"Slumber Party" is a song recorded by American singer
Britney Spears
Britney Jean Spears (born December 2, 1981) is an American singer. Often referred to as the " Princess of Pop", she is credited with influencing the revival of teen pop during the late 1990s and early 2000s. After appearing in stage productio ...
for her ninth studio album, ''
Glory'' (2016). It was written by
Mattias Larsson
Mattman & Robin is a Swedish songwriting and production duo composed of Mattias Per Larsson and Robin Lennart Fredriksson. They are published by Wolf Cousins, a publishing company administered by Warner Chappell Music.
In 2016, they won a Grammy A ...
,
Robin Fredriksson
Mattman & Robin is a Swedish songwriting and production duo composed of Mattias Per Larsson and Robin Lennart Fredriksson. They are published by Wolf Cousins, a publishing company administered by Warner Chappell Music.
In 2016, they won a Grammy A ...
,
Julia Michaels
Julia is usually a feminine given name. It is a Latinate feminine form of the name Julio and Julius. (For further details on etymology, see the Wiktionary entry "Julius".) The given name ''Julia'' had been in use throughout Late Antiquity (e.g ...
and
Justin Tranter
Justin Drew Tranter (born June 16, 1980) is an American songwriter, singer, and activist. Frequently co-writing with Julia Michaels, Tranter has written songs for artists such as Britney Spears, Gwen Stefani, Linkin Park, Kelly Clarkson, Selena ...
, and produced by
Mattman & Robin
Mattman & Robin is a Swedish songwriting and production duo composed of Mattias Per Larsson and Robin Lennart Fredriksson. They are published by Wolf Cousins, a publishing company administered by Warner Chappell Music.
In 2016, they won a Grammy A ...
. The duo was also responsible for vocal production along with
Mischke. The song was released as the second single from the album on November 16, 2016, featuring vocals from American singer
Tinashe
Tinashe Jorgensen Kachingwe ( ; born February 6, 1993), known mononymously as Tinashe, is an American singer, dancer, and actress. Born in Lexington, Kentucky, Tinashe moved to Pasadena as a child to pursue a career in entertainment. Her notab ...
in a remix version. It was sent to US
contemporary hit radio
Contemporary hit radio (also known as CHR, contemporary hits, hit list, current hits, hit music, top 40, or pop radio) is a radio format that is common in many countries that focuses on playing current and recurrent popular music as determined by ...
on November 22, 2016. A
reggae
Reggae () is a music genre that originated in Jamaica in the late 1960s. The term also denotes the modern popular music of Jamaica and its diaspora. A 1968 single by Toots and the Maytals, " Do the Reggay" was the first popular song to use ...
-
pop and
R&B track, "Slumber Party" features
brass
Brass is an alloy of copper (Cu) and zinc (Zn), in proportions which can be varied to achieve different mechanical, electrical, and chemical properties. It is a substitutional alloy: atoms of the two constituents may replace each other with ...
,
marimba
The marimba () is a musical instrument in the percussion family that consists of wooden bars that are struck by mallets. Below each bar is a resonator pipe that amplifies particular harmonics of its sound. Compared to the xylophone, the timbre ...
, "syncopated synths", percussion and a
horn section
A horn section is a group of musicians playing horns. In an orchestra or concert band, it refers to the musicians who play the "French" horn, and in a British-style brass band it is the tenor horn players. In many popular music genres, the te ...
in its instrumentation. Lyrically, the song is defined as an ode to
fornication
Fornication is generally consensual sexual intercourse between two people not married to each other. When one or more of the partners having consensual sexual intercourse is married to another person, it is called adultery. Nonetheless, John ...
and making
sex tape
Amateur pornography is a category of pornography that features models, actors or non-professionals performing without pay, or actors for whom this material is not their only paid modeling work. Reality pornography is made porn that seeks to em ...
s, where Spears uses
double entendre
A double entendre (plural double entendres) is a figure of speech or a particular way of wording that is devised to have a double meaning, of which one is typically obvious, whereas the other often conveys a message that would be too socially ...
, while evoking
one-night stand
A one-night stand or one-night sex is a single sexual encounter in which there is an expectation that there shall be no further relations between the sexual participants. It draws its name from the common practice of a one-night stand, a single ...
s, the ritual of sleepovers with friends and the teenage game of
seven minutes in heaven
Seven minutes in heaven (or seven minutes in the closet) is a kissing party game mostly played at teenage parties. The game may also be played with a different duration.
The game
Two people are selected to go into a closet or other dark enclos ...
.
A music video directed by
Colin Tilley
Colin Tilley (born June 27, 1988) is an American filmmaker, music video director, and television commercial director. Tilley is the CEO and owner of Boy in the Castle Productions. He has directed more than 300 music videos.
Tilley directed, pro ...
was shot on October 25, 2016, and according to Spears, has an ''
Eyes Wide Shut
''Eyes Wide Shut'' is a 1999 erotic mystery psychological drama film directed, produced, and co-written by Stanley Kubrick. It is based on the 1926 novella '' Traumnovelle'' (''Dream Story'') by Arthur Schnitzler, transferring the story's sett ...
