Circus (Song)

Circus is a song by American pop recording artist Britney Spears from her sixth studio album of the same name. It was released on December 2, 2008, by Jive Records as the second single from the album. The song was produced and co-written by Dr. Luke and Benny Blanco. When Spears first listened to the track, she felt inspired to create an album and a tour with a circus theme. Musically, "Circus" is a pop song with influences of R&B and an electronic sound. The lyrics talk about Spears's abilities as an entertainer and compares them to performing in a circus. "Circus" has received positive reviews from music critics, with most reviewers praising the song's production. The track has achieved commercial success as well, reaching the top ten in Australia, Canada, Denmark, New Zealand, Sweden and the United States. The song also reached the top twenty in many European countries. It sold 5.5 million copies worldwide, becoming the tenth best selling digital single of 2009. The music video was directed by Francis Lawrence and premiered on December 4, 2008. The video features Spears as the ringleader of a circus and received positive reviews from critics.