Britney Spears Just Released a 2001 Song She Wrote With Justin Timberlake

Two years ago, Britney Spears announced her intention to "never return to the music industry," and to this point, she has remained firm in that decision. Earlier this year, she took significant steps by selling the rights to her music catalog to independent music publisher Primary Wave for an undisclosed amount. However, fans eager for new music from the pop icon can now enjoy "She'll Never Be Me," an unreleased track co-written with Justin Timberlake in 2001.

The song was initially recorded for her third studio album, Britney, which is set to celebrate its 25th anniversary this year. Ultimately, "She'll Never Be Me" was left incomplete and omitted from the final album tracklist in favor of other songs. This track features production by Alex Greggs, also known as Riprock 'n' Alex G, and showcases a funky, unpredictable sound that distinctly embodies the early 2000s pop landscape.

In 2022, Greggs discussed the song's history on The Original Doll podcast. "The song didn't go on the album not because the label didn't like it. There was just way better stuff to go with," he explained. Among the standout tracks on the album was Spears’ hit "I'm a Slave 4 U," along with iconic songs like "Overprotected," "I'm Not a Girl, Not Yet a Woman," and "Lonely." Notably, the deep cut "What It's Like to Be Me" was also co-written and co-produced by Timberlake.

Timberlake contributed background vocals to "She'll Never Be Me," enhancing the song's dynamic interplay between their voices. "Sometimes people don't hear Justin's voice until I tell them. I said, 'You don't hear that Justin's in the back?'" Greggs remarked. "They blend in there very well together. It's kind of a shame that they never really got to do more. It would have been cool to have that kind of sweetheart duet." At that time, NSYNC was still enjoying significant success. "It wasn't the right time," Greggs noted. "But if they continued to be together, I'm sure it would have happened, and it would have been a really cool thing."

In her 2023 memoir, The Woman in Me, Spears reflected on the end of her relationship with Timberlake, describing the breakup as "devastating" and revealing that she contemplated stepping away from her music career altogether. The couple dated from 1999 until 2002, but the actual reason for Spears' withdrawal from the music industry was unrelated to Timberlake.

In 2021, Spears was freed from a 14-year conservatorship that had placed multiple aspects of her life—ranging from her finances to her career—beyond her control. Following the dissolution of this court-supervised arrangement, the pop star expressed, "Not doing my music anymore is my way of saying 'Fuck You,' in a sense when it only actually benefits my family by ignoring my real work."

The 25th anniversary edition of Britney is scheduled for release on November 6, featuring five additional songs, including "She'll Never Be Me."