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Britney Spears has posted a previously unreleased collaboration with Justin Timberlake titled “She’ll Never Be Me,” originally recorded for her 2001 album “Britney,” as a preview of the album’s 25 th anniversary edition,
out on Nov. 6. Spears and Timberlake, who were dating at the time, were joined by songwriters and producers Bradley Daymond and Alex Greggs, longtime ‘NSYNC collaborators who work under the name Riprock ‘n’ Alex G.
The song was released in an unusually low-key fashion, without a notice on her website or social media accounts beyond a reel on her Facebook page, or a press release from her longtime label, RCA. This may be a reflection of the fact that Spears essentially announced her retirement in 2024.
The Facebook post notes that “She’ll Never Be Me” is one of five previously unreleased tracks on the anniversary edition, which also include “Am I a Sinner,” “When I Say So,” “My Big Secret” and a full version of “Right Now (Taste the Victory),” which was used in a 2002 Pepsi commercial.
While the songs are over 25 years old, they represent the first new recordings released by Spears since her 2023 collaboration with Will.I.Am, “Mind Your Business” (which was assembled from older recordings).
Spears said in 2024 that she will “never return to the music industry” and in January said that she will never perform in the U.S. again. The singer was released from a 13-year conservatorship in 2021, regaining full control over her personal life and finances. She has largely kept a low public profile since then, although she occasionally statements and videos of herself dancing that have made some observers concerned about her wellbeing.
In May, Spears pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor chargeof driving under the influence of drugs and alcohol, and avoided jail time. Spears was initially arrested on March 4 in Ventura County, California. The California Highway Patrol made the arrest around 9:30 p.m. and she was booked early the next morning around 3 a.m. Five weeks after her arrest, Spears voluntarily checked into a treatment center but checked out of the facility last week, just days before her arraignment.
