“She’s Not Well”: Britney Spears Faces Backlash After Saying She Will Never Perform In The U.S. Again

Jason Sargent Friday, January 9, 2026

- - “She’s Not Well”: Britney Spears Faces Backlash After Saying She Will Never Perform In The U.S. Again

Marina UrmanJanuary 10, 2026 at 2:34 AM

Britney Spears announced that she will never set foot on a stage in the United States again due to “extremely sensitive reasons.”

In a candid Instagram post, the Princess of Pop also addressed her freestyle dancing videos, which often leave fans concerned about her mental health.

This year marks a decade since Britney’s last studio album, Glory. She last performed live in the US in October 2018, closing her Piece of Me tour in Texas.

Britney Spears has teased new shows but clarified that she’ll “never perform in the US again”

Image credits: Getty/Tim Mosenfelder

The Grammy winner had been scheduled to perform in Las Vegas in 2019 for a residency titled Domination. However, she ultimately postponed the project and stepped away from performing indefinitely due to family matters.

“It’s important to always put your family first… and that’s the decision I had to make,” she explained at the time.

In her latest post on Thursday (January 8), the Toxic hitmaker shared a throwback photo of herself sitting beside a white piano during a performance at the 2002 American Music Awards.

Image credits: Getty/Anthony Harvey

In the caption, she revealed that she has not retired from the stage yet and is planning to perform overseas.

“I will never perform in the US again because of extremely sensitive reasons, but I hope to be sitting on a stool with a red rose in my hair, in a bun, performing with my son… in the UK and AUSTRALIA very soon,” Britney wrote.

“He’s a huge star and I’m so humbled to be in his presence!!! God speed, little man!!!”

Britney’s decision to exclude the US from her future performances with her son drew criticism

Image credits: frankmicelotta/britneyspears

She also shared that she was sending the white Yamaha piano in the photo to her son.

The pop star did not clarify which son she was referring to, but she has previously gushed about the musical abilities of her youngest, Jayden.

Britney shares two children, Sean Preston and Jayden, with her ex-husband, dancer Kevin Federline.

In the comments, many fans expressed confusion and anger over why Britney would not perform in her home country but was open to singing abroad.

Image credits: britneyspears

“What did the US do to her?” one user asked on X.

“Why avoid US shows when fans still support her?” echoed another.

“The US took away her autonomy through a conservatorship, forced her to work, controlled her body and finances,” one fan replied.

“I don’t think it was the US, but her dad,” suggested someone else.

Regarding the possibility of Britney performing in the UK and Australia, one netizen wrote, “She’s not well, so I doubt it.”

Some have suggested that trauma related to her strict conservatorship may explain her decision

Image credits: britneyspears

Others reacted enthusiastically to the news, expressing, “I hope she gets to do it under her own terms and feels happy and safe to perform!”

Between 2008 and 2021, Britney was under a strict conservatorship led by her father, Jamie Spears, which gave him extensive control over her assets and aspects of her daily life, including being forced to have an IUD (intrauterine device) inserted

Kevin Federline held primary custody of his and Britney’s sons while she was under the legal arrangement.

Image credits: www.facebook.com

Image credits: britneyspears

Jamie petitioned a Los Angeles court to place his daughter under a conservatorship following her hospitalizations and rehab stints in early 2008.

Speaking in court in 2021, Britney described the conservatorship as “ab*sive,” adding, “I shouldn’t be in a conservatorship if I can work and provide money [for] other people.”

While under the conservatorship, the star released four studio albums, served as a judge on The X Factor, and performed in a Las Vegas residency.

The pop star has raised concern in recent months due to freestyle dance videos filmed at her home

Image credits: britneyspears

She testified that her father “works me so hard” and claimed that he threatened to “punish” her if she disobeyed him.

In recent months, the mom of two has alarmed fans with videos showing her dancing in a disheveled state around her home.

Fans have also expressed concern about the seemingly unhygienic condition of her home, speculating that it could be a sign of her fragile mental health.

Britney explained that dancing helps her heal mental health issues that “people have no idea about”

Image credits: Getty/Kevin Kane

Britney previously wrote on Instagram, where she posts the dancing videos, that she is not interested in people’s “concern or pity”

In her latest post, the 44-year-old addressed the online commentary again, explaining, “Interestingly enough, I dance on IG to heal things in my body that people have no idea about.”

She added, “Yup and it’s embarrassing sometimes… but I walked through the fire to save my life.”

Social media users reacted to the news of Britney performing live again after eight years