Britney Spears has reportedly sold the rights to some of her most popular songs.
The American singer, known for hits including Toxic and Oops!... I Did It Again, sold her ownership share of her catalogue to Primary Wave, a music publisher, according to legal documents obtained by TMZ.
Primary Wave is among the most prominent players in the catalogue-acquisition market, having bought rights from artists including The Doors, Johnny Cash, Stevie Nicks, Prince and Whitney Houston.
The company is known for finding ways to revive older songs such as through “flip camps” which allow songwriters to use the tracks to create new hits, according to the Hollywood Reporter.
The price paid by Primary Wave was not disclosed, though TMZ said it was comparable to Justin Bieber’s $200 million (£147 million) deal in 2023.
Spears, 44, launched her career as a child star on Disney and found worldwide fame at age 16 following the release of her hit debut song ...Baby One More Time.
With hits including Gimme More, Womanizer, Lucky and I’m A Slave 4 U, the “princess of pop” became one of the best-selling artists in history before a series of personal issues – including her widely reported break-up with Kevin Federline, high-profile custody battle and intrusions from paparazzi – led her to retreat from public life.
She last toured in 2008, the same year a Los Angeles court granted a controversial conservatorship that placed her family in charge of her financial and legal affairs, and meant she lost power to decide on many aspects of her career and life, allegedly including her reproductive choices.
The Primary Wave agreement adds to a growing list of commercial deals struck by Spears since she was released from that agreement in 2021 and regained control of her $60 million estate.
During the conservatorship and in the years since, she has used the social media platform Instagram, often sharing dance videos from her bedroom, which have at times triggered public concern for her mental health.
Some videos have shown her with mascara running down her cheeks, and she has been seen holding knives while staring into the camera. Others have highlighted her love of travel on private jets and stays in luxury villas, fuelling rumours about the pop star’s ability to manage her finances at a time she has been reported to owe the IRS more than $700,000 in taxes.
“People around Britney are seriously alarmed because this isn’t just about one tax bill or a bad month,” an insider told Radar in January. “The money has been flying out the door for a long time and it’s finally catching up with her.”
Recent deals have proved lucrative for the singer. In 2023, she published her widely discussed memoir, The Woman in Me, which reportedly earned her over $15 million in publishing advances alone.
She also sold rights to a film about her life to Universal Pictures reportedly for more than $10 million.
“Excited to share with my fans that I’ve been working on a secret project with #MarcPlatt. He’s always made my favorite movies … stay tuned,” Spears posted on X in August 2024.
The singer has also undertaken creative projects since her new-found freedom, including releasing Hold Me Closer, a duet with Elton John.
In an Instagram post in January, Spears said she hoped to perform in the UK “very soon” but ruled out ever performing in the US again due to “extremely sensitive reasons” which she did not elaborate on.
Spears and Primary Wave were approached for comment.