Britney Spears says she ‘will never return’ to the music industry

Britney Spears wants the world to know she will “never return to the music industry,” despite rumours this week that the popstar was planning to record a new album.

On Wednesday, tabloid publication Page Six reported that Spears, 42, was gathering influential musicians, including singer Charli XCX and writer Julia Michaels, to create her first full-length album in over a decade. The outlet said the Princess of Pop’s latest project was only in its early days, and that Spears had yet to record any vocals.

Rolling Stone, also on Wednesday, released an article citing an anonymous source that said Spears’ management and music teams were “trying to get her excited” to record a much-awaited album.

As both reports were gaining traction online — and being celebrated by Spears’ dedicated fanbase — the Toxic singer took to social media to adamantly deny the claims.

“Just so we’re clear most of the news is trash,” Spears wrote on Instagram. “They keep saying I’m turning to random people to do a new album … I will never return to the music industry !!!”

Spears made the comment as part of a post that included a photo of the 17th century Guido Reni painting Salome Bearing the Head of St. John the Baptist.

“When I write, I write for fun or I write for other people,” the singer continued.

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Spears claimed to have ghostwritten 20 songs for other musicians over the last two years. She said she “honestly enjoys” writing music for different artists. (There have been no officially released songs penned under Spears’ name, though it is possible she may be writing for others under a pseudonym.)

The singer’s Instagram post also maintained that her recent memoir, The Woman in Me, was not “released without my approval illegally.” The statement appeared to be a shut-down of a fan-brewed theory that Spears is still under the control of a conservatorship, despite the legal order being terminated in November 2021, amid the #FreeBritney movement.

Spears concluded her post by writing, “I’m so LOVED and blessed.”

The singer’s last full-length album was Glory, her ninth-studio album released in the 2016, which featured the lead single Make Me. In August 2022, Spears released the collaborative single Hold Me Closer with Elton John.

In her memoir, Spears opened up about several details of her life. She thanked John, who she said is a hero of hers, for the collaboration, but added that “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,” Spears wrote.

The Woman in Me also saw Spears spill information about her infamous conservatorship and an apparent abortion while dating singer Justin Timberlake, among other topics.