Britney Spears Gives Insight Into 'Hold Me Closer' Duet With Elton John In Her Memoir

Pop star Britney Spears is giving fans insight into her "Hold Me Closer" collaboration with Sir Elton John in her memoir, "The Woman In Me."

Although her tell-all book drops many bombshell revelations about her love life - including many revelations about her relationship with Justin Timberlake - and her 13-year conservatorship, she also opened up on her relationship with Elton John and how their 2022 collaboration came to be.

In August 2022, Britney Spears released "Hold Me Closer" with Sir Elton John. The song was not only Britney's first song in six years but also the first to be released following her 13-year conservatorship, which ended in November 2021. The hit single also became her first Top 10 single on the Billboard Hot 100 chart in 11 years after its release, as reported by People magazine.

"For some time I hadn’t been thinking about recording. I changed my mind about that when I got invited to record a song with an artist I’ve admired my entire life: Sir Elton John. He’s one of my all-time favorite performers," Britney wrote in her memoir. "I’d met him at an Oscars party about a decade ago and we got along so well. And now here he was reaching out with the sweetest video message, asking if I would be interested in collaborating. I was so honored."

"Like me, Elton John has been through so much, so publicly. It’s given him incredible compassion," she continued. "To make the collaboration even more meaningful: as a child, I listened to 'Tiny Dancer' in the car in Louisiana as I rode to and from my dance and gymnastics classes. … Recording 'Hold Me Closer' and putting it out into the world was a fantastic experience. It didn’t feel good. It felt great."

In an August 2022 interview with The Guardian, the “Rocket Man” singer also talked about his relationship with the pop star and hoped that the single would give her more "confidence" to continue her music career. “I’m so excited to be able to do it with [Britney] because if it is a big hit, and I think it may be, it will give her so much more confidence than she’s got already and she will realize that people actually love her and care for her and want her to be happy,” he said at the time.

“She’s been away so long – there’s a lot of fear there because she’s been betrayed so many times and she hasn’t really been in the public eye officially for so long. We’ve been holding her hand through the whole process, reassuring her that everything’s going to be alright,” he added.

In a deleted Twitter post, previously reported by The Blast, the “Girl In The Mirror” singer confessed that she felt “overwhelmed” by the release of her first single in six years. “Okie dokie … my first song in 6 years ? !!!! It’s pretty d— cool that I’m singing with one of the most classic men of our time … @eltonofficial ?!!!!” the pop star wrote at the time. “I’m kinda overwhelmed… it’s a big deal to me !!! I’m meditating more ??‍♀️ and learning my space is valuable and precious !!!”

“I’m learning every day is a clean slate to try and be a better person and do what makes me happy … yes I choose happiness today,” she continued. “I tell myself every day to let go of the hurt bitterness and try to forgive myself and others to what may have been hurtful.”

“I want to be fearless like when I was younger and not be so scared and fearful,” she added. “I pray there actually is truth to the Holy Spirit and I hope that spirit is with my children as well !!! Yes … I choose happiness and joy today ☀️ !!!”

Britney Spears' memoir "The Woman In Me" was officially released on Tuesday, October 24, 2023.