#SHOWBIZ: Britney Spears releases long-lost song co-written with ex Justin Timberlake

Los Angeles, US pop sensation Britney Spears has unveiled She ll Never Be Me, a previously unreleased track she co-wrote with her ex-boyfriend Justin Timberlake while they were dating. The song, initially recorded for Spears' 2001 third studio album Britney, was omitted from the final tracklist and will now debut as part of the album's 25th anniversary edition release on November 6.

Timberlake, formerly of boy band *NSYNC, is listed as a co-composer and co-lyricist alongside Spears and longtime collaborators Bradley Daymond and Alex Greggs, professionally known as Riprock & Alex G. Timberlake also contributed background vocals, which have reignited interest in the former couple's musical partnership. Spears and Timberlake dated for around three years before parting ways in 2002.

Greggs, in a 2022 interview on The Original Doll podcast, explained the song's absence from the original album, stating it wasn't due to label disapproval but rather the presence of better material. He praised Timberlake's contribution, noting their voices harmonized well. Greggs speculated that a potential duet between the pair might have occurred if they had remained together, expressing regret over the missed opportunity.

The anniversary edition will also include four other unreleased tracks and a full version of Right Now (Taste the Victory), originally intended for Spears' 2002 Pepsi commercial.