Britney Spears is to release her new album this year. The "Gimme More" hitmaker says her eighth studio album will debut before the end of 2013 and has revealed she's taken a leap in a different direction with her sound and believes her fans will be "surprised" by the new material.

"It's definitely in the beginning stations right now. I want to take this album and have a new approach with it, make it different from anything I've ever done," she told Ryan Seacrest on his radio show. When asked if fans can expect new music in 2013, she replied, "By the end of the year, yeah."

The 31-year-old singer has confirmed will.i.am will be featuring on her upcoming record and has teased that British producer William Orbit will be working with her next week to produce some songs: "will has some really interesting tracks. There's a lot of guitar. I think people will be surprised. I think William Orbit is coming into town for me to work with next week. I've never worked with him before so I'm so excited."

Britney premiered her new single "Ooh La La" today, which she has recorded for upcoming animated movie The Smurfs 2.