Toxic (song)

"Toxic" is a song by American singer Britney Spears, released as the second single from her fourth studio album, In the Zone (2003). It was written and produced by Bloodshy & Avant, with additional writing from Cathy Dennis and Henrik Jonback. 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 strings, sampled from the 1981 Bollywood song "Tere Mere Beech Mein" by Laxmikant–Pyarelal. The lyrics of "Toxic" draw an extended metaphor of a lover as a dangerous and addictive drug. "Toxic" received acclaim from 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 only Grammy win of Spears' career. The song charted at number one in Australia, Canada, the Czech Republic, Hungary, Ireland, Norway, Peru, Portugal, Scotland, and the United Kingdom. Joseph Khan directed an accompanying music video, which includes references to Blade Runner, The Seven Year Itch and John Woo films. It features Spears as a secret agent who poisons her boyfriend, and includes scenes of Spears naked with diamonds on her body. Following the Super Bowl XXXVIII halftime show controversy, the video was deemed too racy for MTV and was moved to late-night programming. Spears has performed "Toxic" in live appearances, including the 2004 NRJ Music Awards and three of her concert tours. It was the opening number of the Onyx Hotel Tour (2004), where she sang atop a bus wearing a black catsuit. Spears also performed remixed versions of "Toxic" at the Circus Starring Britney Spears (2009), the Femme Fatale Tour (2011) and Britney: Piece of Me (2013). "Toxic" has been covered by artists such...