Britney Spears' "Perfume" may be the singer's favorite song on the album, but the heart-wrenching ballad failed to live up to industry expectations, receiving mediocre reviews and only peaking at No. 76 on the Billboard Hot 100. Now, however, Britney Jean single No. 2 has gotten a new acoustic mix from Ms. Spears and the song's writer, Sia, and with a stripped down take, "Perfume" gets a spritz of fresh air.
The acoustic take (which dropped last week as a part of "Pop Goes Live") begins with a bare piano backing before Spears breaks through with the track's vaguely insecure, honest lyrics.
Even though the production on the Britney Jean album version of "Perfume" isn't super heavy, it does enough to mask Spears' vocals, and on the acoustic version, she truly gets the opportunity to shine and showcase her singing ability, which is rarely seen.
Sia, who also penned "Perfume" duets with Spears during some of the song's key moments and also gets a turn on the chorus. Her vocals are a little more raw that Spears', but she gives a heightened sense of emotion for the track.
The true shining moment of the acoustic "Perfume" is when Sia sings winding backup vocals, circling around Spears during the final chorus.
All in all, the acoustic take on "Perfume" is a needed improvement on the otherwise tepid ballad.
Listen to the new version of "Perfume" below:
