Britney Spears confirms that she will 'never return to the music industry'

The release of Britney Spears' highly anticipated memoir hit shelves late last year, and the book reportedly sold 1.27 million copies in the UK and US in its first week. As well as detailing her experiences under a conservatorship, Britney wrote about the breakdown of her relationship with Justin Timberlake, her fractured family ties and her feelings towards the Free Britney movement. 

Following the huge and immediate success of the memoir, it is said to have sparked a bidding war between a host of famous faces - including Margot Robbie and Brad Pitt - who are keen to obtain the movie rights. Many also speculated that Britney could work on new music, seven years after the release of her last album. Recent reports suggested that she would be teaming up with a number of musicians, including Charli XCX and Julia Michaels, to work on a new record. 

However, Britney took to social media to refute the claims that she was working on a new album, and went as far as to say that she would 'never return to the music industry'.

Posting a photo of Guido Reni's painting, Salome holding the head of John the Baptist, Britney wrote: Just so we're clear most of the news is trash!!! They keep saying I’m turning to random people to do a new album… I will never return to the music industry!!!"

However, she did confirm that she has worked on songs for other artists behind the scenes, continuing: "When I write, I write for fun or I write for other people!!! For those of you who have read my book, there’s loads that you don’t know about me… I’ve written over 20 songs for other people the past two years!!! I’m a ghostwriter and I honestly enjoy it that way!!!"

Aside from her Hold Me Closer duet with Elton John in 2022, Britney's 9th studio album Glory - which was released in 2016 - was the last time she shared new music.