Toxic is a song recorded by American singer Britney Spears for her fourth studio album, In the Zone (2003). It was written and produced by Bloodshy & Avant, with additional contributions from Cathy Dennis and Henrik Jonback
Toxic was initially offered to Kylie Minogue for her album Body Language, but she turned it down. A dance-pop and techno-pop song with elements of South Asian music, Toxic features varied instrumentation, such as drums, synthesizers and surf guitar. It is accompanied by breathy vocals and high-pitched Bollywood strings. Its lyrics draw an extended metaphor of a lover as a dangerous and addictive drug. Toxic received widespread acclaim from music critics, who praised its hook and chorus with many deeming it among the highlights of the album. It won Best Dance Recording at the 47th Annual Grammy Awards, marking the first Grammy win of Spears' career. The song was a worldwide success, topping the charts in eleven countries including Australia, Canada, Hungary, Ireland, Norway and the United Kingdom, and reached the top five in fifteen countries. In the United States, it became her fourth top-ten single, peaking at number nine. The accompanying music video was directed by Joseph Kahn and includes references to Blade Runner, The Seven Year Itch and John Woo films. It features Spears as a secret agent.
Bloodshy & Avant are a Swedish songwriting and production duo consisting of Christian "Bloodshy" Karlsson and Pontus "Avant" Winnberg. They have worked with many prominent artists, including Britney Spears, Kylie Minogue, Ms. Dynamite, Madonna, Jennifer Lopez, Katy Perry, Christina Milian, Sky Ferreira, Hikaru Utada and BoA. In addition to their production work, Karlsson and Winnberg are also members of the synth-pop group Miike Snow, alongside lead vocalist Andrew Wyatt.
Britney Jean Spears (born December 2, 1981) is an American singer and songwriter. Often referred to as the "Princess of Pop", she is credited with influencing the revival of teen pop during the late 1990s and early 2000s. Spears has sold over 100 million records worldwide, including over 70 million in the United States, making her one of the world's best-selling music artists. She has earned numerous awards and accolades, including a Grammy Award, 15 Guinness World Records, six MTV Video Music Awards, seven Billboard Music Awards (including the Millennium Award), the inaugural Radio Disney Icon Award, and a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. Her heavily choreographed videos earned her the Michael Jackson Video Vanguard Award.
