By rights you'd think that Beyonce would eclipse every other female star in the world because she excels in every area. But maybe she's just TOO perfect? You don't expect her to mess up and she never does. You don't expect her to LOOK a mess and she never does. You don't even have to look at a new Beyonce photoshoot to know what she'll look like in it - unless you need to check her outfit!

Yet Britney is 100 times more interesting, for all her flaws. I know some people will say "It's more fun to watch a train wreck than a train arriving in the station" but Britney has ALWAYS been more interesting, even before the "train wreck" days, and she REMAINS interesting for the good just as much as the bad reasons.

Maybe it all comes down to unpredictability in every area of her career as well as her life? Britney in photoshoots is the "girl of a thousand looks". Her face seems to be infinitely adaptable. She never looks quite the same and sometimes appears almost unrecognisably different.

Her body seems to change constantly too. One day she's "boobylicious" and popping out all over the place, next day she's normal size or even smaller. One day she has a big butt and the next day it seems to have disappeared. One day the paps have pix showing the latest "pregnancy scare" and the next day she's skinny as a rail.

And what's the betting that she'll be immaculately dressed and coiffeured anytime you see her? She may look amazing but she may also look a total mess! The point is, you never know what you're going to get with her, so you keep watching.

Her music also contains unpredictability and endless variety. Most people are sceptical that she gives long and thoughtful consideration to how she intends to interpret a song. But somehow when she's in the studio, alone with a microphone, strange alchemies happen and she comes up with voicings, phrasings and little magical moments that keep everything fresh. You could NOT predict how Britney Spears would sing any song you gave her. But you could with Beyonce.

Beyonce also has this thing of always being there. "Another great new song by Beyonce". They come along in a seemingly endless procession. And that's wonderful. How could it not be? She enhances the charts with the excellence of her presence. But predictable excellence isn't something that gets people talking or generates constant fascination. Even Britney's FANS tend to wait in a state of constant anxiety to see which single their wayward heroine will choose next!

I'm hoping for the sublime "Unusual You", but will I get it? Hmmmm......

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