Britney Spears had a surprise for any “King of Pop” fans in the audience last night. During her performance of “Me Against The Music”, the popstar donned a fedora and struck signature Michael Jackson poses. When reportedly asked about the performance by US Weekly, Spears admitted that it had been indeed a tribute to the late Jackson. She also stated that her favorite part of the show was simply her and the spotlight and considered the moment a true tribute to the departed music icon.

Britney Spears had performed with the late Michael Jackson in the past. During his 30th Anniversary Special, Britney Spears played the role of love interest during a performance of “The Way You Make Me Feel”.

Spears has cited Jackson and his sister Janet as major musical influences, so the tribute isn’t surprising and is probably heart-felt.

Perhaps she wanted to add a bit of excitement to her Las Vegas show, which thus far has had mixed reviews.

The La Times review was rather scathing, saying that the show’s title “Piece of Me” was more than apt for what was delivered: Just a piece of a promising performance rather than an entirely enjoyable show.

Ouch.

Much of the criticism of the opening shows has been centered around the idea that Spears is not really singing. Lip-synching is actually something that Spears had been accused of in the past, though many had been willing to give her a break. After all, it’s not easy to hold a note and dance your behind off at the same time. The problem is that according to many reports, Spears just isn’t dancing anymore. If the pop icon is hardly working up a sweat through actual dance, there isn’t a valid reason to avoid singing live.

The ability to step outside the box with surprise additions to the show could be enticing. However, if Spears doesn’t step up her game, her Las Vegas shows are in danger of falling humiliatingly flat. Heart-felt tributes or not.

Image via OfficialMusicVideoHD