'' theme. The video was released on November 18, 2016. It features Spears and Tinashe during a sleepover-themed masquerade party in a mansion, where they are seen in rooms filled with bubbles, smoke and flashing lights. Commercially, the song appeared on the national charts in countries including Canada, Spain, Scotland and the United States, where it debuted and peaked at 86 on the
''Billboard'' Hot 100, and topped the
Dance Club Songs
Dance Club Songs is a chart published weekly by '' Billboard'' magazine in the United States. It is a national look over of club disc jockeys to determine the most popular songs being played in nightclubs across the country. It was launched as t ...
chart after several weeks. It is the second single from ''Glory'' to top that chart following "
Make Me...". Spears added "Slumber Party" to the set list of her residency show,
Britney: Piece of Me. The song appeared in ''
Just Dance 2018
''Just Dance 2018'' is a 2017 dance rhythm game developed and published by Ubisoft. It was unveiled on June 12, 2017, during its E3 press conference as the ninth main installment of the series, and was released in October 2017 for PlayStation 3, ...
''.
Background and release
In September 2014, Spears posted a picture of herself in the studio, hinting that she was recording new music. A month later, during an interview, she revealed that she was working "very slowly, but progressively" on the album.
In 2015, she continued to work on the album, and in November 2015, Spears teased on her
Instagram
Instagram is a photo and video sharing social networking service owned by American company Meta Platforms. The app allows users to upload media that can be edited with filters and organized by hashtags and geographical tagging. Posts can ...
account that she was working with songwriters
Justin Tranter
Justin Drew Tranter (born June 16, 1980) is an American songwriter, singer, and activist. Frequently co-writing with Julia Michaels, Tranter has written songs for artists such as Britney Spears, Gwen Stefani, Linkin Park, Kelly Clarkson, Selena ...
and
Julia Michaels
Julia is usually a feminine given name. It is a Latinate feminine form of the name Julio and Julius. (For further details on etymology, see the Wiktionary entry "Julius".) The given name ''Julia'' had been in use throughout Late Antiquity (e.g ...
, by posting a picture of them looking "bemused" with the caption: "Working hard and hardly working...new album...wheeeee!." A month later, Tranter gave an interview for website
NewNowNext
Logo TV (often shortened to Logo, and stylized as Logo.) is an American basic cable channel owned by Paramount Media Networks, a division of Paramount Global. Launched in 2005, Logo was originally dedicated to lifestyle and entertainment progr ...
about his work with Spears, saying: "Working with Britney is a fucking dream. She is so sweet, so inspiring and a master on the mic. Me and Julia had to leave the studio one day because our screams of excitement after every take she did were distracting the producers."
In May 2016, in an interview for website ''Breathe Heavy'', he revealed: "Nobody ever talks about Britney as a writer and she's f**king great, like insane. Her concepts were bold and smart and very left of centre, in a good way. Melodically, she has melodies for days. How come no one mentions that this girl can write the f**k out of a song?.
.."We got to work with her a bunch of times. A couple
f songswe wrote on our own and then she wanted to write with us. She's an amazing writer."
After releasing "
Make Me..." as the first single from the album, Spears' team commissioned several polls for different magazines to ask which song from ''Glory'' should be the album's second single. On October 14, 2016, American singer
Tinashe
Tinashe Jorgensen Kachingwe ( ; born February 6, 1993), known mononymously as Tinashe, is an American singer, dancer, and actress. Born in Lexington, Kentucky, Tinashe moved to Pasadena as a child to pursue a career in entertainment. Her notab ...
hinted on her
Instagram
Instagram is a photo and video sharing social networking service owned by American company Meta Platforms. The app allows users to upload media that can be edited with filters and organized by hashtags and geographical tagging. Posts can ...
account that she was recording vocals on a "legendary" collaboration with the caption: "Dreams are real."
Later, on October 25, 2016, Spears posted a picture of herself with Tinashe on the set of the song's music video, with the caption: "Neighbors say we're causing a commotion...", a line from "Slumber Party". ''
Billboard
A billboard (also called a hoarding in the UK and many other parts of the world) is a large outdoor advertising structure (a billing board), typically found in high-traffic areas such as alongside busy roads. Billboards present large advertise ...
'' also confirmed the news with Spears' rep.
Lewis Corner of ''
Digital Spy
Digital Spy (DS) is a British-based entertainment, television and film website and brand and is the largest digital property at Hearst UK. Since its launch in 1999, Digital Spy has focused on entertainment news related to television programmes, ...
'' also announced that the collaboration was going to be released "within a matter of weeks."
Spears later commented about Tinashe, stating: "Tinashe is so sweet. I always see my fans talking about her online, and it just made so much sense to collaborate on this song. She was amazing, and would love to find another way to work together in the future!."
The remix version was released on November 16, 2016, to digital download.
It was sent to US
contemporary hit radio
Contemporary hit radio (also known as CHR, contemporary hits, hit list, current hits, hit music, top 40, or pop radio) is a radio format that is common in many countries that focuses on playing current and recurrent popular music as determined by ...
on November 22, 2016.
