Pop sensation Britney Spears, in what seemed like a routine update about her musical pursuits, has inadvertently set the internet abuzz with whispers of a potential jab at fellow artist Selena Gomez.
In a recent Instagram post, Spears showcased a snapshot from one of her past music videos and announced her return to songwriting with the track titled "Hate You To Like Me". Without a hint of malice, she clarified, "No beef with anyone ... just being a narcissist in a claimed, self-entitled way!!! It's to accumulate interest by giving ego with my eyes closed because I hear important people do that these days."
Yet, the similarity of Spears' newly christened track to Gomez's chart-topping song "Lose You To Love Me" didn't escape the sharp eyes and ears of netizens. Promptly, a user queried, "Is she shading Selena again? Lose you to love me/hate you to like me?" Another lamented, "Britney Spears can't enjoy her memoir and all the praise she's getting... she just had to find a way to insult Selena somehow."
This isn't the first time the "Toxic" singer has been under the spotlight for allegedly throwing subtle hints at Gomez. Rewind to October 2022, Spears appeared to critique Gomez's collaborative "Ice Cream" music video with Blackpink. Alluding to the video, Spears remarked, "So the next time I see someone with a big budget video sucking on lollipops yet giving righteous speeches shaming other women for exposing their bodies, I would like to tell those people don't be a hypocrite as you suck on your lollipop having HUGE budget dreams..."
Spears subsequently shared a detailed post outlining her perspective on "women judging other women for their own rights in expressing themselves".
However, it's essential to note that many fans are cautioning against reading too much into the situation. Several supporters underscored that mere semblance in song titles doesn't necessarily equate to shade. A user opined, "Just bec Britney Spears posted lyrics kinda mimicking Selena Gomez song does not mean it's a shade for her. I believe she is using Sel's song title as an inspiration to shade someone." Also, adding to the mix, Gomez was present and in good spirits at Spears' wedding to Sam Asghari last year.
With the spotlight firmly on the two pop icons, only time will tell if Spears' track has any underlying messages or if it's merely a case of inadvertent overlap in the vast realm of pop music.
