u/irIangeI

On James Rodriguez's podcast "The Original Doll", Rodriguez often hosts Steve Lunt, Britney's A&R from Jive Records since 1998 to 2005 (for younger fans, A&R person used to be label's person running album production and recording, from logistics to sound direction and making sure the artist stayed on brand)

In the latest episode, Lunt dishes on Mona Lisa and The Original Doll. As you know, Britney very unconventionally appeared on KISS FM and played a Mona Lisa demo while announcing it as her new single from the upcoming album The Original Doll. She stated the album was half-way done and will probably be released towards the summer of 2005.

Later on, Jive Records released a statement completely opposing Britney, stating there is no album being recorded and Mona Lisa won't be distributed as a single.

Lunt now explains the background of what happened.

● The album "was not a reality", at least not for the label. He says the whole thing was "kind of bizzare" because he was trying to assemble the process of recording a new record since Onyx Tour was cancelled (Greatest Hits was a Plan B).

● Britney was not "co-operating" with the label regarding THEIR process of starting-up an album production BUT she was writing and recording "unofficially" with people the label had nothing to do with.

● Lunt believes, as Britney was pushing for more independence and artistry in her work, that she was "juiced up" by her Onyx band members (also Mona Lisa co-writers) into thinking she could go further with it and do an album on her own. Lunt believes these people had "ulterior motives", mainly getting out there as songwriters and producers on Britney's music.

● Lunt left Jive by the end of 2005 but throughout that year, Britney never officially plugged in with the label on writing new material that would be supervised by them.

Source