Britney Spears underwhelms in MTV awards comeback
Singer Britney Spears performs during the 2016 MTV Video Music Awards August 28, 2016 at Madison Square Garden in New York. AFP
Pop princess Britney Spears took to the 2016 MTV Video Music Awards stage Sunday in a raunchy but flat comeback performance that failed to impress her critics.
Spears, at the VMAs for the first time in nearly a decade, followed a 16-minute set by Beyonce Knowles that brought the house down at New York’s Madison Square Garden and was always going to struggle to match up.
Wearing a glittering metallic yellow bodysuit and supported by backup dancers dressed in black and white, she performed her new single “Make Me…” with rapper G-Eazy.
Despite grinding up against the 27-year-old Californian and even appearing to grope him at one point, the response on Twitter to her performance was underwhelming, with critics pointing out her lip-synching appeared way off.
“That performance was a hot mess. That outfit she was wearing made her look like a banana,” one said.
“Whatever the hell that was it was awful. Who thought she could follow Beyonce? #britney goodbye” tweeted another.
The singer had turned heads on the red carpet earlier in the evening in a one-shouldered, figure-hugging LBD with a revealing slit to the hip and black heels.
“So ready for this night #VMAs,” she tweeted alongside a backstage photo holding a champagne flute.
The “Toxic” singer admitted earlier this week she was nervous to make her return to the VMAs after a much-criticized last appearance in 2007.
Many fans pointed out however that Spears has given the VMAs some of their most iconic moments, including strutting on stage with a live python in 2001 and sharing a steamy kiss with Madonna in 2003.
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