Britney Spears' music video split egos

Oct 5, 2007, 11:00 GMT

Vintage Brit: US pop star Britney Spears performs on stage in Oberhausen, Germany, 28 May 2004 during her European \'The Onyx Hotel Tour\'. Troubled pop star Britney Spears was ordered 02 October 2007 to relinquish custody of her two toddlers to former husband Kevin Federline. EPA/ACHIM SCHEIDEMANN

Britney Spears plays a pole dancing brunette and an innocent blonde in her 'Gimme More' video.

The troubled singer appears all in black, with a tattoo on her bicep and ripped fishnet stockings, as she dances erotically around a pole for her role as 'Bad Britney'.

In some scenes she dances alone, while in others she is joined by several scantily dressed women.

'Good Britney', complete with a blonde wig, looks on innocently and giggles nervously as she watches the provocative routines.

The 25-year-old star chose first-time director Jake Sarfaty for the project, which was shot over two days.

Her record label, Jive, revealed the video was entirely Britney's "concept and her vision".

Although critics say the choreography isn't mind-blowing, they admit it's a huge improvement on Britney's performance of 'Gimme More' at last month's MTV Video Music Awards, where she danced awkwardly and unenthusiastically around the stage.

Meanwhile, Jive has defended Britney's recent erratic behaviour, saying she faces huge challenges in her life.

In a statement to Us Weekly magazine, the label said: "Jive is enormously excited about Britney's new album, and we're confident that it will secure her reputation as one of the great recording artists of her time.

"There's no question that when performers attain the level of celebrity that Britney has, they tend to be treated by the press and public as if they were cartoon or soap-opera characters, and we forget that they're actually human beings.

"Britney is a grown woman who makes her own choices, and we respect that. But she faces challenges that most of us can't really imagine."

(C) BANG Media International