Britney Spears and longtime friend Will.i.am secretly teamed up for a new track, and the duo dropped the summer song on Tuesday, July 18. Pointedly titled “Mind Your Business,” Britney seemingly schooled the media and paparazzi with the help of her longtime friend and collaborator. “They follow me, follow me, follow me / Follow, follow me / Uptown, downtown / Everywhere I turn around / Hollywood, London / Snap, snap is the sound.”
The lyrics seemed to directly point to past faceoffs with photographers — it’s a theme she’s tackled before in songs including “Piece Of Me” and “My Prerogative.” She also promises to “send the dogs out” if the paparazzi “get up out my face.” All of it seemed to reverberate her constant call for freedom following her restrictive 13-year conservatorship, which finally ended in November of 2021. “Mind yo’ business, b****,” she croons in her distinctive warble.
The song, a techno-infused, club-ready banger, is the “Toxic” singer’s second release since her restrictive, 13-year conservatorship was lifted in November of 2021. Will.i.am took to Twitter on Monday, July 17 to tease the drop, writing simply, UH OH!!!” and tagging @britneyspears, alongside a tantalizing clip of the song. Shortly thereafter, the singer amended the tweet to reveal the song’s title. “UH OH!!! You are now NOW rocking with will.i.am and @britneyspears,” alongside a brash row of flame emojis. He then added the hashtag, #Mindyourbusiness.”
UH OH!!!
You are now NOW rocking with https://t.co/9h25DLRAUu and @britneyspears…🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥#MINDyourBUSINESS pic.twitter.com/COqeuB2Jf2
— will.i.am (@iamwill) July 17, 2023
Fans went wild in the comments thread in anticipation of the release. “So ready,” wrote a fan, while another commented, “BRING THE ACTION.” “BRITNEY IS COMING,” gushed a third.
It’s not entirely a surprise they’d team up, as the Black Eyed Peas rapper was reportedly among the highly exclusive guest list at Britney’s star-studded June 2022 wedding to Sam Asghari. They previously collaborated on the 2012 single “Scream and Shout.”
And Will.i.am has had nothing but kind and sympathetic words for Brit and her plight. “Britney has endured some pretty harsh treatment from her own and she’s an amazing person and her heart is pure,” he told Metro.co.UK in 2021. “Everyone’s had some downfalls and some choices that they’ve made personally but she’s awesome.”
Britney’s previous post-conservatorship effort was a poppy revival duet of Elton John‘s 1976 hit “Tiny Dancer,” titled simply, “Hold Me Closer” and released in September of 2022. Though neither of the legendary singers appeared in the gorgeous music video, the song itself caused a massive frenzy. And a source told us at the time that Brit was heavily involved in the production.
“Britney did have an active role in the production of the ‘Hold Me Closer’ video and she is so proud of it and the way that it turned out,” the insider told HollywoodLife for a September 2022 report. “She got super emotional and cried happy tears when she saw the final version,” they continued. “The interpretive dancers were flawless and, being a dancer herself, she feels that they conveyed the feeling that she wanted the video to have, which is hope, love, and triumph.”
They later teamed up to drop an acoustic version of the hit.