celeb news Lizzo: Britney is a Janet impersonator

[Daniiel]

I hadn't paid much attention in my life to Janet since I missed her peak (too young), even during nipplegate, but I was previously a Britney Stan. 
 

One day at gay bar, this Janet video came on and my first thought was that it was such a Britney rip off  then I realized this was probably older than whenever Britney started being heavily "inspired" by it. The hair, the choreo, the dancers, Britney took it all. Did Britney at least credit Janet for her co-opting everything?! 

 

 

 

[boys]

1 hour ago, Daniiel said:

I hadn't paid much attention in my life to Janet since I missed her peak (too young), even during nipplegate, but I was previously a Britney Stan. 
 

One day at gay bar, this Janet video came on and my first thought was that it was such a Britney rip off  then I realized this was probably older than whenever Britney started being heavily "inspired" by it. The hair, the choreo, the dancers, Britney took it all. Did Britney at least credit Janet for her co-opting everything?! 

 

 

 

You were a Britney stan but don't know Britney always praises Janet for how she inspires her openly?

[BionicWooHoo]

1 hour ago, Jay07 said:

I see we conveniently moved on from the industry plant thing.

 

95% machine made? Literally what? I guess they had invented AI back in 2000 huh?

 

Delusional. It's been 25 years, stop embarrassing yourself. 

What more is there to say? Do you want me to write a thesis about the term industry plant just as a rebuttal to you using your Wikipedia definition of industry plant? Its giving white woman uses dictionary definition of racism to fit her narrative. A manufactured pop act with no talent = industry plant. End of story. 

Anyways, speaking of the next 25 years, I'm looking forward to seeing you in the next Christina thread! I'm sure you will have positively glowing things and not hateful things to say about her on ATRL. 

[Jay07]

1 minute ago, BionicWooHoo said:

What more is there to say? Do you want me to write a thesis about the term industry plant just as a rebuttal to you using your Wikipedia definition of industry plant? Its giving white woman uses dictionary definition of racism to fit her narrative. A manufactured pop act with no talent = industry plant. End of story. 

Anyways, speaking of the next 25 years, I'm looking forward to seeing you in the next Christina thread! I'm sure you will have positively glowing things and not hateful things to say about her on ATRL. 

Words have meanings and they are not what you make up in your head. Industry plant literally means someone who pretends to be indie when they're backed by a major, not someone who you deem to not have enough talent. Alternative facts is what is Trumpian here, I fear.

 

I'm not interested in your victim complex. Deal with that on your own time and not in a Britney thread.

[Jeremiah]

11 hours ago, Phaunzie said:

 

 

Sis, it has been documented that Jive Records wanted to make an American Robyn, who Jive used as the blueprint of Britney's early albums. It is common knowledge and easily researchable. I love Britney but she was Robyn down during her early albums. The dances were Janet coded, like you can't be serious if you think the Janet influence wasn't first thing to come to mind when you look at the BHMOMT MVs. Something that Britney is more than happy let world know about. 

 

Also how is it disrespectful, when it is a fact. Like, Britney has artistry, but her first three albums were crafted after Robyn and Janet. The teen pop/ r&b from Robyn sound & the way it was used definitely can be found in Britney's debut album. Like, Show Me Love has been confused by Britney Army as a Britney Spears song. Even going out of their way to call it a Demo for Britney Spears Also who do you think give Max Martin his first hit in the U.S.A, it was Robyn with Show Me Love which peaked at 14.  Like, Max Martin would be scouted by Jive to produce Baby after Robyn rejected their offer..

"It has been documented" and your source is a video by "Trash Theory". Very fitting.

 

Every record label signs an artist with expectations. The quote by Clive Calder on that video comes from the book The Song Machine by John Seabrook, in the very same chapter where he calls Britney the next Debbie Gibson. Seems to me that they just wanted a young pop girl. Actually, Steve Lunt (Jive A&R) says exactly that in the podcast The Original Doll (min 52:35). It's interesting though because according to the book (and Lunt confirms it again in the podcast), Britney was shown Robyn's "Show Me Love" music video and called it boring and said what she'd do instead: dancing (and wear a miniskirt). That's when, as I said previously, they learned about her passion for dancing and entertaining, key factors in her brand and success.

