Britney Spears' iconic 'I'm a Slave 4 U' routine was built on creative instinct, according to choreographer Brian Friedman. Looking back 25 years after the song's release in an exclusive interview with PEOPLE, he has recalled how he and Wade Robson shaped the dance around Spears, then 19, and why the process felt so special.
Friedman credits some of that ease to what he calls 'healthy delusion': trusting your ideas instead of second-guessing every move. He believes that this confidence helped make the choreography work.
What Made the Process Magical
Friedman was just 23 when he worked on the project, but was already collaborating with major stars. 'I remember the process was easygoing. It flowed really fast,' he recalled. Friedman said the work felt natural, with the team moving quickly rather than getting caught up in doubts.
These days, Friedman says he spends more time weighing up his decisions and questioning his ideas. But back then, he was more willing to trust what he was creating rather than worry about getting every detail perfect. 'Healthy delusion where you think everything you do is going to be epic and you don't second-guess things,' he said. 'And I think that was why it was so magical.'
'Unstoppable' at 19
Friedman was all praises about Spears, describing her as a performer who was already at the top of her game at 19. 'Britney in 2001 was unstoppable,' he said. 'She was the best of the best. She was on top of the world, which is crazy to think that. She was 19 years old. She was just a baby at that time.'
Released on 24 September 2001 as the lead single from her third studio album, Britney, 'I'm a Slave 4 U' marked a shift from the brighter pop sound of earlier hits such as '...Baby One More Time' and 'Oops!... I Did It Again'. The track introduced a more sensual sound as Spears explored a different direction in her career.
Directed by Francis Lawrence, the music video showed Spears dancing in a crowded setting alongside other performers. Its distinctive styling, humid atmosphere and demanding choreography presented a more mature side of the singer.
The Secret to the Iconic Dance Revealed
For the music video, Friedman wanted the routine to feel less like a sequence of rehearsed moves and more like Spears was finding her own rhythm. The aim was to create a performance that looked spontaneous without sacrificing precision.
'With me, she didn't really choreograph, but she knew how to make things look her own,' Friedman said. That approach put Spears, rather than the mechanics of the choreography, at the centre of the performance. The routine complemented the video's more mature tone while retaining the energy that had helped make her a pop star.
Friedman's career has since taken him on to work with artists including Beyoncé, Janet Jackson, Rihanna, Lady Gaga and Pink. Beyond 'I'm a Slave 4 U', he has continued to collaborate with Spears on routines for 'Toxic', 'Overprotected', 'Hold It Against Me' and 'Till the World Ends'.
Twenty-five years on, the routine remains a defining moment in Spears' career. According to Friedman, its magic came from trusting his instincts and giving the singer room to make the choreography her own. Sometimes, the secret to an iconic dance is knowing when to stop thinking and let the star take over.
