It’s official!
Britney Spears’ first release since she was released from a 13-year legal arrangement that placed her father as her conservator is about to hit the digital streaming universe — and she’ll be joined by none other than Sir Elton John.
On Friday, the British singer — known for decades of No. 1 hits, unforgettable duets and a monumentally absurd collection of sunglasses — announced on Instagram that the duo’s highly anticipated duet will drop on Aug. 26.
“Hold Me Closer,” John’s post simply says, next to a photo of the two pop culture giants as young kids — Spears wearing a pink tutu, and John sitting by a piano — which is certain to have fans feeling the love tonight.
The soon-to-be-released duet will be a new take on John’s 1971 classic “Tiny Dancer” — and it will also be Spears’ first official new release in nearly six years.
Her last album, “Glory,” was released in August 2016. The second and last single from that album — the reggae-pop “Slumber Party” — came out a few months later, on Nov. 26, when it reached the top of the U.S. Dance Club Songs charts.
That ended up being the “Womanizer” singer’s last official release, though her label, RCA Records, unveiled three previously unreleased tracks in late 2020, as the #FreeBritney movement started to gain momentum.
Although rumors about a possible collaboration involving the two had circulated social media timelines in recent weeks, it wasn’t until earlier this month that John confirmed that “Hold Me Closer” was indeed happening,
In a wink-wink subtle message to his fans, the 75-year-old multiple Grammy and Oscar-winning superstar shared an Instagram post with the name of the song followed by two emoji: a rose, which is often used by Spears; and a rocket, a clear reference to the “Rocketman” himself.