 

As a reminder, Britney got a contract with Jive after singing Whitney Houston songs, but with a clause that could cancel the deal in three months if they didn't feel it was working. Britney recorded with Eric Foster White, and after covering "You Got It All" by The Jets, she secured a deal. The music of Britney's early albums is not Robyn's copyright. As I already said, it's signature Cheiron Studios, or are you going to call Backstreet Boys, NSYNC, Solid Harmonie, 5ive, as Robyn inspired acts too? Since we can't assign the sound to Robyn, what else from her Britney was "based" on? They don't share image, dancing skills, performance style... Is it really all because they were female teenagers? You now mention how Janet-coded BOMT is... Isn't it contradictory to the initial "Robyn copy" claim?

 

I've been a longtime fan and your post is the first time that I've read the suggestion that "Show Me Love" sounds like a Britney demo. That song btw wasn't Max Martin's first hit in the US:

"Beautiful Life" by Ace Of Base, peaked at #14 in Dec 1995

"Do You Know (What It Takes)" by Robyn, peaked at #7 in Aug 1997

"Quit Playing Games (With My Heart)" by Backstreet Boys, peaked at #2 in Sept 1997

"Show Me Love" by Robyn, peaked at #7 in Nov 1997 (not #14, another wrong fact)

 

You know what's factual, common knowledge and easily researchable? That Britney is result of her own vision and artistry:

 

Martin Dodd, Senior VP of A&R for Zomba Europe:

Quote

How did you come up with the whole staging of her?
 

"We often sit down and define the universe before we start. With Britney, it was something about American culture. But because it's seen from the outside – since you're not American – it gets a little exaggerated. Especially with '... Baby One More Time', which was just so super American, which I almost think you can only do if you're not American. But she came up with the schoolgirl uniform herself. Completely. She's controlled her entire image from the start. She's been playing the game since she was a little girl."

 

Source

Jeff Fenster, Head of A&R in Jive Records:

Quote

It's amazing that you discovered & signed Britney Spears. How did this happen?

 

In 1995, Larry Rudolph, [who is now Britney's manager] was her lawyer at the time. He sent me a cassette of one song by a songwriter he repped and Britney was singing on the demo. There was something about her voice that caught my attention. Larry also sent me this promotional photo card which had pictures of Britney sitting on a picnic basket and wearing jean shorts; she definitely had a special look. I flew Britney and her mom to New York, and she performed a little showcase in the conference room at Jive. Because she didn't have material yet, we signed her to a development deal.

Soon after, we put her into the studio with [writer/producer] Eric Foster White in New Jersey. We also had a relationship with [writer/producer] Max Martin due to his work with the Backstreet Boys. Max came to New York, I left him and Britney alone to talk, and the rest is history. Max then went back to Sweden, and called me to say he had a song which he originally wrote for TLC on the shelf, and thought it might be good for Britney. It turned out to be "…Baby One More Time". As soon as we heard it, we knew the song was great and that it would be a hit, but we didn't realize how huge it would become until after the video was filmed. The whole concept in the video, with Britney wearing a schoolgirl outfit and dancing in the locker room was Britney's idea. We looked at the video and said, 'Holy ****!  We've got something here'. I worked with Britney on her first album, and the making of the second album.

 

Source

In the Original Doll podcast with Steve Lunt as guest that I linked above, he also deepens on the early development of Britney as an artist, how involved and "part of it" she was, and debunks myths about alleged manufactured aspects of Britney such as her image and the "baby voice".

 

Edited yesterday at 12:48 AM by Jeremiah

[Daniiel]

2 hours ago, boys said:

You were a Britney stan but don't know Britney always praises Janet for how she inspires her openly?

*Used to be, really. Still love her though (at a distance). Just read over the thread and I'm happy to see Brit always gave her flowers 

Just heard Janet's Control in full for the first time ever, and damn, the influence on Britney Janet had, I never fully realized. Brit kinda ripped her singing style from Britney-blackout tbh

This one must have been big on Britney's vocal inspiration board:

 

 

[shayne]

She kinda spilled the tea and the Madonna stans get so pressed about it. I-

 

[BionicWooHoo]

5 hours ago, Jay07 said:

Interesting.

https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.loudandquiet.com/short/just-what-is-an-industry-plant-anyway/amp/

 

Literally the first result on Google. I can't believe I have to endure refreshing this decrepit website to entertain the delusions of someone trying to cope with accusations that only make sense in their heads. Britney doesn't write her own songs because she only writes 20% and not 60% and she doesn't sing on her own songs because she uses stylistic effects. Jesus, the second hand embarrasment. 

 

2 hours ago, Jay07 said:

Words have meanings and they are not what you make up in your head. Industry plant literally means someone who pretends to be indie when they're backed by a major, not someone who you deem to not have enough talent. Alternative facts is what is Trumpian here, I fear.

