Britney Spears has sold her music catalog, though the details of the sale are unclear.
USA TODAY has learned that Spears, 44, sold her catalog to music publisher Primary Wave.
Citing legal documents dated December, TMZ was first to report on Tuesday, Feb. 10, that the pop star sold her ownership stake in her catalog, which includes hits such as “Toxic” and “Baby One More Time.”
USA TODAY has reached out to Spears’ representatives and Primary Wave for comment.
Primary Wave owns the catalogs of many music legends, including Bob Marley, Stevie Nicks, Prince and Whitney Houston.
Spears’ music discography helped define pop music at the turn of the millennium before she largely retreated from the spotlight after her 2016 album, “Glory.” Her career hiatus coincided with the termination of her conservatorship – which lasted nearly 14 years – in November 2021, following a case that brought intense scrutiny to her personal life and troubled past and also prompted a movement led by longtime fans.
In 2022, she released the upbeat collaborative track “Hold Me Closer” with Elton John, and in 2023, she dropped “Mind Your Business” with Black Eyed Peas rapper Will.i.am.
Britney Spears says she will never perform in US again
Reports of the catalog sale follow Spears’ recent vow about future performances.
“I will never perform in the U.S. again because of extremely sensitive reasons,” Spears, who last toured the nation in 2018, wrote in a Jan. 8 Instagram post. “But I hope to be sitting on a stool with a red rose in my hair, in a bun, performing with my son … in the UK and Australia very soon.”
Spears shares sons Sean, 20, and Jayden, 19, with ex-husband Kevin Federline. In October, Federline published his memoir titled “You Thought You Knew,” which delved into the former couple’s three-year marriage, divorce and custody battle over their children.
Spears has not offered further details on upcoming live performances in either the United Kingdom or Australia, and there are no announcements on her official website or other social media pages.
Contributing: Edward Segarra, USA TODAY