Britney Spears says new album is "best work ever"

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Britney Spears says her sixth album will be out within nine months as the U.S. pop star seeks to rebound from troubling behavior and hospital stints for psychiatric evaluations. In an interview with OK! magazine released on Wednesday, the 26-year-old says she has written more for the new album than her previous five studio albums, and describes it as having an "urban" feel.
"I'm writing every day, right here at the piano," said Spears, one of the world's most successful pop stars of the early 2000s. Her last album, "Blackout," debuted at No. 2 on Billboard 200 last November, but quickly slid down the chart.
Spears has given few interviews in recent years as her life spiraled out of control and she lost custody of her two sons.
Over the past 18 months she has been involved in an ugly divorce from Kevin Federline, entered rehab treatment several times, and exhibited erratic behavior like shaving her head and attacking a photographer's car with an umbrella.
But in the past six months, her father Jamie Spears has taken over management of her affairs and she was also mentioned as a possible Emmy award nominee for guest appearances on U.S. TV series "How I Met Your Mother."
When asked by OK! if she would like to do more acting, Spears said: "I'd love to, if I can find the right movie."
"Actually, I have a part that just came up. We're just trying to work it out with my schedule, with the children," she said.
A court recently extended Jamie Spears control over his daughter's affairs, which he shares with Los Angeles attorney Andrew Wallet, until the end of 2008.
Spears and her former backup dancer Kevin Federline, 30, were divorced last summer after two years of marriage. The couple have two children together, Sean Preston, 2-1/2, and James Jayden, 22 months.
She told OK! she would rather her sons did not pursue a career in entertainment.
"But I'd love them unconditionally if they wanted to. I'd just as soon they have a more normal childhood," she said.
Spears also spoke of being shocked at her sister Jamie Lynn's pregnancy. She was at the hospital when the 17-year-old star of Nickelodeon's "Zoey 101" TV show gave birth to a girl, Maddie Briann in June.
"That was special, but it was also strange because she's always been the baby, and now the baby was having a baby. It was mind-boggling. I was shocked a little bit," Spears said.
(Reporting by Michelle Nichols)

Britney, K-Fed Make Peace, Settle Custody Spat

Britney Spears is getting more time with her kids. Kevin Federline is getting more money.
That's the takeaway from the settlement agreement reached between the former fun couple, E! News has learned.
According to the paperwork filed Friday in Los Angeles Superior Court, Spears' monthly child support payments to K-Fed have been bumped from $15,000 to $20,000, retroactive to July 15, and Federline attorney Mark Vincent Kaplan will get a check for $250,000.

Spears & Federline Reach Custody Agreement.

Latest: Britney Spears and Kevin Federline have finally reached an agreement over the care of their two young sons.
The former couple has been embroiled in a bitter 18-month custody battle over sons Sean Preston, two, and Jayden James, one, since the breakdown of their marriage in November 2006.
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But the pair finally agreed terms of care on Thursday (18Jul) although they still need to be approved by a judge.
Federline retains sole custody of the couple's two sons. Spears - who is currently allowed two visits and one overnight stay each week - will keep her visitation rights.
Federline's lawyer, Mark Vincent Kaplan, tells E! News, "The case has been settled. The court still has to approve it".
However, Spears' family lawyer Lynn Soodik - who does not represent her in this case - has hinted the singer may request extra visitation in the future.
She tells People.com, "Until the kids turn 18, we can expect in years to come that Britney and Kevin will be back in court.

Britney house-hunting for bigger backyard, quiet

LOS ANGELES - Court records show Britney Spears is house-hunting — preferably for something greener, quieter and with a bigger backyard. Documents released Monday show that Spears seeks a house with a larger yard that's closer to parks and recreation areas for her children, Sean Preston and Jayden James. She also wants a "less trafficked" locale than her paparazzi-stalked Beverly Hills home, which she bought for nearly $7 million early last year.
Spears' father, James, requested the sale in mid-June, and a court commissioner agreed. James Spears is acting as his daughter's conservator following several incidents of erratic behavior by the 26-year-old singer.
The children's father, Kevin Federline, has custody.

Britney and the Boys Have a Sleepover

Los Angeles (E! Online) - While Kevin Federline partied in Miami Beach this weekend, Britney Spears stayed at home...with the kids! E! News can confirm that Britney had a 12-hour overnight visit with her two sons Saturday night at her Los Angeles�home.
"The kids were picked up before noon on Sunday," says a source.
It was Britney's first overnight visit since Spears lost visitation with her kids following her infamous visit to the UCLA psych ward in January. Commissioner Scott Gordon, after being presented evidence that Britney's mental health has improved, modified the terms of her visitation last week to allow overnight visits.
Meanwhile, K-Fed picked up where he left off in Las Vegas two weeks ago and partied at Miami nightclub Mansion on Friday night. Federline, who's reportedly working on a new song tentatively titled, "Daddy's Home," was scheduled to return home to LA on Sunday.