 

I'm not interested in your victim complex. Deal with that on your own time and not in a Britney thread.

Ironic. But please, do tell, quote the specific post i made in which i victimize myself. 

[Jay07]

52 minutes ago, BionicWooHoo said:

 

Ironic. But please, do tell, quote the specific post i made in which i victimize myself. 

Oh changing the subject again I see. 

 

Sadly, you and your quarter century raging about Britney's success still isn't the topic of this thread. Look up the term industry plant and learn how to use it properly.

[BionicWooHoo]

2 hours ago, Jay07 said:

Oh changing the subject again I see. 

 

Sadly, you and your quarter century raging about Britney's success still isn't the topic of this thread. Look up the term industry plant and learn how to use it properly.

"There seem to be two definitions that are the most widely accepted. The first is that an industry plant is anyone that a record label heavily promotes through means like social media, memes, advertisements, brand deals and more...Prior to social media, the industry plantwas typically an artist that was snatched up from humble beginnings, given an extreme makeover, and molded into the ideal pop star. In a lot of cases the artist was already working in the industry in some capacity, but the label expedites their rise to stardom and rolls them out quickly. The industry plant is a product from start to finish, and is manufactured to sell a fantasy that will in turn sell records."

 

 

[modeblock]

Britney is/was clearly mainly inspired by 

 

1. Janet 

2. Michael

3. Madonna 

4. Prince

 

in that order. She studied and stanned the greats of her time and made her own lane guided by their inspiration, but she did NOT replicate or copy their art, which is what impersonating means, Lizzard. 

Edited 5 hours ago by modeblock
fatphobia

[Jay07]

5 hours ago, BionicWooHoo said:

"There seem to be two definitions that are the most widely accepted. The first is that an industry plant is anyone that a record label heavily promotes through means like social media, memes, advertisements, brand deals and more...Prior to social media, the industry plantwas typically an artist that was snatched up from humble beginnings, given an extreme makeover, and molded into the ideal pop star. In a lot of cases the artist was already working in the industry in some capacity, but the label expedites their rise to stardom and rolls them out quickly. The industry plant is a product from start to finish, and is manufactured to sell a fantasy that will in turn sell records."

 

 

So let me get this straight. In order to refute the definition of industry plant that has been established for decades, you had to find a clickbait video by naomi cannibal that characterizes literally every artist signed to a major label who have their image shaped by professionals as an industry plant. Ironically, Janet falls much more into this category as she had already released two flop albums before she got signed to A&M, was marketed as edgy and empowered and hit it big. Even more ironically, Britney was in charge of shaping her own image against the wishes of her label that wanted to turn her into a kiddie artist.

 

How long did you search for this video? Aren't you embarrassed? I mean considering you're still trolling Britney Spears in 2025 and saying having effects on your voice (again, something literally every artist under the sun does) means you don't sing on your own songs, apparently you're not. Imagine trawling the internet for hours only to end up having to cite naomi cannibal as your source. What's next, necki menij? Btw, waiting on a timestamp for a verification on that citation.

 

Gosh this is so pathetic.

Edited 19 hours ago by Jay07

[Youngbae]

On 4/4/2025 at 3:20 AM, JO1s said:

I mean I stan Japanese idols mainly, and the Japanese idol industry was a thing long before Britney even debuted.

Yes but you can't deny the K-pop influence as the driving force of this new J-idol renaissance. Before PD48 the future was looking rather bleak outside of the 46/Johnny's franchise. I mean, you stan JO1, after all.

[JO1s]

9 minutes ago, Youngbae said:

Yes but you can't deny the K-pop influence as the driving force of this new J-idol renaissance. Before PD48 the future was looking rather bleak outside of the 46/Johnny's franchise. I mean, you stan JO1, after all.

And they're just claiming back what was there's SM credited Johnnys ent for the creation of their idol system.

[Youngbae]

2 hours ago, JO1s said:

And they're just claiming back what was there's SM credited Johnnys ent for the creation of their idol system.

In a way, yes. I'm not saying that one thing is better than the other but this new wave of J-idols is a lot more influenced by the K-pop system, you can't deny that.

[Robyn.]

On 4/4/2025 at 7:03 PM, PopThatCorn said:

Where is the lie though?

 

Britney herself has literally said time and time again how nearly every project she does is inspired by Janet.

