Elton John has been a longtime fan of young female pop singers. Britney Spears has been around a while, but she's in need of a career kick start, which is why Sir Elton recorded the new song with her, "Hold Me Closer," which was released last Friday.
Elton told England's Guardian newspaper that he and producer Andrew Watt created a "Tiny Dancer" spinoff and Elton’s husband and manager, David Furnish, was the one who suggested Britney sing with him on it. Elton added, “I said, 'That’s a pretty amazing idea.' She hadn’t done anything for so long. I’d been following what’s been happening to her for a long time...”
He also said, “Everyone was saying they don’t think she can sing anymore. But I said, she was brilliant when she started so I think she can. And she did it, and I was so thrilled with what she did.”
Elton is hoping this is the kick start Britney needs to get her career back on track. He said, “I’m so excited to be able to do it with her because if it is a big hit, and I think it may be, it will give her so much more confidence than she’s got already and she will realize that people actually love her and care for her and want her to be happy. That’s all anybody in their right mind would want after she went through such a traumatic time...”
Elton also said, “It’s hard when you’re young. Britney was broken. I was broken when I got sober...”
Finally he said, "Rehabilitation is such a wonderful thing for anybody, and I’m just crossing my fingers that this will restore her confidence in herself to get back into the studio, make more records, and realize that she is bloody good.”
"Hold Me Closer" is Britney's first new song since 2016 and first since the conservatorship held by her father was terminated last year. The song went to #1 on the iTunes chart on Friday.
[Source: Classic Hits Today]