During a 2022 interview on ''
Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen
''Watch What Happens Live! with Andy Cohen'' (abbreviated ''WWHL'', previously named ''Watch What Happens Live!'') is an American pop culture-based late-night talk show hosted by Andy Cohen, that premiered on Bravo on July 16, 2009.
The show fea ...
'', English singer
Charli XCX
Charlotte Emma Aitchison (born 2 August 1992), known professionally as Charli XCX, is an English singer and songwriter. Born in Cambridge and raised in Start Hill, Essex, she began posting songs on Myspace in 2008, which led to her discovery ...
revealed that she was asked to be featured on the remix of "Slumber Party", but she had to turn it down due to the scheduling conflicts.
Composition
"Slumber Party" was written by
Mattias Larsson
Mattman & Robin is a Swedish songwriting and production duo composed of Mattias Per Larsson and Robin Lennart Fredriksson. They are published by Wolf Cousins, a publishing company administered by Warner Chappell Music.
In 2016, they won a Grammy A ...
,
Robin Fredriksson
Mattman & Robin is a Swedish songwriting and production duo composed of Mattias Per Larsson and Robin Lennart Fredriksson. They are published by Wolf Cousins, a publishing company administered by Warner Chappell Music.
In 2016, they won a Grammy A ...
,
Julia Michaels
Julia is usually a feminine given name. It is a Latinate feminine form of the name Julio and Julius. (For further details on etymology, see the Wiktionary entry "Julius".) The given name ''Julia'' had been in use throughout Late Antiquity (e.g ...
and
Justin Tranter
Justin Drew Tranter (born June 16, 1980) is an American songwriter, singer, and activist. Frequently co-writing with Julia Michaels, Tranter has written songs for artists such as Britney Spears, Gwen Stefani, Linkin Park, Kelly Clarkson, Selena ...
, with production being done by
Mattman & Robin
Mattman & Robin is a Swedish songwriting and production duo composed of Mattias Per Larsson and Robin Lennart Fredriksson. They are published by Wolf Cousins, a publishing company administered by Warner Chappell Music.
In 2016, they won a Grammy A ...
. Spears' vocals spans from the low note D
3 to the high note E
5. Mattman & Robin were also responsible for vocal production, along with
Mischke, as well as
programming, drums, percussion,
snap
Snap or SNAP may refer to:
Arts and entertainment
* ''Snap'', the original release title for the 2013 film ''Enter the Dangerous Mind''
*''Snap'' (TV series), a CITV programme
* ''The Stanly News and Press'', a newspaper in Albemarle, North Carol ...
s,
handclap
A clap is the percussive sound made by striking together two flat surfaces, as in the body parts of humans or animals. Humans clap with the palms of their hands, often quickly and repeatedly to express appreciation or approval (see applause), b ...
s,
synths
A synthesizer (also spelled synthesiser) is an electronic musical instrument that generates audio signals. Synthesizers typically create sounds by generating waveforms through methods including subtractive synthesis, additive synthesis and f ...
, guitars,
bass,
marimba
The marimba () is a musical instrument in the percussion family that consists of wooden bars that are struck by mallets. Below each bar is a resonator pipe that amplifies particular harmonics of its sound. Compared to the xylophone, the timbre ...
and
brass
Brass is an alloy of copper (Cu) and zinc (Zn), in proportions which can be varied to achieve different mechanical, electrical, and chemical properties. It is a substitutional alloy: atoms of the two constituents may replace each other with ...
. Michaels, on the other hand, provided background vocals. The song was recorded at 158 Studios, Westlake Village, California, Wolf Cousins Studios, Stockholm, Sweden, and at Conway Recording Studios, Los Angeles, California.
"Slumber Party" is a
reggae
Reggae () is a music genre that originated in Jamaica in the late 1960s. The term also denotes the modern popular music of Jamaica and its diaspora. A 1968 single by Toots and the Maytals, " Do the Reggay" was the first popular song to use ...
-
pop and
R&B track,
that lasts for three minutes and thirty-four seconds (3:34).
It has "a sinuous groove accented by brass and marimba",
"syncopated synths",
"cooing backing vocals" and percussion.
Its final chorus features "a bombastic
horn section
A horn section is a group of musicians playing horns. In an orchestra or concert band, it refers to the musicians who play the "French" horn, and in a British-style brass band it is the tenor horn players. In many popular music genres, the te ...
."
For Alex Macpherson of ''
The Guardian
''The Guardian'' is a British daily newspaper. It was founded in 1821 as ''The Manchester Guardian'', and changed its name in 1959. Along with its sister papers ''The Observer'' and ''The Guardian Weekly'', ''The Guardian'' is part of the Gu ...
'', the song "is reminiscent of Spears' 2003 album, ''
In the Zone
''In the Zone'' is the fourth studio album by American pop singer Britney Spears. It was released on November 12, 2003, through Jive Records. With the conclusion of her Dream Within a Dream Tour in July 2002 and the end of her relationship wit ...
''."