 

Obviously with time she carved out more of an identity for herself, especially by the In The Zone era. But even later projects had direct references to Janet and even the producers she worked with on Blackout (Danja) are MASSIVE Janet fans and cite her as their biggest influence. 

 

Britney is an icon in her own right and "impersonator" is harshly worded but let's be real, she reheated Janet's nachos enough times to burn down a Mexican restaurant. 

I've noticed how Janet fans use Britney's popularity to give Janet more credit than she has...  

 

Is Britney inspired by Janet? Absolutely. Just like every pop girl ever has influences.

But to say Britney reheated Janet's nachos is crazy?  

 

Sonically speaking, they have NOTHING in common...  

Would have Janet sung BOMT? Oops? Lucky? Womanizer? Circus? etc. 

 

Like they are so different in so many ways more than they have similarities. 

[Robyn.]

22 hours ago, Daniiel said:

I hadn't paid much attention in my life to Janet since I missed her peak (too young), even during nipplegate, but I was previously a Britney Stan. 
 

One day at gay bar, this Janet video came on and my first thought was that it was such a Britney rip off  then I realized this was probably older than whenever Britney started being heavily "inspired" by it. The hair, the choreo, the dancers, Britney took it all. Did Britney at least credit Janet for her co-opting everything?! 

 

 

 

This is such a cheap-looking video, i'm screaming  the low quality green screens and tacky 2D animations... 

 

are y'all for real? Britney has outdone this video easily before. 

 

[SinnerCity]

Not that deranged individual trying to change history again.



Maybe they need to download Travel Town and stop bothering us

 

[PopThatCorn]

5 hours ago, Robyn. said:

I've noticed how Janet fans use Britney's popularity to give Janet more credit than she has...  

 

Is Britney inspired by Janet? Absolutely. Just like every pop girl ever has influences.

But to say Britney reheated Janet's nachos is crazy?  

 

Sonically speaking, they have NOTHING in common...  

Would have Janet sung BOMT? Oops? Lucky? Womanizer? Circus? etc. 

 

Like they are so different in so many ways more than they have similarities. 

Saying Janet and Britney have nothing in common sonically is basically trolling.

 

- Anticipating (bop) is a straight rehash of All For You

- Slave 4 U was written for and recorded by Janet before Britney

- Boys also originally written for Janet

- My Big Secret (unreleased Brit song) also offered to Janet

- Toxic was originally intended for Janet to sing during the writing process

- Touch Of My Hand was described by Britney as similar to Janet: "I like to compare it to 'That's the Way Love Goes,' kind of a Janet Jackson thing."

- Break The Ice bridge starts with Britney saying "I like this part" a reference to Nasty's bridge when Janet says "I could learn to like this"

 

They both have soft voices with heavy emphasis on breathy vocals so uh yeah, I can very easily imagine Janet singing Britney's non-teen pop songs?

 

Y'all can hate on Lizzo without lying about Janet.

[modeblock]

3 minutes ago, PopThatCorn said:

Saying Janet and Britney have nothing in common sonically is basically trolling.

 

- Anticipating (bop) is a straight rehash of All For You

- Slave 4 U was written for and recorded by Janet before Britney

- Boys also originally written for Janet

- My Big Secret (unreleased Brit song) also offered to Janet

- Toxic was originally intended for Janet to sing during the writing process

- Touch Of My Hand was described by Britney as similar to Janet: "I like to compare it to 'That's the Way Love Goes,' kind of a Janet Jackson thing."

- Break The Ice bridge starts with Britney saying "I like this part" a reference to Nasty's bridge when Janet says "I could learn to like this"

 

They both have soft voices with heavy emphasis on breathy vocals so uh yeah, I can very easily imagine Janet singing Britney's non-teen pop songs?

 

Y'all can hate on Lizzo without lying about Janet.

100% agreed, Britney is a Janet daughter, and saying otherwise is ridiculous. I guess it's more obvious to people like me who stanned Janet Jackson (and her other influences) before I knew what a Britney Spears was. They share a ton of similarities, but Britney clearly developed her own unique artistry, which is why calling her an impersonator is highly insulting imo. I would say tho that without the Jacksons, there is no Britney. And that's how art continues to evolve across generations, and it's a beautiful process - not a co-opting and stealing of others that some paint it out to be. 

[Robyn.]

7 minutes ago, PopThatCorn said:

Saying Janet and Britney have nothing in common sonically is basically trolling.

