actually find myself.”
Fans can make or break you, especially in the music industry. Fans have rejoiced at ex-One Direction member Urdu single. Zayn Malik’s collaboration with popular Pakistani band Aur has given fans much to celebrate, with many so happy that the singer is fluent in Urdu. A remake of Aur’s breakout hit “Tu Hai Kahan” features the ex-One Direction singer providing vocals in Urdu. The original version of the song has more than 95 million views though the remake, released last week, is fast catching up, with three million views.
Malik said he was incredibly humbled when Aur reached out to him. The 31-year-old singer was born in England; however, his father is a Pakistani immigrant to the UK. The song quickly gained fans online, with some social media users urging Malik to release more Urdu songs. Malik’s music career began in 2010 as part of One Direction, a boy band formed on a British TV music competition, “The X Factor.” He released his debut album, “Mind of Mine,” in 2016. A song in his 2021 album, “Nobody is Listening,” also included Urdu lyrics. Aur, which comprises three members Ahad, Usama, and Raffey, said the collaboration shows that music has no boundaries. The amazing success broke into Pakistan’s music scene only in 2020 but has proven that their music blends R&B and hip-hop elements.
Fans of Amy Winehouse are furious over the controversial biopic titled “Back To Black.” The release of the trailer which stars Marisa Abela as Amy Winehouse is angering fans. The film being released by Studio Canal and Monumental Pictures showed industry breakout star Marisa Abela donning the singer’s instantly recognizable 1960s-inspired beehive hairdo, heavy, winged eyeliner and swirling shoulder tattoos.
The reaction from fans was not positive; critics were quick to decry Winehouse’s lack of autonomy over her representation in the film, accuse the film’s producers of turning a profit from the singer’s turbulent later years, and claim that the biopic comes too soon. Grumbles of discontent were all over social media. Fans want to protect the singer and her legacy.
During her life, Winehouse’s image, drug and alcohol consumption and relationships were routinely pilloried by the press, despite her many accolades as an artist. In 2009, Winehouse gained an injunction against the paparazzi agency, Big Pictures, under the Protection from Harassment Act 1997. She was also the first woman to win five Grammy Awards and continues to influence and inspiring the likes of pop megastars Adele, Lady Gaga and Billie Ellish. Many fans think it is in poor taste. A mere 13 years after her death, the possibility of seeing some of Winehouse’s more tragic moments up again onscreen, including performances where she was intoxicated or booed offstage, is very distasteful for many.
With Sofia Coppola’s biopic of Priscilla Pressley in cinemas now, the lives of popstars like Britney Spears are being re-examined, it is clear that stories about female celebrities who experience abuse or hardship are popular, but in the case of Amy Winehouse, fans are being angered. “Back to Black” is being released on April 12 in England and May 10 in the US.
Rose’s Scoop: “Oppenheimer” topped the Critics Choice Awards with eight wins. “Barbie” won six prizes, plus the SeeHer award for America Ferrera.
