Q: Pop was seen as guilty pleasure — something you're supposed to pretend to be embarrassed to like — for so long. But I don't know how it can still have that stigma, because it's now so broad. Do you feel that people still categorize pop as guilty pleasure?
A: I don't feel embarrassed by any of the music that I like. I think it's all genuinely clever, good music. And when I say that about Britney Spears, some people are like, "What? Are you serious?" Have you heard her albums? They're so intelligent. The way her songs are crafted is really amazing. I think that music is really interesting and clever.
Q: Which era of Britney do you like the best?
A: Definitely Blackout. It got a bit darker ... "Gimme More" and "Piece of Me" are two of my favorite songs of all time. They're genius. "...Baby One More Time" is amazing, but that sounds like the '90s. "Piece of Me" sounds like it could come out now, or in 10 years' time, and still feel ahead of its time. I love that "…Baby One More Time" video, to be honest; it's amazing. And I also love the recent video, "Work Bitch." When she's standing on the podium with the fake sharks going around her, that's my favorite bit.
I also used to be ashamed of saying I liked pop music but Charli is right, the line between pop and alternative and rock is so blurry and divided among social categories rather than the music itself that we might not perceive the genius of artists like Britney because of a label. Viva Britney, la verdadera y única princesa del pop!
I love how unpretentious she and Adele are. They're both so unapologetic about how much they love pop music.
It's very refreshing.
All it shows to me is that they aren't very musically intelligent themselves. That's fine, they can sing, write a hook, whatever. But actual music; melodies, harmonies, experimentation? Nah. If you think Britney Spears' formulaic garbagepop is "clever" then you don't really have the highest standards, do you?
Where are all those people denying Blackout's impact and calling it overrated? And I'm loving the Work Bitch praise.
