redcatsuit

The Glamour Feature - December 2003

Britney was Glamour's Person of the Year 2003. This was the interview which accompanied the announcement. (And, top be honest, is probably why she was given the accolade)

In The Zone has clearly turned up the sensuality a notch compared to the "Britney" CD. What inspired you to be more open about the subject of sex and relationships this time around?

I'm getting older. And I think it's a natural thing to indulge in yourself and to have those thoughts to be with a person. And I think it's an artist
expression, wanting to express yourself in that way and sharing it with the world. I think I'm feeling a little bit freer talking about certain
subjects. So I think when I feel that way, I love to share it with people.

Do you worry that you're becoming more famous for being you rather than being a singer and a musician? That kind of the celebrity of you has kind of taken over the musician side?

I mean I think everyone has their interpretation or look at me in their own way. And, you know, some people, they, you know, they'll look at a certain outfit, and you become famous for this [Ahem - redcatsuit]. Or you go to Starbucks and they have that moment in their brain. Or you have -- do a performance and that's imbedded in your brain. And I think once you get to a certain, you know, point in your career, say Madonna, it's like you can't really, you know, you do -- it's like you become a household name. But it's like a contradiction in a way. It's like you go out and you perform but then they talk about you for that. And then they'll talk about going, you know, being friends with Gwyneth Paltrow. You know, it's like there's two contraction things. So I really -- I'm not really concerned about being famous for being this or famous for being that. I'm just going to be myself and do my music and do my work and let that speak for itself. And just really, you know, if they want me to be famous for being who I am then that's a good thing, this is who I am.

What did you think of your pastor's reaction to your image, how he was disappointed in an MSN article that came out recently? He said he was disappointed,but he still loves you.

Well, you can't go around pleasing everyone, you know what I mean. And, you know, that's his opinion and that's how he feels about things. I really don't understand what exactly about my image that he's taken aback with. I'm just a person and I have to express myself that way I need to express myself. But, you know, it was a little weird, I guess it was a little weird, but I don't see exactly what he's talking about. I don't -- I can't, you know, relate to him on a level of, you know, there's a lot of people that, you know, he has his beliefs and his belief system and I have mine, right. But his belief system is Baptist, and this religion thing and the way he believes and stuff. And it's like if you think about, religion is the thing that's causing wars right now. And it's like who's to say who knows what he's talking about.

What songs are most meaningful to you on the album?

I think I really like Touch of My Hand because it was one of the first songs. Touch of My Hand and Every Time were like two of the first songs that I wrote for the album. And it really kind of really laid the foundation for, you know, the rest of the album and the whole vibe. And, you know, how I wanted the music to be portrayed. So probably Touch of My Hand and Every Time are definitely the most meaningful.

How personal are these songs to you?

I really love the vibe of Touch of My Hand. When I was in the studio it really came off as such a natural process. And I love the subject that, you know, I'm touching on because no one's really talked about some of those things in a lot of songs written lately because people are scared to go there and to express themselves in that way. And, you know, I think it's an empowering thing for girls, you know. Every Time is just a really nice song because it's just, you know, it's kind of personal in a weird way. I just think the song -- it's one of the songs that when you hear, it's like the kind of song when you go to heaven. It kind of takes you away. You know, it takes you in to a very cool consciousness I think.

Just to change it up a bit for you, if you were completely blind, but could somehow see for one hour each week, how would you spend that time?

How would I spend that time? That's a sweet question. I would go to the beach with the family. And I would get a lot of strawberries and ice cream. And, you know, be right beside a water park. And that's what I would do. And I would look at the sunset.

Are you afraid that you're going to lose your younger fans because the album is so sexual?

Well honestly, I don't -- you know, I think it's -- I don't want to be, you know, responsible for young people. I love kids and I think they're great.
But, you know, I mean I'm getting older and it's not whole vibe of the record isn't to really attract the, you know. I'm becoming older, so of course I'm not -- the things that I talk about aren't going to be able to relate to a seven-year-old. So I think it's a cool thing that -- not a negative thing at all to be able to attract older fans instead of such ones, you know.

With young hot shots like Avril Lavigne being hyped as anti-Britney's, I'm wondering is there a Britney backlash? And in light of the new album, are you yourself in some ways an anti-Britney, in the sense that this CD represents a new you?

