Britney Spears Hints At Career News That's Sure To Upset Fans

Amidst a tidal wave of fresh familial drama in late August, Britney Spears made a triumphant career comeback. As a collaboration with Elton John, her new single, "Hold Me Closer," debuted at No. 6 on Billboard's Hot Top 100, landing Spears her first Top 10 hit in almost a decade, per Variety. Mashing up John's classics like "Tiny Dancer" and "The One," "Hold Me Closer" had Spears hyping her new venture all over social media. Announcing its release on Twitter, Spears excitedly wrote, "It's pretty damn cool that I'm singing with one of the most classic men of our time." John himself told The Guardian that he hoped the track's success will instill Spears with "so much more confidence than she's got already." John said tenderly, "People actually love her and care for her and want her to be happy." 

Given the recent developments in her personal life, this boost of confidence may be just what Spears needs. In an August interview with ITV, ex-husband Kevin Federline aired unflattering claims about Spears' current relations with their sons, Sean and Jayden Federline. He followed this with two posted videos of Spears seemingly embroiled in verbal arguments with Sean and Jayden, per Insider. But that's not all. In the televised interview (via the Daily Mail), Jayden himself offered some choice words on Spears' parenting, claiming she "struggled" giving him and his brother equal attention. (Yeesh.)

Unfortunately, even given Spears' latest career triumphs, her ghosts of familial traumas past continuously loom over the singer. 

Don't hold your breath for a live rendition of "Hold Me Closer" anytime soon. In a since-deleted September 11 Instagram post (via TMZ), Britney Spears revealed to followers that, despite the success of her recent collab with Elton John, she is unlikely to perform onstage again. Venting about the lack of creative control under her 13-year-conservatorship, Spears proclaimed that the experience left her "pretty traumatized for life." Citing the "offensive SO CALLED professional pictures on every tour," the "Toxic" singer seemed to feel her team, including her then-co-conservator, dad Jamie Spears, were insensitive toward her body image when managing tour photoshoots. "I mean they could have at least cheated and retouched them for me," Spears quipped. All in all, although she vowed to "stay positive and focus on my awesome fans," Spears declared that she "won't probably perform again just because I'm stubborn and I will make my point." 

Spears' post also included a direct message to father Jamie to kiss her "God damn mother f***ing ass." The angry missive, sadly, is of little shock to anyone following the singer's ongoing familial drama. Her announcement about performing follows a series of heartbreaking Instagram audio messages concerning sons Sean and Jayden Federline (via Billboard). Posted on September 10, Spears said in one of the clips that their estrangement has left her with "no purpose" and feeling "like a huge part of me has died."