What do the songs “Umbrella”, “L’Envie” and “Happy” have in common? Initially, they were not intended for Rihanna, Johnny and Pharrell Williams (in order). Indeed, the first had been proposed to Britney Spears, the second had been written by Jean-Jacques Goldman for Michel Sardou, and the third had been imagined for Cee-lo Green.
These are not the only titles initially intended for artists, before becoming hits thanks to other singers and singers. Madonna’s career exploded with “Holiday”, her first hit, which was first offered to Michael Jackson, Patti Labelle, Phyllis Hyman and Mary Wilson. Just that.
Neither ‘Baby One More Time’ nor ‘Toxic’ were for Britney
If Britney Spears refused “Umbrella”, she also missed out on “Telephone”, written by Lady Gaga, who finally interpreted it in duet with Beyoncé. But Brit-Brit didn’t just miss opportunities, she started her career with songs that other artists had turned down. “Baby One More Time”, the singer’s first hit, was composed for the female R&B group TLC. “I was like, ‘I like the song, but do I think it’s a hit? Do I think it’s TLC?“ I’m not saying “hit me baby”. No disrespect to Britney,” T-Boz explained in an interview with MTV News. Britney Spears also picked up the song “Toxic” after it was offered to Kylie Minogue. Good game.
Read also: The evolution of Britney Spears over the years
