Elton John hopes Britney Spears collaboration will ‘restore her confidence’
Elton John and Britney Spears have collaborated for the first time, creating single Hold Me Closer that sees the pop icons turn old sounds into something new.
The piano-driven single uses Elton’s 1971 hit Tiny Dancer as the skeleton and adds elements from his songs The One and Don’t Go Breaking My Heart.
Elton has said he hopes his collaboration with Spears is a hit so it helps to restore her confidence to make more music.
Elton John, 75, told The Guardian: “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.
“A lot of artists, you’d think they’d have a lot of self-esteem, but they don’t, and that’s why we go on stage and we get the applause, and then we come off stage and we’re back to square one.”
While Elton has been releasing new music in the past few years, including the 16-track 2021 album The Lockdown Sessions, the song represents Britney Spears’ first new music since her 2016 album Glory and her first offering since the ending of her contentious conservatorship.
“She truly is an icon, one of the all-time great pop stars and she sounds amazing on this record. I love her dearly and am delighted with what we’ve created together,” Elton said in a statement.
Britney, in her statement, told Elton it was an honor to be asked, saying: “I am so grateful that I got the opportunity to work with you and your legendary mind.”
The track is produced by Andrew Watt, who has worked with acts including Ed Sheeran, Eddie Vedder, Ozzy Osbourne, Justin Bieber, Post Malone and Miley Cyrus.
The song begins with both stars singing the opening lyrics of The One before moving to Tiny Dancer.
The track is reminiscent of last year’s hit Cold Heart (PNAU Remix), which melded Elton’s songs Kiss the Bride, Rocket Man, Where’s the Shoorah? and Sacrifice into a dance track featuring vocals by Dua Lipa.
Elton and Britney first met in 2014 at an Oscars party and she later tweeted her love of Tiny Dancer, sowing the seeds for the latest collaboration.
Elton is midway through his Farewell Yellow Brick Road tour.
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