Lewis Corner of ''
Digital Spy
Digital Spy (DS) is a British-based entertainment, television and film website and brand and is the largest digital property at Hearst UK. Since its launch in 1999, Digital Spy has focused on entertainment news related to television programmes, ...
'' noted that the song has a '
Hotline Bling
"Hotline Bling" is a song recorded by Canadian rapper Drake, which serves as the lead single from his fourth studio album ''Views'' (2016). The song is credited as a bonus track on the album. It was made available for digital download on July 31 ...
'-style,
a statement that ''
Gay Times
''Gay Times'' (stylized in all caps), also known as ''Gay Times Magazine'' and as ''GT'', is a UK-based LGBTQ+ media brand established in 1975. Originally a magazine for gay and bisexual men, the company now includes content for the LGBTQ+ commu ...
'' Daniel Megarry and No Ripcord's Luiza Lodder agreed.
Lyrically, "Slumber Party" talks about
sex
Sex is the trait that determines whether a sexually reproducing animal or plant produces male or female gametes. Male plants and animals produce smaller mobile gametes (spermatozoa, sperm, pollen), while females produce larger ones (ova, oft ...
and was considered an "ode to
fornication
Fornication is generally consensual sexual intercourse between two people not married to each other. When one or more of the partners having consensual sexual intercourse is married to another person, it is called adultery. Nonetheless, John ...
" and making
sex tape
Amateur pornography is a category of pornography that features models, actors or non-professionals performing without pay, or actors for whom this material is not their only paid modeling work. Reality pornography is made porn that seeks to em ...
s,
where Spears uses an "euphemism for one-night stands",
while invoking the "ritual of sleepovers with friends"
and "the teenage game of
seven minutes in heaven
Seven minutes in heaven (or seven minutes in the closet) is a kissing party game mostly played at teenage parties. The game may also be played with a different duration.
The game
Two people are selected to go into a closet or other dark enclos ...
."
In the pre-chorus, she promises, "We ain't gonna sleep tonight",
while during the chorus, she sings, "We use our bodies to make our own videos/ Put on our music that makes us go fucking crazy, oh."
Critical reception
Alex Macpherson of ''
The Guardian
''The Guardian'' is a British daily newspaper. It was founded in 1821 as ''The Manchester Guardian'', and changed its name in 1959. Along with its sister papers ''The Observer'' and ''The Guardian Weekly'', ''The Guardian'' is part of the Gu ...
'' noted that "Slumber Party's high-school metaphor would probably seem odder coming from a singer of that age; Spears sings it with self-awareness and a thorough commitment to the role-play scenario."
Alim Kheraj of
Digital Spy
Digital Spy (DS) is a British-based entertainment, television and film website and brand and is the largest digital property at Hearst UK. Since its launch in 1999, Digital Spy has focused on entertainment news related to television programmes, ...
called it "dreamy and genuinely sexy, something that Britney hasn't truly been since ''
Blackout''. Kheraj also praised the "delightful" syncopated synths in the chorus" and "the surprising addition of a bombastic horn section in the final chorus", while remarking: "Similarly, the final chorus contains the best Britney ad-libs this side of 2003. Now, all they need to do is get Drake on a remix on this and we've got a smash on our hands."
Joe Pasmore of ''
Attitude
Attitude may refer to:
Philosophy and psychology
* Attitude (psychology), an individual's predisposed state of mind regarding a value
* Metaphysics of presence
* Propositional attitude, a relational mental state connecting a person to a pro ...
'' picked it as a highlight, declaring that "while sharing Britney's nostalgic flare,
tboast
modern production which brings the track firmly into 2016."
Josh Duboff of ''
Vanity Fair'' named it "a slinky, catchy jam",
Jonathan Riggs of ''
Idolator
An idolator is a practitioner of idolatry.
Idolater or Idolator may also refer to: Books
*''Os Idólatras'', 1968 Portuguese novel by Maria Judite de Carvalho Music
* Idolator (website), an American music blog
* ''Idolator'' (album), third album ...
'' labeled it "reggae-licious",
while Neil McCormick of ''
The Daily Telegraph
''The Daily Telegraph'', known online and elsewhere as ''The Telegraph'', is a national British daily broadsheet newspaper published in London by Telegraph Media Group and distributed across the United Kingdom and internationally.
It was fo ...
'' called it "effervescently catchy" and "a gem of slinky
TLC
TLC may refer to:
Arts and entertainment Television
* ''TLC'' (TV series), a 2002 British situational comedy television series that aired on BBC2
* TLC (TV network), formerly the Learning Channel, an American cable TV network
** TLC (Asia), an A ...
."
Stephen Thomas Erlewine of
AllMusic
AllMusic (previously known as All Music Guide and AMG) is an American online music database. It catalogs more than three million album entries and 30 million tracks, as well as information on musicians and bands. Initiated in 1991, the databas ...
cited "Slumber Party" as a "heavy-breathing come-on that never manage
to seem sexy despite the flood of innuendo."
Writing for ''
Drowned in Sound
''Drowned in Sound'', sometimes abbreviated to ''DiS'', is a UK-based music webzine financed by artist management company Silentway. Founded by editor Sean Adams, the site features reviews, news, interviews, and discussion forums.
