For pop culture fans, this was the 2022 news that no one knew they needed, but everyone was grateful for: Britney Spears and Elton John have made their own version of John’s 1971 song Tiny Dancer. It was set to be released later this month, but now someone has leaked the track.
Fans of both stars have turned online to share their frustration, with some encouraging others not to listen to the track.
“Sorry besties but I won’t be listening to any leaks or snippets of Hold Me Closer,” Tweeted one fan.
“OMG!!! im so tempted to go find Hold Me Closer leak but I want to respect both Britney & Elton .... I’ve been waiting for this moment for almost 6 years,” said another.
OMG!!! im so tempted to go find Hold Me Closer leak but I want to respect both Britney & Elton .... I've been waiting for this moment for almost 6 years #BritneyIsComing
— Britney Pop Icon 🌹🚀 (@Britney_PopIcon) August 18, 2022
News about the forthcoming single has been bit-fed to fans: first, it was a rumour, then it was reported that the song was being made, then the song was officially announced and given a name, too: Hold Me Closer, taken from the song’s famous lyric, ‘Hold me closer, tiny dancer’.
Elton John confirmed the news on August 8 on his Instagram, alongside an emoji of a rose and a rocket – almost certainly representing the two stars.
While there was little else known about the song, it was reported in late July that the artists had been recording the track. According to The Daily Mail, Spears had met up with John to record the song and at the time a source told publication Page Six that the results of the collaboration may be released in August.
“This was Elton’s idea, and Britney is a huge fan. They have recorded a remix of Tiny Dancer as a full duet — and it is incredible,” a source told Page Six. “Britney was in the studio in Beverly Hills last week with Elton for the super-secret recording session overseen by uber-producer Andrew Watt.”
“They’ve already played it for people at their record label, and everybody is freaking out. It is so good,” the source said.
“They are saying this is going to be the song of the summer. Britney is officially back. She’s back to work, and she’s super excited.”
The source also claimed that the record label was so enthusiastic about Britney’s return that they offered her “a record-breaking deal” for joining the Tiny Dancer project.
This is the first time the two mega stars are making music together. It’s also the first new single for Britney since 2016 and the first single from Elton John this year.
New York producer Watt has worked on dozens of hit tracks including Justin Bieber’s Peaches, Ed Sheeran’s 2step and Dua Lipa’s Break My Heart. He has worked with Miley Cyrus, Future and Post Malone and won a 2021 Grammy Award for Producer of the Year.
Tiny Dancer was first released as part of John’s 1971 album Madman Across the Water and then was released as a single the following year. Although it only peaked at 41 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100, over the years it has become an acknowledged classic. The song finally became platinum certified in the US in 2011 and its music video has garnered over 129 million views on YouTube.
Tiny Dancer was heavily sampled in 2009, when British rappers Ironik and Chipmunk made their own version of the song. Their remix peaked at number three in the UK Singles Charts.
Both Spears and John have been having an extremely busy year. 40-year-old Spears was finally able to end her 14-year conservatorship in November, and then married fiancé Sam Asghari in July. The star posted a video of her singing on her Instagram in mid-July, saying “I haven’t shared my voice in an extremely long time … maybe too long.”
But Britney fans now don’t have long to wait to hear her on a new track.
Meanwhile, John has been on his final tour, playing across Europe, the UK and North America. As part of The Farewell Yellow Brick Road: The Final Tour the British singer stopped off in London, opening the BST Festival in Hyde Park at the end of June.
