Critically under-appreciated teen icon decides third album needs less twee songs with Godawful lyrics and more mature, edgy backing tracks. Enlists highly regarded production team, raids Prince's lists of discarded song titles and finally realises that whiney is out.

Yes, thanks in a very large part to Kelis' mates The Neptunes, Britney's latest single I'm A Slave 4 U is more Destiny's Child than Debbie Gibson. Understated instruments, blips and effect-heavy percussion; and talk-singing banging on about people going on about how young she is make for a distinctly un-Swedish experience. In its own little way, it's even quite... funky. Gasp!

It passes the "can I sing the ...Baby One More Time lyrics over the top" test, too, being nothing like her older material. A good thing, I'm sure you'll agree. Buy it for your kid sister and MP3 it.

I wonder if Prince will sue...