 

- Anticipating (bop) is a straight rehash of All For You

- Slave 4 U was written for and recorded by Janet before Britney

- Boys also originally written for Janet

- My Big Secret (unreleased Brit song) also offered to Janet

- Toxic was originally intended for Janet to sing during the writing process

- Touch Of My Hand was described by Britney as similar to Janet: "I like to compare it to 'That's the Way Love Goes,' kind of a Janet Jackson thing."

- Break The Ice bridge starts with Britney saying "I like this part" a reference to Nasty's bridge when Janet says "I could learn to like this"

 

They both have soft voices with heavy emphasis on breathy vocals so uh yeah, I can very easily imagine Janet singing Britney's non-teen pop songs?

 

Y'all can hate on Lizzo without lying about Janet.

Janet HAS literally a whisper-ish type of singing while Britney has a very symbolic baby voice… NO, they have NOTHING similar going on sonically lmfao…

 

and not you bringing up Slave 4 U, are u aware that it's a common practice to offer songs to several artists before it lands to one? Umbrella was offered to Britney before Rihanna. Does Rihanna own Britney a career? Y'all just goofy and ignorant. 
 

As for Toxic, it was also offered to Kylie Minogue, and Boys was offered to Michael Jackson first… ONCE AGAIN, common practice to offer songs in the industry when they get rejected… 

[ricardoazevedo]

36 minutes ago, PopThatCorn said:

- Toxic was originally intended for Janet to sing during the writing process

No, it was for Kylie minogue.

[PopThatCorn]

3 hours ago, Robyn. said:

Janet HAS literally a whisper-ish type of singing while Britney has a very symbolic baby voice… NO, they have NOTHING similar going on sonically lmfao…

 

and not you bringing up Slave 4 U, are u aware that it's a common practice to offer songs to several artists before it lands to one? Umbrella was offered to Britney before Rihanna. Does Rihanna own Britney a career? Y'all just goofy and ignorant. 
 

As for Toxic, it was also offered to Kylie Minogue, and Boys was offered to Michael Jackson first… ONCE AGAIN, common practice to offer songs in the industry when they get rejected… 

There's a difference between writing a song and then pitching it to various artists and actually writing a song FOR somebody.

 

Do you understand for over a decade Janet wrote her songs and 99% of the time only collaborated with two people- her husband Rene and producer Jimmy Jam. She didn't believe in looking or purchasing songs being pitched to her. In the early 2000s she changed her mind regarding collaborating and reached out to the Neptune's who then created those songs tailored to what they thought would make sense for her album.

 

Why do you think Boys repeatedly uses the word "nasty" in the lyrics... it's referencing Janet's song Nasty and the iconic line "Miss Jackson if you're nasty". Seriously were you born yesterday?

 

Regarding Toxic, Janet and Cathy Dennis had a meeting and discussed Janet's current musical project (Damita Jo). Cathy agreed to contribute to the album, traveled to Sweden and Toxic was the FIRST song she began writing after she spoke to Janet. So yeah, the song may never have existed without Janet and at the very least, it was intended for Janet to sing. And yet you claim Janet couldn't sing.... Britney's songs...

 

Straight from Cathy Dennis talking about the writing process for Toxic:

 

Quote

"That was written in Sweden with [Christian Karlsson and Pontus Winnberg] and Henrik Jonback. I went over there to write with Janet Jackson in mind," explained Dennis.

 

"I was there for about ten days in total. I'd had a meeting with Janet, I think in London, but it may have been in New York. I thought I'd have a go at writing something that would work for her."

 

Dennis elaborated that while the song was intended for Janet, it remained unfinished during the writing camp, with a trio of other tracks being completed instead.

 

"We did have this song Toxic, though," Dennis continued. "It was started on day one of seven… then took part of day two to try to finish it. And because I couldn't quite finish it, I said: 'Look, let's start on something else.' So we wrote another three songs that week and in my spare time while I was in my hotel room I was very busy editing my lyrics on Toxic. Eventually on day seven, which was the day I was flying back to England, I had run out of time."

Janet would go onto work with Cathy Dennis on the Damita Jo album track Island Life, while Toxic was then passed up on by Kylie Minogue, who Cathy had worked with on Can't Get You Out of My Head.

[theweekend]

the way everyone and janet is about to terminate lizzo. love it

[Hector]

9 minutes ago, PopThatCorn said:

Why do you think Boys repeatedly uses the word "nasty" in the lyrics... it's referencing Janet's song Nasty and the iconic line "Miss Jackson if you're nasty". Seriously were you born yesterday?

"Boys" sounds way more like this song than "Nasty" though: