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Another track from Britney Spears’ Circus, “Kill The Lights,” hit the internet today. Like Blackout’s standout “Piece of Me,” “Kill” documents Brit’s often love-hate relationship with the paparazzi, with “the lights” in this case being the flashbulbs that follow her everywhere. “Kill” also reunites Brit with producer Danja, who featured prominently on Blackout. And in case you like a dose of indie rock with your pop music, check out this awesome Hood Internet mash-up of Brit’s chart-topping “Womanizer” with the Department of Eagles’ excellent “No One Does It Like You.” (more…)

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It only took one week for Britney Spears‘ “Womanizer” to charm its way into chart history after a record-breaking rise from number 96 last week to number one this week on the Billboard Hot 100. The 96 spot leap bests T.I.’s previous record for long distance jump, which he accomplished after his “Live Your Life” went from 80 to the top spot last week. Amazingly, “Womanizer” is Spears’ first number one since the beginning of her career when “…Baby One More Time” topped the chart back in January 1999. (more…)

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Britney Spears sat down with MTV for an in-depth interview as part of an upcoming For the Record documentary dedicated to the pop singer. The doc will air on November 30th, two days before the release of her new album Circus. “So much has gone on over the last couple of years and there’s a lot that people don’t know about me that I want them to know,” Spears said of the documentary. “I wanted to make this film because I started to feel like I wasn’t being seen in the light that I wanted to be seen in. This is an opportunity to set the record straight and talk about what I’ve been through and where I’m headed.” (more…)

With her new album Circus ready to go, Britney Spears told New York pop radio station Z100 yesterday that she’s planning on embarking on a massive tour. “Oh definitely, next year,” Spears said of her tour plans, adding that the jaunt would likely take her “around the world.” The tour would be Spears’ first large scale set of shows since 2004. Talking also about her three VMA award wins and the “Piece of Me” video, Spears said “It’s a cool video, but I think by far I’ve done videos that are way better, so I was really shocked that it got the award.” (more…)

Britney Spears’ “Womanizer,” the first single from her upcoming Circus, finally hit radio stations this morning before getting uploaded onto YouTube, as evidenced by the video above. The song, with its dark synths and propulsive backbeat, was produced by Atlanta crew the Outsyders. Spears reportedly shot a video for “Womanizer” yesterday at a Los Angeles sushi restaurant, with Brit playing the role of a “vampy waitress.” In the meantime, “Womanizer” will make its television debut this Monday on a new episode of MTV’s The Hills. (more…)

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Originally envisioned as a guide to parenting, Britney’s mom Lynne Spears’ book has instead reportedly morphed into a scandalous tell-all documenting the tabloid-worthy lives of her two daughters. According to In Touch Weekly, Lynne Spears: Through the Storm attempts to paint the Spears matriarch as a good mother despite the press’ claims of her being a terrible stage mom. Lynne claims she “never had any intention of profiting off her girls.” Lynne also discusses how she liked Kevin Federline, and that during Britney’s breakdown last year, Lynne’s “heart broke into a million pieces when she saw the look of despondency in Britney’s eyes.” That’s In Touch’s preview. UK’s The Sun tells a much darker and incendiary portrait of Spears’ book. (more…)

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Will she or won’t she appear on stage? That’s been the question that’s dogged Britney Spears ever since the pop princess was nominated at this year’s MTV Video Music Awards, scheduled to air live this Sunday, September 7th. While Spears’ reps have outright stated the singer won’t perform at the event, it was announced last night that she will kick off the awards show in what is being called “an opening not to be missed.” (more…)

It’s shaping up to be A Tale of Two VMAs for Britney Spears. A year after the singer had the audiences eyes rolling with a jaw-droppingly-bad performance of “Gimme More,” Brit will have a shot at redemption at this year’s VMA as she’s up for Video of the Year after her “Piece of Me” was named among the five nominees. Joining Spears in the top category are the Jonas Brothers‘ “Burnin Up,” Chris Brown’s Wrigley-sponsored “Forever,” the Pussycat Dolls‘ “When I Grow Up” and the Ting Tings‘ “Shut Up and Let Me Go.” Spears role at the awards show is still undefined, but her nomination likely guarantees she’ll be appearing at the September 7th live broadcast from Los Angeles. It’s not like she’s on tour or anything. She is crafting her “best work ever,” however.

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Britney Spears recently gave her first interview in two years to gossip mag OK!. In the interview (or at least in the excerpt of the interview), Brit talks about a wide range of topics, from her Sam Lutfi-era downfall to her sister’s pregnancy to being a mom. She also discusses her new album, calling it “more urban” than her previous output and that she’s writing new songs on the piano every day. She also said of the album “This is my best work ever,” but isn’t that what every artist says when they’re giving an interview? Have you ever read an interview and a musician said of a new CD “This is probably the third, maybe fourth best album of my career”? Whether it’s Brit’s best or not, what we know right now is that it features production work from Danja, JR Rotem, Bloodshy & Avant, Sean Garrett and Guy Sigsworth. Spears anticipates the album will drop in “six to nine months.” Meanwhile, Spears can currently be seen in ads for this year’s VMAs joking around with host Russell Brand (though she hasn’t been confirmed as appearing at the actual show yet).

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When did things “get bad” for Britney? “The moment she got involved with Kevin Federline,” says Dr. Drew Pinsky in the new E! True Hollywood Story tracking Spears’ recent troubles. The show, which premieres Friday, July 25th at at 8 PM ET/PT on E!, features footage of Britney in her “wigs and accent” phase, as well as expert opinions from psychologists, photographers and rock critics. Check out a sneak peek above.

[Video: Courtesy of E! Entertainment Television]

Britney Spears has finally settled her custody dispute with ex-husband Kevin Federline after agreeing to give K-Fed full custody of her two sons in exchange for visitation rights. While Federline was not seeking full custody — in fact, he insisted that Spears be involved in the active parenting of the children — he nevertheless was “delighted” with the final deal. Under terms of the agreement, Spears’ visitation rights could “increase over time.” People may question why Spears would so easily give up her pursuit of custody after the two-year-long court battle, but the pop star has a lot on her plate, including a summer spent recording her new album that might detract from her ability to properly parent.

Britney Spears is spending her summer vacation in a recording studio working on the follow-up to last year’s Blackout, her reps say. According to her manager Larry Rudolph, with whom Spears reunited with after Blackout sales lagged, Britney is “working with a team of top-notch producers and songwriters. We’re very excited about what she’s accomplished so far.” Sean Garrett, one of the producers on Spears’ new disc, tells EW.com, “We’re trying to take her stuff to the next level. I’m going to come up with something crazy for her.” Other producers expected to be working with Spears are JR Rotem, Guy Sigsworth, Bloodshy & Avant and Danjahandz (who also significantly contributed to Blackout).

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• Producer Says Britney Spears In Studio

[Photo: Getty]

Britney Spears is working on a new album, according to Jim Beanz, a vocal producer who’s a frequent Timbaland collaborator and worked on several of Spears’ Blackout tracks. “Everyone has personal stuff, but a true professional doesn’t bring it into the studio,” Beanz, who says he’s working with Britney again, tells Us, adding, “Britney is amazing.” Since the release of Blackout last year, Spears has reunited with Larry Rudolph, her longtime manager who guided her through her golden years (and who Spears promptly fired after emerging from rehab in 2007). Spears is currently taking a break from recording, however, as she’s in Louisiana to be with her sister Jamie Lynn, who just gave birth. Spears was recently in London starring in (and co-directing) the video for “Radar,” which will be the next single from Blackout, in which she searches the city for a boy she met in a club. As for Spears’ conservatorship — her father, Jamie, remains in control of her legal affairs — the matter will be reviewed in a Los Angeles court on July 31.

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• The LAPD is considering opening an investigation into whether Britney Spears‘ former manager Sam Lutfi drugged, verbally-abused and prevented the singer from using phones. Spears’ family has filed a restraining order against Lutfi.
• Amy Winehouse’s lawyer managed to postpone the singer’s drug appeal case in Norway on February 29th. Winehouse and her husband Blake Fielder-Civil were busted for marijuana possession last October, but Fielder-Civil’s current incarceration in the U.K. prevented the duo from returning to Norway.
• The NYC judge presiding over Ja Rule’s weapon possession trial chastised the rapper for putting up over $150,000 in bail money for his two co-defendants. The judge demanded the two other defendants pay their own bail.
• Boy George pled “not guilty” to false imprisonment charges filed against him after the Culture Club singer allegedly handcuffed a twenty-eight year-old Norwegian man last April.

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In case you missed Vanessa Grigoriadis’ thoughtful consideration of the rise and fall of Britney Spears from the last issue of Rolling Stone, the entire article is now online. Check it out here. In case you need to be caught up on all things Britney, head over to the video guide, the gallery of awards show performances and the comprehensive photo timeline.

[Photo: INF]