Celebrity Mound

The pop star announced the title of her seventh studio set via Twitter and posted the cover art, which, much like the artwork for her “Hold It Against Me Single,” is a sexy closeup shot of Spears against a neutral background.

The album is set for release on March 15. Its first single, “Hold It Against Me” reached No. 1 on the Billboard’s Hot 100 chart last month but quickly tumbled down the chart.

“I’ve poured my heart and soul into this album over the last 2 years,” Spears tweeted of “Femme Fatale.” “I’ve put everything I have into it. This album is for you, my fans, who have always supported me and have stuck by me every step of the way! I love you all!”

The ‘Womanizer’ hitmaker – who is to release her as yet untitled seventh studio album in March – is to open the prestigious awards ceremony on February 13 with her new number one hit single ‘Hold It Against Me’.

According to gossip website Bloginity.com, while the 29-year-old singer has been the subject of rumors surrounding the upcoming event for some weeks, this is the first time an official Grammys source has been able to confirm that she will be opening the ceremony.

The troubled star – who won the 2005 Best Dance Recording Grammy for ‘Toxic’ – released ‘Hold It Against Me’ earlier than initially planned on MP3 downloading service iTunes earlier in the month, and thanked fans for their support in sending it straight to the top of the charts.

She tweeted: “Don’t #HOLDITAGAINSTME for coming out early. I couldn’t wait any longer. Hope you don’t mind. Seriously, I have the best fans ever. I love you all so much!! Everything I do is for you! xoxo Brit.”

Britney joins the likes of rapper Eminem – who leads this year’s nominations with ten nods in ten categories – Lady Gaga, Katy Perry and indie group Arcade Fire, who have all confirmed they will also be performing at the event.

Britney Spears’ new album is slated for a March 15 release, according to a leaked one-sheet created by her label Jive Records that outlines the marketing campaign for the set. Jive confirmed to MTV News that the date listed on the sheet is accurate.

Also confirmed are various producers and songwriters who worked on the album, which still does not have a title. In addition to Dr. Luke and Max Martin — who together helmed lead single “Hold It Against Me” and are the album’s co-executive producers — Rodney Jerkins, R&B singer Avant, Stargate, Fraser T. Smith and Bloodshy are listed as collaborators.

Other details mentioned on the sales-solicitation sheet include a description of Britney’s highly-anticipated music video for “Hold It Against Me,” which debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 last week.

The one-sheet sums up the video as “a sexy, edgy dance piece directed by Jonas Akerlund and showing Britney at peak form and ability.”

Spears seventh studio album, the follow-up to 2008′s “Circus,” will be available in both standard and deluxe versions, according to the sheet, with the latter including additional liner booklet pages and three or four extra tracks.

Fans can also expect “a major TV event to launch the album,” worldwide online contests and a “LGBT/lifestyle campaign” to market it to fans.

Spears’ manager, Adam Leber, recently spilled a few details involving her photo shoot for the album via Twitter, describing the shoot as “pure glam.” Fans should be on high alert for another leak, as Leber added, “Photos are nothing less than spectacular. We’ll share some soon.”

The star of Britney Spears’ brand new single, “Hold It Against Me,” isn’t the pop tart herself. It’s a burning, pulsing swath of synthesizer that oscillates throughout the track and pulls you into the chorus. It may be nothing but a gimmick, but it’s the kind that can’t help but make you move.

That’s a good thing considering “Hold” means to be a dance-ready club song, one that conforms to current trend on the pop charts. The focus also clicks because it allows the song to sidestep the cipher at its center. (That would be Britney).

Ms. Spears has two long time collaborators to thank for this act of synth-pop camouflage: Max Martin and Dr. Luke.

“Hold It,” which makes its debut Tuesday at midnight on radio and on iTunes, serves as a first tease of Ms. Spears’ new CD, which arrives sometime in March. That as-of-yet untitled work will be her first since “Circus” two years ago.

Though that album marked a minor comeback for the singer by featuring far more appealing material than her aptly named “Blackout” from 2007, Spears has never fully recovered from her fall-from-grace some years back. Her “Circus” tour found her looking zombie-like and the album of the same name sold modestly by her standards (1.7 million).