Overprotected

"Overprotected" is a song by American recording artist Britney Spears. The song was written and produced by Max Martin and Rami Yacoub for Spears' third studio album, Britney (2001). It was released on December 18, 2001 by Jive Records, as the second single from the album worldwide. Lyrically, the dance-pop song, is about a girl who is tired of being overprotected and just wants to be herself. It received mixed reviews from contemporary critics, as some reviewers noticed "Overprotected" as a way for Spears to "break free", despite coming from a singer that is known worldwide since childhood. A version of the song, "The Darkchild Remix", was released in the United States and Canada in April 2002.

While it did not perform well on the Billboard charts in the United States, "Overprotected" peaked at number 22 in Canada, while reaching the top five in Italy, Romania, Sweden and United Kingdom. An accompanying music video, directed by Billie Woodruff, portrays Spears dancing inside an abandoned factory, while singing about being overprotected; the music video for "The Darkchild Remix", directed by Chris Applebaum, portrays Spears dancing and having fun with her friends. Spears has performed "Overprotected" a number of times including at the Dream Within a Dream Tour (2001) and The Onyx Hotel Tour (2004). In 2003, the song received a nomination for a Grammy Award for Best Female Pop Vocal Performance.