(Gottwald, Kronlund, Martin, Sebert) Album: Till the World Ends – Single / Till the World Ends (The Femme Fatale Remix) – Single / Femme Fatale
“Till the World Ends” is an uptempo electropop song that is built more like a sports arena anthem. Spears’s second single from Femme Fatale became the album’s biggest and most durable hit, and its now iconic autotuned “whoa oh oh oh” chants in the chorus sound like a call to arms for the fierce and fabulous, summoning everyone directly to the dancefloor. Singer-songwriter Kesha, who had her own breakthrough with 2009’s “Tik Tok,” helped penned the apocalyptic track, adding to the indelible mark she had already left on the world of dance-pop. The pulsing bass and the spazzy synths build set the tone, as Britney delivers staccato directives. Her vocals then roll over the building beat at the bridge before jumping into a full on rallying cry at the chorus backed by electro-claps. The song’s greatest achievement is holding out until after the second chorus to launch into the euphoric middle eight: “See the sunlight/We ain’t stoppin’/Keep on dancing till the world end!” It’s a climax to match the energy the song promises. As excellent as the song already was, the powerhouse “Femme Fatale Remix” that unites Spears with Nicki Minaj and songwriter Kesha elevates the song to a whole new level of explosiveness. Minaj delivers her best guest verse since “Monster,” Kesha leads us through the first two choruses, and Spears’s vocals sound as punchy as ever on the dubstep infused beat. (Dubstep became something of a theme during the Femme Fatale era). The music video is something of a sequel to 2001’s aesthetically and thematically similar “I’m a Slave 4 U.” The video shows Spears leading an underground club through some dance routines while the apocalypse unfolds above them. The video netted the “Best Pop Video” award at the Video Music Awards in 2011, continuing MTV’s belated appreciation of her work in the medium that, to be frank, was long overdue. Few pop stars can claim continuing relevance well over a decade into their careers. With “Till the World Ends,” Spears proved herself capable of making a splash on the charts and across pop culture, delivering one of her most enduring and anthemic tracks, and the perfect finale for The Femme Fatale Tour and all concerts to come.
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