VMAs would consider second chance for Spears

LOS ANGELES - MTV isn't ruling out giving viewers more Britney Spears at this year's Video Music Awards. "Everyone deserves a second or third chance, right?" Van Toffler, president of MTV Networks Music Group, playfully told The Associated Press during a telephone interview Friday. When asked if he was just joking, Toffler said "sorta." "Who knows?" he said.
Spears' out-of-it "Gimme More" comeback performance during last year's MTV Video Music Awards at the Palms Casino Resort in Las Vegas was one of the most-talked televised moments of 2007. The drama-filled VMAs drew 7.1 million viewers, according to Nielsen Media Research. Another Spears redux could equal even more eyeballs.
"I'm not sure how we top Britney opening the show," said Toffler. "We are working on it every minute of every day."
This year's MTV Video Music Awards will air live from Paramount Pictures Studios in Los Angeles on Sept. 7. (MTV and Paramount are corporate cousins within Viacom Inc.)
Toffler said the award show's performances will occur on the lot's various sound stages, rooftops and faux city streets.
"The backlot gives us versatility," said Toffler. "You can do street performances, on-top-of-building performances, on-the-side-of-a-building performances, inside-of-a-studio performances, so we're pretty excited."

Spears Wins Overnight Visits With Her Two Sons

Spears looked quite contented after the latest court hearing in her children custody case with her ex-husband Kevin Federline Tuesday, when a Los Angeles judge allowed the singer to spend more time with her sons, Sean Preston and Jayden James.In the morning's court session, attended by both Britney Spears and Kevin Federline, Los Angeles judge awarded the pop-star overnight visits with her two boys – two-year-old Sean Preston and 21-month-old Jayden James; Kevin Federline still retains primary custody of the boys.
Without disclosing details, court spokesperson said, "There was a change in visitation status that was ordered by Commissioner Gordon this morning. I'm not at liberty to answer any questions about the nature of that change."
According to the court spokesperson, Commissioner Scott Gordon granted Spears overnight visits with her sons, and the Commissioner said that the sleepovers can begin as soon as this weekend.
While leaving the courtroom, when was asked whether she was happy about the outcome of the hearing, Britney, accompanied by father and co-conservator of her estate Jamie - smiled and said, "Yes."

Court rules Britney Spears can sell home; delays action on father's control of finances

LOS ANGELES (AP) - It will be a bit longer before the court begins to sort out Britney Spears' finances, but she may be getting a new address soon. A Los Angeles court commissioner on Tuesday agre... (photo: AP Photo / David Duprey)

Rotem: 'I Ditched Britney When She Flashed Her Crotch'

Music producer Jonathan 'J.R.' Rotem ditched Britney Spears when she was caught on camera wearing no panties, he has revealed. The pair began dating last year after Rotem worked with Britney on her yet-to-be-released next album--but their relationship floundered when she was snapped stepping out of a car and flashing her crotch last November. He says, "Yes, Britney and I were dating, before the crotch-shot thing. Now it's kind of rocky between us. We're working together still, but I'm not sure if I want to be tied down, period." Since Britney, Rotem has concentrated on adding to his list of celebrity conquests, which he is happy to boast about. He adds, "Britney, Mya, Bai Ling, Hayden Panettiere, Meagan Good--it's a pretty big list, and it's growing. Britney got me the furthest. She had something special." COPYRIGHT 2007 WORLD ENTERTAINMENT NEWS NETWORK LTD. All Global Rights Reserved.
Photo(s) by Dave Edwards- © 2007- DailyCeleb.com- All Rights Reserved

J.R. Rotem: 'Britney's Back'

The young music mogul who was caught up in a Britney Spears baby scandal last year has lured the pop star back to the studio. Producer J.R. Rotem has teamed up with hitmaker Sean Garrett to help the pop star make a start work on a comeback album. And he insists Spears is back at her best after a crazy 2007 ended with hospitalizations for bipolar disorder, custody battles and career issues. He says, "She's great. She's like a master at what she does. She's a lot more experienced than most people. She just has the 'it' factor that not every artist has. "It's always nice to work with her." Rotem briefly dated Spears last year and hit the headlines when he suggested she might be pregnant in a stray text message. A source close to Spears confirms the singer is working on the "experimental stages" of a new album--the follow-up to Blackout, which was released in October. And Garrett tells People magazine, "I'm just happy to see her back and recovering. She's really shaping up and getting her whole situation back together. I'm really proud and happy to see her."

Britney Spears in Yet Another Car Collision

Britney Spears' bad driving has put the troubled pop star back in the headlines after a fender bender on Sunset Boulevard in Los Angeles on Tuesday. Spears was behind the wheel when her Mercedes-Benz SL65 rear-ended a red sports utility vehicle in Beverly Hills.No injuries were reported and Spears refused to get out of her car, letting her bodyguard talk to the other female motorist and exchange insurance details. The police were not called to the scene of the accident. The prang is the latest in a long line of little accidents for Spears--last year she was charged with a hit-and-run when she scraped another SUV while trying to park her Mercedes in a Van Nuys, California, parking lot. And just last month, the pop superstar reportedly caused a three-car pile-up on Los Angeles' Ventura Freeway after accidentally bumping another motorist in heavy traffic. COPYRIGHT 2008 WORLD ENTERTAINMENT NEWS NETWORK LTD. All Global Rights Reserved.
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