‘You want a hot body?’ Britney demands over a typically thumping beat courtesy of Max Martin. ‘You want a Lamborginhi, sipping martinis, look hot in a bikini? You better work, bitch!’ Britney states unashamedly – she didn’t get that way by pigging out on junk food like she did back in her dark time in 2006-7. The song’s barely 20 seconds young before she’s declaring ‘Work Bitch,’ domineeringly. It’s rare to hear such command and presence from Spears. Her personality devoid 2011 album Femme Fatale delivered lazily put together singles and a high level of detachment between the towering Britney Bitch persona and Spears herself. ‘Work Bitch’ already sounds ten times more confident and determined than Femme Fatale’s lead ‘Hold It Against Me’ did back in January 2011.
Of course nobody could accuse Spears of stripping things back. She hasn’t done that since 2004’s ‘Everytime’ instead opting for her now characteristic icy, heavily-autotuned monotone, but somehow it works with the soaring synths and pounding beats. At the 2:50 mark the song reaches its real stride with the soaring bridge. ‘I am the Bad Bitch,’ she warns, reminding the new generation of popstars – K-Pez, RiRi and Gaga – that she paved the way for them all. ‘Keep it building, higher and higher,’ she cries as the bridge keeps on rising and soaring toward ethereal EDM-perfection.
There’s also a touch of the tongue in cheek Britney that hasn’t been seen since 2007’s ‘Piece Of Me’ as Spears taunts the listener to ‘Go Call the Po-Lice, Go Call the Guv-anah,’ in the weird British drawl that she rocked on dance-smash ‘Scream & Shout’ last year. ‘Work Bitch’ is full of everything that Britney Spears has been about for the past ten years in pop music, and the confidence and character that’s been so lacking in her previous efforts is massively welcome. After ‘Work Bitch’, it can no longer be denied that Britney is back.