The critics are already lending their forecasts on how Britney Spears’ highly anticipated Vegas residency (which kicks off today) will pan out.
Indeed, the trek – titled ‘Piece of Me’ – is being hailed by some as a triumphant return to form for the once vibrant pop star with some evidence being found in recent videos like moderate hit ‘Work B*tch’ and its follow-up documentary ‘I Am Britney Jean’.
Others, like revered New York magazine pop critic Jody Rosen, are not so easily convinced. Claiming the venture is a “risky gamble” with fear the former chart titan will not be able to consistently draw crowds, Rosen took to her pad to impart thoughts that didn’t quite sit so well with members of #BritneyArmy.
See them below:
“No one’s going there expecting to see Beyoncé,” says Rosen, adding that fans have learned to manage expectations when it comes to Spears’ live capabilities. “The largest challenge is, if it flops, there’s a narrative of, ‘She’s flopping again. Her album flopped and then this Vegas (show) was a disaster,’ and then that makes her look even more out of it than she already does.”
*****
Bill Werde (of Billboard.com) counters Rosen’s claims however. He’s quoted:
“Literally three weeks ago, you could go online and find chatter of how Beyoncé was doing everything wrong. Today, she’s the woman who saved the music business,” Werde says. “You can never take an artist like Britney and assume that because one album didn’t sell, she won’t be on top of the world again in two months or two years or at any point. There’s a genuine interest in Britney Spears on the part of many pop-music fans, and I think most people will welcome any future successes from her.”