As long as “leaks” have existed, unaltered and unflattering vocal tracks recorded by non-beloved female singers have fallen into the hands of the general public. (Just ask Linda McCartney.) Today, Britney Spears joins that club with her unpolished, unflattering, and AutoTune-free version of “Alien,” a track off her last record, Britney Jean. On the cut, Spears comes off flat and affectless—though it’s worth noting that the track’s producer, William Orbit, says the vocals aren’t from a “final take,” but rather a “vocal warm-up.” As Orbit notes on his Facebook page,
“Warming up is essential if you’re a pro, as it is with a runner doing stretches, and it takes a while to do properly. I’ve heard all manner of sounds emitted during warmups. The point is that it is not supposed to be shared with millions of listeners. A generous singer will put something down the mic to help the engineer get their systems warmed up and at the right level, maybe whilst having a cup of herb tea and checking through lyrics before the session really kicks off. It’s not expected to be a ‘take’.”
All that being said, the track exists and everyone’s still going to listen to it, so here it is.