History
''D ...
'', Russell Warfield opined that the song "has a shot of being Britney's first bona fide hit since '
Womanizer
Womanizer may refer to:
* "Womanizer" (term), a promiscuous heterosexual man
* "Womanizer" (song), a 2008 song by Britney Spears
* "Womanizer", a 1977 song by Blood, Sweat & Tears from '' Brand New Day''
* ''Womanizer'', a 2004 album by Absolute ...
' (2008)."
Michael Arceneaux
Michael Arceneaux (born April 12, 1984) is an American writer. He is the author of the 2018 essay collection '' I Can't Date Jesus'', a ''New York Times'' bestselling book. His second book is titled ''I Don't Want to Die Poor'' (2020).
Early l ...
of ''
Complex
Complex commonly refers to:
* Complexity, the behaviour of a system whose components interact in multiple ways so possible interactions are difficult to describe
** Complex system, a system composed of many components which may interact with each ...
'' simply said that the song "serves its purpose quite well", calling it "another danceable song."
Describing it as a sultry "pop take on Drake's smash hit Hotline Bling", Daniel Megarry of ''
Gay Times
''Gay Times'' (stylized in all caps), also known as ''Gay Times Magazine'' and as ''GT'', is a UK-based LGBTQ+ media brand established in 1975. Originally a magazine for gay and bisexual men, the company now includes content for the LGBTQ+ commu ...
'' remarked: "if this doesn't make your libido increase, nothing will."
John Murphy of ''
musicOMH
MusicOMH (stylized as musicOMH) is a London-based online music magazine which publishes independent reviews, features and interviews from across all genres including classical, metal, rock and R&B.
History
MusicOMH was founded and launched by ...
'' commented about its sexual lyrics, declaring that the song "still manages to possess a slightly illicit thrill."
Michael Smith of ''
Renowned for Sound
''Renowned for Sound'' is an Australian online magazine
An online magazine is a magazine published on the Internet, through bulletin board systems and other forms of public computer networks. One of the first magazines to convert from a pri ...
'' noted that the song "starts like Britney's sexier R&B songs, like 'Blur', but spins reggae into its chorus in a way that feels much on trend after
Gwen Stefani
Gwen Renée Stefani (; born October 3, 1969) is an American singer, songwriter, fashion designer and actress. She is a co-founder, lead vocalist, and the primary songwriter of the band No Doubt, whose singles include "Just a Girl", "Spiderwebs ...
's '
This Is What the Truth Feels Like
''This Is What the Truth Feels Like'' is the third studio album by American singer Gwen Stefani. It was released on March 18, 2016, by Interscope Records. Initially, the album was scheduled to be released in December 2014 with Stefani working wit ...
'."
Chart performance
"Slumber Party" debuted in France, in its original version, on the
Syndicat National de l'Édition Phonographique
The National Syndicate of Phonographic Publishing (french: Syndicat national de l'édition phonographique; SNEP) is the inter-professional organisation that protects the interests of the French record industry. Originally known under the acronym ...
chart at number 157.
A week later, it climbed to number 121.
In Spain, the song debuted at number 39, becoming Spears' sixth consecutive top-forty entry and Tinashe's first entry.
In Hungary, the song managed to debut inside the top-twenty, charting at number 13, becoming ''Glory'' second top-twenty single.
In the United States, "Slumber Party" debuted and peaked at number 86 on the
''Billboard'' Hot 100, with its music video generating "considerable weekly streaming activity", most precisely 3.8 million,
as well as receiving "chart points from sales and radio airplay".
It also became Spears' 36th Hot 100 entry and Tinashe's fourth.
On the
Pop Songs
Pop Airplay (also called Mainstream Top 40, Pop Songs, and Top 40/ CHR) is a 40-song music chart published weekly by ''Billboard'' Magazine that ranks the most popular songs of pop music being played on a panel of Top 40 radio stations in the Un ...
chart, the song debuted at number 39; Spears' 34th entry on the chart and Tinashe's third.
It later peaked at 27. It topped the
Dance Club Songs
Dance Club Songs is a chart published weekly by '' Billboard'' magazine in the United States. It is a national look over of club disc jockeys to determine the most popular songs being played in nightclubs across the country. It was launched as t ...
chart,
becoming the second single from ''Glory'' to do so, and Spears' overall 11th number one dance song on that chart. The single also entered at number 73 on the UK Singles Sales chart.
Music video
Background and development
The music video for the song was directed by
Colin Tilley
Colin Tilley (born June 27, 1988) is an American filmmaker, music video director, and television commercial director. Tilley is the CEO and owner of Boy in the Castle Productions. He has directed more than 300 music videos.
Tilley directed, pro ...
and was shot on October 25, 2016,
as Spears posted on her Instagram a photo of herself with
Tinashe
Tinashe Jorgensen Kachingwe ( ; born February 6, 1993), known mononymously as Tinashe, is an American singer, dancer, and actress. Born in Lexington, Kentucky, Tinashe moved to Pasadena as a child to pursue a career in entertainment. Her notab ...
on the music video's set.
Tinashe later shared the same photo, with the caption: "The face you make when the rumors are true and you collabed with your idol & basically your whole life is a dream so you keep it cute for Brit but inside you are wigless and dead."
Spears also posted a photo with her backup dancers and other with Tilley in the "purpley-blue room".
Lewis Corner of
Digital Spy
Digital Spy (DS) is a British-based entertainment, television and film website and brand and is the largest digital property at Hearst UK. Since its launch in 1999, Digital Spy has focused on entertainment news related to television programmes, ...
noted that "the visual looks set to be very seductive, with dimmed blue lights and provocative outfits."
During an interview for ''
Extra
Extra or Xtra may refer to:
Arts, entertainment and media Film
* ''The Extra'' (1962 film), a Mexican film
* ''The Extra'' (2005 film), an Australian film
Literature
* ''Extra'' (newspaper), a Brazilian newspaper
* ''Extra!'', an American me ...
''s
Mario Lopez
Mario Lopez (born October 10, 1973) is an American actor and television host. He has appeared on several television series, in films, and on Broadway theatre, Broadway. He is known for his portrayal of A.C. Slater on ''Saved by the Bell'', ''Sa ...
, Spears commented that the music video will be a younger version of
Stanley Kubrick
Stanley Kubrick (; July 26, 1928 – March 7, 1999) was an American film director, producer, screenwriter, and photographer. Widely considered one of the greatest filmmakers of all time, his films, almost all of which are adaptations of nove ...
's film ''
Eyes Wide Shut
''Eyes Wide Shut'' is a 1999 erotic mystery psychological drama film directed, produced, and co-written by Stanley Kubrick. It is based on the 1926 novella '' Traumnovelle'' (''Dream Story'') by Arthur Schnitzler, transferring the story's sett ...
'' (1999), adding: "It's a little risky. It's very sexy. It's very moody. It's fun!."
During an interview with
MTV
MTV (Originally an initialism of Music Television) is an American cable channel that launched on August 1, 1981. Based in New York City, it serves as the flagship property of the MTV Entertainment Group, part of Paramount Media Networks, a di ...
for
Snapchat
Snapchat is an American multimedia instant messaging app and service developed by Snap Inc., originally Snapchat Inc. One of the principal features of Snapchat is that pictures and messages are usually only available for a short time before the ...
, Spears added: "The vibe was what you see in the video. Amazing costumes, energy, dancing, and people. We were filming a music video that portrays an incredible party, and that's what it felt like on set."
The music video was released on November 18, 2016,
and premiered on
MTV
MTV (Originally an initialism of Music Television) is an American cable channel that launched on August 1, 1981. Based in New York City, it serves as the flagship property of the MTV Entertainment Group, part of Paramount Media Networks, a di ...
's Snapchat Discover page shortly before being posted on Spears' official
Vevo
Vevo ( , an abbreviation for "Video Evolution", stylized as VEVO until 2013) is an American multinational video hosting service, best known for providing music videos to YouTube. The service is also available as an app on selected smart TVs, di ...
and
YouTube
YouTube is a global online video platform, online video sharing and social media, social media platform headquartered in San Bruno, California. It was launched on February 14, 2005, by Steve Chen, Chad Hurley, and Jawed Karim. It is owned by ...
pages.
Synopsis
The video starts with Spears "roll
ngup to a giant mansion wearing a tiny red dress. Upon entering, she's greeted by flame throwers and a slew of people ready to get their freak on", as stated by a writer from
Fox News
The Fox News Channel, abbreviated FNC, commonly known as Fox News, and stylized in all caps, is an American multinational conservative cable news television channel based in New York City. It is owned by Fox News Media, which itself is owne ...
.
Later, she is "spotted by the master of the house, a guy with what appears to be a
David Bowie
David Robert Jones (8 January 194710 January 2016), known professionally as David Bowie ( ), was an English singer-songwriter and actor. A leading figure in the music industry, he is regarded as one of the most influential musicians of the ...
-esque lightning bolt on his face", as noted by the ''Billboard'' staff.
They continued: "Tinashe appears midway through the story dressed for the slumber party, and the pair get cuddly on a couch in negligee before instigating a sexy dance sequence."
They also "navigate rooms overflowing with bubbles, smoke and flashing lights."
During the video, Spears "changes into a series of sexy ensembles -- some black lingerie, and others puffy blue princess skirts",
as well as crawls across the table and "licks up spilled milk."
Reception
Cole Delbyk, writing for ''
The Huffington Post
''HuffPost'' (formerly ''The Huffington Post'' until 2017 and sometimes abbreviated ''HuffPo'') is an American progressive news website, with localized and international editions. The site offers news, satire, blogs, and original content, and ...
'', wrote that the video "saved 2016" and compared Spears' head-twirling and body-rolling to her 2001 "
I'm a Slave 4 U" video.
''
Billboard
A billboard (also called a hoarding in the UK and many other parts of the world) is a large outdoor advertising structure (a billing board), typically found in high-traffic areas such as alongside busy roads. Billboards present large advertise ...
'' Staff called the video "pure indulgence",
while Megan French of ''
Us Weekly
''Us Weekly'' is a weekly celebrity and entertainment magazine based in New York City. ''Us Weekly'' was founded in 1977 by The New York Times Company, who sold it in 1980. It was acquired by Wenner Media in 1986, and sold to American Media Inc ...
'' named it "too hot to handle."
Emilee Lindner of
Fuse
Fuse or FUSE may refer to:
Devices
* Fuse (electrical), a device used in electrical systems to protect against excessive current
** Fuse (automotive), a class of fuses for vehicles
* Fuse (hydraulic), a device used in hydraulic systems to protect ...
was extremely positive, writing: "It's hot. It's heavy. It's a Britney Spears video. It even has her recreating her '
Toxic
Toxicity is the degree to which a chemical substance or a particular mixture of substances can damage an organism. Toxicity can refer to the effect on a whole organism, such as an animal, bacterium, or plant, as well as the effect on a subst ...
' moves as she crawls toward the camera on a table."
Lewis Corner of
Digital Spy
Digital Spy (DS) is a British-based entertainment, television and film website and brand and is the largest digital property at Hearst UK. Since its launch in 1999, Digital Spy has focused on entertainment news related to television programmes, ...
considered it "easily one of the hottest of her career so far", adding that "the pair look absolutely flawless in the seductive visual."
For Zac Johnson of
E! News
''E! News'', previously known as ''E! News Daily'' and ''E! News Live'', is the entertainment news operation for the cable network E! in the United States. Its former on-air weekday newscast debuted on September 1, 1991, and primarily reports ...
, "Not since '
Boys
A boy is a young male human. The term is commonly used for a child or an adolescent. When a male human reaches adulthood, he is described as a man.
Definition, etymology, and use
According to the ''Merriam-Webster Dictionary'', a boy is "a ...
' has Britney made walking through party look like art", and also praised the chemistry between Spears and Tinashe, as well as the scene where Spears is "crawling across the table and licking up spilled milk."
''
Rolling Stone
''Rolling Stone'' is an American monthly magazine that focuses on music, politics, and popular culture. It was founded in San Francisco, San Francisco, California, in 1967 by Jann Wenner, and the music critic Ralph J. Gleason. It was first kno ...
'' review highlighted that "director Colin Tilley peppers in salacious moments in the video wherever possible."
Cady Lang of ''
Time
Time is the continued sequence of existence and events that occurs in an apparently irreversible succession from the past, through the present, into the future. It is a component quantity of various measurements used to sequence events, to ...
'' wrote that the "unabashedly 'pop' feel of the video brings to mind the Brit that we all knew and loved back during her heyday — that is to say that there's no shortage of body glitter, choreographed group dance routines, candy colored ensembles, and toned abs during this grown-up 'Slumber Party'."
Alexa Camp of ''
Slant Magazine
''Slant Magazine'' is an American online publication that features reviews of movies, music, TV, DVDs, theater, and video games, as well as interviews with actors, directors, and musicians. The site covers various film festivals like the New York ...
'' noted that the scene where Spears crawls on a dining room and licks spilled milk reminded her of a scene from
Madonna
Madonna Louise Ciccone (; ; born August 16, 1958) is an American singer-songwriter and actress. Widely dubbed the " Queen of Pop", Madonna has been noted for her continual reinvention and versatility in music production, songwriting, a ...
's 1989 video for '
Express Yourself.'"
Camp also stated that "the video employs sexuality—and homosexuality—purely for the benefit of the male gaze."
While naming it "a fun, outrageous, and expensive-looking clip", Anna Gaca of ''
Spin
Spin or spinning most often refers to:
* Spinning (textiles), the creation of yarn or thread by twisting fibers together, traditionally by hand spinning
* Spin, the rotation of an object around a central axis
* Spin (propaganda), an intentionally b ...
'' opined that the video is "miles better than the forced, brand-filled video for '
Make Me,' and the addition of Tinashe's vocals is enough to make you wonder why they ever released the song without her."
Live performances
Spears performed "Slumber Party" for the first time on her residency show,
Britney: Piece of Me, on November 16, 2016. On December 2, 2016, Spears and Tinashe performed the song for the first time at the
KIIS-FM Jingle Ball
The KIIS-FM Jingle Ball (also referred to as just Jingle Ball) is an annual concert produced by the Los Angeles radio station KIIS-FM that takes place in early-to-mid December. Since 2000, the concert series has been staged at various venues aro ...
. A day later, they reprised the performance at
99.7's Triple Ho Show. "Slumber Party" was also performed on the 2017
Britney: Live in Concert Asian tour, as well as on the
Piece of Me Tour
The Piece of Me Tour (also referred to as Piece of Me: Exclusive Limited Tour) was the tenth concert tour by American entertainer Britney Spears. Although it largely mirrors her Las Vegas residency, Britney: Piece of Me, which concluded in Dece ...
in 2018, which covered North America and Europe.
Track listing
* Remix EP
# "Slumber Party" featuring Tinashe (
Bad Royale
Bad Royale is an American DJ/production group consisting of Carlos Montes, Bruce Karlsson, Kevin Wild and Elias Ghosn. Karlsson was also a member of the electronic duo Norin & Rad.
