Britney Spears Shares Long-Lost 'She'll Never Be Me' With Justin Timberlake Writing Credit
Britney Spears released a previously unheard song, 'She'll Never Be Me,' on Oct. 9. It was recorded for her 2001 self-titled album and lists Justin Timberlake among its co-writers. The track is set to appear on a 25th-anniversary edition of Britney arriving Nov. 6.
The track comes from sessions for Spears’s 2001 album Britney. Timberlake, Bradley Daymond, and Alex Greggs share writing credits; Riprock ‘n’ Alex G produced. It will appear on a 25-song anniversary reissue due Nov. 6, alongside the B-side “Intimidated,” Pepsi track “Right Now (Taste the Victory),” and unreleased songs “Am I a Sinner,” “When I Say So,” and “My Big Secret.”
Spears hasn’t posted about it, though her Facebook teased weekly surprises before the reissue. The song is her first fresh release since 2023’s will.i.am collaboration and 2022’s Elton John duet. She hasn’t released a studio album since 2016’s Glory and has stated she won’t return to music or perform in the U.S. again.
The release could stir nostalgia among longtime pop fans and spark renewed discussion of early-2000s celebrity culture, especially Spears and Timberlake’s past relationship. It may also draw attention to anniversary reissues as a way for labels and artists to revisit archives without requiring new performances. Listeners who followed Spears’s career and her public statements about retirement may see the track as a rare, low-pressure addition to her catalog rather than a full comeback.