Britney Spears releases a song recorded with Justin Timberlake/ The song was kept in the archive for 25 years

Britney Spears will release the song “She’ll Never Be Me,” recorded in 2001 with Justin Timberlake but left off the final version of the album “Britney.” The track will be included on the anniversary edition of the artist’s third studio album, scheduled for release on November 6, 25 years after the album’s original release.

The song was partly written by Timberlake, who also contributed backing vocals. It was produced by Alex Greggs, known as Riprock. The producer explained that the track was not removed because the record label considered it unsuitable, but because the album’s team chose other songs they regarded as stronger.

The anniversary edition of “Britney” will contain five additional tracks. The original album featured hits such as “I’m a Slave 4 U,” “Overprotected” and “I’m Not a Girl, Not Yet a Woman.” Timberlake also contributed to the making of the song “What It’s Like to Be Me.”

The release is bringing renewed attention to the collaboration between the two artists, who were in a relationship from 1999 to 2002. Spears later described the impact of the breakup in her 2023 autobiography, “The Woman in Me.” The song’s release does not, however, represent the artist’s official return to the music industry.