Before the 2022 MTV Video Music Awards kicked off on Sunday (August 28), Variety‘s Marc Malkin was on the red carpet for interviews. As he chatted with some of the most beloved stars at this year’s VMAs, he made it a point to ask about Britney Spears and her new comeback song with Elton John, “Hold Me Closer,” getting a mixed bag of answers.
When Malkin mentioned Spears to recent Uproxx cover star Chlöe, she lit up and said, “I’m so proud of her. I love Britney and I’m so happy to see that she can be herself on her own terms.” He then asked what song he’d like to duet on with Spears and she went with “Toxic.” Malkin tried to coax Chlöe into singing a bit of the song but she playfully declined.
Chloe Bailey is "so proud" of Britney Spears: "I'm so happy to see that she can be herself on her own terms." https://t.co/CCP7nVlHI5 pic.twitter.com/9CVYmmnOQ6
— Variety (@Variety) August 28, 2022
He also asked Latto the duet question and she answered, “We gotta do something from scratch, we gotta do something from scratch.” She added, “Brit: call me, girl. It’s nothing. I do think, some new Britney… the world needs some new Britney.”
Answering the same question, J Balvin chose “Slave 4 U” and even sang a brief snippet of it.
"The world needs some new Britney," Latto says on the #VMAs red carpet https://t.co/mG6IL3pFVP pic.twitter.com/D4SHbhveRz
— Variety (@Variety) August 28, 2022
J Balvin sings Britney Spears' "Slave 4 U" on the #VMAs red carpet https://t.co/Uz9HVs0DO8 pic.twitter.com/WuVaza1RtC
— Variety (@Variety) August 28, 2022
Måneskin and TikTok star Chris Olsen also chatted about Spears, so check out those clips below.
.@thisismaneskin share their dream collaboration with Britney Spears would be "Womanizer," and tease a bit of their cover of the song. https://t.co/9i2vLS40bC pic.twitter.com/9NV2QCl9EA
— Variety (@Variety) August 28, 2022
Chris Olsen wants to duet with Britney Spears on "Toxic," the song that was an "integral part of my queer journey." https://t.co/9i2vLS4y1a pic.twitter.com/0kgZqJXReb
— Variety (@Variety) August 28, 2022