Michelle Williams’s narration of Britney Spears’s memoir is going viral. An audiobook expert explains why her performance is a hit.

Michelle Williams’s narration of Britney Spears’s memoir is going viral. An audiobook expert explains why her performance is a hit.

The audio version of Britney Spears’s book The Woman in Me, narrated by actress Michelle Williams, is earning rave reviews — and rightly so. The My Week With Marilyn actress dives into the memoir’s various roles as she brings her voice down to a whisper, uses it for emphasis or even adopts different affectations when playing the singer and her family members, Justin Timberlake, Mariah Carey and more.

You can hear Williams smiling as she tells us that Spears’s great-grandmother Lexie Pierce was “wicked beautiful.” And you can feel the author’s pain when Williams reads about the Louisiana native coping with her father’s alcoholism during her childhood or problems in her relationship with Timberlake.

Speaking of the former NSync star, Spears shares intensely emotional stories, yes, but also a funny one that Williams elevates to hilarious. In a moment that’s gone viral, Williams imitates him when he “tried too hard to fit in” with Black artists such as Ginuwine.

The highlight of my week has been Michelle Williams impersonating Britney Spears, impersonating Justin Timberlake’s blaccent when he met Ginuwine. https://t.co/zdZ437RdR7

— Steve Weinstein (@steveweinstein) October 27, 2023

Michele Cobb, the executive director of the nonprofit Audio Publishers Association, tells Yahoo Entertainment that a veteran, acclaimed actress like Williams was a good match for Spears’s book.

“She understands how to inhabit and play different characters,” Cobb says. “And when you are reading the book and you are reading all of the parts, you have to be able to play those different characters, have an emotional connection to those different characters and be able to — frankly, it’s kind of an amazing thing — slide from one character into the next instantaneously.”

It’s that connection between the narrator and audience, she says, that makes for a successful audiobook in the growing industry. Publishers’ revenue from audiobooks has seen double-digit growth for the past 11 years, including 10% in 2022, boosting it to $1.8 billion, according to a 2023 survey commissioned by APA.

Actors such as Williams have spent years doing precisely what is needed, and they regularly step in to narrate such works. “It’s really very recent that celebrities have been narrating their own audiobooks… and it’s not everyone’s skillset,” Cobb says. “It is hard to read an audio book. It’s physically taxing. It’s emotionally taxing, especially if it’s your own story and you’re dealing with some trauma. So having someone else read it who can be a little personally removed and a good performer could actually be a better listening experience.”

In Spears’s case, she gives a short introduction at the top of the book, in which she explains that “Reliving everything that you’re about to hear has been exciting, heart-wrenching and emotional, to say the least.”

That’s why it’s Williams and not the Grammy winner who delivers the other lines, some of which have been discussed on social media.

At one point, Williams makes her voice sassy when referring to Spears’s estranged younger sister, Jamie Lynn Spears, as “a total b****.”

Williams also briefly portrays Mariah Carey, as Spears recalls taking a photo with the singer, who’s gone on to become one of her supporters.

Michelle Williams needs an AWARD for this Britney audiobook okay?!
Her mimicking THE Mariah Carey has me weak okay?!
What has me more weak is this is also how I would feel too meeting Mariah Carey. pic.twitter.com/z4fMuciUAM

— Niccara. (@niccaracampbell) October 24, 2023

The Recording Academy, the organization that presents the Grammys, confirms that Williams is eligible for the category of Best Audio Book, Narration & Storytelling Recording at the 67th annual Grammy Awards in 2025. A win would put her on the path to securing an EGOT, since she already has an Emmy, and the other trophies aren’t out of the question. The Dawson’s Creek alum has received one nomination for a Tony and five nods for an Oscar.

The Woman in Me is available at bookstores or wherever you get your audiobooks.

You can view the original article HERE.

Kim Kardashian Shows Off Long Legs in Revealing Skirt on ‘All’s Fair’ Set
Kim Kardashian Shows Off Long Legs in Revealing Skirt on ‘All’s Fair’ Set
Original ‘Wheel of Fortune’ Host Chuck Woolery Dead at 83
Original ‘Wheel of Fortune’ Host Chuck Woolery Dead at 83
‘Wicked’ Moviegoers Dress Up in Outfits Inspired by Characters
‘Wicked’ Moviegoers Dress Up in Outfits Inspired by Characters
Khalid Comes Out As Gay, Says He Was Outed
Khalid Comes Out As Gay, Says He Was Outed
Ted Danson Stars in Lovely, Moving “A Man on the Inside” | TV/Streaming
Ted Danson Stars in Lovely, Moving “A Man on the Inside” | TV/Streaming
Every ‘Karate Kid’ Actor Who Came Back for ‘Cobra Kai’
Every ‘Karate Kid’ Actor Who Came Back for ‘Cobra Kai’
The Finale Sets Up a Wild Season 2
The Finale Sets Up a Wild Season 2
Black Harvest Film Festival 2024: A Reflection of a City on the Rise | Festivals & Awards
Black Harvest Film Festival 2024: A Reflection of a City on the Rise | Festivals & Awards
SZA confirms new album will release “before the year is over”
SZA confirms new album will release “before the year is over”
Sex Pistols’ Glen Matlock on being asked to play bass for “boring” Oasis and why he never found Johnny Rotten’s lyrics “sincere”
Sex Pistols’ Glen Matlock on being asked to play bass for “boring” Oasis and why he never found Johnny Rotten’s lyrics “sincere”
Sean Ono Lennon says he started making music to “fill the void” after John Lennon’s death
Sean Ono Lennon says he started making music to “fill the void” after John Lennon’s death
Watch Jon McClure recreate ‘Love Actually’ cards sequence in Reverend and the Makers Christmas Number One bid
Watch Jon McClure recreate ‘Love Actually’ cards sequence in Reverend and the Makers Christmas Number One bid
Nuggets use strong 2nd half to dominate Lakers
Nuggets use strong 2nd half to dominate Lakers
Pacers’ Haliburton after loss to Bucks: ‘I’ve got to be better’
Pacers’ Haliburton after loss to Bucks: ‘I’ve got to be better’
49ers’ Purdy, Bosa out vs. Packers due to injuries
49ers’ Purdy, Bosa out vs. Packers due to injuries
76ers’ George out next 2 games with knee injury
76ers’ George out next 2 games with knee injury
10 Best Big-Budget Sequels Coming in 2025
10 Best Big-Budget Sequels Coming in 2025
TV Shows Doing Nostalgia Right (Without Making It Cringe)
TV Shows Doing Nostalgia Right (Without Making It Cringe)
‘Arcane’ Poster With AI Enhancements Slammed By Fans and Removed by Netflix
‘Arcane’ Poster With AI Enhancements Slammed By Fans and Removed by Netflix
‘Silo’s Syndrome Illness Is Nowhere to Be Found in the Books
‘Silo’s Syndrome Illness Is Nowhere to Be Found in the Books
Inside The Alexis Bittar Dinner at The St. Regis
Inside The Alexis Bittar Dinner at The St. Regis
New CEO’s at Saint Laurent & Balenciaga, Massive Editor Exits, & More Moves To Peruse!
New CEO’s at Saint Laurent & Balenciaga, Massive Editor Exits, & More Moves To Peruse!
Hearst Layoffs Backlash, Bergdorf Goodman’s Holiday Windows
Hearst Layoffs Backlash, Bergdorf Goodman’s Holiday Windows
Luxe Resorts We Love For A Winter Getaway!
Luxe Resorts We Love For A Winter Getaway!