Career
Bad Royale was formed on the summit of a mountain in Sou ...
Remix) – 3:12
# "Slumber Party" featuring Tinashe (Marc Stout & Scott Svejda Remix) – 3:52
# "Slumber Party" featuring Tinashe (Bimbo Jones Remix) – 3:54
# "Slumber Party" featuring Tinashe (Danny Dove Remix) – 3:40
# "Slumber Party" featuring Tinashe (Misha K Remix) – 3:35
Credits and personnel
Credits adapted from the liner notes of ''
Glory''.
Recording
*Vocals recorded at 158 Studios,
Westlake Village, California
Westlake Village is a city in Los Angeles County on its western border with Ventura County. The City of Westlake Village incorporated in 1981 becoming the 82nd municipality of Los Angeles County.Baker, Pam (2002). ''Thousand Oaks Westlake Vill ...
; Conway Recording Studios,
Los Angeles, California
Los Angeles ( ; es, Los Ángeles, link=no , ), often referred to by its initials L.A., is the largest city in the state of California and the second most populous city in the United States after New York City, as well as one of the world' ...
; and at Wolf Cousins Studios,
Stockholm, Sweden
Stockholm () is the capital and largest city of Sweden as well as the largest urban area in Scandinavia. Approximately 980,000 people live in the municipality, with 1.6 million in the urban area, and 2.4 million in the metropoli ...
*Mixed at MixStar Studios,
Virginia Beach, Virginia
Virginia Beach is an independent city located on the southeastern coast of the Commonwealth of Virginia in the United States. The population was 459,470 at the 2020 census. Although mostly suburban in character, it is the most populous city ...
Personnel
*
Britney Spears
Britney Jean Spears (born December 2, 1981) is an American singer. Often referred to as the " Princess of Pop", she is credited with influencing the revival of teen pop during the late 1990s and early 2000s. After appearing in stage productio ...
– lead vocals
*
Tinashe
Tinashe Jorgensen Kachingwe ( ; born February 6, 1993), known mononymously as Tinashe, is an American singer, dancer, and actress. Born in Lexington, Kentucky, Tinashe moved to Pasadena as a child to pursue a career in entertainment. Her notab ...
– guest vocals on remix
*
Mattman & Robin
Mattman & Robin is a Swedish songwriting and production duo composed of Mattias Per Larsson and Robin Lennart Fredriksson. They are published by Wolf Cousins, a publishing company administered by Warner Chappell Music.
In 2016, they won a Grammy A ...
– songwriter, producer, vocal production, vocal recording,
programming, drums, percussion,
snap
Snap or SNAP may refer to:
Arts and entertainment
* ''Snap'', the original release title for the 2013 film ''Enter the Dangerous Mind''
*''Snap'' (TV series), a CITV programme
* ''The Stanly News and Press'', a newspaper in Albemarle, North Carol ...
s,
handclap
A clap is the percussive sound made by striking together two flat surfaces, as in the body parts of humans or animals. Humans clap with the palms of their hands, often quickly and repeatedly to express appreciation or approval (see applause), b ...
s,
synths
A synthesizer (also spelled synthesiser) is an electronic musical instrument that generates audio signals. Synthesizers typically create sounds by generating waveforms through methods including subtractive synthesis, additive synthesis and f ...
, guitars,
bass,
marimba
The marimba () is a musical instrument in the percussion family that consists of wooden bars that are struck by mallets. Below each bar is a resonator pipe that amplifies particular harmonics of its sound. Compared to the xylophone, the timbre ...
,
brass
Brass is an alloy of copper (Cu) and zinc (Zn), in proportions which can be varied to achieve different mechanical, electrical, and chemical properties. It is a substitutional alloy: atoms of the two constituents may replace each other with ...
*
Julia Michaels
Julia is usually a feminine given name. It is a Latinate feminine form of the name Julio and Julius. (For further details on etymology, see the Wiktionary entry "Julius".) The given name ''Julia'' had been in use throughout Late Antiquity (e.g ...
– songwriter, additional background vocals
*
Justin Tranter
Justin Drew Tranter (born June 16, 1980) is an American songwriter, singer, and activist. Frequently co-writing with Julia Michaels, Tranter has written songs for artists such as Britney Spears, Gwen Stefani, Linkin Park, Kelly Clarkson, Selena ...
– songwriter
*
Mischke – vocal production
*Benjamin Rice – vocal recording
*Erik Beltz – recording assistant
*John Cranfield – engineer
*Serban Ghenea – mixing
*John Hanes – mixing engineer
Charts
Weekly charts
Year-end charts
Release history
References
{{Authority control
2016 singles
2016 songs
American reggae songs
Britney Spears songs
Music videos directed by Colin Tilley
Reggae fusion songs
Song recordings produced by Mattman & Robin
Songs written by Julia Michaels
Songs written by Justin Tranter
Songs written by Mattias Larsson
Songs written by Robin Fredriksson
Songs about parties
Tinashe songs
Female vocal duets