Piece of Me by Britney Spears

"Piece of Me" is a song recorded by American singer Britney Spears for her fifth studio album, Blackout (2007). It was released on November 27 by Jive Records as the second single from the album, but was actually the last song recorded. It was written and produced by Swedish producers Bloodshy & Avant and Klas Åhlund as a response to the media scrutiny and sensationalism of the singer's private life, which they had witnessed firsthand after working with her over the years. The song, acting as the singer's manifesto, has biographical lyrics retelling Spears's mishaps. It can be classified as an electro song that runs through a down-tempo dance beat. Spears's voice is heavily synthesized and her pitch constantly shifts; backing vocals are provided by Bloodshy & Avant and Robyn. Most music critics cite "Piece of Me" as one of the highlights of Blackout. Rolling Stone magazine ranked the song at number 15 on their list of the 100 Best Songs of 2007. It was also successful commercially, peaking at number one in Ireland and reaching top ten positions in Australia, Austria, Canada, Denmark, Finland, New Zealand, Sweden and the United Kingdom. In the United States, it became Spears's second single from the album to peak at the top of the Billboard Hot Dance Club Play chart. The music video to "Piece of Me", directed by Wayne Isham, portrays the state of Spears' life in 2007; it shows her and her friends disguising themselves in order to confuse the paparazzi, which ties directly to the lyrics. Director Isham's concept was to have Spears confidently parodying her situation. It received mixed reviews from critics, most arguing her body was digitally altered. The video, however, was nominated and won in three separate categories at the 2008 MTV Video Music Awards, including Video of the Year. "Piece of Me" was performed on tour at The Circus Starring Britney Spears (2009) and the Femme Fatale Tour (2011). The song shares its title with Spears's first Las Vegas residency show, "Britney: Piece of Me" (2013–2017), where it was also performed. The show went on to become a world tour, retaining the name, known as the "Piece of Me Tour" (2018).