Well, that was a very deep question. No. I think that, you know, I'm always going to be me, but like I think every day we change and express ourselves in different ways. So I'm not anti-Britney at all. I totally love everything that I've every done, you know. That was me at that moment in that time, and that's what I believed in. So I definitely don't regret the things that I did in the past. And as far as, you know, Avril Lavigne's and, you know, all of those girls like that, you know, they all have their game and what they do. But at the end of the day we're all one. We're all the same. And, you know, when I see Avril Lavigne on TV or Gwen Stefani or Christina Aguilera, you know, I take pieces from them but, you know, I don't copy their music, but like I see emotions in their music that I'm like that inspires me. And instead of, you know, girls being like anti this or anti that, we should like just be around to support each other and to inspire each other at the end of the day. And just, you know, lift each other up, instead of being, you know, kind of, you know, competitive and anti this and anti that. That's kind of shallow to me.

You have a song in here called Brave New Girl, so at this point in your career, what do you think has made you stronger than ever?

I think probably, you know, being alone. And I think a long time being by yourself has really made me strong. And, you know, I thing hard times, too, make you become a better person and make you stronger. You know, if you -- everything in life was, you know, on this huge plateau riding then, you know, that would get monotonous and you'd be complacent. So I think the best thing that's happened for me is probably going through trying times to maybe (get beat) to be like on survival mode. And to, you know, bring out the best in me. And I think that sometimes that's when the best things come out is when you are, you know, on edge a little bit.Can you talk about your songwriting contribution on this album. How much of these songs represent you?I think every song. I mean you have to go through experiences in your life and go through day-to-day things to, you know, be able to write songs, you know, and to be able to express yourself and have something to be inspired to write about. So I think every song is a representation of me and like an art form.But it's not completely too personal. Sometimes I write about fictitious things. You know, like I'll make up a story in my head about, you know, someone going through an issue in life and, you know, I'll be in the studio and we'll have chemistry with people and we'll go from there. So I think all of the songs are a representation of me.

You co wrote nine of the songs on the record. Can you talk a little bit about your lyrical contributions? I was wondering if you made any musical contributions to those songs and what they were?

Well the main thing -- like with Every Time I wrote the whole thing from scratch on the piano. Musically there was no track or anything. I was just at my house and I did the whole thing by myself. And then I went and I played it for (Guy Sigmouth) and I just basically told him exactly how I wanted the song to sound. And he was so amazing because there's a lot of producers you tell them things and they don't get it. And you're like oh, that's not the right way. He got it just right. He was amazing. And so that song specifically, you know, I did everything.
But as far as like, you know, the other songs I would go in to the studio and they would, you know, play me just a bunch of different tracks. And I would pick a track that I liked. And then, you know, I would basically do the melodies and the words and they would do the tracks. And like if I heard sounds here or there, you know, in my head that thought should be there, they would, you know, elaborate on. And if they wanted streams here, and, you know, more of a baseline here, they would, you know, do it. So that's kind of how it worked. But musically, I didn't do, you know, a lot of the tracks. That's something that I really want to probably learn on the next
album. But for the most part I did most of the melody and just the words.

On the song Me Against the Music, there's a line where Madonna says "Hey Britney you say you want to lose control, sexy lady, I'd rather see you bare your soul. " I'm wondering if that was an unscripted contribution on her part and what your reaction was to that suggestion?

Well really, I think that -- you know, it's such a -- I think she was just really specifically writing to the song in general and like to people in
general. You know, you go to clubs and you want to, you know, lose yourself and lose control, but it's one thing to do that, and to really bare yourself and see with eyes of truth and really let yourself go on a spiritual level. So I think she was basically talking to me and to, you know, to people out there, like, you know, what's said to me is still said to everyone else. So it's kind of like a whole general thing of speaking.

Years ago when you first started out, you spoke a lot about reinventing yourself and how you admired Madonna because she was able to do that so well. And here we are four albums later. I was wondering if you were finding it any harder or is it easier to reinvent yourself now, or to come out with things that are original and exciting and getting people riled up?

No, I think that's the funnest part about what I do. That is what I do, is I create things. And I get to, you know, direct my shows, and come up with different outfits. You know, it's like being an art director. It's called being an artist. I don't find it hard to do. I mean I pray to God I don't have a writer's block. You know, thankfully I haven't had one. So but knock on wood I don't want to jinx myself, but no I don't find it hard at all"